Diamond, a 30 year old appaloosa mare, came to the rescue in August of 2013 as a lead horse for a blind mare named Dee. After Dee died, all she knew was being a lead horse so she tried to lead everyone around. She was out on foster for almost a year to a wonderful home that had her as a companion to their horse. She returned to OHR in May of 2016 after their horse went off to extended training. On July 5th, 2016, she lay down in the field for a nap in the sun, and passed away.

Blazer came to the sanctuary in May of 2014 at about 30 years of age. He was the type of Quarter horse that would give everything he had to pack you out of the hills. He loved roaming the pasture and had such a kind soul. If you were hurting or in pain, he knew and devoted his attention to you. After being diagnosed with Inflammatory Airway Disease in June of 2016, he began to have increasing difficulty in breathing. Procedures were done at OSU in July, but infection complications caused him to be put down on July 8th. He was one of our very special ones, and his loss is felt by many.

Mustang Girl was a Standardbred mare that hailed from New Zealand. She came to the rescue in 2013 from the auction. She had a broken pelvis, collapsed trachea and exudes a past of abuse – so no one was interested in her. Her registered name is Time for Holme. She was foaled in 1996 and raced as a trotting horse at 2 and 3 years old. Her sire Holmes Hanover's stakes earnings were $430,787; Mustang Girl was less successful with career earnings of only $17,255. She came to The States in 1999 and her history from that point until she came to the rescue is unknown. She was very timid around men but loved attention if you were calm and slow with her. Alas, her many health problems caught up with her, and she died while being cared for at OSU on August 7, 2016.

Lucky was a 28 year old paint gelding. He came to the rescue in January of 2015. His owners had sold their property and were unable to find him a safe home. He was blind in his right eye; the previous owners said he had an accident which caused him to go blind. Lucky was very adapted to his vision situation. He enjoyed being out in the pasture, and playing with his friend Earl there. Sadly, he suffered a very severe kick from another horse (not Earl) that shattered his leg. He was put down as a result on August 23, 2016.

Pivot was a very sweet 29 year old white Arabian gelding. He had the sad misfortune of being diagnosed with leukemia in July of 2014. His white blood cell count was off the charts and the vet said he was a living medical miracle. Pivot came to the rescue in December of 2013 from a retired couple who no longer had the funds to care for him. Pivot was very friendly and loved attention. Every day at turn out he ran out into the pasture to frolic in the grass. Pivot had an incredible will for life, but his leukemia ultimately got the better of him and he was put down on August 31, 2016.

Old Gal was a chocolate Quarter Horse mare in her 20's. She was abandoned at the auction with nowhere to go when she came to OHR in April of 2013. Old Gal was a crippled horse who received significant pain management medication. For several years, she loved to roam the pasture with her two close friends Wiley and Seventy and very much enjoyed her life. But ultimately her pain level was too high and constant, and she was put down on September 1st, 2016.

Seventy, an OTTB sorrel mare, came to the rescue in May of 2013. She was in her late 20's. She was dumped at the auction and no one purchased her due to being crippled and sick. OHR took her in for a soft landing. She enjoyed roaming the pasture with her friends Wylie and Old Gal and relaxing the day away. Seventy enjoyed the love she received every day. Alas, her pain progressed to a point that she could no longer enjoy a decent quality of life. She was put down on October 12, 2016.

Cloud was a beautiful black quarter horse gelding in his 20's. He was mostly blind, and came to the rescue in April of 2013 when he was abandoned at auction. Cloud was very sweet and loved attention. He would stand all day to be loved on and would follow you anywhere if you had grain. In October of 2016, he suffered a burst intestine, and had to be put down on the 27th. He was a favorite at the rescue and will be strongly missed.

Copper was a gelding in his early 30's. He came from the Eugene Auction in December of 2015. He was not purchased in the ring by anyone, as he was extremely emaciated with a body score of 1.5. He also had a benign tumor in his jaw. No one wanted him, so he came to OHR. Copper put on weight at OHR and was quite healthy. However, in early 2017 his tumor suddenly grew very aggressively and was not treatable. Ultimately his quality of life was seriously compromised and he was put down on March 2, 2017. He was a very sweet old man and will be missed.

