Draft Gratitude

10/24/2026

🐴❤️ Our first batch of Draft Gratitude calendars has already shipped out!

Haven't ordered yours yet? Now's the time! Enjoy a whole year of your favorite Draft Gratitude horses while helping support their care.

They make wonderful gifts, too!

Order yours today! ❤️🐴

Secure Link to Order: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/QjhlhuJX1Qfpz_BSiOY_-w?t=1792869049

10/24/2026

This morning, our volunteers took turns learning how to ground drive with Barney, and he was an absolute pro! ❤️

Barney was patient, listened beautifully, and seemed perfectly happy to show everyone how it's done. He definitely knows his stuff!

At just 10 years old, Barney is used to having a job, and we think it's important for him to continue having something meaningful to do. Ground driving seems to be incredibly calming for him. It's easy on his body, keeps his mind busy, and gives him a chance to do something he knows and enjoys.

Sometimes caring for these horses isn't just about what their bodies need. It's about what their minds need, too. And for Barney, having a little job to do seems to be a pretty wonderful thing. ❤️🐴

10/10/2026

Looks like we may have a new love story to write about!
Barney, meet The Queen. 💘

10/08/2026

❤️ Please Welcome Murphy to Draft Gratitude!

Meet Murphy, a handsome, senior Percheron gelding who has quite a story to tell.

Murphy spent much of his life at a trail riding barn in Rhode Island, where he carried riders along the trails for many years. It was there that a couple fell in love with him and eventually brought him home to enjoy a quieter life.

Sadly, Murphy's owner passed away, and his future became uncertain. His situation became urgent when the possibility of euthanasia was raised simply because there was nowhere for him to go.

Thankfully, a kind neighbor stepped in to make sure Murphy was safe while searching for a place where he could spend his remaining years. That's where Draft Gratitude came in. ❤️

And now, Murphy is here!

He's settling in nicely, and we're getting to know this sweet old gentleman. We're putting together an individualized feeding program, and he'll be meeting our veterinarian soon so we can make sure he has everything he needs to be comfortable and happy.

After a lifetime of carrying others, it's Murphy's turn to be cared for.

Would you consider chipping in $20 to help cover Murphy’s initial veterinary care, feed, and other expenses as we welcome him into retirement? ❤️

10/07/2026

We’re celebrating a special honor for Draft Gratitude. ❤️🐴

Founder Rebecca Roy was recognized with the Kindness is Power Award from the Victoria Stillwell Foundation for her dedication to helping senior draft horses find safety, comfort, and a second chance.

The award also came with a $2,000 gift to Draft Gratitude, helping provide feed, hay, veterinary care, and other essentials forThe award also came with a $2,000 gift to Draft Gratitude, helping provide feed, hay, veterinary care, and other essentials for the horses.

Read the full story and learn more about Rebecca’s journey with Draft Gratitude:

https://draftgratitude.org/horse-rescue-founder-wins-kindness-award/

Draft Gratitude has been awarded the Kindness is Power Award from the Victoria Stillwell Foundation.

10/05/2026

Their work may end, but their worth never does. ❤️🐴

Dolly’s story is a beautiful reminder of what retirement can mean for a senior draft horse. With good nutrition, pain management, patience, and care, she found comfort and her personality again.

At Draft Gratitude, we believe every horse deserves dignity, safety, and a chance to simply enjoy the rest of their life.

Read Worth Doesn’t End When the Work Does and learn more about Dolly’s journey:

https://draftgratitude.org/worth-doesnt-end-when-the-work-does/

Most of the horses who come to Draft Gratitude didn’t grow up as pets. They worked.Every day.For decades. They pulled, hauled, plowed, logged, and fed families. They showed up until their bodies simply couldn’t anymore. And when that moment came, many of them had nowhere safe to land. At Draft.....

10/05/2026

Remembering Winston 💚

Winston came to Draft Gratitude in March of 2023.

He was an older Percheron mule—well into his 20s, at the very least—who had gone through an auction with what everyone was calling a wound on his leg. No one wanted him. When we were asked if we would take him, we said yes.

That “wound” turned out to be a tumor. Winston made the trip to Dr. Myhre’s Veterinary Hospital in Rochester to have it removed, and that is where we really started to see his personality shine. Every single time a horse walked through the door, Winston greeted them with his unmistakable half-bray, half-whinny. He was a fantastic patient, healed beautifully, and quickly became a favorite of everyone around him.

Once Winston came home, the rest was pretty much history.

He was crazy smart, moved through life at his own very deliberate mule pace, and loved to be loved on. He wanted treats. He wanted to be groomed. And he had very strong opinions about where—and with whom—he wanted to live.

Our rescue horses live in the front paddocks. My personal horses and mules live in the paddock behind the barn.

Winston decided he lived in the back.

We tried otherwise. Winston disagreed.

Maybe he wanted to live with the other mules. Maybe he simply decided the back paddock was home. Or maybe, in that wonderfully smart mule brain of his, he somehow knew that once he made his way back there, he would never have to leave.

And he never did.

For the last two and a half years, we have had the privilege of loving Winston. He made us laugh. He made people smile. And somewhere along the way, he simply became part of our family.

We are so grateful that when Winston needed somewhere to go, he found his way to us. He was wanted here. He was loved here. And he got to spend his final years exactly where he decided he belonged.

We will miss that sweet face, his quiet presence, his stubborn old-mule ways, and simply knowing he was out there in the back paddock.

Rest easy, Winston. We are so very grateful we got to love you. 😘

10/02/2026

Comfort isn’t one big moment. At Draft Gratitude, it’s built through the small things we do every day.

Consistent meals, fresh hay and water, calm handling, close observation, and care tailored to each horse all help our senior draft horses feel safe and comfortable in retirement.

Read Comfort In Action and learn what lifelong care looks like behind the scenes:

https://draftgratitude.org/comfort-in-action/

Comfort at Draft Gratitude isn’t one big moment — it’s built quietly, day by day. From consistent feeding routines to always having hay and water within reach, the small details matter. Comfort shows up in predictable schedules, calm handling, and spaces designed to let senior working draft ho...

09/30/2026

Comfort isn’t one big moment. It’s something we build every single day. 🐴💚

At Draft Gratitude, caring for senior draft horses means paying attention to the little things: a consistent feeding routine, fresh hay and water, calm handling, predictable schedules, and giving each horse the time and space to move at their own pace.

For horses who spent their lives working hard, retirement should feel different.
No rushing.

No competing for food.
No wondering what comes next.
Just comfort, consistency, and care.

And because we know our horses so well, we notice the subtle changes—a slower step, a quieter mood, a change in appetite—that can tell us when they need a little extra support.

That’s what lifelong horse sanctuary care looks like. It isn’t always dramatic. Often, it’s simply showing up, paying attention, and making sure these senior working draft horses have what they need today—and tomorrow.

💚 Monthly support through The Stable helps make that consistency possible. Steady giving allows Draft Gratitude to plan ahead, provide veterinary and farrier care, maintain daily routines, and give senior horses the peaceful retirement they deserve.

Read “Comfort In Action” to see what lifelong care really looks like behind the scenes.

👉 https://draftgratitude.org/comfort-in-action/

And if you believe senior draft horses deserve a safe, calm, dignified retirement after a lifetime of work, consider joining The Stable, Draft Gratitude’s monthly giving community.

Comfort at Draft Gratitude isn’t one big moment — it’s built quietly, day by day. From consistent feeding routines to always having hay and water within reach, the small details matter. Comfort shows up in predictable schedules, calm handling, and spaces designed to let senior working draft ho...