At Horse North Rescue

we believe every horse has value for who they are

Horse North Rescue is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome as many equines as possible.

At HNR we seek to provide a safe place for rescue equines where they can be healthy and happy while we help them find their forever homes. To meet their needs we provide the following necessities:

  • Fresh water, balanced feed and correct hay

  • Access to a run-in shelter at all times

  • The company of, at minimum, one other equine

  • Adequate exercise and training

  • Regular (every 4-6 weeks) farrier visits to allow for trims or correction

  • At least one vet visit per year

We require that appropriate adopters also provide the above necessities to any of our equines.

HNR Board

  • Barb

    President

    Barb is honored and grateful to have been a part of Horse North Rescue for over 6 years. She began her journey with HNR as a feeder and grew into a board member role. Her time with the horses at HNR brought back fond memories of her time as a teen owning a QH in the country. The time spent with HNR horses and people provides such rewarding opportunities to learn and feel just what trust means between horse and human. They offer us so very much.

  • Jamie

    Treasurer

    Jamie was born into a horse loving family and began riding lessons at age 4 and was given her first horse at age 7; who was a member of the family for 10 years. Over the years her passion for horses was put on the back burner to attend college and build a career. Jamie joined HNR in 2018 to get back into the “horse world” and help amazing horses with their journey. Jamie believes the unconditional love between a horse and owner is an unbreakable bond that stays with you for a lifetime.

  • Naomi

    Vice President

    Naomi grew up spending every summer with her horse loving aunt, who taught her to love horses just as much. Unfortunately, Naomi's mom is dangerously allergic to horses, so Naomi couldn't spend as much time in the horse world as she would have liked growing up. After moving to Northern Michigan in 2021, Naomi wanted to get back into horses and found HNR. HNR was the place that allowed Naomi to find community and dear friends, on top of the special mission of saving these amazing horses. Naomi adopted her first horse, Candy, from HNR in 2024, and is so excited to be a small part of such a special, important organization.

  • Chris

    Secretary

    Chris started volunteering at Horse North Rescue as a feeder in 2018. She had exposure to horses as a child but it was not a passion. After volunteering at the rescue and being around the horses and the other very knowledgeable volunteers she grew to love the animals and decided she would like to own her own little herd.

    She now has 3 horses on her property and 1 bonus, boarder horse. She loves being with her herd and appreciating their ways of being. She especially enjoys deepening her connection to her horses and those at the rescue where she still is a weekly feeder. Letting them know they are seen, heard, felt and gotten enriches the relationship between human and horse.  She adopted a Horse North horse a year ago and the relationship they gave developed is a truly special bond.  

    Chris is very excited to be a board member at the rescue and enjoys sharing her connection and grounding tools with others.

  • Monique

    Member-at-large

    Monique grew up with horses and learned to ride at age 3 with her very first pony, Sugarfoot. She spent years in 4-H and lesson riding, but always loved riding through the fields bareback with a halter best. As an adult, Monique rediscovered her love of horses through the eyes (and heart) of her daughter. They own and manage a 40 acre horse farm with 5 of their own horses including Griffin, an HNR rescue and Watson, a  CCR ”kill-pen“ rescue. 

     Monique is a weekly feeder and a board member at Horse North Rescue. As a Traditional Naturopath, Monique has studied the nutritional and physical/emotional needs of horses as well as the healing and therapeutic abilities of horses. She is honored to assist in stewardship of any animal, but especially the horse. 

     “A dog will show you devotion but a horse will show you who you are.”

  • Denice

    Member-at-large

    Denice has had horses since she was three years old and participated in 4-H as well as showing horses when she was young. She obtained her first rescue horse 12 years ago and has been hooked on helping horses ever since. She is looking forward to begin to show horses once again now that her daughters are in college and says she is "proud to be involved in an organization that does so much for horses in need.