Sweetie came to the rescue in February of 2013 and was known by the name Bay. She came to OHR because her owner had recently died at a young age, and the owner's close friend found OHR to be the softest landing for her. She was a bay Arabian mare, and was by far the biggest flirt on the property. Sweetie was a permanent resident at OHR and lived out her days in peaceful serenity. Her heart murmur and the various complications of old age eventually got to her; she passed away at the age of about 34 on June 3, 2017. She was one of our favorites and will be sorely missed.

Sammy came to the rescue in January of 2013 when he was in his late 20's. He was fully blind when he arrived, and enjoyed sanctuary life. His best friend was Misty and they were very bonded. Sammy was very friendly and loved attention. He died on October 8, 2017 of an apparent heart attack. He was about 32 years old, and will be missed.

Bo was a beautiful bay Quarter Horse cross gelding. He was 24 when he arrived at the rescue in February of 2014. His owners were elderly and needed to move to town, so they were no longer able to care for him. He arrived with flexor tendon issues and arthritis so he just relaxed at the rescue, receiving excellent retirement care. His age began to catch up with him in 2017, and he started losing weight and refused to eat. After several unsuccessful treatment approaches, he had to be put down in June of 2017.

Maverick was a gray warmblood gelding, who came to OHR in November of 2014. He resided with his breeder until he was 3 years old, but when he was to begin saddle training he proved to be ataxic. He then went to the breeder’s friend, where he lived until he came to OHR. Upon arriving at OHR he was taken to OSU to have further testing and diagnosis done regarding his ataxia. He came back to OHR and lived out his days enjoying his time in the pasture. In 2017, his neurological symptoms began worsening significantly and he fell more and more frequently. Ultimately, he had to be put down in June of 2017, at the age of 17.

Ginger was a bay Quarter horse mare. She was rescued from an abusive situation but the rescuer was not set up to take care of a horse. Ginger came to OHR in October 2015. She was very sweet, easy going, and easy to catch in the pasture. Ginger was plagued by serious knee arthritis which caused her pain at times. As time went by, her arthritis worsened. With the coming of cold weather in fall of 2017, it was clear that she no longer had a good quality of life and thus she was put down in November 2017 at the age of 20.

Big Guns was a sorrel Quarter Horse gelding. He was said to be a done-it-all type of horse. Big Guns was thought to be a good riding horse when he came to the rescue in September of 2015, but was diagnosed with severe navicular syndrome. He felt okay for a couple of years, but as his navicular syndrome and ringbone problems increased, he was clearly in pain that couldn't be controlled. As a result, he was put down in November of 2017.

Buddy was a Thoroughbred that came off the track in August of 2012, and was taken in by the rescue in early 2013. His registered name was Taneum Canyon, and he came to the rescue with a carpal chip from his racing career and very serious knee arthritis. On the track he had 11 starts with one first place finish. Since coming to the rescue, he enjoyed pasture life and the company of horses and humans alike. Buddy was very friendly and the saying around the rescue was “Buddy is everybody’s buddy!” He died suddenly and unexpectedly on October 25, 2018 of a burst intestine. All of us at the rescue were devastated by his passing, and he will be missed tremendously.

Daisy was an Arabian mare who came to the rescue in 2018 because of her exceptional misfortune of having both her guardians pass away unexpectedly. Daisy’s extended family was unable to keep her, but wanted to be sure that, as an older horse, she stayed out of the slaughter pipeline. She had been with her family for more than 25 years. Daisy was friendly and curious and enjoyed life at OHR. She found a good friend in her pasture mate Gracie. Alas, her age and condition caught up with her. She went down and was unable to get up on December 20th, 2018. After the vet tried several treatments to get her up, he concluded that the humane course was euthanasia and she was put down that day.

Wiley was a Thoroughbred gelding that came to the rescue in 2015 from an owner who could not manage his complicated care. He was significantly underweight and not eating regularly. After the Oregon State University Large Animal Hospital performed an endoscopic test, they found gastric ulcers which explained his severe digestive issues. Back at OHR, Wiley was treated with rounds of ulcer medication. To manage his anxiety, he was paired with a companion horse in a set of half-wall stalls where the two could touch noses and calm each other. On December 21st 2018, he collapsed and was unable to get up even with our vet’s treatment. We all concluded that it was Wiley’s time, and he was put down that day.

