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Horse North, Inc. evolved from the efforts of several individuals who have been working to promote the welfare of the horse through rescue operations, assistance in unwanted horse placement and education since 1987.
It began in 1983 when Holly allowed a "rescue group" to place a rescued mare in her barn on a temporary basis. The horse was more or less forgotten by the group (a loosely knit group of well-meaning people with no organization structure or written contracts) and stayed for almost a year before it was ultimately placed with a "foster owner" by a member of the group. The horse did not work out for the new owner, and was sent to a local meat auction with no notice to "Voice of the Horse" rescue or to Holly.
Holly was devastated when she learned the fate of the horse, and vowed that would never happen to one of her horses.
From 1984 to 1987, Holly and her friends, Sharon, and Mary took in several unwanted horses by purchase or gift, and placed the horses in foster homes with a written agreement that the horses would come back to them in the event that the horses were no longer wanted. They also provided food for emergency shortages when notified that someone had a horse with no food, as well as helping with transportation for injured horses, and training programs for young horse owners.
In 1987, Holly's two sons began driving, and no longer wanted to be involved with their horses. These horses were well-trained, registered horses who had received excellent care since their birth on Holly's ranch. Each horse was worth approximately $5,000.00, but Holly remembered the fate of the Voice of the Horse mare. Holly and Mary consulted with an attorney to create a formalized "contract" to lease the horses. The contract was explicit as to the level of care and expectations for both the lessor and the lessee. The contract was intended to pass full responsibility for care and liability of the horse to the lessee, with ultimate ownership and control over the level of care remaining with the lessor. The attorney advised against making the contract renewable because she thought it was nuts to give up the possibility of selling such valuable horses forever and the lessees might never return the horse as long as they cared for the animal. Those horses are now 24 years old, and they are both in the hands of local 4-H children who love, care and show them. One of the horses is still with the original adoptive family. Hallelujah!
Over the next 14 years, Holly, Sharon and Mary remained friends, and continued to rescue horses. Holly and Mary each put an extra 200 bales of hay in their barns every year because every single year, someone had a "horse that was going to go to auction if no one takes it off their hands." Usually this would happen in February when the meager amount of hay purchased in September was gone, all the money to buy more had been spent on Christmas, heating fuel, etc. and the person did not like going out in the cold to attend to the horse. Both became very active in horse programs, including 4-H, pony club and the local equestrian team. Sharon continued to contribute financially.
In 2002, David and Nancy discovered three horribly neglected Shetland ponies in a deceased neighbor's barnyard near their home. Family members had no clue as to how to care for their grandfather's once prized young Shetland stallion and old hackney mare, and turned them out together, and now had three ponies with no food and overgrown hooves. David and Nancy recognized that the animals were in danger of starvation, they were lice infested, and badly in need of farrier work, but the owners did not want to part with animals they considered valuable. David and Nancy purchased all three ponies and loaded them into their van, and started making calls as to where to go with the animals. They were directed by locals to a "crazy lady in Kingsley who leased rescued horses" and brought the horses to Holly's barn.
Within three months, the young stud and the filly were back in peak condition and all three had been placed in adoptive homes under the lease program. It took an entire year to bring the hackney mare back to condition. On the fourth farrier trimming, the farrier discovered an embedded shoe in the little mare's offside front foot. She is now 20 years old, and is ridden regularly by two 4-H children who love and care for her.
The three ponies brought the total number of horses and ponies in the lease contract program to a total of 21 animals, and the group began talking about creating a solid organization that would continue the work and monitor the horses in the program even if something should happen to Holly who was doing all of the annual leases. David and Nancy suggested a non-profit corporation that could solicit funds from others that could be tax deductible. In addition, their teenage daughter, Alexandria thought it would be a great idea if people who no longer wanted or could no longer care for their horses they could donate them to Horse North, Inc BEFORE they ended up starved or in horrible condition. Horse North could then place them with families involved in area 4-H groups or those just wanting to get involved with horses. The idea of Horse North, Inc. was born.
In late 2003 and 2004, the group, which now included Mary's new (roped in with no choice) husband, Brian, began formulating the structure and forms for Horse North, Inc., and a game plan for the continuation of the work even if Holly or Mary could no longer do it. Brian's voice has provided sound business principles to Horse North, Inc. because he views it as a business and thinks with his head, not just his heart.
On October 29, 2004, application was made to the State of Michigan for Horse North, Inc. The original application was lost, resent on November 5, and approved as a non-profit Michigan Corporation on November 9, 2004.
Since October 29, more horses have been donated to the program by their owners and have been placed in adoptive homes. Six of those horses were placed using the original lease contract with adoptive families having multiple children in area 4-H programs. One horse was placed with an owner needing to replace a 29 year old trail horse that is nearing the end of her life, and one horse, Starlight, a six year old Arabian/Quarter horse cross gelding was injured beyond help. He was euthanized upon the advice of the Michigan State University hospital veterinary staff. It was through our efforts to save Starlight that we truly realized that Horse North, Inc. will work. Several people contributed cash to obtain veterinary care for Starlight who had not previously been involved in any type of horse rescue, and two of the donors have no horses.
In 2003, the lease program said goodbye to Pedro's Midnight Moon (18 year old TWH mare/Holly's horse into lease program 1991) and Kings' Dish (34 year old Quarter Horse/Holly purchased and put into the lease program 1995). In 2004 the lease program said goodbye to Prince Charming "Killer" (a 36 year old Halflinger gelding/original rescue 1993), Snowball Johnson (a 27 year old Shetland Pony mare/original rescue 1984) CC Chambrozia "Baby" (an 18 year old registered Arabian mare/original rescue 1996), and Starlight. We mourn their loss and rejoice in the joy Moonie, King, Killer, Snowball and Baby provided for many many children over the years they were with us.
And that is where it all began....
The future of Horse North Inc. is now secure and more volunteers have come forward to futher the efforts of Horse North Inc. and growth is happening! With new volunteers comes new visions. Visions of other things Horse North Inc. can do to help educate people and to reach more horses.
Horse North Inc. is now a Michigan non-profit corporation. All gifts and donations are tax deductable!