Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue was founded in 2008 when we took in our first donkey. Since then we have taken in over 740 horses, ponies, mules, and donkeys.
Some of the large cases we have been involved with:
In October of 2015, we were called in by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to assist after a massive farm raid: 101 starving and severely neglected horses, donkeys, and mules were being removed from Peaceable Farm. Hope’s Legacy worked closely with officers and Animal Control to take in 29 of these animals.
Then in 2016, just as things were starting to settle down, we were contacted about a seizure in Nottoway County. They were seizing 40 horses and needed our help. Hope’s Legacy took in 19, two of which were pregnant. These horses arrived in varying levels of emaciation, many with chemical burns.
In 2023 we assisted Shenandoah County with a case involving 98 starving Thoroughbred horses, we ended up with 31 mares and 5 stallions from that case.
Some of the horses we take in have to be euthanized immediately as they are too compromised by starvation, neglect, and abuse. Many though, with the tremendous dedication and love from our amazing volunteers, make full recoveries and live out the rest of their lives in sanctuary, or are adopted into happy new homes. As difficult and painful as some of the cases we see can be, we get through by knowing that, even the ones we have to say goodbye to only days after their arrival, finally knew love. It is our great honor and privilege to provide comfort to all of these animals and give them back the dignity they rightly deserve.
Today, Hope’s Legacy has horses and donkeys ranging in age from from just a couple of months old to 30 years old. As we continue to grow and respond to the great need in our community, we had been searching for a large piece of land to purchase… and recently we found it!
On November 27, 2017, we closed on a 172-acre parcel in western Albemarle County and are working to raise the money to build a barn and fence in the land. This will allow Hope’s Legacy to finally have our forever home, providing security for all of our horses... present and future.
Members of:
Guardians are organizations on the Equine Welfare Network that demonstrate a commitment to public transparency by their willingness to publish and share extensive data about their programs, horse care practices, and governance.
