I will never forget when I learned that my sister in law, Beth, started volunteering at a Thoroughbred Rescue. I was in complete awe that there was such a thing within driving distance of her house, and that she was working with these beautiful creatures, Thoroughbreds, on a regular basis. She would send me photos and I loved keeping up with her Instagram stories--walking out to the pasture, grooming, helping feed. She was completely living my dream!
When she would talk to me about Kathryn, the owner, I was even more so in awe. Everything she had to say about her was inspiring, and I knew that one day, I desperately wanted to come to the Farm and meet this woman.
Most of you know my story: that I put a hand-written letter in a stranger's mailbox, and that it (and they) later gave me the green light to add a horse to their property [where their older Arabian mare was residing alone]. My hope was to own a gentle giant, preferably a Thoroughbred, who I could love on and live out my childhood dream with.
Beth kept telling me about this one horse that she just loved: Paddy. She told me he was so sweet and so loving, and that she had even told Kathryn that I was in the process of looking and Kathryn's response was, "Oh Paddy would be perfect!" I decided to head to Nashville for Beth's birthday get together in February, and I had previously had my heart pretty let down by a horse I thought I belonged with. I came with a guarded heart and unsure mind, and you may laugh, but I was dead set on the fact that my dream horse would be a big Bay. Enter Mr. Paddy. Very much a red headed chestnut, and he quickly tore down the walls of my on-edge spirit. I spent some of the afternoon getting to know him [some of which included cuddling his giant face as he was resting in his stall] and then, I met Kathryn.
Right away I knew she was something special. She let me ride with her, and gave me tips on how to better ride Paddy. She quickly became someone that I knew I would learn a lot from, and I am very honored that even after Paddy has been away from her farm, she still offers advice and input when I have asked. It was and is very evident that Kathryn's heart is completely invested in ALL of these horses, and ultimately, their best interest is what she and the volunteers have in mind!
When asked what her mission was, Kathryn said this: "...the lightbulb went off... I can save these horses, help find them loving homes, and fill the void in my heart all the while. So, The Horse Rescue was founded. It is my mission to save Thoroughbreds from slaughter, rehab them from any injuries racing may have brought, and retrain them for second careers." The Organization has GREAT and selfless volunteers, and some of these girls have even become friends through my process of inheriting Paddy. After a riding fall I had recently, they reached out in messages, offering kind words of encouragement and they gave me hope that Mr. Paddy and I would and WILL be okay--and WE ARE :) [Thank you, ladies!!! You know who you are!]
The Rescue recently went through a name change, which makes total and perfect sense. Originally the name was "The Horse Rescue," but per their blog, Kathryn says, "We re very excited to announce a new division of The Horse Rescue... THR Elite Horses. While some of our horses are true rescues, others are not. The majority of our horses that come into our care are actually owner surrenders with little to no past lameness issues. We decided there needed to be a way to distinguish the "Elite Horses" from the horses who are in rehab, will be pasture or walk horses, or are retired." You can head to their blog to read more about this process, and there are even a few Elite horses up for adoption NOW!
The work and love that Kathryn puts into these beautiful beings never ceases to amaze me. The horses have access to therapy systems such as a vibrating floor, magnetic therapy, ultrasound therapy, whirlpool therapy, etc. There is an indoor sand arena, outdoor irrigated grass riding field, an all-weather outdoor arena, 4-plank fenced paddocks for single or multiple horse turnout, and oh my gosh Y'all, the STALLS....OH, the stalls! I joke that Paddy came from the Ritz-Carlton when it came to his amazing stall! There are 7 grooming stalls, a heated wash rack, tackroom, feed room, and MILES of trails around the property.
Here are some before and after's of horses rescued. The progress is amazing and I'm thankful to my sis in law Beth for sharing these images!
I could go on for a VERY long time about this organization, but I hope you'll check them out for yourself. Even if you're not in the market to adopt your own horse, you can easily donate something to the Farm. Their expenses are broken down here, and it is largely because of donors that they are able to run and operate!
"All donations are appreciated, no matter the size. Wondering what your donation can provide a horse? $10.00 provides 2 week of hay, $25.00 provides 1 month of grain, $50.00 provides 1 month of grain and hay, and $100.00 provides hay, grain, straw bedding and necessary supplies."
Without THR Thoroughbreds and Kathryn Currey, I would not have my very own horse--a Thoroughbred at that! Paddy is a 5-year old 16.3 hand Thoroughbred, and I KNOW that together, he and I are going to do great things. I am excited to see where our adventures take us, and I am forever indebted to Kathryn for helping my dream become a reality.
