Happy New Year!!

​As we kickoff the new year today we wanted to take a minute to reflect on all the amazing work we have done.
In 2020 we were able to provide resources and help to so many horses during the uncertainty and chaos the past year brought, and we couldn’t have done it all without you. We are seriously SO grateful for the incredible individuals who have made this possible

Cheers to each and every one of you who has contributed in any way this year to our program. We hope you celebrated the new year knowing that you’ve changed the course of many horses’ lives, and are feeling the love and appreciation that comes with that impact.

​Here’s to 2021!

We brand our horses so they are less likely to be target of thieves and so we can easily identify them if they ever become at-risk horses again (which unfortunately has happened before). Think of it like your horse, pony or mule having its own registration plate. We use freeze branding which is a safe and virtually painless, economical process. Other methods of branding can be painful and quite often result in an uneven and unreadable brand.

Freeze branding, as the name suggests, is carried out by freezing the brand using liquid nitrogen and then applying to the skin for only a few seconds. This destroys the hair pigment so when the hair grows back it is white. White or grey horses will need a slightly longer application; this will destroy the hair follicle which will result in a hairless brand.

You can identify the Drifter's Hearts of Hope horse brand by seeing a capital D followed by a Heart symbol on the horses left front shoulder.

Today is #coloradogivesday - our biggest fundraising day of the year. Funds raised today go directly to rescuing, feeding and caring for new intakes.

Rescue is hard, as you can imagine. There are great days and ok days and there are bad days. It’s the good days that keep you going. And sometimes you have to look past what is directly in front of you. Not every horse makes it. Some are too far gone or in too much pain. What we can do, though, is give those horses love, good food and a peaceful and dignified ending.

Sometimes even the losses are considered successes.

“Ella” came into our rescue in August of this year. This poor horse had suffered for many years and the best we could do for her was to love her and peacefully send her on her way to greener pastures. This is also rescue. This is what we do. RIP beautiful Ella.

Please consider donating today to help us continue our mission. Everyone here both 2 legged and four legged are incredibly grateful for our supporters!

Rescued horse number 121... can you guess who it is? Hint... he was a huge part of this rescue for four and a half years. An amazing and wise soul...

His name was “Monty”. Monty the Mascot.

Monty was saved out of the kill pen in early 2016, he was 27 years old at the time.

He became such a helpful horse to have around that we never offered him for adoption, instead he became the ambassador for the rescue. Monty went to events, calmed scared horses, weaned babies, taught children... you name it, he did it. Monty was also quite the ladies man.... he gave all of us many laughs in his years at the rescue. If you ever drove up to the barm and saw a loose horse wandering around, that was Monty. He passed away this summer and was laid to rest on the hill overlooking the barn. He is missed every day and will be especially missed this Christmas. One of his favorite antics was to walk down the barn aisle and suck the bottom of all the stockings that had peppermints in them!!! He was a real character!

While we don’t offer sanctuary to every horse we save, once in a while there is one that you just know is extra special. If they could talk they would have a lot of stories to tell. Monty was one of those. His rescue was a special type of success story.

This is what we do at DHOH. With your help we create success stories.

In a year that made fundraising almost non-existent (we usually host 2-3 fundraising events each year), #coloradogivesday2020 is even more important than ever. We need the support of our community and supporters to help us keep the success stories coming.
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We miss you, Monty!!!!

Rescued horse number 298... who is that?

We certainly don’t refer to him as a number... his name is “TIMMY TIPTOES”! And his beautiful momma, “Miss Moppet”.

Miss Moppet was saved out of the kill pen on May 4th, 2018.... she was only 3 years old and she was pregnant. Less than 70 hours later, Miss Moppet gave birth to a stunning colt, Timmy Tiptoes. At first all seemed great but within 12 hours Timmy started to deteriorate rapidly and couldn’t stand. He was rushed to CSU where he was treated for dummy foal syndrome and sepsis. It was touch and go for a few days but thank goodness little Timmy was a fighter.... he made it through and never looked back!

Timmy always lived up to his name and loved to stand on his hind legs.... he was always into something and causing trouble... I am sure his now mom would love to share some stories 

Miss Moppet went on to get professionally started under saddle and also found a wonderful forever home. A beautiful and athletic mare that was discarded for no apparent reason... she is seriously amazing.

