Preparing our horses for their new homes
Our horses come to HNR with various levels of training and different histories. We always start by making sure our horses are healthy (this is the ‘rehab’ part of our mission), but once they are we start thinking more about their training. We work with our horses to ensure they are the best citizens possible, and to work through any past traumas they may have. We always begin working on basic groundwork and handling requirements for their health. When horses have all the skills to be trimmed, vetted and handled easily, they have achieved our courteous companion certificate, at which point they are listed for adoption. We then work with our horses to teach them as many skills as their health will allow to help them find the perfect forever home. See below for the required skills associated with each of our certificates. Our horses achieve each certification level when they have a basic mastery of each skill.
🏅 Courteous Companion
Easy to halter
Stands for farrier
Stands for vet
Takes dewormer
good for grooming
Leads well
🏅Barn Basics
Leading into and out of barn
cross tying and being groomed
Going into and out of stall
Tacking
🏅Groundwork Guru
yield to pressure
front end yield
back end yield
lunging (w/t/c)
Walking over poles
🏅Riding Readiness
Wearing tack (saddle, bridle, etc)
Standing at mounting block
Standing when mounting from ground
Understanding rein pressure with and w/o bit from ground
understanding rein and leg pressure from saddle
stop
walk/trot/canter
back
riding in pasture
riding in arena
trails with friends
trails without friends
Adoption ready horses
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Hunter
🏅 Courteous Companion Certificate | 🏅Groundwork Guru Certificate | 🏅 Barn Basics Certificate
Working on his Riding Readiness Certificate
Price: $1,600
Breed: Quarter Horse
Age: 20
Height: 16hhLikes:
People: friendly, becomes more ‘in your pocket’ with more work; loves attention and connection.
Learning: enjoys trying new things and is calm and thoughtful when faced with something unfamiliar.
Routine: appreciates consistent care and interaction.
What he can do:
Stands quietly for the vet and farrier.
Leads politely and enjoys being handled by a confident handler. However he is a big boy who can become pushy when excited.
Has begun riding work calmly and confidently — has already gone out on the trails and through the woods with no issues. Though he may be more likely to buck when restarting
Loads, ties, tacks and stands well in the barn
What he is working on:
Continuing saddle training: Hunter was not started under saddle before coming to Horse North Rescue, but he has completed 30 days of riding work and continues to learn under saddle at the walk. We would class him as a project horse for an intermediate or advanced rider
Mares: Hunter can form strong attachments to mares. For this reason, he is best suited to live with or next to other geldings, or at least a very calm, disinterested mare.
Maintenance:
Easy keeper and healthy
mild age-related arthritis in his front knee, not currently requiring any pain management, though this may change if he is ridden consistently.
His ideal home:
Hunter is a healthy, handsome boy with only mild age-related arthritis. He would make a wonderful general trail companion. With his excellent demeanor and calm mindset, he could suit an intermediate rider with support and guidance, though he is still green and will thrive with consistency. He would also make a rewarding project for an intermediate or above rider who wants a kind, steady horse to enjoy. -
Cayenne
🏅 Courteous Companion Certificate
Price: $1200 (Price to increase with training)
Breed: Spanish Mustang
Age: 13
Height: 13 hhLikes:
Learning new things: this girl is smart and always keen to learn something new
What she can do:
Halters
Stands for farrier and vet
takes dewormer
happy to be cross tied, groomed, tacked
lines up at the mounting block
loads onto a trailer
Leads well and is confident on hand walksWhat she is working on:
Barn Basics: she is improving every day with cross-tying and tacking
Starting under saddle: as far as we know this girl has not had a rider, but has done incredibly well with the early skills and is very willing to learn!
Her ideal home:
A home with experience training or willingness to continue her training through other venues.
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Atira
🏅 Courteous Companion Certificate | 🏅Groundwork Guru Certificate | 🏅 Barn Basics Certificate
Price: $800
Breed: Grade POA
Age: 11
Height: 13.2 hhLikes:
Playtime and movement: Atira loves to kick up her heels and show off her big, fun personality.
Attention: once she knows you, she enjoys being haltered, groomed, and fussed over.
Interaction: she’s a curious, people-oriented mare who enjoys engaging with her handlers.
What she can do:
Halters
Stand for vet and farrier
Happy in the barn or outside
Leads politely and is comfortable with handling though she can be a bit spooky and become elevated at times due to her cataracts, so a knowledgeable handler is a mustAccepts basic grooming and maintenance care (fly sheet, sunscreen, and blanketing).
