About Spring Hill Horse Rescue…
Spring Hill Horse Rescue is a 501©3 non-profit organization. Founded in
2000, Spring Hill has rescued, rehabilitated and re-homed hundreds of
animals in need. We are routinely called on to evaluate cases of
suspected abuse and neglect and collaborate with other Vermont animal
welfare organizations. When animals other than horses are in need,
Spring Hill doesn't hesitate to take them in, rehabilitate them and
re-home them as well. Spring Hill has been able to find qualified homes
for almost all the horses that come through our facilities. We have
placed 30-year-old ponies, retired racehorses, blind and lame horses,
and PMU foals; the majority are rehabilitated into healthy horses that
require normal care and become wonderful family horses. Some have even
gone on to become champion performance horses.
Spring Hill is located on a 15-acre property with a large barn set off
the ‘beaten path’ in Clarendon, which is five miles south of Rutland.
Spring Hill does not receive any state or federal funding. Some revenues
are derived from adoption fees, owners relinquish fees or court ordered
restitution, but most of our income comes from individual donations and
small grants.
Mission
Statement and Goals
Spring Hill’s mission is to protect Vermont’s equines through:
Education, prevention & advocacy and rescue, rehabilitation & re-homing
Every horse that comes through our facility has its own
‘tale.’ Our goal is to make sure those stories have happy endings
through the efforts of Spring Hill with the help of the community, our
volunteers, our staff and our donors. RUNNING AN EFFECTIVE RESCUE
OPERATION TAKES A COMMUNITY: people to come forward and report suspected
abuse, public pressure to ensure Vermont’s animal-cruelty laws are being
enforced, staff and volunteers to care for the animals that come to us
at SHHR. Last but not least, it takes kind-hearted adopters to open
their homes to these special animals.
About Spring
Hill’s Founder
Gina
Brown, the founder of Spring Hill Horse Rescue, has been riding and
training horses for more than 30 years. She got her first pony when she
was seven and as a young adult, Gina began training horses, specializing
in starting youngsters under saddle and helping owners get through
behavioral issues using gentle, humane methods.
Gina
recognized the need for horse rescue at a young age. Because she loved
animals so much her Uncle would take her to some auctions that sold
various items including horses and other livestock. The vivid memories
of the horrible conditions of the horses that would come through those
sales stayed with her until adulthood. In January of 2000 Gina founded
Spring Hill Horse Rescue.
Gina is also a Humane Agent that works with other animal welfare
organizations and law enforcement in conducting animal cruelty
investigations throughout Vermont.
She trains law enforcement, animal control officers and other humane
agents on handling large animal cruelty investigations and seizures.
Gina
resides at the Spring Hill facilities with her two daughters Zoey and
Riley Jean. Both girls love animals and are active with helping out.
Zoey loves to work with horses and is even starting to learn how to trim
hooves. Riley enjoys all of the “rowdy dogs” and loves to take them for
walks and gives them lots of much deserved and needed love.
