VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Sunshine Horses is giving rescued horses a second chance in Clay
Madyson Diaz: Located in Clay, New York – just fifteen minutes north of Syracuse is a nonproft, independent adoption agency and rescue for horses in need.
Dawn Ellis: Sunshine Horses was started in 2003 by a woman who used to work at a Standardbred racing track. She was a trainer there, and at that time, there was no place for the Standardbred horses to go. That’s how this whole place was started – to give the Standardbreds a new lease on life. So that’s what we do here: we rehab, retrain and rehome these horses.
Diaz: Sunshine Horses is entirely volunteer run, with nearly 200 dedicated volunteers. While it’s primary mission is rescuing horses, it’s impact goes both ways.
Ellis: A lot of the volunteers – some of them have never been around a horse before, some of them are just here to get exercise. We call this our gym. We call this our church sometimes because you come in and meet people who all share a liking of horses.
Diaz: There are 27 horses in the stable, and all of them are looking for their forever homes, including Summer right here. Or at the very least, someone to sponsor them, to help with food and supplies.
Beth Smart: Things they can donate…gosh…grooming tools, blankets. They can put in money for vet visits, farrier visits. They don’t have to totally sponsor a horse, but any little thing helps us. I mean, one dollar – we can stretch it! You know, it’ll help us.
Diaz: Sunshine Horses is hosting their annual cowboy ball on May 10 to raise funds to support and celebrate the horses. For more information visit www.sunshinehorses.org. In Clay, New York, with my new friend Summer, I’m Madyson Diaz. NCC News.
CLAY, N.Y. (NCC News) — Just outside Syracuse, in the town of Clay, a unique rescue is offering a fresh start to horses in need of a second chance. Sunshine Horses, a nonprofit adoption agency, is dedicated to rehabilitating and rehoming horses.
The organization was founded in 2003 by Kate Starr, who saw a troubling gap in the industry. Unlike Thoroughbreds, who often have second careers in jumping or eventing, Standardbreds struggled to find homes once their harness racing days were over. That’s where Sunshine Horses stepped in.
“At that time, there was no place for the Standardbred horses to go,” volunteer equine educator Dawn Ellis said. “That’s how this whole place started – to give the Standardbreds a new lease on life. So that’s what we do here: we rehab, retrain and rehome these horses.”
While Sunshine Horses was founded to address the Standardbred crisis, it has since expanded to help horses of all breeds and backgrounds in need.
But Sunshine Horses isn’t just a place for animals – it’s a place for people, too. With nearly 200 volunteers, the rescue is powered by individuals from all walks of life, many of whom have no prior experience with horses.
“Some [volunteers] have never been around a horse before, some of them are just here to get exercise – we call this our gym.” Dawn Ellis said. “We call this our church sometimes because everyone here has the same liking of horses.”
Currently, 27 horses live at Sunshine Horses, each waiting for their forever home – or at least a sponsor to help cover the costs of food, medical care and stable supplies.
Equine care committee chair Beth Smart emphasized that there are so many ways people can contribute. “Grooming tools, blankets…money for vet visits, farrier visits. They don’t have to totally sponsor a horse, but any little thing helps us. One dollar, we can stretch it!” Smart said.
To support its mission, Sunshine Horses is hosting its annual Cowboy Ball on May 10, an event that raises funds to care for the horses and find them homes. More information on donations, adoptions and event tickets can be found at www.sunshinehorses.org.