{"id":6865,"date":"2024-04-23T10:42:03","date_gmt":"2024-04-23T17:42:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/?p=6865"},"modified":"2026-04-12T23:47:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T06:47:08","slug":"gentle-giants-draft-horse-rescue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/gentle-giants-draft-horse-rescue\/","title":{"rendered":"Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue Saves Lives and Steals Hearts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>\u201cDo I hear fifty dollars? Fifty, do I hear fifty dollars for the quarter horse? I hear sixty, now 70, 80, the competition\u2019s getting tough here folks. Sold for $200, in a close contest between the gentleman in the black hat and the woman on the right.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Based in the rolling hills of rural Mount Airy, Maryland, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gentlegiantsdrafthorserescue.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue<\/a> provides shelter, rehabilitation, fostering and adoption to vulnerable <a href=\"https:\/\/www.horseillustrated.com\/horse-breeds-draft-horses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">draft horses<\/a>. But that\u2019s not all. Saddle up and hang on tight because this story is one fascinating, courageous and wild ride.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue, rescuing horses reaches far beyond rehabilitating and rehoming older or injured draft horses. It&#8217;s a literal race for their lives, involving heroic (and often incognito) rescue operations to save these innocent and majestic creatures from unthinkable deaths.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CnPoUf5uG8B\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"959\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-pic1.jpeg\" alt=\"A person wearing a Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue hoodie scratching and giving care to a beautiful, brown horse in a stable.\" class=\"wp-image-6873\" style=\"width:584px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-pic1.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-pic1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-pic1-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-pic1-768x511.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Start of an Unbridled Passion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>It was 2005 and a young woman from the green acres of the Maryland countryside traveled to a local livestock auction in search of the perfect trail horse to guide her through the green pastures and meandering foothills of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/cato\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Catoctin Mountains<\/a>. A hearty Belgian draft horse caught the eye of Christine Hajek and she immediately started bidding for him, winning him for less than $100.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As she loaded him into her trailer, she overheard a Mennonite man sobbing nearby. Devastated, he divulged that he had to sell his aging horse and believed that the auctioneer sold it to a \u201ckill buyer.\u201d Christine assured him that he hadn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gentlegiantsdrafthorserescue.org\/leadership\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"938\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Christine.jpeg\" alt=\"Christine Hajek, Executive Director &amp; Founder of Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue, smiling and posing with a horse.\" class=\"wp-image-6876\" style=\"width:355px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Christine.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Christine-240x300.jpeg 240w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Christine Hajek, Executive Director &amp; Founder<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Mortified, she learned that \u201ckill buyers\u201d frequented local auctions in pursuit of horses to send to slaughter for human consumption via overseas meat companies. Christine immediately took the draft horse home and started Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Healing Hands for Gentle Giants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cChristine thought Gentle Giants was really big when they had eight horses,\u201d shares Lorin Grey, Development Director (and primary storyteller) for Gentle Giants. Almost 20 years later, Gentle Giants has rescued nearly 2,000 draft horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a mission to \u201crescue, rehabilitate, retrain and rehome\u201d these graceful horses, Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue currently houses and assists over 150 horses at a time (182 at present) on their 320-acre farm, bringing over 300 horses to safety a year. The property includes multiple stables, full equine medical facilities, an advanced \u201c27-stall healing barn with x-ray, ultrasound and endoscopy equipment, a draft horse-size scale for weighing horses, operating capacity to conduct surgeries and more,\u201d Lorin shares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover aligncenter is-light\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-30 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#94898c\"><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1018\" height=\"759\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-9646\" alt=\"draft horse rescue operation\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rescue.webp\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rescue.webp 1018w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rescue-300x224.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rescue-768x573.