SPONSOR A Resident
The Heart of Bluemont Lives Here
Why Sponsorships Matter
Some came from neglect. Some were days away from slaughter. Some were simply forgotten. But here, they are cared for without condition or expectation—for life.
We don’t believe in temporary solutions or quick fixes. We believe in showing up, every day, for the ones who need it most. Because to us, rescue doesn’t end at survival. It begins at sanctuary.
meet & Sponsor our residents
our yearly sanctuary costs at a glance
- farrier: $16,299 / year
- hay & feed: $79,224 / year
- Veterinary care: $54,696 / year
- manure removal, barn supplies, blankets & shavings: $64,969/ year
- supplements & medications: $23,680 / year
- Fencing, shelters, stone dust & property maintenance: $67,298 / year
- Barn cat care: $4,993 / year
When you sponsor a Bluemont resident, 100% of your donation goes directly to their care—from hay and feed to medical treatment and daily support. Your gift not only helps us meet the needs of the animals already in our care, it gives us the ability to say “yes” to the next one who needs a safe place to land.
Meet our Horses
Moondog
Moondog is a senior Clydesdale who was surrendered to us by his owner when her family experienced a serious medical hardship. She picked up Moondog from an auction almost 15 years prior. She told me that she fell in love with his gentle eyes.
As a former work horse he was quite leery of people. It took her a long time to earn his trust. She knew what would happen to Moondog if she sold him so she contacted us. Moondog settled right into the sanctuary and made friends with our blind horse Jovie and all of the dwarfs. He’s truly the most gentle soul, even Cinder loves this boy!
JoVie
In 2022 we rescued Jovie from a neglect case. We took her, Midge, Allister and Everest from this case and offered them permanent sanctuary.
Jovie is a big beautiful varnish roan Appaloosa. Her breed is prone to a condition called uveitis that took her eyesight. She was fully blind when we rescued her but her eyes were also ulcerated and painful. Once she was strong enough she had a double enucleation surgery to relieve her pain. Jovie’s in her 20s and has been blind for a long time.
She’s intuitive and smart and adjusts to her surroundings quickly. She’s such a gentle mare and has many friends here at the sanctuary. Cinder, a spicy mini mare is her best friend and tiny protector. Jovie and Moondog are quite close too and enjoy meandering around together and napping in the sun.
Wren
Wren is a stunning 10 year old Dutch Harness Horse. His flashy chestnut coat and beautiful blaze capture everyone’s attention. Wren was a buggy horse who couldn’t stay sound enough to pound the pavement day in and day out. He was discarded when he was just 5 years old. Unfortunately he has a clubbed foot, a bone chip and ring bone at his young age. We manage his pain closely. As a result he loves to kick up his heels and get into trouble with his best friend Sparky. He’s also a bit of a ladies man and tries to woo all the mares here at the sanctuary.
SPARKY
This sweet boy was in a local lesson program. He had been passed from one lesson barn to the next and was having trouble staying sound. He was going to be sold on to another program when a friend contacted us about him needing a soft landing. At his old barn he was called rude and a jerk but it turned out that Sparky was in pain. Once we implemented pain management and he realized he would never have a saddle on his back again he turned into a total mush who loves people. This quirky boy loves palling around with Wren and lives for chest scratches and treats.
Xena
Xena is a 9 year old papered Quarter Horse who lived on a large ranch in Texas. She was feral and left to fend for herself on the land along with 30+ other horses. Xena ran with stallions and delivered a beautiful baby girl. The owner of the ranch passed and the entire herd was sent to auction. Her baby sold immediately and most of Xena’s herd mates shipped to slaughter. She stood in a small pen alone and grieving. We pulled her to safety and she arrived unhandled and full of spice. Lesley, the co founder and president of Bluemont trained Xena herself with time, trust and positive reinforcement. Xena loves chest scratches and nose kisses. She has two giant boyfriends here at the sanctuary, Allister and Everest.