Gracie was a white Quarter Horse mare. She came to the rescue as an owner surrender, way back in early 2013. Gracie was a very sweet and loving horse who got along well with mares and geldings. Gracie was pigeon-toed in the front, was not sound, and had Cushing’s disease and severe melanomas under her tail. Nevertheless, she was very happy wandering around the pasture and enjoyed her equine and human companions. Alas, all of her ailments eventually caught up with her and she was found dead in her stall early in January of 2019. We were devastated by her loss, and she will be sorely missed.

Beauty came to the rescue in March of 2013 with a swayed back and missing one eye. Despite these conditions, her mobility was not impaired for a number of years. Beauty had a sweet spot for cheese quesadillas as well as about anything you let her lips get hold of! She bonded closely with Earl, another resident horse. She had a very good life at OHR, and passed in August 2019 at the age of 36.

Tahoe was a “Medicine Hat” paint mare. She came to the rescue in 2014 because her owner was financially unable to provide the needed treatment for the squamous cell carcinoma in her eyes. She underwent regular chemo treatments on her left eye after arriving at OHR and saw tremendous improvement. She was eager to be brushed and was respectful when handled on the ground. However, she had multiple degenerative maladies that gave her increasing discomfort; she passed on August 1, 2019.

Eeyore was a small mule who came to OHR from the Eugene auction in 2016 with a body score of one. We saw him standing alone on the auction lot, severely underweight, clearly depressed, and partially blind and immediately thought of sad little Eeyore (from Winnie the Pooh). Over the years with us, he lost the rest of his vision and also struggled increasingly with full-body arthritis. Despite all his sorrows, Eeyore was a sweet little jack and was a favorite of everyone who had the pleasure of his company. Eeyore’s arthritis and other ailments eventually got the better of him, and he was put down on August 15, 2019 at the age of about 27. He will be missed tremendously.

Fanci first came to the rescue in October of 2014 when she was surrendered to the rescue by an owner who was not a good fit for the horse. Fanci was eventually adopted out to another family that loved her and cared for her, but unfortunately they had complications with pregnancy (human, not equine) and could no longer give this old mare the care she deserved. She came back to us in February of 2019, sweet, and full of life and spunk. She led well, loved children, and had good ground manners. However, on November 12th, 2019 she suddenly seemed to be in significant distress. The vet diagnosed advanced cancer and she was put down the same day, aged about 33. Her energy and life force will be missed.

Kullem came to us as an advanced age paint gelding who had lived with his long-time pasture mate, Major, for 27 years. The pair was surrendered to the rescue by their very caring owner when he had to move from a rural property to in-town. Kullem was a friendly horse who would come right up to you in the field. Despite his age, Kullem enjoyed trotting around the pasture and grazing with his best buddy, Major. Kullem passed away at OHR on October 9th, 2019 at the age of 29.

Misty arrived at the rescue in late 2013, after being surrendered by her owner who was no longer able to care for her. Her owner was leaving home and her family were unable to handle a blind mare. She was fully blind, but was said to be broke to ride back in the day. Misty was a beloved presence at OHR for more than six years, roaming the pasture freely despite being blind. She loved to be groomed and was quite food motivated! Alas, she developed several metabolic maladies and foot problems which ultimately caused a level of pain for her that could not be adequately managed. She was put down on January 13th, 2020 at the age of 23; we all miss her terribly.

Astony came to the rescue as an owner surrender in 2018 when his family, who had owned and loved him since the day he was born, moved overseas. He was an older guy (30) when he arrived at the rescue. He had a big, sassy personality and was very lively and active. His small size as a Welsh Pony didn’t stop him from hanging out with bigger horses - indeed, his best buddy was a Percheron who was 19 HH! Sadly, he passed away on February 29th, 2020 from complications of colic and intestinal distress.

