Get to know us

Always wanted to rescue a horse,
but can't do it alone?

How does the horse rescuing part work?

It takes a village to rescue and rehabilitate horses. We identify a horse or pony in dire need of rescue and seek to fundraise the cost of bail, transport, supplies, and veterinary/farrier/dental care for the first year of rehabilitation. Check out our current herd and rescue alums. Assisted by a community of volunteers, founder Kelsey Merrow manages their daily care, rehabilitation and training, assessing their suitability and adopting out or rehoming accordingly. At our home at Roseview Farm, veterinarians, farriers, and fellow horse professionals are engaged to support the effort. Once rehabilitated and trained [or retrained], we adopt them out as riding ponies, therapeutic partners, or companions.

How does the money work?

All monies donated to Pony Up Rescue Collective go through our sponsoring 501(c)(3) organization, Chappy & Friends, which acts as our fiscal agent. 93% of donations are devoted to rehabilitating the horses and ponies we have rescued from the slaughter pipeline. That includes bail, transport, and veterinary/farrier/dental care during rehabilitation and training. The other 7% pays for accounting, tax filing, and other fiscal obligations handled by Chappy & Friends on our behalf.

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Curious about horses, but never had a chance to know them?

Looking for equine-assisted community programming?

Pony Up Rescue Collective is a 501(c)(3) fiscally-sponsored project of Chappy & Friends, thus all donations are fully tax-deductible. Learn more.

What's the collective part?

We are a community organization, collectively rehabilitating horses to prepare them for adoption. We welcome the public to participate as rehab partners, visitors, workshop attendees, donors, volunteers and sponsors. Further, our horses are available for public programming initiatives. There is no charge to visit and get involved, and participation can be tailored to level of interest and experience. Participants are encouraged to visit and spend time with our horses and ponies. Visitors, donors, volunteers, community programming partners, and sponsors join together to rescue and experience horses together.

Pony Up recognizes the immense benefits of experience with horses and is working towards a community-based collaboration that involves underserved populations, survivors of trauma, and local families who may never have had horses in their lives but are curious to meet them. The goal is to engage the community as we rehabilitate and train rescues that can be adopted out to loving forever homes.

Cover Story in The Daily Freeman 2-5-2024

https://www.dailyfreeman.com/2024/02/04/pony-up-rescue-collective-in-tivoli-rescues-horses-and-encourages-community-engagement/

Cover Story in Daily Freeman