UPCOMING EVENTS
CDHR always has something going on!
Check out our Calendar of Events to see what we are up to!
7th Anniversary at Autumn Ridge
Come help us celebrate the 7th year at our farm, Autumn Ridge! We will have mini-shops with local vendors, CDHR retail items, and kids activities. Come meet the CDHR horses and volunteers, too! Admission is free, donations are welcome!
Horsepower Car Show
Sunday, June 9 at The Farm at Carter Hill in Marlborough on Rt 66 (no rain date). Car entries are to arrive between 9 and 11 am.General admission is to open at 11 am. Award Presentations at 2:30 pm.The event ends at 3 pm. Car show entry is $15 (includes admission for the driver). General admission is $5 (all ages)
2024 Gelding Clinic
CDHR is sponsoring our 12th Annual Gelding Clinic on Saturday, April 20th, 2024 (rain date, Sunday, April 21st). Since the start of this vital program, CDHR has helped over 121 equines and horse owners in need with the issue of unwanted horses.
Denim, Diamonds, and Drafts
We are excited to share that tickets are available just in time for the holidays for CDHR's Denim, Diamonds, & Drafts dinner and dance! It is on Friday, March 15th, 2024, starting at 6:30 pm, at Saint Clements Castle in Portland, CT! There will be great music, delicious food, plenty of dancing, raffles, live auctions, and silent auctions, all at an amazing venue. Proceeds to benefit the CDHR horses.
Holiday Open House
Call for Vendors: Deadline November 29th. Vendor applications can be found here.
Bring your family, friends, and your appetite, to our annual Holiday Open House at Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue’s farm, Autumn Ridge.
There will be hay rides, food, farm tours, raffle items, CDHR merch, vendors, kid’s activities, and more. Admission is free. Bring the entire family to see Pete, Sam, Spencer, and the rest of the gang.
Save a Horse, Buy Art Opening Reception
Juried Art Show and Sale to Benefit CDHR runs Oct 21-23, 2022 at the Essex Art Association Gallery.
Calling all painters, photographers, and fiber artists! This year's theme is comprised of 4 words: Connecticut, Draft, Horse, and/or Rescue. To enter your artwork for consideration, please send a high-quality digital image (including frame, if applicable) to CDHRartshow@outlook.com between October 4th and October 7th, including your name, address, phone, and 4-sentence artist bio, for each submission include medium (painting/photography/fiber art), the title of the artwork, dimensions, and selling price. More information about submitting your work can be found here.
Oktoberfest 2023
Call for Vendors: Deadline October 4th. Vendor applications can be found here.
Bring your family, friends, and your appetite, to the 12th annual Open Barn Oktoberfest celebration at Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue’s farm, Autumn Ridge.
There will be hay rides, food, farm tours, raffle items, CDHR merch, vendors, kid’s activities, and more. Admission is free. Bring the entire family to see Pete, Sam, Spencer, and the rest of the gang.
9th Annual Driving For Drafts Golf Tournament
Our 9th Annual Driving for Drafts Golf Tournament is set for Sept. 16 at the Portland Golf Course. The shotgun start will be at 1 p.m., with check-in at noon. There will be a grilled lunch and a buffet dinner, raffles, and prizes for $150 per person.
Cut-a-Thon
Need a new hairstyle? Want to support the rescue horses of CDHR? Here's a win-win for you! For a donation of only $25, you can get a haircut at Scissor Happy, a full-service salon, and the proceeds will benefit CDHR! We will also have CDHR retail items for sale, so treat yourself while you help support us.
Volunteer Information Session
We are happy to announce we are recruiting new volunteers! During our Volunteer Info Session, you’ll get a chance to learn more about CDHR, our volunteer opportunities, and what to expect as a volunteer. There will be time during the info session for Q&A to help you decide if volunteering at CDHR is the right fit for you.
Volunteer Information Session
We are happy to announce we are recruiting new volunteers! During our Volunteer Info Session, you’ll get a chance to learn more about CDHR, our volunteer opportunities, and what to expect as a volunteer. There will be time during the info session for Q&A to help you decide if volunteering at CDHR is the right fit for you.
6th Anniversary at Autumn Ridge
Come help us celebrate the 6th year at our farm, Autumn Ridge! We will have mini-shops with local vendors, CDHR retail items, and kids activities. Come meet the CDHR horses and volunteers, too! Admission is free, donations are welcome!
