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Cello
OK—so he’s not an equine!
Cello, born in 2013, is a Nigerian Dwarf Goat! He and his pal Jakey had been owned by a family who could no longer care for them, so they were placed at Catskill Animal Sanctuary (CAS) in Saugerties, NY. Equine Advocates adopted them both from CAS on May 7, 2015. These great boys spend their days up at the Main Barn in the section we call “It’s a Small World.” They are constant entertainment for us, our volunteers, and visitors! Cello is such a sweet and shy animal and we just adore him!
Cello is proudly sponsored in full by a supporter from New York, New York who also generously sponsors Jakey!
Photo credit: Alex Valverde
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Jack
Jack, born around 2001, is a gorgeous Dark Bay Percheron who is a former New York City carriage horse. His life was suddenly placed in jeopardy when injuries he sustained over the years ended his ability to perform. We sent Jack to a hospital for a complete evaluation after his rescue in 2016. He was diagnosed with left hind lameness, evidence of an old bone fracture, osteoarthritis, and other changes in his feet and legs, in addition to thrush, mange, and white line disease. However, he is sound enough to spend his days outside in his pasture. Equine Advocates strongly opposes the urban carriage horse trade in big cities across the U.S. and around the world.
Jack is proudly sponsored in full by a supporter from Charlottesville, Virginia, who also generously sponsors Mark!
Photo credit: Alex Valverde
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Jakey
OK—so he’s not an equine!
Jakey, born in 2013, is a Nigerian Dwarf Goat! He and his pal Cello had been owned by a family who could no longer care for them, so they were placed at Catskill Animal Sanctuary (CAS) in Saugerties, NY. Equine Advocates adopted them both from CAS on May 7, 2015. Appropriately nicknamed “Jumping Jake,” he is one of the cutest and most inquisitive animals here. He adores people and plays until he exhausts himself and everyone else around him! We love our Jakey to pieces!
Jakey is proudly sponsored in full by a supporter from New York, New York who also generously sponsors Cello!
Photo credit: Alex Valverde
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Kip
Kip, a Quarter Horse born around 2001, was a horse-for-hire at a New York City riding stable that has since closed. He was rescued by an NYC resident who had ridden him there. She purchased Kip after she found out he was suffering from a disease called Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) and was going to be sold at auction. He was treated at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine before retiring at the sanctuary in 2006. Kip spends his time with another horse, Bandit, in the area of the sanctuary we call “Goodfellas.”
Kip is sponsored in full by the same New York City supporter who rescued him!
Photo credit: Kara Heniges
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Mark
Mark is a Bay Draft Cross Gelding and a former urban carriage horse who worked the streets of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until the carriage company where he worked went out of business. His estimated birth year is 1998. Mark was placed with Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue where he had been put up for adoption as a non-riding horse due to his arthritis and other physical issues. When we heard that he was up for adoption, we decided to offer him a forever home. He arrived here on September 25, 2020.
Before coming here, we sent him to Cornell University Hospital for Animals for a full evaluation. As the fourth urban carriage horse to come to Equine Advocates, we are very experienced in understanding the issues and injuries that these working horses often sustain. As is always the case with equines who come here, especially former work and performance horses, we send them for x-rays and analysis so we know exactly what we are dealing with in order to manage their care as effectively as possible. Unfortunately, Mark’s problems are degenerative, which means we can only manage them, as some will undoubtedly worsen over time. According to Cornell’s evaluation, he has marked navicular bone degeneration (cysts, bone spurs, sclerosis, and marked pedal osteitis), inflammation and lysis, coffin joint arthritis, deep digital flexor tendon mineralization, and mild fetlock arthritis. Despite his soundness issues, Mark is an extremely stoic horse who does not give in to his problems. He has a real zest for life! He is also sweet and a joy to be around. We are delighted to be able to provide this proud and strikingly gorgeous gelding with a forever home here at Equine Advocates. Mark was named in honor of Mark Rothbaum, the long-time manager of Willie Nelson, our 2020 Safe Home Equine Protection Award honoree.
