Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue
Hopes Legacy team member Courtney works with Doree Daze, a 15-year-old mare. Photo courtesy Courtney Thompson
Services: Sanctuary, Rehab, Retraining/Adoption
Location: Afton, VA
Founded: 2008
Website: hopeslegacy.com
Social: 
Average Number of Thoroughbreds: 11
Since 2008, Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue has been rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming equines in Virginia. Founded by Executive Director Maya Proulx, we are an all-breed rescue that takes in equines regardless of age or disability. One of the reasons Maya founded Hope’s Legacy was that law enforcement in Virginia rarely has a place to house seized animals. Fifty percent of our intake comes from law enforcement seizures. The other half comes from private citizens who are in a financial, physical, or family crisis. Of the 330 equines we’ve taken in over the past 12 years, 13 percent have been Thoroughbreds.
With only 2 employees, Hope’s Legacy could not function without the help of our 60 amazing volunteers. One of our core internal programs, the Equine Enrichment Program (EEP), was started by two of our key volunteers, Carolyn Sandridge and Trish Ashley. The all-volunteer EEP Team works with every equine at Castle Rock Farm at least once per week. The EEP Team initially assesses the equine’s capabilities and design a work plan that keeps the equine’s mind and body engaged. This program has resulted in healthier horses and donkeys, happier volunteers, and gives us better information to share with potential adopters, making better matches in the process.
Hope’s Legacy houses equines at foster farms and at our home base, Castle Rock Farm. In 2017, Hope’s Legacy purchased 172 acres south of Charlottesville, Virginia. Thanks to our volunteers, donors, and supporters, Castle Rock Farm is quickly becoming a permanent resource for equines in need. On average, Hope’s Legacy has 35 horses and donkeys in house at any time. Our average cost of care is $10.19 per day, per horse. We are so thankful to our individual donors, volunteers, and foundation grantors, without whom Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue would not exist.