ALLISTER
We met Allister in 2022 at a massive neglect case we worked for months. He was standing off in the distance terrified of the humans that had arrived to help. He’s a big beautiful black Percheron draft with a soft eye and a heart of gold. As a former work horse with a missing eye in his late 20s his placement options were limited. He was bonded to the alpha horse in the same pasture named Everest. While we were working the case their owner whisked them away and moved them to a location we didn’t have access to. We were heartbroken and sick with worry about their wellbeing. They turned up a year later and we were approached to take them under our care. The answer was a resounding yes and two weeks later Allister stepped off the trailer in horrific condition. It took us close to a year to rehab this big boy. He was terrified and wouldn’t even let us approach him. With patience and time he’s come around and trusts a select few here at the sanctuary. He eats a whopping 20lbs of senior grain a day to maintain his condition. Allister shares a paddock with Xena and Everest and is finally at peace here with us.
everest
This gentle giant came to us with his bonded companion Allister from a neglect case we worked back in 2022. He’s a massive Percheron at over 18hh who was worked his entire life. He was discarded when he couldn’t keep up with the rigor of his job. Everest ended up at a defunct rescue and was unfortunately neglected. He needed placement with a true sanctuary that could properly care for him. As a senior who worked hard for decades Everest has arthritis and a condition called Laryngeal hemiplegia. He requires pain management and close monitoring. He adores his girlfriend Xena and is the first horse to greet you when you enter the gates of Bluemont. We’re so honored to care for Everest in his final years.
Jane
Jane is an off the track thoroughbred (OTTB) who was injured early on during training. An aftercare program attempted to rehome Jane via a paid broker, all three placements failed. Jane’s last placement ended up evolving into a neglect case with over 100 animals being seized by Law Enforcement. Jane came to us rail thin and in horrific condition. We spent months rehabilitating both her body and mind. Jane lives in a beautiful herd on a large pasture and has many friends here at our sanctuary.
SAM
Sam, an off the track Standardbred, was posted to Facebook with an ad which said “if you want him show up with a trailer’”. No one would take him, and luckily even the traders and kill buyers skimmed right over his post due to his extremely fragile condition. We reached out to Sam’s owner and learned that Sam was “retired” from racing when he sustained a serious injury, and had been with them since he was 2 years old. He was essentially forgotten in a backyard but is now flourishing here at Bluemont.
sully
Sully, a blue roan quarter horse, was discarded by a local man who had the ability and finances to care for Sully but had no desire to pay for his medical expenses while he could use his stall for a boarder. Sully, once a beloved horse for this gentleman's granddaughter, was now displaced. Sully found Bluemont as a soft landing where he will always find love and a home.
skipper
Skipper is a senior Quarter Horse who needed sanctuary when he could no longer be ridden. We strongly believe that owners are responsible for their horse’s retirement and end of life care but Skippers owner fell on hard times. Like so many Quarter Horses in the US, Skipper was used in multiple disciplines and was worked hard. He changed many hands over his lifetime and was a serious and somewhat aloof horse as a result. Over time we’ve started to see his silly side and he’s really warmed up to our team and his pasture mates. This is so lovely to see and has brought all of us such joy. To give seniors true sanctuary in their final years is our highest honor.
WILLIE
Willy, an Amish Standardbred, came to us from an Amish farm. He was working as a cart puller and discarded into the auction pipeline. He has undergone many treatments for his bad leg, with the most severe problems coming in the fall of 2022. His loving and beautiful personality shines through and he spends his days with his bonded mate Viva eating hay and soaking up the sun.
STEVIE
Stevie, a warm blood cross, was used as a surrogate through the implantation of embryos of higher-bred horses into her uterus, carrying and nursing the babies until they were taken away from her to be sold as competition horses. Stevie was later abandoned once she had passed her reproductive prime. She was in a severe neglect case with another one of our rescue horses, Jane, and nearly starved to death. Today, Stevie is happy and will never want for food again.
GLOWY
Glowy, a Standardbred, was found starving in a backyard just five minutes away from the sanctuary after breaking through a fence to search for food. Fortunately, a woman who saw her managed to return her to her pen and reported her situation to an Animal Control officer and the ASPCA. Despite the owner's reluctance to help, Bluemont fed Glowy through the fence until they were eventually able to rescue her with the help of local authorities and bring her to the sanctuary.
Awesome
Lily
story coming soon
Chester
Awesome
This blonde babe knows he’s handsome. Awesome was used as a dressage horse for many years. He started to develop hock arthritis in his late teens. He was given steroid injections but he still struggled with pain. Eventually when Awesome could no longer mask his pain, he bucked his guardian off, severely injuring her. Since Awesome could no longer be ridden his home options were scarce. That’s when we stepped in to offer him sanctuary. Awesome is a goofy guy with a strong personality but he loves his peaceful life here with us.
