From neglected and abused horses to young and un-started horses, we rescue, rehabilitate and re-home our horses here at Drifter’s Hearts of Hope (DHOH). DHOH has never looked back since the first 3 horses stepped away from the kill auction, and into our hearts. On July 16th, 2014 DHOH saved Spirit, Clarity and Hope; since then we’ve rescued over 340 slaughter-bound horses, donkeys, mules and even a few calves. Our commitment to such an incredible number of horses, as well as our commitment to ensuring each horse is brought back to health and finds their perfect home has earned the respect of the entire equine community around us. Every pair of boots tells a story and this is ours.

In these Idyllwind boots, we will continue to write our story and save as many slaughter-bound horses as we can. Find out how you can be a part of our amazing journey here.

This is our "In these boots I..." story, what is yours?

Written By Dani Ross

We consider ourselves to be adoption matchmakers. Horse Cupid, even. In other words, we help good people find their right horse.

When you first set foot into the Drifter’s Hearts of Hope (DHOH) facility as a potential adopter, you’ll be greeted with the question, “Tell me more about what you’re looking for in a horse?” While we have already reviewed your adoption application, we always like to get more information in person.  

That first question is just the beginning. We’ll then walk you through the barn, past each available horse in the barn, discussing your basic preferences as we go. What kind of riding style do you prefer, and what kinds of activities do you want to do with your potential horse? What qualities and characteristics do you look for in a horse? What qualities and characteristics do you dislike? What are your absolute must-haves? What are your non-negotiables? Simply put, we use these questions to help us match you with the best potential “right horse” that will meet your needs.

From there, as we pass by the horses, we'll also tell you about them. We will highlight and pause near the stalls of horses that may be a good match. Here we like to delve a little deeper. What could make you nervous while riding or being around a horse? When you're nervous, how do you handle it? Have you had any negative experiences that we should be aware of? Since safety is extremely important to us, we always want to make sure we fully understand where the rider is in their horsemanship journey.

We'll then introduce you to the available horses we believe will be the best fit after learning more about you and your horsemanship. We explain what the horse is looking for and needs in an adopter and living situation, what riding styles for which they’d be best suited for (English, western, trail riding, arena work, etc.), what kind of rider they prefer (soft hands, quiet legs, experienced rider, kid-friendly, etc.), and what their deal-breakers and must-haves are. The horse is an important part of this equation because they must match with the potential adopter just as much as the potential adopter needs to match with the horse.

Honesty and openness are essential in these discussions. We try to get to know you, your background, and your goals so that we can match them with our knowledge of our horses, their backgrounds, and their goals.