Update: We are so very saddened to say that Humane Agent Wade Hanson of the Animal Humane Society of MN passed away on 12/23/18. Our hearts go out to his family and friends. This is an enormous loss for the state of Minnesota. Wade was one of a kind: dedicated, dependable, kind, patient and professional. Wade had been diagnosed with stage 4 terminal cancer in the fall of 2018.

Please Click Here to access Wade’s obituary page and find service information.

Through our Benefit Fundraiser for Humane Agent Wade Hanson we raised nearly $6,000 to help Wade and his family with expenses before he passed. You can still send a memorial gift to this online fund through the end of December. Please Click Here to read more about Agent Hanson and to make a memorial gift through our benefit page on GiveMN. 100% of memorial donations will go to Wade’s family. Memorials can also be made by check directly to the family though the bank: Wade Hanson C/O Member Cooperative Credit Union, 305 Lundorff Drive, Sandstone, MN 55070. 

Everyone at MHARF wants to extend our deepest sympathy to the family of Andrew Phipps. Andrew passed away unexpectedly at age 22 on February 12, 2018. Andrew had a lifelong love of horses and worked many hours caring for them at a stable in Afton, Minnesota. Andrew is the beloved son of Chuck and Ann Phipps and brother to Samuel and Graham.

Because of Andrew’s love of animals, his family has generously designated MHARF as recipient of memorial donations. We cannot thank them enough for thinking of us at this tragic time. Our thoughts and prayers are with Andrew’s family and friends.

Please Click Here to read Andrew’s full obituary and learn more about this wonderful young man.

For options for making a memorial donation please visit our Donation Page.

MHARF is extremely grateful to have received a donation from the Estate of Mary Lee (“Marly”) Whiting. Marly was an animal lover, dog trainer, and accomplished horsewoman who showed American Saddlebreds throughout her life. How very kind of Marly to remember MHARF in her estate planning so that many more equines will continue to benefit from her generosity! We also want to thank her Estate Trustees, Roberta Cole and Sheryl Juhl for all of their assistance! You can find Mary Lee Whiting’s full obituary HERE.

The first ever Hold Your Lady Tight Night at the James Ballentine Uptown VFW in Minneapolis on 03/31/18 was held as a benefit for MHARF and it was a big success! Thank you so much to event organizers Morgan and James and to everyone else who helped and came out to support us!

Thank you so much to Jeanne Klein and everyone who helped put Horse Crazy Holiday Market on! MHARF had a great time, met and visited with many great people, and raised a lot of money for our programs!

Give to the Max Day was on November 16th, 2017. On this day of state-wide giving MHARF was able to raise almost $9,000 with the help of our wonderful supporters. Thank you!

It is with very heavy hearts that we report the news that long-time MHARF friend and advocate for horses Scott Mork has passed away. On 09/01/17  Scott lost his courageous battle with cancer. Our hearts go out to his wife Melissa and the rest of his family and friends. Scott had been training the young mustang Monte over the summer for our Promise of the Future Training Competition. He viewed this as a chance to do something meaningful for a horse during the time he had left. Monte acquired a whole team of fans who continued with his training when Scott could not do so. The “Scott Mork Team” presented Monte at the competition on September 16th in honor and memory of Scott. MHARF was honored to present Scott posthumously with our annual Good Horsemanship/Good Sportsmanship Award. We want to offer out heartfelt sympathy and say thank you to all of Scott’s family and friends.

You can see a full list of gifts given in memory of Scott on our Scott Mork Memorial Page

Monte and the Scott Mork Team (Huppert Photography)

The 10th Annual MHARF Trainer’s Challenge and Promise of the Future Competition

Fletcher and Jeremy Kaiserlik 2017 Grand Champions

MHARF held the 10th Annual Trainer’s Challenge of the Unwanted Horse on Sept. 16th, 2017, at the Leatherdale Equine Center on the U of M St. Paul campus. The event also featured the Promise of the Future Training Competition for Young Horses. Both competitions were a great success! You can find all of the final results and the photo galleries by using the links below. Thank you!