DHOH invested a lot of heart, soul, tears, joy, time and money into these 2 beautiful animals and every penny and second was worth it. This is what we do and this is where your donations go... to horses like Miss Moppet and Timmy Tiptoes.

Tonight we will share the story of rescued horse number 121.... a different type of success story!

#coloradogivesday2020 is tomorrow.... we hope to raise enough funds to keep allowing us to go above and beyond for these deserving animals. If you have it in your heart and are financially able, we would so appreciate your donation! The horses will thank you too! ​

People often ask how Drifter’s Hearts of Hope started. Well, it all started with this magnificent horse right here. Drifter. We didn’t rescue Drifter, he rescued us. He inspired us to create something that would help horses like him. Drifter was a champion roping horse in his day... he even won his owner a truck and trailer! Drifter was discarded when he was only 9 because he was no longer sound. Drifter found his way to a rescue and was adopted by the Strachan family. And then it all began.

Drifter met Bella and the Kirshner family. Bella, a young girl with cerebral palsy, fell in love with Drifter and soon enough all Bella’s friends fell in love with Drifter. Bella and her friends started baking heart-shaped horse cookies to sell in local feed stores to raise money to save a horse just like Drifter. And they succeeded.
In July of 2014, these inspiring, special kids took the money they had raised and went to the auction to save a horse. Well, how do you pick JUST ONE HORSE? It broke all of our hearts to choose just one life to save.... so we came home with 5!!! Hope, Clarity, Spirit, Noddy Long Ears and Festus the mini.

A rescue was born.#coloradogivesday2020 is on Tuesday. Over the next couple of days we want to share with you what we give to the horses we rescue. We hope that on Tuesday you might feel inspired to give to us so that we can continue to give to more horses.
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“Hope” was rescued horse number 1, tomorrow we will tell the story of rescued horse number 298

​Many folks come to us with specific criteria in mind: wanting a horse that can do gymkhanas, or work on their ranch, or jump around at a show. Very, very few people come requesting companion horses.

We often hear the response of “But they can’t be ridden!”

But they can be loved. They can be groomed, they can be hugged, they can be your child’s best friend, they can be your faithful partner. They can teach your young horse the ropes of how to be a wonderful horse. They can help you build confidence, they can supervise your herd, they can wiggle their way into your heart with no plans of relinquishing that position. They can be a true rescue: done with nothing but selflessness, generosity and love in your heart.

So while companion horses cannot be ridden, we believe that what they offer spans beyond just what can occur under saddle.

We ask that you consider opening your heart and your home to one of our companion horses. Everyone needs a bit of kindness, especially these days, and our horses would sure appreciate it!

October 24th, 2020 | 8am-5pm
Hosted by Drifter's Hearts of Hope | 9555 Deerfield Rd, Franktown, CO 80116

This awareness level course combines lecture and hands-on training to students and provides a solid foundation in dealing with cruelty investigations regarding livestock, with an emphasis on horses. This course is designed for people with all levels of training. Topics include body condition scoring, safe animal handling, general nutrition, veterinary care, appropriate husbandry, situational awareness, and conflict de-escalation.

Equipment necessary for class:

• Appropriate footwear – closed toed boots
• Long pants
• Clothing appropriate for outdoor conditions
• Clipboard / pen

Registration Information

• Cost $100 per person, $75 For Drifter’s Hearts of Hope Volunteers
• Registration form must be received to confirm enrollment. Check or cash will be received at the beginning of the class.
• Contact Drifter’s Hearts of Hope, Jacqui Avis 303-52-5726 to register or for more information
• http://code3associates.org/events/introduction-to-livestock-investigations-franktown-co/ 
• Email registration form to gleonard@code3associates.org

Monty, our beloved mascot, made an incredible name for himself when he was a part of this world. He has since passed on to greener pastures, but his legacy continues on.
Monty was recognized as an EQUUS Foundation Platinum Performance Horse Welfare Award Runner up for his work at the rescue. You can read more about Monty, Equus, Platinum Performance, and the award below.
Thank you so much to Equus for honoring such a deserving horse that is near and dear to so many of our hearts! 

