Sometimes our rescued equines are deemed unadoptable by our expert advisory boards, so we transition these equines into our sanctuary at our founder's private farm.
Thanks to our amazing donors, especially monthly donors and sponsors, we are able to provide palliative/end of life care for these deserving equines.
Most of the equines in our sanctuary are seniors. Some have special needs. And some have special needs & are also senior. One thing they have in common is that they will all live out the rest of their days safe and loved.
Stuffin is a senior miniature horse gelding who came to us after our friends at East Tennessee Miniature Horse and Donkey Rescue saved him from an auction. He was absolutely terrified of humans. He was so neglected he had teeth falling out. Because of his severely traumatic past, Stuffin is not adoptable. The only person who can approach
Stuffin is a senior miniature horse gelding who came to us after our friends at East Tennessee Miniature Horse and Donkey Rescue saved him from an auction. He was absolutely terrified of humans. He was so neglected he had teeth falling out. Because of his severely traumatic past, Stuffin is not adoptable. The only person who can approach and work with him is our co-founder Ali so he will stay at her private farm for the rest of his days being loved.
Stuffin serves as a HALF ambassador promoting ethical breeding, training, and ownership practices. While he cannot tell us his story, his trauma is evident and he helps us promote against abuse and mistreatment of miniature horses.
His best friend is Candy.
Candy arrived at HALF as a sweet little golden gal who had not been around other horses in several decades. She has several special needs including a collapsed trachea, damage from unmanaged laminitic episodes and metabolic issues, PPID, insulin resistance, and for these reasons we have decided to keep her safe here forever.
Candy serves
Candy arrived at HALF as a sweet little golden gal who had not been around other horses in several decades. She has several special needs including a collapsed trachea, damage from unmanaged laminitic episodes and metabolic issues, PPID, insulin resistance, and for these reasons we have decided to keep her safe here forever.
Candy serves as a HALF ambassador to promote the importance of proper equine care for horse owners. Sadly, she went a good majority of her life suffering from untreated medical issues that have caused irreversible damage.
Her best friend is Stuffin.
Star arrived at HALF in need of a soft landing. She is a golden gal who does not have much for teeth. She is also HYPP positive and requires special care and diet. She will be safe here forever.
She is an ambassador who stands for promoting ethical breeding standards including genetic testing so that issues like HYPP stop being passed do
Star arrived at HALF in need of a soft landing. She is a golden gal who does not have much for teeth. She is also HYPP positive and requires special care and diet. She will be safe here forever.
She is an ambassador who stands for promoting ethical breeding standards including genetic testing so that issues like HYPP stop being passed down.
Star is in need of monthly sponsor support for her daily expenses.
Molly and Bucky are two tall friends who also live in our sanctuary. These two are in their early 30's and had spent their lives as lesson horses in a school program. Sadly, as is the tale of many amazing lesson horses, no one stepped up for them when they were no longer useful for the lesson program.
At HALF, they both serve as ambassad
Molly and Bucky are two tall friends who also live in our sanctuary. These two are in their early 30's and had spent their lives as lesson horses in a school program. Sadly, as is the tale of many amazing lesson horses, no one stepped up for them when they were no longer useful for the lesson program.
At HALF, they both serve as ambassadors promoting the importance of providing safe haven and end of life planning for all lesson horses who become unable to serve in lesson programs any longer.
Every year thousands of lesson horses who are no longer "useful" find their way into the auction/slaughter pipeline after retirement.
We are currently unable to share Betty's story as she is part of an ongoing law investigation animal cruelty case. As we are able to share more information we will.
Franki somehow found herself living next to the highway for months with a rope tied to her neck just dragging behind her. A group of amazing people came together to catch her and asked if we would take her in. We agreed and not long after coming into our care she showed us that she had been hiding a big secret! Her baby Lily was born and
Franki somehow found herself living next to the highway for months with a rope tied to her neck just dragging behind her. A group of amazing people came together to catch her and asked if we would take her in. We agreed and not long after coming into our care she showed us that she had been hiding a big secret! Her baby Lily was born and they are both here happy and healthy.
They are ambassadors promoting higher standards for the treatment of livestock.
These two siblings came from a feral cat colony in town. They have found their home at last at our farm. They take their job patrolling the farm for rodents very seriously.
They are our ambassadors to promote spaying and neutering to minimize the number of feral cat colonies in NC.
These two best friends showed up at our farm one day after our neighbors had moved out and left them behind. Trash Cat was in our trash can and Bush Cat was hiding in our bushes.
Just like Frick & Frack, they too are our ambassadors to promote spaying and neutering to minimize the number of stray and feral cats in NC.
We adopted Zander and Rory from Iredell County Animal Shelter. They live in our barn office/grain room and take their job very seriously keeping rodents and other pests out of our grain.
They are ambassadors to promote adoptions through your local shelter!
Ali's parents rescued Gigi when Ali was a little girl. She has been in Ali's life for over 2 decades.
Gigi is THE Ambassador for and the inspiration behind the Miniature Horse and Donkey Rescue Program that operates through Home At Last Farm.
In September 2023, we rescued an abused stray beagle mix and her 5 puppies who had been living under an abandoned house. We were able to adopt 4 puppies into amazing forever homes. Katie Bug and her daughter Lady Bug have been adopted by Ali & Chris.
They are ambassadors for the unimaginable stray/unwanted dog population in NC.
Jack was a former Amish buggy horse who found his way into Pond Hill Farm's green broke sales herd. He is Ali's pony.
Jack is an ambassador for all the ex Amish buggy ponies that end up in the auction/slaughter pipeline.
Red was rescued by the Standardbred Retirement Foundation. He made his way from being bred to race, to ending up with the Amish, to eventually finding himself at a horse slaughter holding facility in PA when he was rescued. He had already been weighed and tagged to ship to slaughter before the SRF stepped in. Chris adopted him as his pers
Red was rescued by the Standardbred Retirement Foundation. He made his way from being bred to race, to ending up with the Amish, to eventually finding himself at a horse slaughter holding facility in PA when he was rescued. He had already been weighed and tagged to ship to slaughter before the SRF stepped in. Chris adopted him as his personal horse.
Red is an ambassador for the standardbred breed.
Willy and Wayland were living up near the Canadian border without any shelter in the middle of winter being advertised as "Christmas Donkeys". Ali and Chris purchased them and adopted them into their personal herd. They were cold, scared, and had very overgrown hooves.
These boys are ambassadors for the unwanted donkey populations and how donkeys end up in the wrong hands as christmas gifts
Ali and Chris paid $50 for Dominic at a livestock auction. He was sold as an unhandled in tact donkey who had been out with cattle. His hooves were in deplorable condition after years of neglect.
Dominic is best friends with Willy and Wayland and serves as an ambassador promoting ethical treatment of donkey guardians and the ethics around their use.
Diablo had been abandoned and starved before the MSPCA stepped in to save him. Chris adopted him before he and Ali co-founded Home At Last Farm.
Diablo serves as an ambassador promoting access to resources for owners in need so that they do not abandon or neglect their equines.
Jill was a pack mule before she sustained a career ending injury to her suspensory ligament. This led her to a home with a man who tried riding her and after she kept bucking him off, she ended up at a livestock auction. Ali outbid the only other bidder: a known kill buyer.
Jill is an ambassador for mules that are no longer useful to humans, as well as equines who do not like other equines.