“You can’t change the world by saving one horse, but for that one horse, its world is changed forever.”
It’s hard to believe that it’s been ten years since the founding of Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue(CDHR). Harder still to think it’s been five years since CDHR found a plot of land on Chestnut Hill Road in East Hampton that would become our permanent home, named Autumn Ridge, in honor of our Autumn, a Clydesdale mare who stole our hearts. While she did not make it to our new home, she is here with us every day in spirit and continues to inspire all of us.
What an amazing journey it has been. To date, we have been able to give over 100 draft horses a second chance at life, saving them through intercepts and auctions and providing a home for horses whose owners can no longer care for them. We are the alternative to auctions and slaughter.
Rescuing horses is exhausting, both physically and emotionally. Knowing that we cannot save them all, having to choose which horses to save is the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. However, the rewards that come with rescue outweigh the heartache. Watching a severely underweight horse come back from the brink of death or seeing a horse that is so scared and untrusting learn to trust again…there is no feeling like it. This is why I do what I do.
Once their work careers are over, retired draft horses are often injured and thin. Consequently, large numbers of these horses go to slaughter. At this vulnerable stage in the life of a draft horse, many will be lost if an advocate doesn’t step forward. CDHR believes in the potential of these horses. We step up and provide a safe haven, skilled hands, loving care, and a future of hope and a brighter tomorrow for these gentle giants. We are an all-volunteer organization operating on donations given through the generosity of compassionate and caring people. There are so many ways in which you can help the horses of CDHR—sponsor, foster, volunteer, donate—we appreciate your support in all forms.
We are so incredibly grateful to all of our friends and supporters... we absolutely could not do this work without you. If you have not visited Autumn Ridge, I invite you to see what we do and join us. Together, we can make a huge difference in these animals’ lives.
Stacey H. Golub, DVM
Founder and Executive Director
Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue, Inc.
Our Mission
Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue Inc. (CDHR) is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to saving the lives of draft horses that were bound for slaughter in addition to draft horses that are victims of starvation, neglect or abuse, or whose owners are unable to provide for their needs. Our intentions are to:
Promote and secure the safety and well-being of draft horses at risk.
Promote, support and provide equine rehabilitation.
Promote, support and foster equine adoption.
Ensure the lifetime safety of placed CDHR horses.
Provide a humane and peaceful end of life when needed.
Educate people with regard to the proper care, training and responsible ownership of horses.
Organize gelding and euthanasia clinics to address the problem of unwanted horses.
Educate people about, and to promote the draft horses’ role throughout history and its modern uses for work and pleasure.
Establish a program for equine welfare for owners who may experience financial hardships.
Promote and support equine efforts and animal rescue in times of natural disaster, when possible.
Create, support and implement a collaborative therapeutic program for wounded veterans and other persons in our community living with disabilities.
For The Love of A Horse
Autumn, our sweet Clydesdale mare, named by our volunteers for the beautiful season of change, is our namesake. Autumn was rescued from a slaughter broker's lot and arrived at Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue in desperate need of acute medical care. CDHR provided refuge and care so Autumn could spend her final years in peace. It seemed fitting that in 2018, when we found our permanent home of 20 peaceful acres overlooking the beautiful Connecticut River Valley, we would call it Autumn Ridge, in honor of this beautiful, strong, patient, and kind soul.
