‘Tis the time for giving, and what better cause than the herd of 17 rescued horses and ponies at Handibear Hills Horse Sanctuary!
Where would your donation go?
- Your gift of $3000 could keep a horse cared for and fed for an entire year!
- $500 could provide the herd with 10 round bales of hay, which are essential for feeding the herd outdoors in the winter.
- $250 could provide 15 bags of oats, an essential feed for keeping weight on aging horses.
- $100 could provide 2 gallons of witch hazel, used to soothe the horses’ muscles after riding.
- $70 could provide a bag of flax seed, used to supplement fatty acids not normally found in horses’ diets, and essential for healthy skin, coats, body condition, and helps treat inflammatory diseases. The cost of flax has more than doubled this year!
- $50 could provide 2 bags of seaweed, used as a supplement to promote healthy hooves, good joints and bones, as well as smooth and shiny coats.
- $25 could provide Tony the Llama with a bag of feed!
- $5 could provide the herd with a bag of apples or carrots, which are not just tasty treats but also provide lots of vitamins and fiber.
Handibear Hills Horse Sanctuary is a registered non-profit horse rescue in PEI. We have adopted and cared for many abandoned horses and ponies. This is their forever home. Some of the horses are retired racehorses, some had injuries or health conditions that made them unsuitable for racing or showing, and some were given up when their owners could no longer care for them. The herd is used to teach horsemanship and stable management to adults and children, as well as an outreach program to individuals who would benefit from the leadership and life skills that can be acquired through the discipline of caring for horses and ponies. The herd is also used by various community programs for therapy and instruction, including the long-running program “Horses 4 Autism.”
With the caring and knowledgeable guidance of Handibear founder Yogi Fell, these horses are rehabilitated, treated and cared for using practical and holistic methods, which also keeps the costs of keeping the herd relatively low. Even so, the estimated cost of keeping a horse for a year is around $3000. The cost of hay, feed, supplements, minerals, supplies for pain management, as well as the utility and repair costs of the barn itself all add up.
The Sanctuary is very fortunate to have great volunteers who donate their time, expertise, and supplies to keep the barn running, but costs do continue to increase every year.