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1018px) 100vw, 1018px\" \/><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-33c5a20ec5461b05bbc72567ac6d81ba\" style=\"font-size:30px\">Rescue<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-30 has-background-dim\"><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1667\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-6885\" alt=\"draft horses at auction awaiting rescue\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rehabilitate.jpeg\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rehabilitate.jpeg 2500w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rehabilitate-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rehabilitate-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rehabilitate-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rehabilitate-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rehabilitate-2048x1366.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\" \/><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:30px\">Rehabilitate<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-3 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-30 has-background-dim\"><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-6887\" alt=\"retraining rescued draft horse\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Retrain-1024x682.jpeg\" style=\"object-position:10% 50%\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" data-object-position=\"10% 50%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Retrain-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Retrain-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Retrain-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Retrain-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Retrain.jpeg 1895w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:30px\">Retrain<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-30 has-background-dim\"><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-6888\" alt=\"rehoming rescued draft horse\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rehome-1024x683.jpeg\" style=\"object-position:81% 61%\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" data-object-position=\"81% 61%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rehome-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rehome-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rehome-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rehome-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rehome-2048x1366.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:30px\">Rehome<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, Gentle Giants facilitates much needed dental assistance for the horses. Besides providing general dental care the horse may need, equine dentists can identify what type of hay a horse may require (some types of hay may cause choking).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cObviously they see a farrier to make sure that their hooves are healthy. They\u2019re assessed from nose to tail, and then we come up with a customized treatment and nutrition plan for every single horse. Over half of the thirty-person staff team at Gentle Giants spends dedicated time with the horses daily so they can catch anything the horses may need,\u201d Lorin says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Uncovering a Dark Industry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Gentle Giants is in close proximity to many Amish and Mennonite communities in the Northeastern U.S., where draft horses remain essential contributors, assisting with transportation, plowing and other agricultural practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideal for working farms, draft horses (which include the legendary and stunning <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gentlegiantsdrafthorserescue.org\/adoption-process#:~:text=Macey%20is%20a-,Clydesdale,-mare%20who%20was\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Clydesdale<\/a> breed) typically interact well with humans and other animals, while their muscular and durable builds make them capable of assisting with the heavy lifting and towing common in farm life. \u201cDraft horses also make wonderful trail riding horses,&#8221; mentions Lorin, and \u201ca huge number of people want a draft horse for trail riding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, when injured or aging-out of their prime years, the draft horses are typically sent to livestock auctions and sold for very little. \u201cOccasionally a horse is in such severe condition that it is sold for only ten dollars. Very rarely, a bid can go up to a thousand. Regional auctions are held regularly in locations where draft horses are common,\u201d Lorin explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFit and able horses can cost several thousand dollars. Older draft horses, typically over age twenty, sell for only a few hundred dollars, tragically making them ideal targets for buyers for foreign meat industries. Kill buyers get paid per pound. So the bigger the horse, the bigger the paycheck,\u201d explains Lorin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanesociety.org\/resources\/facts-about-horse-slaughter#:~:text=Thousands%20of%20American%20horses%20are,live%20out%20a%20productive%20life.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Humane Society confirms<\/a> that \u201cthousands of American horses are sent to slaughter every year and the vast majority would be rehomed; not every horse going to slaughter needs to go to rescue. The USDA documented that 92.3% of horses sent to slaughter are in good condition and are able to live out a productive life. These horses would be sold, donated or otherwise rehomed; however, kill buyers outbid legitimate horse owners and rescues at auctions, robbing horses of ever having a second chance at life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Heroes \u2018Til Zero<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, we too were equally shocked to learn about the disturbing reality of these horses sold and shipped to slaughter on behalf of the international meat industry. But sit tight and hold your horses. Thanks to Gentle Giants, the story doesn\u2019t end there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gentle Giants conducts sophisticated, stealthy and strategic operations to save these draft horses from the hands of meat industry intermediaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the foreign meat industry\u2019s operatives fly mostly <a href=\"https:\/\/awionline.org\/content\/horse-slaughter#:~:text=This%20business%20mostly%20operates%20under%20the%20radar.