Raven was abandoned by her owner with a neighbor in Napa. She lived with the neighbor for 2 years, alone in a small pen most of the time. The neighbor realized that the owner was not returning and it was not sustainable to keep her.
Roxy came to us in 2015 after being diagnosed with narcolepsy. She was a lesson horse, but had become increasingly unsafe to be ridden due to her condition. Lesson programs typically cannot afford to keep horses that can't be ridden, a system that we hope will be changed one day to be more humane.
Quite possibly the oldest horse in Napa County, “Capi” was over 40! No one is sure of his breed, though we speculate that he could have been an Icelandic Pony. Many years ago, this old man was rescued from a slaughter yard and brought to Sunrise to enjoy life in peace and comfort. He has touched the lives of many and will be very missed.
Charlie was a twenty-five year old Arabian mix gelding. He came to us in 2012 after he had served as a trail horse and a children's lesson horse for many years. Charlie was a fun horse to be around and formed strong attachments with his pasture mates and his human friends. He was very intelligent and communicative, and his curiosity and friendliness never ceased to entertain. He is missed by many!
Pete was a 17 year old, 16 hand Palomino gelding. He was a former police horse who sadly found himself neglected and starved with 100 pounds of sand in his stomach. Pete was well-mannered and very sweet despite being neglected for so long. Sunrise became aware of Pete's situation and agreed to take him in to the rescue. Pete was a 1 out of 10 on the body scale, 1 being the worst condition. In his last months at Sunrise, he received the best care available and was surrounded by people who loved him.
Quincy was a beautiful Paso Fino Mare in her late 20's who was a show pony. She came to Sunrise when her previous owner could no longer care for her and her best buddy Ged. Due to her severe arthritis she could no longer be ridden or re-homed, so rescue was her only option. Quincy was comforted around the clock by our dedicated volunteers until she was humanely euthanized due to colic.
During a very stormy winter in 2010, concerned neighbors called SHR about a pair of horses that were in a desperate situation. Blitzen and his pasture mate, Comet, were living in a debris-filled yard with no shelter, food or water, they were eating the bark off of fallen trees and drinking dirty water to stay alive. Sadly, Comet passed away. Blitzen became a healthy and handsome favorite of Sunrise and loved his best friend Blue. Blitzen was an American Mustang that was born 2001 who was incredibly smart, and, despite his rough life, responded quickly to natural horsemanship training and human kindness.
Pippin, a 29 year old Welsh Pony, was a championship show jumping pony for many years but the pressures of training and competing got to be too much for him and he had a nervous breakdown. When he arrived at Sunrise, Pippin couldn’t be approached by men without attempting to bolt for safety. It took many years and his special friendship with Cupcake for him to learn to trust people.
In California alone, 186 horses died in racing related accidents in 2012. In the US, 24 Thoroughbreds die every single week on the race track. Had Richie not been rescued after fracturing his fetlock (ankle) he would have been one of these sad statistics. Richie was a Thoroughbred that was born in 1998 and although his injuries prevented him from ever racing or being ridden again, he still had many years of quality life left. He was a sweet and gentle horse who loved to be loved and enjoyed hanging out with his good friend Mickey.
Hero’s story is nothing short of a miracle. He came to us in August of 2013, the worst case of animal abuse that Napa Humane had seen in 27 years, “a walking skeleton.” He was found abandoned and alone, starving, and desperate. Hero fully recovered and thrived at his forever home at Sunrise Horse Rescue for many years. He gained 170 lbs and made many friends, both equine & human, and his sweet and forgiving nature was a magnet to anyone who met him.
Spirit was a Mustang in his late 20's. He was neglected for 10 years at his previous home and came to Sunrise with severe arthritis in his front legs and hoofs that were in horrible shape. He was not trusting of humans when he first came to Sunrise, but he made a lot of progress because of the love, time and attention he was given by some very dedicated volunteers. He was often called "Spirit the Wonder Horse" by some of his closest friends. We will all miss him dearly.
Star was a 29 year old Thoroughbred who was abandoned when her owner was deported from Napa. Our veterinarian gave her a body score of 2 on a scale of 1 to 10 using the Henneke horse body condition scoring system (1 being extremely emaciated). Despite her poor condition, she had an extremely sweet disposition and has made a full recovery at Sunrise.
Shorty was a handsome 21 year old Thoroughbred, and was 17 plus hands with many admirers. He was a retired dressage and event horse who ended up injured and neglected by his previous owner. Unfortunately, he always had pain when he would run or even trot due to his previous injuries and his severe arthritis. Shorty lived out his last years being loved and cared for at Sunrise.
Gazor happily lived in Napa for years, but when his owner died, there was no one to care for him and his pasture-mate Hayleigh. Wanting to ensure that the horses were well cared for, the late owner’s family called Sunrise Horse Rescue for help. We were able to support Gazor and Hayleigh in their pasture for some time with the help of volunteers, but when a winter storm was forecasted, there was no adequate shelter to protect them. We moved the two to a foster home for safety during the storm, and they soon came to our facility and became a part of the herd.
Gazor will be remembered for his bright spirit and energy, as well as for his self-appointed role as the Protector of the Herd.
Tex was a 26 year old Quarter Horse gelding. He was a ranch, calf roping and rodeo horse. Tex has seen it all. After a lifetime of service to his owners he needed a quiet place for his retirement which led him to Sunrise. He was a well trained and sweet-natured guy. Tex adjusting to retired life enjoyed walks around the property and lots of love from the volunteers.
Danny was a 28 year old Pinto Quarter Horse, blind in his right eye due to an accident years ago. He was a retired show and ranch horse who was with his original owner since he was 2. Sunrise agreed to take Danny and prepared him for the loss of sight in his left eye due to cataracts. Danny adjusted very well at SHR and enjoyed his many adoring fans.
GG was a Quarter Horse cross that was born in 1996. The letters in her name stand for “Good Girl,” and that only begins to describe this sweet, mild-mannered mare. She spent some of her career at a children’s camp in Santa Rosa, where she taught kids their first lessons in groundwork, and patiently allowed them to groom her. There she lived with a young woman who loved her dearly, but her foster family, who ran the camp, then lost their land. In urgent need of a new home, GG came to Sunrise where she quickly made fast friends with Dusty Rose. Affectionate, gentle, and willing, GG was a favorite with many of our volunteers
Sunrise Horse Rescue is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization, # 42-1746834
