(Optional) Keep up with the horses and humans at Swingin' D Horse Rescue.
Swingin’ D is excited to launch our quarterly Pony Express - a round-up of all the happenings and goals at our Coweta horse rescue. You are receiving our first volume because you've expressed interest in our mission to save horses from the slaughter pipeline and give them the healthy, productive futures they deserve. Right now, we're gearing up for winter, when we expect monthly costs to double as we fill our feed sheds and hay barns with healthy grains, sumptuous hay, bedding, and blankets for our elderly horses. If you'd like to help ensure we're supplied and ready for winter every little bit helps!
Swingin’ D could not survive without the hard work and dedication of our devoted volunteers. They keep our horses fed and healthy, clean stalls, keep the flies at bay, spruce up their shelters and playgrounds, and keep the rescue humming like a well-oiled machine. To all our devoted volunteers - thank you!
Weekly Care Crew
Don’t tell anyone, but our horses love the Weekly Care Crew the most of all our volunteers! These folks give of their time one day a week to muck stalls, help feed and care for our hungry herd. From the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate you our weekly feeders!
If you'd like to help feed and care for our horses a few hours a week, please sign up for our next volunteer orientation day so we can get you trained and introduced to the herd.
Spa Days!
In addition to daily feeding, we have plenty of other opportunities to volunteer. Every six to eight weeks, the whole herd gets a visit from the farrier ($35 to $50 per horse). Our volunteers help round up the horses, stand with them while the farrier trims their toenails, and grooms and fly sprays them (when needed). Our next spa days are October 19 and 26.
Volunteer Spotlight: Amie Queen
Amie Queen came to us in September 2021 with almost no experience with horses, but an eagerness to learn. With years of experience as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and Legacy of Hope, and as a radiologic tech with St. John Health System, Amie told us she loved horses but couldn't have one of her own, so she wanted to devote her spare time to bettering the lives of horses in need. The mother of two beautiful and sweet young daughters has spent time every weekend over the last few years, feeding and loving on Swingin' D horses, and we could not be more grateful. Amie is one the longest serving volunteers at Swingin' D. If you run into Amie, please thank her for helping to keep our herd healthy!
I started volunteering with the rescue back in March. I've always loved anials and I especially love working with rescue animals. My first experience ever being around horses was volunteering at a horse rescue in Illinois, where I'm from. That was when I first experienced how rewarding rescue work is. These animals had been through everything and still found a way to love people and let themselves be loved. They were definitely spoiled by all the volunteers!
Now, I volunteer with Swingin' D as well as other rescues and shelters in the area. I help with their adoption events and try to help these amazing animals find their forever homes. It truly gives me a sense of self worth and coming out every week to volunteer with the horses is like my therapy.
Kenna McMaster: Volunteer Coordinator
Kenna is doing an amazing job coordinating our volunteers! She's the one you contact if you have questions, need to change your schedule, or have suggestions for improvement. Please reach out to Kenna if you have any volunteer-related questions or concerns.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE HORSES
Swingin' D Horse Rescue exists to save horses from the threat of slaughter, nurse them back to health, socialize, evaluate and train them, and prepare them for Happily Ever After with a well qualiied adopter. What we didn't realize when we started this venture, was that rescuing horses is as fulfilling and soul-feeding as it is labor- and finance-intensive. It's the most expensive thing we've ever done.
Following are the horses still awaiting their happy endings, as well as the hard-to-adopt residents that will be with us forever.
Farewell to Fast Senorita (Rita)
Fast Senorita (Rita) came to us from a Texas kill pen as the most famous horse we’ve ever saved. The great grand-daughter of the famed Secretariat, Rita served her humans on the racetrack, earning more than $40,000 before she retired. Sweet, gentle, but driven by a perpetually empty tummy, Rita made fast friends with Wilma and Jozi especially.
On September 9, Rita left us for her new home in Sperry. Valerie sailed through reference and facility checks, and with a glowing recommendation from her vet of 30+ years, took Rita home to live a liesurely life with another elderly thoroughbred mare. We were blessed to have a celebrity in our midst for more than a year. We know Rita is in good hands where she’ll receive the quality care she deserves.
Aurora came to Swingin' D in 2022 after RACE Fund, Inc. saved her from a kill pen. This gorgeous thoroughbred is well broke and ready to ride!
Ralphie came to us with a broken tail in 2017 at the tender age of 2. Ralphie has yet to catch the eye of his ideal human. Due to an old tail injury, Ralphie requires regular fly spray in the summer.
You won't find a more perfect horse than Jozi. Born at Swingin' D in 2021, she never experienced the pain and abuse her mother, Wilma, saw. She's lived a beautiful life. Trained on the ground and under saddle.
Roaring Star Fire (Rory) tore up the racetrack before being saved by RACE Fund, Inc. in 2023. A registered Thoroughbred nearly 17 hands, he'll require a more experienced rider.
Seven Anns is also a registered thoroughbred, foaled in 2023 and bailed from a Texas killpen by RACE Fund, Inc. in 2023. She's sweet, well broke, and ready to adopt.
Gold Medal Emblem is a registered thoroughbred mare, foaled in 2017 and rescued by RACE Fund, Inc. and brought in by Swingin' D in 2023.
Special Needs Resident: Wilma
Wilma came to Swingin' D in late 2020 barely clinging to life. We believed we were pulling her from the slaughter pipeline to humanely euthanize her, but with consistent care and feeding, she regained her spark for life. We were shocked to learn that much of her pain was caused by a baby in her belly, taking up all her nutrients! As long as Wilma gets her daily prescription medications, she's able to live a full life with the miracle filly she foaled in 2021. Wilma is a bonus horse for whoever wishes to adopt her baby, Jozi. Otherwise, she's here until the wheels fall off!
Ani has been with Swingin' D since March 2019 and will likely be with us the rest of her life. A registered Missouri Fox Trotter, Ani was dumped likely due to her multiple (costly) health issues, including metabolic syndrome, Cushings, insulin resistance, anhidrosis - all leading to chronic founder. She requires multiple prescriptions and special farrier care, but she's worth every penny!
Cora Screechowl has been training Swingin' D horses off and on for several years, including Winston, Ralphie, Mazi, Pebbles, and Jozi. She’s currently getting Jozi ready to excel with riders of any experience level, in any riding discipline. In Cora’s opinion, Jozi is an excellent prospect for barrels one day, but she says our sassy little mare is intelligent and responsive enough to excel at any sport.nbsp;
Scott Starnes trains our thoroughbreds down at the Pavilion property. He has Aurora trained to the point where he says she's ready for just about any riding discipline. Trained under Dewey Hebert, a legendary horse trainer, Scott picked up tricks of the trade that help even the hardest cases.
Scott also leads our remodeling and building efforts at the rescue. He helped finish Anastasia's climate controlled stall, and fixes whatever needs fixed!