What she is working on:
Liberty: One of our trainers has begun introducing the basics of liberty training, and Atira is taking to it quickly! She could be a very fun liberty pony for the right trainer!
Medical history: She came to Horse North Rescue with a severe wound over her withers, which is now 100% healed. However, we are adopting her out as a non-riding horse.
Desensitization: still gaining confidence with fly spray and environmental changes due to mild cataracts that make her wary of shadows.
Maintenance:
Atira needs routine skin care and protection from sun exposure due to pink skin around her eyes, and she benefits from wearing a fly sheet and a blanket in colder months. She is sound, healthy, and an easy keeper.
Her ideal home:
Atira is not a riding horse, so she needs a home that values patience, fun, and creativity in training. Atira’s strength and energy make her a great candidate for liberty work, in-hand shows, or obstacle courses. For a trainer skilled in harness work, she may also have potential as a driving pony, thanks to her strong, expressive movement—but she would require significant groundwork and conditioning before being safely hitched. -
OZZIE
🏅 Courteous Companion Certificate | 🏅 Barn Basics Certificate | 🏅Groundwork Guru Certificate |
Though he knows all the skills for the Riding Readiness Certificate, he will require a restart under saddle
Price: $800
Breed: Grade Gelding
Age: ~17
Height: 15.2 hhLikes:
People: Ozzie enjoys attention and connecting with humans he trusts.
Horse Friends: Ozzie is very playful with other horses, and could be an excellent pasture mate with another playful horse.
Work with purpose: once he feels secure, he genuinely enjoys learning and being engaged.
Calm environments: he thrives in quiet, consistent settings where he can relax and build confidence.
Being serenaded: No really! One of our volunteers has spent many hours serenading him with her Eukele and Ozzie loves to snooze as he listens.
What he can do:
Leads, handles, and responds well to calm, confident direction.
Good for basic care routines, including vet and farrier.
Good cross tied or standing in the barn, tacks and loads, but is not good in a stall
Has a strong work ethic when his anxiety is managed through steady, kind guidance.
He has excelled at certain sports, such as a mounted archery class!
What he is working on:
confidence-building: Ozzie has experienced trauma in his past that left him anxious and insecure. At times this can lead to him becoming a bit mouthy, however the more he works with a person who demonstrates patience and steadiness, the more relaxed and trusting he becomes.
Maintenance:
Arthritis management: Ozzie has some arthritic bone changes in his front left fetlock, likely from an old injury. Our veterinarians recommend continued management with an oral joint supplement and daily Equioxx when he’s in regular work. He previously received a loading dose of Adequan, which improved his comfort significantly.
Movement conditioning: He should avoid jumping or tight turns but can enjoy plenty of low-impact activities, including trails, pleasure riding, and lower-intensity disciplines with proper care.
His ideal home:
A personal home or quiet stable where he can live primarily outdoors, as he is not comfortable being stalled. His adopter should have experience with sensitive horses and enjoy the process of helping a horse regain confidence and relaxation through trust-based handling.With the right person, Ozzie has many good years of trail riding, light sport, and pleasure work ahead of him.
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Brady
🏅 Courteous Companion Certificate | 🏅 Barn Basics Certificate |🏅Groundwork Guru Certificate
Price: Adoption fee waived for the right home
Breed: Quarter Horse
Age: ~20
Height: 16 hhLikes:
People: Brady is a big sweetheart who loves attention and affection. He is very “in your pocket” and is the first to call out a “hello” when you arrive at the barn.
Quiet environments: he thrives in calm, predictable settings with consistent care.
What he can do:
Leads and handles well for grooming, vet, and farrier.
Enjoys hand walks, light groundwork, and simply being a companion horse.
Maintains good mobility and comfort with regular farrier care and proper nutrition.
What he is working on:
Pushiness around food: due to a history of being underfed, Brady has shown some pushiness around feed with people and other horses, at times pushing more timid horses off their feed. He is not trying to be mean with people, but he becomes very excitable around food. This should be considered in any herd setting or in a home with inexperienced handlers.
Maintenance:
Comfort management: Brady arrived at Horse North Rescue with serious stifle damage, likely from a major injury earlier in life that healed incorrectly. Multiple veterinarians agree the joint shows advanced arthritic changes. While he remains pasture sound, the arthritis is too severe for him to be a riding horse.
