Swiftie, born on April 15, 2010, is a Registered Thoroughbred Mare with one of the most unique and special backgrounds of any equine at the sanctuary.

She was one of the last foals born to Press Exclusive, a Kentucky-bred racehorse whose dramatic rescue from slaughter in Canada in 2012 went viral. Press Exclusive arrived at Equine Advocates the following year for permanent retirement. Mindy Lovell, who runs Transitions Thoroughbreds in Ontario and rescued Press Exclusive, informed us about one of her foals – a Canadian-bred filly named “X Squared” who was racing at Woodbine. Equine Advocates President Susan Wagner spoke with Mindy about following her career and doing everything possible to prevent her from ending up on a slaughter truck like her mom. Mindy discovered that in 2018, X Squared had been sold to someone in Texas and was shipped to the U.S. to race. Susan contacted that person to ask if there came a time when X Squared needed a forever home, we would like to retire her at the sanctuary. Another six years passed, and in June of 2024, Susan received an unexpected call asking if she was still interested in giving X Squared a home. She said “yes,” and began arranging to transport the mare from the southern U.S. to New York State. With X Squared’s new life came a new, musically inspired name – Swiftie!

She arrived at Cornell University Hospital for Animals on July 10, 2024, for a thorough check-up and evaluation, and arrived at the sanctuary on July 27, 2024. Swiftie is a large and gorgeous bay mare with an expressive face and kind disposition. What an amazing journey this has been for her and us! Sadly, Press Exclusive passed away on December 16, 2024, but not before reuniting with one of her foals.

Swiftie is proudly sponsored by supporters from San Gabriel, California; Upland, California; Davie, Florida; Port Huron, Michigan; Beacon, New York; Canandaigua, New York; Clifton Park, NY; Glenmont, New York and South Salem, New York.

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Photo credit: Michele Jacobs

Tina, a mixed-breed born in June of 2013, had a rough start. Her mother passed away while giving birth to her. As a result, Tina did not receive the vitally important colostrum through her mother’s milk within the first 72 hours of being born to help build her immune system. This resulted in her being much smaller than she should be. She was rescued by a great friend of the organization who learned through her veterinarian that Tina was also half-blind in her left eye, due to an injury she sustained as a foal. She was not a horse eligible for adoption, so we took her into our sanctuary program in 2014. In 2021, her left eye was surgically removed. She is beyond adorable, and we are so pleased to have her here. Tina hangs out with her donkey friend, Pensacola Pete, in our “Odd Couple” pasture!

Tina is proudly sponsored by supporters from Emmett, Idaho; Lenox, Massachusetts; Albany, New York; Glenmont, New York; Saratoga Springs, New York and Schodack, New York.

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Photo credit: Alex Valverde

Vicky is a Registered Thoroughbred Mare who raced under the name “Lady Flicker.” She was born on May 15, 2006, in Oklahoma. Vicky did not win a lot of money as a racehorse, so her last owner decided to breed her. After giving birth to at least one foal, she had trouble getting pregnant again, which is how we first heard about her situation. Vicky was rescued in 2018 and was sent to a foster home until we had the room to accommodate her. She arrived at the sanctuary on May 21, 2019. Vicky is a gentle and striking chestnut mare who deserves a forever home where her life is not reduced to being passed from one owner to the next – a situation which sadly becomes the fate of so many equines who are bred for one purpose, only to end up in jeopardy when they can no longer perform or fulfill certain expectations.

Vicky is proudly sponsored by supporters from Granby, Connecticut; Hudson, New York; Slingerlands, New York; Houston, Texas and Draper, Utah.

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Photo credit: Jim Craner

Willie was captured on January 14, 2024, by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) during its largest roundup that year in the Black Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA) in Arizona. The Cattoor Livestock Roundup Company was paid more than $371,000 to round up the Burros and transport them to a government holding facility. Cattoor has been contracted by the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service to round up Wild Horses and Burros since 1975 at the cost of tens of millions of dollars to the American taxpayer. While the company claims its methods are “humane,” many experts and witnesses of their roundups say the opposite is true. Over the years, media reports have also exposed the inhumane tactics used by Cattoor to round up Wild Horses and Burros, citing documented incidents of abuse and cruel treatment. This includes long, intense chases of these animals with helicopters during oppressive and torrid heat, often resulting in severe exhaustion and sometimes death, as well as numerous other reports of neglect and cruelty.

Willie was born in 2019. He is the youngest and the smallest of the four Wild Burros who arrived at the sanctuary on June 13, 2025. As we do not know the exact day the burros were born, we will celebrate their Re-Birth-Days on their arrival date, the day they began their new lives.

We are so glad to have Willie, Bruce, Dylan, and Sly as our official ambassadors to help educate the public about why the roundups should end, and why we should allow Wild Horses and Burros to roam wild and free on America’s Public Lands where they belong.

Willie is proudly sponsored by supporters from Nassau, New York and Mount Airy, North Carolina.

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Photo credit: Alex Valverde