Lily
A colleague sent us Lily’s Facebook post and asked if we could help her. She was listed as “free to a good home” and was a blind pony living alone. We could tell that her living situation was unsafe and we connected with her guardian right away. We learned her tragic story and arranged to pick her up immediately. Lily was bailed out of a kill-pen down in Louisiana by well meaning horse lovers. Her “home offer” here in NJ was subpar and she was put into a muddy enclosure with a stallion. She miscarried her first baby but fell pregnant again rather quickly. She delivered a beautiful baby girl they named Cerci. This home sent all the horses to auction and the neighbor caught wind of it. The neighbor purchased Lily and Cerci back and was their new guardian. A shelter was made out of old pallets and the fencing was electrical tape. As a spry little foal Cerci slipped through the fence and was catastrophically injured. Sadly she was euthanized a week later and Lily lived alone for 2 years after that. Today Lily lives in a gentle herd of minis. She adores her friends and is a happy girl here in sanctuary. We’re so honored to give her the life that she’s always deserved.
Meet our MINIS
Esme
We rescued Esme from an auction when she was just 4 months old. She was heartbroken without her Mom and was sick with pneumonia. Immediate emergency care was crucial as she was just so young and fragile.
Esme has dwarfism and is special needs. Thankfully she made a full recovery and instantly bonded with another dwarf mini named Coco. In sanctuary these two girls pal around with our beloved Jovie and Moondog.
They’re so gentle and loving and welcome any horse into their herd, big or small.
Coco
Coco was networked into our care by an advocate. She was being passed from one auction to another and was utterly defeated. Just like Esme, she has dwarfism and is medically fragile. She was rail thin and riddled with lice under her thick winter coat. Her rehabilitation took a long time. Both in body and mind.
Coco’s friendship with Esme helped her recover and come out of her shell. Today Coco lives in a gentle and loving herd, with Esme of course. She adores attention and loves people. She found safety and healing with us.
Cinder
Cinder is a small mini who’s in her late teens. We saw her posted online being ridden by large children. We reached out to see if we could give sanctuary to Cinder here with us.
Two weeks later a very spicy mini mare stepped off the trailer and immediately became Jovie’s companion and seeing eye horse. They have beautiful friendship. Our team always jokes that Jovie has a tiny Ninja for a bodyguard. Sassy Cinder is beloved by our followers and supporters.
tibbs
Tibbs is a miniature horse with dwarfism who was being passed around to different petting zoo homes. He was young and as a cryptorchid he was still in tact. He was networked into our care and we immediately worked on getting him healthy enough for castration. After his rehab and in hospital surgery he integrated nicely into our free-grazing herd.
Peanut
Peanut is a gentle pony in his late thirties. Our veterinarian connected us with his guardian after Peanuts donkey companion passed suddenly of a heart attack. Peanut’s guardian was a senior herself and was struggling to take care of him daily. She knew that she couldn’t take on another companion for Peanut, but that he also couldn’t live alone. We connected with his loving and devoted human and offered to take Peanut into sanctuary. This is exactly what we’re here for. Like all seniors Peanut struggles with several medical ailments. He can’t chew forage anymore, he has Cushings disease and arthritis. But we manage all of this closely. This boy loves his life here with us and definitely considers himself the mayor of Bluemont. He’s on a special meal plan of 6 senior mashes a day. He gets his last mash at midnight in his cozy stall and his morning mash arrives at 6am on the dot. Grass is too high in sugar for Cushings horses but since Peanut can’t chew and swallow forage he gets to free graze the entire sanctuary all day long. He has dozens of friends here and loves keeping the youngsters in line.
WALTER
Walter is a dwarf mini horse who had been used in a petting zoo. Because of his breed, he has special needs and his congenital issues must be monitored and managed closely. Through his time at the auction with Odie, one of our rescue goats, the two had bonded deeply. Walter lives bonded with our goat herd!
bucky
Bucky found himself in the hands of a horse dealer who wanted to sell him as a riding mini horse. Bucky was much too small and was in desperate need of nourishment, medical, and farrier care. After he was rescued, Bucky’s calm personality flipped completely, and became a bit of a feisty troublemaker. Bucky is a happy mini who grazes on the pastures and learned that humans can be kind and gentle. He is still known to bite a volunteer's bottom if they are not looking.
Goose
Goose was separated from his mother at auction as a yearling. A horse trader purchased him and immediately ran him through another auction. Goose had lost weight, was depressed and was very sick. We rescued him from the 2nd auction and immediately got him the medical care he needed. Now he lives carefree and loves to run and play with his best friend Maverick.