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">under the radar<\/a>, Gentle Giants organizes teams of volunteers who discreetly attend local auctions and outbid potential kill buyers. Gentle Giants takes this approach in order to spare the lives of these horses and also to avoid any \u201cexchange of money from ever crossing the hands of the kill buyers themselves,\u201d explains Lorin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe attend the same public auctions and outbid the meat buyer. We <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gentlegiantsdrafthorserescue.org\/our-mission#:~:text=We%20attend%20the%20same%20public%20auctions%20and%20outbid%20the%20meat%20buyer.%20We%20believe%20this%20is%20the%20best%20way%20to%20stop%20the%20flow%20of%20profits%20into%20the%20slaughter%20system%20as%20our%20donor%E2%80%99s%20money%20goes%20directly%20to%20purchasing%20the%20horse%20and%20no%20money%20goes%20into%20the%20hands%20of%20a%20meat%20buyer%20or%20horse%20broker.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">believe<\/a> this is the best way to stop the flow of profits into the slaughter system as our donors\u2019 money goes directly to purchasing the horse and no money goes into the hands of a meat buyer or horse broker.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C1cAnJcLhMl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Auction-Horses.jpeg\" alt=\"Horses at an auction waiting to be rescued by Gentle Giants.\" class=\"wp-image-6896\" style=\"width:629px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Auction-Horses.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Auction-Horses-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Auction-Horses-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Auction-Horses-768x576.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Horses at an auction waiting to be rescued by Gentle Giants.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The skillfully trained and covert volunteers arrive like any other buyer. \u201cThere are no logos or identifying markers on trucks and trailers. We maintain a low profile. Kill buyers will intentionally outbid if they know they\u2019re competing with a horse rescue effort.\u201d Bidding is extremely fast-paced and intense, when the volunteer buyers return with a rescued horse, the Gentle Giants team and medical staff is waiting to welcome them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New Year, New Life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of each year, Gentle Giants conducts its most ambitious rescue campaign. \u201cNew Year, New Life\u201d aims to \u201cfill every single trailer, it&#8217;s the final rescue mission at the end of year auction, and that&#8217;s the one that the kill buyers typically target as their last shipment or last paycheck for the year. Everyone&#8217;s at home with their family celebrating the holidays, so the kill buyers think they will have little competition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This last December 29th, 2023 the \u201cNew Year, New Life\u201d operation brought home 32 horses on seven different trucks and trailers, crossing state lines from Pennsylvania to Maryland.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C1dPxnLrijF\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Rescued.jpeg\" alt=\"rescued draft horses at Gentle Giants\" class=\"wp-image-6902\" style=\"width:544px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Rescued.jpeg 720w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Rescued-300x225.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>A few of the 32 rescued horses rescued from auction.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cA lot of people may drive by a farm and see some horses plowing a field. And they may not know that next week, those horses may be shipped abroad to be slaughtered for human consumption, which is wild that this is still happening. And thankfully, the slaughterhouses in the US are sort of shut down. But our horses are still being exported. And the numbers are significantly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humanesociety.org\/resources\/facts-about-horse-slaughter#has:~:text=The%20numbers%20of%20horses%20being%20sent%20across%20our%20borders%20into%20Canada%20and%20Mexico%20for%20slaughter%20has%20decreased%20significantly%20in%20the%20last%2010%20years%20from%20a%20high%20of%20over%20166%2C000%20in%202012%20to%20just%20over%2023%2C000%20in%202021.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">decreasing<\/a> year over year, but until it&#8217;s zero, we&#8217;re not gonna stop,\u201d Lorin reiterates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-4 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C1kb2XJvfHy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Wookie.jpeg\" alt=\"Wookie at Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue\" class=\"wp-image-6897\" style=\"width:414px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Wookie.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Wookie-240x300.jpeg 240w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Wookie-819x1024.jpeg 819w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Wookie-768x960.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Wookie-1229x1536.jpeg 1229w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Newcomer, Wookie, getting their snuggles.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CvsdfzZuadG\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Clancey.jpeg\" alt=\"Clancey at Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue\" class=\"wp-image-6898\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Clancey.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Clancey-240x300.jpeg 240w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Clancey-819x1024.jpeg 819w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Clancey-768x960.