Mark spends his days with two rescued Canadian PMU (Pregnant Mares’ Urine) mares and one PMU offspring in the area of the sanctuary we call “Field of Dreams.”
Mark is proudly sponsored in full by a supporter from Charlottesville, Virginia, who also generously sponsors Jack!
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Nelson
Nelson, a Wild American Mustang born around 1999, was captured by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Nevada. His future was in serious jeopardy due to the 2004 Burns Amendment, which reversed a longstanding federal policy that protected wild horses from being sold at auctions and subsequently shipped to slaughter plants. We traveled to a BLM adoption event in Ohio and brought him to the sanctuary in January of 2005. Now he and our other Wild American Mustangs – Kachina, Hayden, and Onaqui – act as our ambassadors for wild horse issues. By sharing their stories, we can raise public awareness of the plight of America’s Wild Horses and enlist your help in getting our government to reinstate the protections that these precious creatures deserve before they disappear forever.
Nelson hangs out with Pedro, a rescued Standard Donkey, in the area we call “The Wild Ones.”
Nelson is proudly sponsored in full by a supporter from San Francisco, California.
Photo credit: Caroline Christie
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Pepper
Pepper, a gorgeous Mule born around 1992, was purchased by Equine Advocates at an Amish dispersal sale in 1999. She had been adopted when first rescued, but came back to us in 2010. This happened with every equine we adopted out in the early years of our organization before we had a place of our own. Thankfully, that situation changed in 2004 when we established our sanctuary in Chatham, New York. Since then, every animal we rescue remains with us for life.
Pepper resides in a section of the sanctuary we call “Mule Town” with two other mules and a former Amish buggy horse.
Pepper is proudly sponsored in full by a supporter from Sands Point, New York.
Photo credit: Melissa Murray
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Randy
Randy is a Dark Bay Percheron Cross Gelding born on May 20, 2001. He served this country faithfully for 12 years in the U.S. Army’s Caisson Platoon of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as “The Old Guard.” He helped lead the caskets of fallen military members to their final resting places at Arlington National Cemetery. He performed in the lead (the front pair in the funeral procession) and swing (the middle pair in the funeral procession) positions.
Randy arrived at the sanctuary on April 24, 2023, following a brief stay at Cornell University Hospital for Animals, where he was examined and evaluated. We join countless other Americans in thanking this sweet-tempered former Military Working Horse for his service and are delighted to provide him with a forever retirement home here at the sanctuary.
Randy is proudly sponsored in full by supporters from Spencertown, New York.
Photo credit: Alex Valverde
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Wiatt
Wiatt is a Bay Shire Gelding bred by the Amish in western Pennsylvania. He was born on April 15, 2017. We are not sure if he was bred specifically for driving or work, as Shires have a great capacity for pulling plows and performing other forms of heavy farm work, especially where pulling is involved. A good friend in western Pennsylvania, who found Wiatt, helped us acquire him and kept him until we were able to ship him to the sanctuary. Upon his rescue, Wiatt was very much underweight and deficient in vitamin E, selenium, and potassium. He also had a small cataract on his right lens and tested positive for worms during an examination at Cornell University Hospital for Animals before arriving at Equine Advocates Rescue & Sanctuary on September 25, 2020. All these conditions were curable, and Wiatt now leads a normal and healthy life. Equine Advocates has rescued countless horses and mules from Amish and Mennonite farmers, as well as saved them from slaughter auctions. We are so happy Wiatt will never be discarded and experience the horror of horse slaughter like so many other draft horses do.
Wiatt is a sweet and playful gelding who fits the description given to many draft horses as “gentle giants.” He resides in our “Splendor in the Grass” pasture with other horses. Wiatt was named for Jim Wiatt, a former high-powered Hollywood agent who once represented Willie Nelson, our 2020 Safe Home Equine Protection Award honoree. Fun fact: The Shire, a British breed of draft horse, is the world’s tallest horse breed.
Wiatt is proudly sponsored in full by a foundation based in Clifton, New Jersey.
Photo credit: Kara Heniges
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