Bella was a fully blind Arabian mare who was surrendered to the rescue in 2014 due to a neglect situation. She was said to have had a stillborn foal the fall before coming to the rescue. Bella struggled with her vision impairment and relied heavily on her blind mini companion, Honey Bun. Bella was initially anxious and hesitant to trust people, but the superb efforts of our crew and some very dedicated and talented volunteers allowed her to be increasingly trusting and comfortable with people and with life. She ultimately succumbed to the accumulated effects of several long-standing maladies in May, 2020. We were blessed to have been able to help her be a much happier horse.

Earl was an advanced age Appaloosa gelding, who came to us in 2013 after being abandoned at auction. His body bore the sad scars of a traumatic and violent past, possibly as a Mexican roping horse; those scars reminded us how much he needed a safe space to land. Earl had more than seven great years here - still playful, full of life, and enjoyed hanging out in pasture with his lady friends. Old age and the after-effects of his past hard life ultimately caught up with him, and Earl was put down on September 17, 2020 at the age of 37.

“Major Jet Speed” was a retired racehorse who came off the track after just two races. He was surrendered to the rescue in early 2019 by his long-time owner of 27 years. In his younger days, Major was a trail horse. In his time at OHR, he liked grazing the day away in the field and getting long grooming sessions with snacks. He died suddenly of a twisted intestine on September 22, 2020 at the age of 32. He was a good guy, who will be missed by all.

Buttercup was a blind Thoroughbred cross who was transferred to OHR from another rescue on the Oregon Coast that wasn’t able to adequately deal with her blindness and anxiety. In her four years with us, she settled in nicely and we were able to turn her out to pasture with a small herd. Due in part to her anxiety and her breed, Buttercup was what we call a “hard keeper” as she struggled to keep weight on She loved peppermints, and the sunshine. Her age and other health challenges ultimately led to her being put down in September of 2021 at the age of 31.

The Quarter Horse gelding Boo was surrendered to us in 2015 by a family from the coast of Oregon who was unable to care for Boo’s sudden onset of blindness. Strangely, when Boo got to OHR, he developed severe and life-threatening allergies to the Willamette Valley grasses and pollens. A rescue facility in Klamath Falls, Oregon stepped up and gave him a wonderful home for almost six years, with no Valley allergies to trouble him. Boo was happy and healthy until very near the end, when he was diagnosed with sudden-onset cancer. He was put down in October of 2021 at the age of 26.

Dusty was the elder gentleman at the rescue, and was always very friendly and followed you around like a puppy dog. He was very active until he passed away in November of 2021, one month shy of his 42nd birthday. He was well cared for by his previous owners, who surrendered him due to their ages and the desire for him to again have companion horses around him. We have never met a sweeter horse.

Chucky came to us from a neglect situation. He was also severely crippled, and one of his hooves was 8 inches long before we had him trimmed onsite so that he could be transported to OHR. In spite of the condition of both of his front legs, he got around very well and was a happy pony. He enjoyed hanging out with Nana Rose and Honeybun, his own little harem. Over time, his crippling birth defect made it tougher for him to get around and caused him pain. He was therefore put down in October of 2022, at the age of 25.

Lady, an Arabian mare, had two stays at the rescue. She originally came to us in 2013, after her owner was diagnosed with a serious chronic illness. During her time with us, she was restarted walk/trot after not being ridden for some years. She was adopted by a wonderful new owner in 2018. Because of the owner’s changing circumstances, we were happy to welcome Lady back to our herd in early 2022. She initially did just fine, but ultimately succumbed to complications of Cushing’s disease in late 2022 at the age of 28.

Nana Rose was a Mustang mare who was a barn favorite. Back in the day, this stout mare packed around little kids as a summer camp horse before ending up at the Eugene auction, likely due to her age. She was originally purchased by a family that reached out to us for post-sale quarantine, but unfortunately they were unable to keep Nana so she became a permanent resident of OHR in 2015. Nana was the herd boss of her pasture and loved to scratch herself on the old oak trees and roll in the grass. She had a great life for many years, but ultimately failing kidneys and increasing discomfort led us to put her down in October of 2022 at the very ripe old age of 38. We miss her greatly.