Drifter’s Hearts of Hope (DHOH) rescues at risk horses, horses whose future is likely dismal or non-existent without rescue. The process in finding the right forever home with the right forever person considers many factors.  The environment where the horse will be kept is an important one.  A pre-adoption home check tries to foresee the safety, health and happiness of a horse that might be placed in that setting. 

Things That We Look At:
Is there adequate and safe shelter?  Horses need protection from direct sunlight, precipitation, wind and other inclement weather.  Shelters should be well constructed and not have any nails, boards or other projections that might injure the horse. The shelter should be high enough that the horse can stand naturally and the entrance to the shelter should be wide enough that the horse will not bang a hip on the way in or out.  There should be adequate ventilation and light.  There should be good footing without unusual accumulation of manure. 

If kept in a stall and run, the horse should have reasonable turn out time to exercise and, if possible, graze in a pasture.  Is the fencing in the pasture and/or pen safe and secure? Is the height appropriate for the horse that may be adopted?   Sagging wire creates a hazard, as does barbed wire in any condition.  Barbed wire is only acceptable on large acreages where the horse has little likelihood of being run into the fence. Are t-posts used?  If so, are they capped?  DHOH requires that t-posts be capped.  We look for hazards such as debris or discarded equipment that might injure the horse.

How will the horse’s nutritional needs be met?  What hay will be fed?  Is the potential adopter prepared to meet the special nutritional needs of a senior or very young horse, if applicable?  Will the horse have reliable access to fresh water? Salt must be available. 

How many horses will be kept on the property?  Over-crowding increases the potential for injury, but at the same time horses have a strong herd instinct and are happiest with horse companionship.  DHOH requires that adopted horses have at least one other horse for companionship.  If there are horses on the property at the time of the visit, what is their condition?  Do they look well fed?  Have their feet been cared for?  What is their behavior?  Are they interested and alert, or do they seem bored?  Do they seem comfortable around people or frightened or disinterested?
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We hope that potential adopters are not intimidated by a pre-adoption home check. Our goal is to assure a safe place for the horse and a good experience for the adopter.  DHOH will work with you to prepare for the home check, and if necessary, can do a repeat visit after any suggested changes are made.  Before scheduling a home check, consider the following:

• Is your shelter safe and appropriate for the size/age of the horse you hope to adopt?
• Is your fencing high enough and also low enough to the ground, for the horse you hope to adopt?
• Is your fencing in good condition with no barb wire or uncapped t-posts?
• Will your horse have access to an area large enough for sufficient exercise. (At least an acre is best.)
• Is the area where your horse will be kept free from hazards such as downed wire, old farm equipment or holes the horse could step in?
• Do you have quality feed, including supplements if required, that meets the need of the horse you hope to adopt?
• Do you have or plan to acquire a second horse for companionship?

 

On July 25th, we had to say the hardest of goodbyes to one of our most cherished rescue horses: one that has certainly had a huge impact on hundreds of both human and horse lives. Our mascot, DHOH “Monty”, made his way over the rainbow bridge at the early hours of the morning, off to greener pastures.

This horse was the definition of a rescue success: he was saved out of a kill pen at the age of 29, and although he had soundness issues he taught kids how to ride, taught kids with special needs how to groom, how to lead and most importantly, he taught us all how to love unconditionally. He practically raised all our foals once they were weaned... he was the best uncle! He’s been to gymkhanas, many, many events, birthday parties and has even gone on road trips to help teach frightened horses how to load in a trailer. His 4 1/2 years at DHOH had to have been his best years. Everyone that has come through our gates has probably met him... the big sorrel gelding that roamed loose in the day.... grazing at will and talking to all his lady friends over their gates. He was a legend and this barn will never be the same without him in it. Monty had gone off his feed his last few days and although he still loved to wander around, he wasn’t quite right. He passed away in his stall overnight with no sign of struggle... so we can only hope that he passed away peacefully in his sleep. Monty was buried this up on the hill with many of his favorite people gathered around. Rest easy Big Guy and know that you were very loved. See you on the other side, our sweet boy.
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In Monty's honor we are looking to do something special. Specifically we'd like create a scholarship to be awarded annually to someone who saves an older, at-risk horse like Monty. We've seen first hand how much of an impact older horses can have. To help us kick this off, please consider donating to the Monty Memorial Scholarship Fund. You can donate through your platform of choice: PayPal, Venmo, mailed check or cash.