  • Kima

    Member-at-large

    Kima was exposed to horses at age 8 and she became "hooked". For years riding friends horses until able to support Linus , a 20+ yr old Arabian/pony cross. They spent hours together daily trail riding. Over the past 45 years she has been fortunate to continue to trail ride and provide forever homes to 3 rescue horses.

    She believes in the healing power of horses: to create responsibility, confidence, and kindness. She's passionate about all aspects of rescue work and to set a good example for volunteers thru education and work.

    Kima has been with the Rescue since May 2019.

HNR Trainers

  • Marian

    Training Director

    Marian was very lucky to have been born into a horse-loving and owning family. She grew up racing around the trails bareback at breakneck speeds, which still remains her favorite way to ride. She had the opportunity to begin learning to train horses in college, and started a horse under saddle for the first time. That horse, Stanley, remains with her to this day, and last year took her across the state on the Shore to Shore trail. Marian has a deep passion for horse training through communication, kindness, understanding, consistency, and common sense. She loves studying equine rehabilitation, psychology, and philosophy of training, and diagnosing and working on issues that horses have due to previous experiences and often poorly done training. Her favorite thing to do is to work with troubled horses - the ones that are considered problems by others, sometimes even called dangerous (they rarely actually are) and helping them recover by showing them partnership, understanding, and gentle leadership. Horse North has been a perfect fit for her to utilize those skills and loves, and she is so grateful to be a part of the team and help improve the lives of horses one soul at a time.

  • Emma

    Trainer

    Emma fell in love with horses at a very young age - fulfilling her equine fix by providing a life of luxury for numerous Breyer bred horse models. She joined Hidden Beech Equestrian 4-H club in Cedar, MI, at the age of 8 and proceeded to spend between 3 and 5 days a week at that barn. She took riding lessons, did barn chores, taught younger 4-H’ers, exercised and trained horses, competed in low level showing, attended 4-H expos, and participated in Horse Bowl at both the state and national level. Her engagement with the group continued through high school, college, and on to this day. She has a particular passion for long, lanky, energetic Thoroughbreds, but loves any and all horses. Emma and her fiancé Dillon began as feeders at Horse North, and when Emma started working horses the very first one she trained was exactly her type. Dillon adopted handsome OTTB Jack as a wedding gift for Emma and the two are becoming quite the team! She says: "my God given passion in life is working with horses and I am thrilled to join Horse North Rescue and assist in the rescue's incredible and noble work. All horses deserve a home where they can heal, trust, and learn."

  • Katie

    Trainer

    Katie's love for horses began with a childhood pony ride at a local cider mill, sparking a lifelong passion. What started with pony rides, evolved into English riding lessons at Springbrook Equestrian Center where she progressed from an eager student to a dedicated lesson/camp instructor and horse trainer for the very barn that had quickly become her home away from home. Springbrook taught her so much and connected her with wonderful mentors, one of which took her in as a trainer for her horses, allowing her to keep working with horses even when Springbrook closed their doors.

    In 2022, Katie moved North to Traverse City with her partner Kevin and dog, Aubree. Before they even bought their house, she was researching where she would be able to be involved with horses and found Horse North Rescue. As soon as they were settled into a house (conveniently only 10 minutes from the rescue), Katie started volunteering at HNR and it has been a huge part of what has made this new area feel like home to her.

    Her passion and love is for all horses, big and small, full trained or not yet at all. She believes that horses are constantly communicating, and it's our responsibility to listen. It’s an honor to her that these intelligent, powerful creatures not only allow us into their world but also teach us invaluable lessons about communication, patience, and kindness.

    The summer of 2024 marked a personal milestone for Katie: she fulfilled her lifelong dream of adopting her very own horse! Rhino, a sweet quarter horse gelding, was one of the horses she trained for her mentor from Springbrook and she is ecstatic to have Rhino in her life again to explore the trails up here together.

EVER THOUGHT ABOUT VOLUNTEERING?

 

We love what we do. It’s the reason we spend countless hours helping nurture and grow Horse North Rescue. If you have ever wanted to find out more about volunteering, we’d love to meet you!