Spirit's Promise Equine Rescue Program

10/16/2026

Oh hay! It’s true! Spirit’s Promise is hiring… with over 230 acres, 19 horses, two minis, two pigs, two cows, and seven goats, you’ll have plenty of chances to live your best . Drop us a line at spiritspromise.com/team or visit the link in our bio to find out more!

10/15/2026

This is Lil’ Joe. He is our Director of Doing, our Supervisor of Stuff, our Inspector of Importance… and he really is every bit as handsome as he thinks. Born in 1999, Joe has been with us since 2020, and when he isn’t busy overseeing Scritching Quality Control or monitoring Selfie Safety (seen here with longtime SP volunteer, Amy!), you can find him galavanting about the countryside, exploring our lush farmland and idyllic pathways, luxuriating in rich sunshine and fresh air.

To learn more about Lil’ Joe, our mission, and to support our herd, please visit spiritspromise.com/liljoe

Feeling generous? All donated funds go directly to feed and support the herd at Spirit’s Promise - learn more at spiritspromise.com/donate

Lil’ Joe — and all of us at Spirit’s Promise — thank you!

10/14/2026

“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places.”

Hemingway said it, but we see it every day in the resilience, calmness, and remarkably gentle natures of our rescues. Jolene and The Gambler are only a few days into settling in after their arrival Saturday… and they are eating and interacting so well! A farrier visit, a vet visit, and the calm introduction of caring humans will make a world of difference to these two.

Please consider donating to their care at spiritspromise.com/donate, or click the link in our bio to help.

Prefer to apply your efforts firsthand? We are looking for volunteers! Please visit spiritspromise.com/volunteer or click the link in our bio for details.

Help us. Help Horses. Help People.

10/13/2026

Jolene and The Gambler continue to settle in to their new home!

So grateful for the efforts of the many organizations involved in identifying and stopping this shipment of horses. Thank you to our friends at Animals’ Angels USA for their tireless commitment to interrupting the slaughter pipeline. It really does take a community.

To assist in the care and support of Jolene and The Gambler, please consider donating to Spirit’s Promise at spiritspromise.com/donate

**A SECOND CHANCE FOR TWO OF THE 25 HORSES SAVED FROM SLAUGHTER**
We're grateful to share some encouraging news about two of the 25 horses Animals' Angels investigators helped stop from reaching slaughter in Canada.
Jolene and The Gambler are now safe in the care of Spirit's Promise Equine Rescue Program. Ending the slaughter pipeline takes an entire community of dedicated equine advocates, and we're grateful to organizations like Spirit's Promise for providing these horses with the care and second chances they deserve.
**Watch their story on NEWS10:**
https://www.news10.com/video/horses-saved-from-slaughter-find-a-new-home/12256852/
But as these two begin a new chapter, we're learning more about the other horses aboard that truck.
**THEY HAD NAMES BEFORE THEY HAD SLAUGHTER TAGS.**
Using the transport's owner/shipper certificate and our own independent research, Animals' Angels has now confirmed the identities of nine former Standardbred racehorses aboard the shipment:
Sexy Charlot — 4JA33
One More Hug — 2CD04
Twelve — 2N577
Cascada — 1N445
Hey Cadillac Jack — 6HR25
Petas Cottontail — 3ED59
One More Bro — 7N266
Rustine Hanover — 6N685
Keystone Norma — BKRB8
These are the nine identities we have been able to verify with certainty. Other Standardbreds appeared on the transport paperwork but were not aboard the intercepted truck.
Many of the horses aboard that truck were suffering from serious health issues, underscoring the importance of getting them the care they desperately needed.
And our fight for accountability is far from over.
While the truck driver has been charged, Bruce Rotz, whose operation was identified as the owner and shipper of these horses, has yet to face charges in connection with this shipment.
Animals' Angels has spent decades investigating Rotz and the slaughter pipeline. We know that meaningful change doesn't happen overnight, and we remain committed to pursuing accountability.
**Please SHARE this update, especially with the harness racing community.** These horses deserve to be remembered, and the industry must confront what happens to racehorses when their careers end.
We'll have more updates to share soon.

10/12/2026

Special thanks to Julia Barcello at News 10 Albany for her coverage of our rescues' arrival! Please consider donating -- the link is on our homepage -- funds and supplies are essential as we ensure the well-being and healing of Jolene and The Gambler.

10/11/2026

As people change their own nature, so does the attitude of the world change toward them.

Meet Jolene and her brother, The Gambler. Formerly labeled only as #5880 and #5887, these two beautiful souls were destined for slaughter. That is, until a concerted effort resulted in the rescue of 25 horses bound for Quebec.

We are dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of abused, neglected, and forgotten horses. And when the call came in asking for our help, we said YES, unequivocally.

We are thrilled to welcome these two into our herd. We look forward to sharing their journey of healing and thriving with you!

If you’re interested in supporting our efforts with Jolene, The Gambler, or any of our other rescues, visit our website or click the link in our bio to donate, purchase supplies, and volunteer.

… Be the change you want to see in the world.

10/05/2026

Our Spring 2027 Equus Coach® Training is now open for registration! 🌻

Equus coaching is more than standing nearby while your client stands by a horse. It requires specific skills to facilitate the coaching session, and an understanding of why we work with horses so you can best guide your client through a difficult topic in their life.

Going through this training can give you new skills, let you expand upon old skills, allow for your business to take a new direction, and give you a community of people who want to help others.

This spring we are offering trainings for both the East and West Coast, so you can go to the onsite location that is most convenient for you. The East Coast onsites will be at Spirit's Promise Equine Rescue Program in Albany, NY, and West Coast onsites will be at Nacimiento Ranch in Paso Robles, CA.

If you are interested in the program, visit our website to learn more (link in bio). 🐎

10/01/2026

🍂 Hello, October. 🐴🤎

A new month, a new season, and another reminder that healing takes time.

For the horses who find their way to us, every season brings another opportunity to rest, to trust again, and simply be a horse.

As the leaves begin to change, we’re reminded that change can be beautiful, too. Here’s to cooler mornings, muddy boots, quiet moments in the pasture, and another month of giving deserving horses the life they’ve earned.

🍁

09/25/2026

You’re going to lose yourself from time to time—come back. Come back to what your heart knows, no matter how long you’ve been gone. Come back.

There are seasons when life pulls us so far from ourselves that we forget what it feels like to be grounded, heard, and whole. In those moments, horses offer something extraordinary: a quiet, honest presence that invites us to slow down, breathe deeply, and return to the truth within us.

Through Equus Life Coaching, horses can help us recognize emotions we’ve been carrying, rebuild confidence, strengthen boundaries, and reconnect with the parts of ourselves we may have set aside just to keep moving forward.

No judgment. No expectations. Just a safe space to pause, reflect, and listen for what your heart has been trying to tell you.

Sometimes, the first step home is simply standing beside a horse.

❤️