Maverick
Maverick was brought to auction at 4 months old. A follower sent his picture to us and asked if we could help him. We knew that 4 months was such a fragile age and immediately called the auction house to secure Maverick. He was completely shut down when he arrived but now has the cutest little personality and zest for life.
eva
Eva was an Amish broodmare. Her owner purchased her with another pregnant mini, Juna. Their new owner had them in a petting zoo until they both foaled at the same time. Their owner said that it was too hard to wean both foals and sold them, causing both Juna and Eva to fall into a deep depression. The petting zoo was a bust, and their owner posted them for sale on Facebook. We stumbled upon their sale listing and rescued both mares. Eva and Juna were two of our first residents at Bluemont to enjoy love and forever safety.
juna
Juna was an Amish broodmare. Her owner purchased her with another pregnant mini, Eva. Their new owner had them in a petting zoo until they both foaled at the same time. Their owner said that it was too hard to wean both foals and sold them, causing both Juna and Eva to fall into a deep depression. The petting zoo was a bust, and their owner posted them for sale on Facebook. We stumbled upon their sale listing and rescued both mares. Eva and Juna were two of our first residents at Bluemont to enjoy love and forever safety.
charlie
Charlie, a Mini Casanova, almost lost his life from being passed around the trader/kill pen network and nearly starved to death. When Bluemont rescued him, he was sent straight to a clinic in North Carolina with a 20% chance to live. He defied the odds and can now be found playing in the fields with his best friends Silver and Rue.
MAMA
Mama, her daughter Daisy, and Buster came to us together and have been a pack for almost two decades. When their owner lost her home, she searched for a forever sanctuary to keep the trio together. Mama has experienced severe medical issues throughout her time at Bluemont, but with love and strength she has powered through and enjoys her days with the rest of the mini herd.
Hildie
Hilde is a lovely miniature horse with dwarfism. She’s gentle and kind with both humans and horses and we believe she was loved and cared in her early years. We do know she was eventually sold on and experienced severe hardship and neglect after she changed hands. She was passed around the auction pipeline for years and went from one subpar home to the next. We were contacted by a fellow rescuer to help Hilde and immediately said yes. She integrated into Eva’s herd and lives the comfy life here with her best friends. She receives daily arthritis and pain management because of her congenital skeletal atavism that most dwarfs experience.
Silver Song
Silver came to us as a yearling. He was a very sad and emaciated miniature horse who needed extensive rehabilitation. When he arrived he was placed on a meticulous re-feeding program and we treated his severe pneumonia aggressively. More than once we thought we would lose Silver during his rehab- but this boy fought his heart out right alongside our care team and healed. When he was strong enough we tried him with our orphan Rue and he took her under his wing. They developed a deep bond and he’s like a father to her. We cannot thank Silver Song enough for his gentle leadership and friendship. He’s forever safe here in sanctuary with his bestie Rue.
Noble
Noble is a regal and rather serious paint pony who’s well into his 20s. It’s clear that Noble knew love and care for a good portion of his life. Unfortunately at some point he was sold into the wrong hands. He landed at an auction and then at a dealers backyard “killpen”. He bonded with a mini horse named Hamlet at this horrible place and a well meaning family purchased the two of them. A couple of years later this family rehomed them and they exchanged hands two more times after that. A colleague asked us if we could help them and they were safe with us by the end of the week. Noble and Hamlet are gentle and loving. They adore humans and their horse friends. Their story is a testament to how many different homes a single horse has in their lifetime.
RUE
Rue is a mini mule, and she is the only equine who was born at the Bluemont Sanctuary. Hazel, her mother and another Bluemont rescue, had a stroke while delivering Rue. Hazel’s health progressively declined and eventually passed away. Today Rue is protected by her 3 best friends and guardians, Silver Song, Charlie and Bluemont’s German Shepherd, Zolie.
Hamlet
Hamlet is a spunky miniature horse in his 20s. It’s clear that Hamlet knew love and care for a good portion of his life. Unfortunately at some point he was sold into the wrong hands. He landed at an auction and then at a dealers backyard “killpen”. He bonded with a pony named Noble at this horrible place and a well meaning family purchased the two of them. A couple of years later this family rehomed them and they exchanged hands two more times after that. A colleague asked us if we could help them and they were safe with us by the end of the week. Hamlet and Noble are gentle and loving. They adore humans and their horse friends. Their story is a testament to how many different homes a single horse has in their lifetime.
SideKick
We were contacted about Sidekick and his best friend Guardian by an advocate who helps network miniature horses with dwarfism. She sent us pictures of two very sad and emaciated dwarfs. They were leaning on each other for comfort in every photo. We just couldn’t say no to these two. We love keeping bonded companions together and we knew we could get these boys right with TLC and time. Guardian and Sidekick are still best friends but they have expanded their herd. They love Moondog, Jovie, Coco, Esme and Cinder. They live a beautiful life and are forever safe here with us.