Weight and joint maintenance: consistent trimming, appropriate diet, and supportive care are essential to keep him comfortable and thriving.
His ideal home:
Brady is searching for a loving home where he can live out his days as a non-riding companion. He would be a wonderful pasture friend for another horse, or a perfect match for someone who simply wants to share affection and quiet time with a kind, gentle gelding.Due to his limitations, Brady’s adoption fee will be waived for the right adopter who can offer him the care and companionship he deserves.
Herd in rehab
not yet available for adoption
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Maggie
Maggie, a Connemara/Welsh pony cross. Maggie has been well-loved, but needs to find a home where she can have more time and attention. She is 17 years old and a stout 13ish hands. Maggie is overweight, but otherwise healthy and friendly. After a short amount of time to settle in, she will be evaluated under saddle and will be looking for her next home. Keep an eye on this cute pony!
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Diamond
Pretty Diamond is the last purebred Arabian from a multiple generational breeding program. She is 17 years old and a lovely, friendly girl. Diamond came to us to find a loving home after losing her pasture mate and her owner sadly needing to retire from horse ownership. She only needs to lose a little weight and be evaluated under saddle and she will be looking for her perfect match!
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Rohan
Beautiful Rohan is a lovely, well-built grade mare. She came to us essentially unhandled and with feet in rough shape. Her hooves are now shaping up well and just about finished with their rehab, and she has really warmed up to people and interactions. She still has a lot of training to go to be settled into life in the human world and also learn to ride, but she has a very cool, down to earth personality and a very confident, independent spirit. She never gets overly attached to other horses and is always happy to wander off to do her own thing. She will make someone a fine trail horse someday!
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Sassy
Sassy is a darling, pretty, petite, 14 year old mare. She is a bit of an experiment, having traveled up to Horse North from Mississippi! She was struggling with allergies made worse by heat and humidity in the south, and her vet suggested that she might do better in a northern climate with different allergen profiles. Her former owner desperately wanted her to have a better life, and sent her up to us to see if she would do better up here. She is a lovely, sweet, sure-footed trail girl, and will be available once we have had a chance to check how her allergies do up here and figure out any management that she might need.
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Zoe & Bella
Bella (left) and Zoe (right)
Both of these girls are here to get issues with IR under control and go through a period of hoof rehab, so they will not be available for adoption for some time going forward, they will definitely be a longer term rehab.
We have found them to be super sweet, kind, in your pocket girls. They have been nothing but gentle on the ground, and were both so willing while loading in the trailer despite neither girl having ridden on a trailer since they were a yearling.
We expect them to be lovely horses for a lucky new owner once they have completed their rehab, training, and evaluation. -
Phoenix
This beautiful Arabian lady came to us through the efforts of a private intervention and rescue situation of a large herd of horses. Though she is a grade Arabian, she has very nice breeding and is built beautifully.
Phoenix was completely unhandled, however, prior to her arrival, and we are slowly gaining her trust. She has a healthy curiosity and once she is comfortable among humans, she will really excel in further training! Keep an eye on this gorgeous girl!
Our adoption process
ONE
Download and fill out the application, and mail it, along with a $25 application fee, to Horse North Rescue, P. O. Box 7143, Traverse City, MI 49696. If you wish to email your application after filling it out, you may send the $25 application fee via PayPal. (If you use PayPal, please make a note that the donation is for an adoption application fee.)
FOUR
After your references have been approved, we will call or text you to schedule a Meet & Greet session with the horse in which you are interested. During the meet & greet session, our trainer will ask you to catch, halter, saddle, and ride the horse to see if you and the horse are compatible. In the case of a pasture pet, you will catch and handle the animal.
Two
Either before or after your Meet & Greet session, we will schedule a site visit at your barn, to make sure it is safe and comfortable for one of our horses.
FIVE
Once your adoption application is approved and your facility passes the site inspection, your application is good for two years, and it is not horse-specific.
THREE
Please be sure to notify all of your references that someone from Horse North Rescue will be calling, especially your veterinarian, since they cannot give out any of your information without your permission. If you don’t currently own equines, please give us the name and contact information for your small animal veterinarian. Please note that you may use only one relative as a reference.
NOTE
The HNR contract will transfer to the new owner as these horses are on a contract for life. All HNR horses are adopted out on a “right to first refusal contract,” meaning if you cannot or should no longer wish to own the horse, HNR must be contacted prior to the horse being advertised or transferred to another home.