2017 Trainer’s Challenge Results and Photo Gallery

2017 Promise of the Future Results and Photo Gallery

 For the complete sponsorship list and links to their websites please Click Here! 

Morganne Reinboldt and Radin, her 2017 MHARF Trainer’s Challenge horse, were recently featured on both KWWL and KCRG News in Iowa and in the Cedar Falls Courier and Cedar Falls Gazette. MHARF is proud to have Morganne and Radin as representatives!

UNI Student Turns Rescued Horse’s Life Around

UNI Student Trains Horse for Adoption

UNI Student Spends Summer Training Horse For Adoption

Linn County Woman Spending Summer Training Unwanted Horse

MHARF’s newest intakes are Seven Donkeys who came from a Pine County, MN, humane case. This is a recent and ongoing case so please check back for updates. You can read the FOX 9 News story by clicking Here!

This spring MHARF was able to replace the roof on one of our barns with the help of a generous donation from the Doug and Louise Leatherdale Foundation. This barn has large stalls that we use to foal out mares who are pregnant at intake. It is also used for intensive care cases. This new steel roof will keep horses safe and dry for many years to come! Thank you to the Leatherdale Foundation!

MHARF horses Sally Forth and Patriot were recently featured in an article from the ASPCA to celebrate the organization’s national Help a Horse Day! Sally and Patriot were among the horses transferred to MHARF from the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) after a large humane case in North Carolina. You can read all about it here: After a Life of Neglect, Two Horses Transition from Terrified to Trusting.

Read several great articles by Debbie Griffin published in the Princeton Town & Country paper! One is about long-time MHARF supporters Marlyn and Lauren Hempel.  The other is an article about MHARF.  Click here to read!

On January 9th, 2017, MHARF sadly said goodbye to long time resident Sven the sheep. Sven (who was born in October of 1999) came to MHARF as an orphaned lamb.  He has been entertaining visitors to the farm for 18 years.  Sven was humanely euthanized because of failing health due to old age. He will be greatly missed!

CLICK HERE to see the full details of this story!

Photo Credit: Laura Thai

Minnesota Help a Horse Day

Help a Horse Day Update: Unfortunately we were not awarded any of the grant money from the ASPCA for our Help a Horse Day event. However, we thought it was a great day for all involved. Thank you to everyone who supported our event!

MHARF and Truhaven Ranch want to thank everyone who braved the rain to make it to our MN Help a Horse Day event on Sunday, April 24th! We had almost 200 people attend throughout the day! A special thank you goes out to our presenters: Investigator Wade Hanson of the Animal Humane Society of MN, Kari Cedergren of the MN Horse Welfare Coalition, Dr. Julie Parks of Northwind Equine Veterinary Dentistry, Katherine Bloomquist LLC (equine law specialist), Leda Mox and her crew of equine sports massage therapists from Armstrong Equine Massage, Romawai the Animal Whisperer from Joyful Spirit Healing and Wellness, and the Hay Chix! Gayle Belden was our wonderful announcer, Mary Elizabeth Photography was our official photographer, and the U of M Equine Club provided the food! Thank you to all of the trainers who brought their horses and to judges Jim Jacobson, Cyndee Wadsworth, and Nancy Porter for giving the trainers tips on presentation! And to all of the volunteers–you are all amazing! We can’t tell you how much it means to have so much help with an event–including set up and clean up. It makes it so much easier for us! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Help a Horse Day Photo Gallery

Thank you, JJ!

Last month, JJ, 11, of San Francisco, presented a check for $2,000 to the Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation. For the past six years, JJ has been visiting Minneapolis and riding KT Scarlett O’Hara, a sweet-tempered Arabian who was adopted in 2008 by his aunt, Sue Ann. Moved by the story of Scarlett’s rescue by MHARF from a hoarding case involving 23 Arabians and a donkey, JJ was determined to help MHARF. To raise the funds for his donation, JJ sold his gently used clothes and toys, collected recyclables, saved his allowance, and solicited contributions from friends and family. One of JJ’s favorite activities while in Minnesota is to visit the animals on the MHARF farm. When he grows up, JJ would like to work with animals, designing and building mechanical limbs for horses and other creatures with missing limbs! Thank you JJ–you are amazing!