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Clancey-1229x1536.jpeg 1229w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Another rescue, Clancey, getting lots of care.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sending in the Cavalry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While Gentle Giants valiantly works to protect draft horses from slaughter, abuse and neglect, they also accept horses from owners in-crisis who may urgently need to rehome a horse. In these extenuating circumstances, the owner has done everything possible to spare the horse and surrendering the horse is truly a last resort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe want to promote responsible ownership and having a plan for their horse. These horses tend to have a health issue that\u2019s too expensive or highly intensive.\u201d Because of the logistics and costs of transporting horses, Gentle Giants tries to only accept horses from within a 5-6 hour radius of their Mount Airy location. When they receive an out-of-state request, they first try to network with other horse rescue organizations to accept the horse. In very rare cases they will hire a \u201cbougie trailer that makes extra stops and keeps the horse comfortable,\u201d Lorin says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Green Pastures for Golden Years<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While adoption fees are very low, Gentle Giants upholds stringent requirements to qualify applicants to adopt one of their rescued horses. Draft horses can live up to thirty years, and most horses are about twenty years old when rescued or retired. To assure the horse\u2019s continued safety and well-being, horses can only be rehomed within a 4-6 hour radius of Gentle Giants\u2019 Mount Airy location.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Resting-Horses.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Resting-Horses.jpeg\" alt=\"rescued draft horses resting in pasture\" class=\"wp-image-6904\" style=\"width:581px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Resting-Horses.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Resting-Horses-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Resting-Horses-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Resting-Horses-768x576.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>While rehoming a horse is a primary objective for Gentle Giants, not all horses can be adopted. Many horses reside on-site at the Gentle Giants farm for the remainder of their lives, requiring specialized, long-term medical care and daily assistance.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur Sanctuary horses are wise, old souls, a lot of them have physical scars from their working days,\u201d shares Lorin. Besides sometimes needing resocialization, \u201cmany aren\u2019t eligible for adoption because the burden of care might be too much for a potential owner. So they live the rest of their days on our Sanctuary, happily fed and cared for by staff and volunteers.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CvQJBuUuLiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1364\" height=\"909\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Field.jpeg\" alt=\"rescued draft horses grazing in field\" class=\"wp-image-6903\" style=\"width:629px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Field.jpeg 1364w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Field-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Field-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Field-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1364px) 100vw, 1364px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Gentle Giants also offers a hospice foster program, for individuals who are willing to take on a horse at the end of its life. The horse may have as little as a few months to several years left to live, and the special and caring hosts of these fosters provide a loving environment for the horse to spend the remainder of its life<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keeping Things Stable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Because these horses are typically sold at auction for just a few hundred dollars, Gentle Giants&#8217; fundraising helps cover the cost of buying these horses from auction. Their unique sponsorship model covers the monthly costs of boarding, feeding and caring for the horse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA horse is sponsored by just a few individuals and rehabilitated so that it can also find a new forever home with a nearby adopted family. A horse is fully sponsored once it reaches the amount it needs (about $300 a month). Sponsors receive photos and videos of the horse and the opportunity for an up-close connection with the horse. Gentle Giants stays in touch with the sponsors until the horse is adopted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-5 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Besides the dedicated staff at Gentle Giants, a small army of about 200 volunteers with varying schedules help keep this formidable operation running. Many volunteers are retirees, the eldest approaching 90 years old.<em> <\/em>Lorin shares that she too started as a volunteer just five years ago because, like so many volunteers, she \u201cneeded to be around animals and just needed to hug a horse. I came out to volunteer, and never left,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gentlegiantsdrafthorserescue.org\/leadership\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"1001\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Lorin.jpeg\" alt=\"Lorin at Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue\" class=\"wp-image-6906\" style=\"width:324px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Lorin.