11th Annual Gelding Clinic THIS EVENT IS FILLED!
It's time to register to Snip Snip your colt or stallion at our 11th Annual Low-Cost Gelding Clinic! We're here to help you prevent accidental or backyard breeding. Together, let's reduce the number of unwanted horses being born and help improve the welfare of the entire equine population.
Volunteer Information Session
Whether you are a novice and want to learn about horses from the ground up, or an experienced horse person that wants to share your time and expertise, we can always use your help!
We are hosting a volunteer information session for anyone interested in joining our team of dedicated volunteers.
Denim, Diamonds, & Drafts
Tickets are now available online only for our biggest fundraiser of the year, Denim, Diamonds, & Drafts. There will be great music, delicious food, plenty of dancing, raffles, live auctions, and silent auctions, all at an amazing venue, Saint Clements Castle.
Volunteer Information Session
Ct Draft Horse Rescue relies on our dedicated volunteers to care for our horses every day. Whether it’s daily chores like mucking, feeding, and caring for our herd or helping with ground maintenance, you will play an important role in CDHR's mission. We have volunteer opportunities for any level of experience.
Holiday Open House
Join us for the annual CDHR Holiday Open House at Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue!
Meet the horses, check out our CDHR retail items along with our amazing raffle baskets, and have your photo taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Admission is free!
Prospective Volunteers: Become A CDHR Horse Volunteer - Information Session
Whether you are a novice and want to learn about horses from the ground up, or an experienced horse person that wants to share your time and expertise, we can always use your help! You will learn first hand about the feeding and handling of draft horses, some with very special needs.
Save a Horse, Buy Art Opening Reception
Juried Art Show and Sale to Benefit CDHR runs Oct 21-23, 2022 at the Essex Art Association Gallery.
Calling all painters, photographers, and fiber artists! This year's theme is comprised of 4 words: Connecticut, Draft, Horse, and/or Rescue. To enter your artwork for consideration, please send a high-quality digital image (including frame, if applicable) to CDHRartshow@outlook.com between October 4th and October 7th, including your name, address, phone, and 4-sentence artist bio, for each submission include medium (painting/photography/fiber art), the title of the artwork, dimensions, and selling price. More information about submitting your work can be found here.
Oktoberfest 2022
Come see our farm and meet our horses. There will be mini-shops with local vendors, two food trucks, wagon rides, raffle baskets, and CDHR merchandise.
New Volunteer Open House & Orientation
Whether you are a novice and want to learn about horses from the ground up, or an experienced horse person that wants to share your time and expertise, we can always use your help! You will learn first hand about the feeding and handling of draft horses, some with very special needs.
8th Annual Driving For Drafts Golf Tournament
It’s back! Our 8th Annual Driving For Drafts Golf Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, September 17th at Portland Golf Course with a 1 pm shotgun start.
Over the years, many golfers, sponsors, and volunteers have generously donated their time and money to make the annual golf outing an incredible success. Let's make this year our biggest yet!
Volunteer Information Session
Do you have a little free time on your hands? Have you ever thought about volunteering at CDHR? There are tons of great reasons to volunteer, starting with our #1 reason: Helping Draft Horses In Need!
Cut-a-Thon
$25 donation for a haircut, sponsored by Scissor Happy. A percentage of proceeds to benefit CDHR.
August Pop Up Event
Come see us at Paul & Sandy's, too August Pop-Up Event featuring artisans, crafters & local businesses! We will have CDHR retail items including t-shirts, baseball hats, mugs, and shopping bags! We will also have information about our events, volunteering, and our organization. There is plenty of parking and accessibility. To see more details about this event, click here: https://fb.me/e/3RfZnmODZ
3rd Annual Meatball Madness
Please join us at the 3rd Annual Meatball Madness! fundraiser at Marlborough Pizza on Monday, July 11th starting at 4pm. You will be able to enjoy live music, indoor & outdoor dining, delicious food, a 50/50 raffle, and meet a horse from CDHR.
5th Anniversary at Autumn Ridge
Come help us celebrate the 5th year at our farm, Autumn Ridge! FREE admission and family fun. There will be mini-shops with local vendors, CDHR retail items, and of course the opportunity to meet the horses and volunteers of CDHR.
Volunteer Information Session
Do you have a little free time on your hands? Have you ever thought about volunteering at CDHR? There are tons of great reasons to volunteer, starting with our #1 reason: Helping Draft Horses In Need!