Guardian
We were contacted about Guardian and his best friend Sidekick by an advocate who helps network miniature horses with dwarfism. She sent us pictures of two very sad and emaciated dwarfs. They were leaning on each other for comfort in every photo. We just couldn’t say no to these two. We love keeping bonded companions together and we knew we could get these boys right with TLC and time. Guardian and Sidekick are still best friends but they have expanded their herd. They love Moondog, Jovie, Coco, Esme and Cinder. They live a beautiful life and are forever safe here with us.
Birdie
Birdie found herself discarded at a low end auction. Rail thin with long feet she was one of the saddest ponies we’ve ever seen. No one was interested in Birdie and we won her bid for low. She could barely walk to truck for transport to quarantine. Birdie needed a lot of TLC and the radiographs of her feet show a lifetime of severe neglect. We don’t believe she’s ever had even the most basic care like dental floats, vaccines or farrier care. We’re doing everything we can to bring Birdie comfort, the sad reality is she’s on hospice care. We don’t know how long this angel has with us but we will give her everything she never had, and when it’s time she will cross the rainbow bridge with dignity surrounded by love.
Meet our DONKEYS
CHARLOTTE
Charlotte and her son Taz came to Bluemont from a wonderful couple that rescued them, but did not have the space to care for them long term. In order to let them continue living their best life, they were brought to Bluemont. Today, she’s still a sweet mama to Taz and cares for everyone in her donkey herd.
TAZ
Taz came to us with his mother Charlotte when he was just a few months old. At their old home, they were taken care of well, but the couple that originally rescued them was running out of space. Taz is now a rambunctious donkey with a lot of love and a playful spirit in him. However, he is still a mama's boy.
GEMMA
Gemma and her baby Jax were in danger of being sent to a kill pen in North Carolina called Tar Heel. Bluemont stepped in to rescue Gemma and her 2 month old baby, Jax. We were lucky enough to also find Gemma's mate, Mason, protecting them when we arrived for transport. Now, these three special donkeys live together happily here at Bluemont.
MASON
Mason has the sweetest eyes but is afraid of human interaction. We know little about his background and assume he was a guardian to other animals previously. He was rescued along with his mates, Gemma and Jax. Although he is still fearful of humans, Mason has come a very long way and is happy in his herd of Donkeys at Bluemont.
Meet our GOATS
odie
Odie was pulled from his mother when he was just a week old and had been sent through 3 auctions before we rescued him. He was extremely thin and had a high load of parasites and lice. Without nourishment from his mother’s milk, he was forced to learn how to eat whatever hay was given to him on his own. At auctions he was shoved into holding pens with larger animals, which made him susceptible to injury or worse. Through his time at the auction with Walter, the two had bonded deeply. Once we rescued him, Odie fell extremely ill and was fighting for his life in the hospital. Thankfully, he is now stabilized and is enjoying spending his time with his best friend, Walter.
pumba
Pumba was thought to be a cryptorchid which means his testicles have not descended and are somewhere floating around his abdomen. His castration surgery would be expensive and is a medical necessity as he would be at risk for torsion which is a life threatening condition which is why Pumba was being discarded on Facebook. Pumba has had a successful surgery and has found a new home at Bluemont with Walter and the goat crew.
Cora
story coming soon!
Guinness
Mozzie
Guinness
Guinness found himself needing a home when his owner became too ill to properly care for him. He had lived in the same loving home for 9 years with his twin brother Mozzie. We accepted both of them into our sanctuary and they slowly integrated into our goat herd. This was a tough move for them as their entire lives were turned upside down. We accommodated their transition with kindness and a watchful eye. They still have their own private stall in the barn at night, their quiet bonding time is so important to them. It’s crucial that each animal receives individualized care to thrive.
Mozzie
We accepted Mozzie and his twin brother, Guinness, into our sanctuary and they slowly integrated into our goat herd. This was a tough move for them as their entire lives were turned upside down. We accommodated their transition with kindness and a watchful eye. They still have their own private stall in the barn at night, their quiet bonding time is so important to them. It’s crucial that each animal receives individualized care to thrive.
Prim
Story coming soon!
Humbug
Story coming soon!
Cosmo
humbug
This pip of a tiny goat keeps us on our toes. Despite a rough start in life on a subpar breeding farm, he’s a strong and smart little guy. Humbug is the perfect mix of salty and sweet. As a bottle baby he prefers to play with the cats and dogs as the other goats still make him nervous. He will get there! He just needs to grow a bit more and gain his confidence before he can move in with the goat herd.
ACCREDITATIONS & TRANSPARENCY
from the founderS newsletter
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