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Lorin-225x300.jpeg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Lorin, Development Director<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Since then, Lorin has adopted three horses and fostered two, with little prior experience or background with horses. When Gentle Giants offered her an official position on staff three years ago, as much as she appreciated her previous job, she jumped. She couldn\u2019t miss the opportunity to apply her skills to serving an organization that \u201chad changed not only these horses&#8217; lives, but her life and so many others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From One Barn to Another<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So how exactly does such an extraordinary rescue operation use NumberBarn? It be-hooved us to find out!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gentle Giants utilizes several easy-to-remember <a href=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/vanity-phone-numbers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">vanity phone numbers<\/a>, like (84)HORSE911 as emergency hotlines, which mobilize their Technical Large Animal Rescue team, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gentlegiantsdrafthorserescue.org\/tlar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>TLAR team<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em> This on-call, expert team immediately deploys to lift an injured or trapped large animal, such as a horse or cow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-6 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CRWMgkJJ_NM\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-TLAR-Team.jpeg\" alt=\"Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue's Technical Large Animal Rescue (TLAR) team lifting an injured horse.\" class=\"wp-image-6911\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-TLAR-Team.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-TLAR-Team-240x300.jpeg 240w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-TLAR-Team-819x1024.jpeg 819w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-TLAR-Team-768x960.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-TLAR-Team-1229x1536.jpeg 1229w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>The TLAR team in action!<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CRWMgkJJ_NM\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Pearl.jpeg\" alt=\"Horse, Pearl, being lifted by Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue's TLAR Team\" class=\"wp-image-6912\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Pearl.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Pearl-240x300.jpeg 240w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Pearl-819x1024.jpeg 819w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Pearl-768x960.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Pearl-1229x1536.jpeg 1229w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>&#8220;Thanks for calling <em>(84)HORSE911!<\/em>&#8220;<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe team will go help these animals with their owners, sometimes in the rain, in the middle of the night with a specifically-designed lift for animals up to the size of an elephant,\u201d Lorin explains. \u201cIt takes 6-8 people to hold the animal and the specialized equipment.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many times these are &#8220;private owners whose horse perhaps got stuck in mud and can\u2019t get up, other times our TLAR team has to assist with a recovery operation,\u201d she shares. A vet is also present to assist with any sedation, pain medications, etc. required to stabilize the animal before the team and equipment do the heavy lifting.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wow! We\u2019re elated to learn how these custom phone numbers contribute to such unique and life-saving endeavors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you Gentle Giants for your impressive (and intriguing) work protecting the lives of these breathtaking beauties. We hope that your efforts continue to make great strides in supporting these precious animals.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Group-Picture.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1105\" src=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Group-Picture.jpeg\" alt=\"Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue team and horses\" class=\"wp-image-6913\" style=\"width:581px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Group-Picture.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Group-Picture-300x230.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Group-Picture-1024x786.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Gentle-Giants-Group-Picture-768x589.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Do you need an additional phone number for your business? Consider taking the reins and helping your brand stand out with a memorable custom phone number, coupled with convenient features like call forwarding, auto-attendant menus, text and more, at <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.numberbarn.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>NumberBarn<\/em><\/a><em>!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cDo I hear fifty dollars? Fifty, do I hear fifty dollars for the quarter horse? I hear sixty, now 70, 80, the competition\u2019s getting tough here folks. Sold for $200, in a close contest between the gentleman in the black hat and the woman on the right.\u201d&nbsp; Based in the rolling hills of rural Mount&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":9606,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[113,29,28,299,298,36,295,297,296,50,37,31],"class_list":["post-6865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured-customers","tag-business-phone-system","tag-customer-experience","tag-customer-service","tag-draft-horse-rescue","tag-draft-horses","tag-feautred-customers","tag-gentle-giants","tag-gentle-giants-draft-horse-rescue","tag-horse-rescue","tag-numberbarn","tag-numberbarn-customers","tag-vanity-numbers"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.7 - 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