Our Horses
Every horse has a story. Every story deserves a happy ending.
Learn about our Permanent Horses, Draft Horse, Success Stories and the ones we have kept in our Memories
Our Beloved Residents
CDHR’s permanent resident horses typically cannot be adopted due to age, illness, or injury.
We do not come to that decision lightly, but we feel it is in the horses' best interests. They will live out their natural lives at Autumn Ridge. Because these horses are often with us for many years, they become dear to our hearts. CDHR also retains a very small number of Ambassador horses. These horses are often sent to CDHR with a specific role to play in promoting draft horses and the rescue by meeting visitors, representing us in parades, teaching skills to our volunteers, and appearing at special rescue events. Our permanent resident horses are all looking for loving Horse Angels to sponsor them.
Meet Pat & Sam
Pete (“Prickly Pete”) and Sam (“Slippery Sam”) arrived at CDHR in July 2022 after their owner unexpectedly passed away. From the moment they stepped through our gates, this inseparable duo brought energy, laughter, and plenty of mischief to the farm. At 10 and 11 years old, they’ve found their forever home here, and we couldn’t be more honored to care for them.
Pete & Sam would love a Horse Angel to sponsor their lifelong care. Our Sponsor a Horse program makes it simple — your monthly gift is set up automatically, with the flexibility to cancel anytime. Best of all, sponsors are encouraged to visit, connect, and get to know their horses. Come meet Pete & Sam on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am–12 pm, and experience the joy they bring firsthand.
“Fostering a Horse it opens up a space for the rescue to save another life. “
“My husband and I have been Fostering horses for CDHR since 2015. It's not a job for the faint of heart, definitely a roller coaster ride of emotions for sure. The day they leave for their forever home is always a mix of happy and sad tears, but we will keep on doing it. We feel it's a way to not only help the rescue financially, but more importantly, it opens up a space for the rescue to save another life. It also gives a horse more one on one time to help them become more adaptable. We provide, shelter, feed, training, and most importantly love. Our horse Magic is a fantastic Foster Brother, and helps settle them into our routine. The Fosters become a part of our family, and we are like proud parents watching them blossom and find their own forever home.”
Brenda and Douglas Vynalek (Magic too! )
Foster Parents, CDHR Volunteers
Strong hearts need gentle hands
Our goal is to find every horse a home where they will be loved and treated well for the rest of their lives, and to ensure that they are never in dangerous, neglectful, or abusive situations.
If you are interested in visiting Autumn Ridge, learn about our adoption process and please fill out our form to set up an appointment. We would love to show you around!
From Rescue to Forever Home
The moment a draft horse steps into CDHR, their whole life changes.
At CDHR, every draft horse that arrives begins a new chapter. Many come to us neglected, broken, or grieving, but with dedicated care, compassion, and community support, they are restored to health and hope. The true magic is watching them heal, trust again, and find loving new homes. Your donations make this transformation possible—thank you for helping us give these gentle giants a second chance at life.
Meet the Horses Awaiting Their Forever Homes
Meet Baby Mac – a 5-year-old Clydesdale gelding rescued in September 2024 in partnership with Saddles Rescue Ranch & Sanctuary. He’s currently in training for both driving and riding and is looking for a confident, experienced handler to continue his progress.
Meet Belle - a 3-year-old draft cross mare, rescued in December 2024 in partnership with Draft Gratitude and Gemini Farm Sanctuary. She is available to a training home to continue her journey toward future riding and driving.
Meet Cuda - Cuda is a 20-year-old Belgian gelding rescued from an auction in March 2025. He is available for adoption as a loving companion horse. When Cuda arrived, he was fearful and mistrusting, but with patience, gentle care, and time, he has slowly begun to trust humans and show his gentle nature.
Meet Max – a 3-year-old grey Percheron gelding, surrendered in June 2024. Max is a truly unique soul. With special needs that make him best suited as a companion horse only, he’s looking for a farm — and a heart — that can embrace his one-of-a-kind spirit. Do you believe horses can be neurodivergent? Max just might be the boy to show you.
Meet Nomad - a 6-year-old Belgian gelding, rescued from a Pennsylvania auction in March 2025. Nomad is friendly, stands in crossties, enjoys hosing, and eats a simple diet of Sentinel SR and 1st cut hay. Currently available for adoption and under evaluation — ready to bring his big heart to a loving new home.
Meet Molly - a sweet 26-year-old Belgian mare, rescued in December 2024 in partnership with Little Brook Farm Sanctuary. Despite her age, Molly has remained sound and has been under saddle. She would thrive in a loving home where she can enjoy light riding and lots of care. Molly is currently AVAILABLE and waiting to meet her forever family!
Meet Polly - a sweet Belgian mare, around 26 years old, rescued from a Pennsylvania auction in March 2025. Despite her years, Polly has been under saddle and would do well with light riding in a caring home. She is currently available and ready to share her golden years with a loving family.
Meet Nash- a 16-year-old Registered Standardbred gelding, rescued from a Pennsylvania auction in March 2025. Barefoot, easy in crossties, and happy to hose, he’s a straightforward, low-maintenance horse with no special medical needs. Nash is currently available and ready to find his forever home!
Meet Shelby - a 13-year-old draft molly mule, rescued from a Pennsylvania auction in March 2025. Shelby has arthritis, managed with daily Equioxx, and prefers to skip the hose. She is currently available for adoption and looking for a home where she’ll be loved and cared for.
Our goal is to place every horse in a safe, loving home for life.
To protect them, all adoptions are under a “lifetime free-lease,” meaning you care for the horse as your own, while we retain ownership as a safety net. If a horse is ever neglected, abandoned, or in danger, we can legally bring them back to safety. This safeguard is only used when absolutely necessary — our true mission is to place horses in forever homes so we can continue rescuing others.
Check out our success stories and see the happy endings your support makes possible.
Adopted
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Loved
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Cherished
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Adopted • Loved • Cherished •
Nothing makes us happier than seeing our rescued and rehabilitated horses move on to their new and loving forever homes. Every horse that comes to CDHR becomes a part of a family. ALL of us here spend a lot of time not only working with the horses who come here, but loving them, spending time with them, and getting to know them. We don't always know their story before us, but we want to make sure that the chapter that begins with us is the chapter that gets them happy ever after. We truly feel honored to be a part of each one of their lives and their journey.
Adoption days are always bittersweet, while we shed tears, they are tears of hope and even some of missing them, but we know that they are just here to heal, emotionally and physically, and our goal is to get them to their happy forever after! Each one of the horses who comes to Autumn Ridge touches us, each one in different ways. The bonds we develop will carry on as will the memories from their time with us. We hope that this page will share a little of the love we feel for them.
Rescue horses are not broken, useless, and hopeless. They may have all come to us for different reasons, but when they leave, they all leave for the same reason....their happy ever after has arrived. We make a promise to every horse who graces our farm, that NEVER again will they be alone, mistreated, abandoned, in an auction house, or left neglected. From now until the day they leave this world, they WILL ALWAYS have a home at CDHR, no questions asked. We follow up with our adoptive families, because WE LOVE to see new photos of our graduates in their homes with their families happy, healthy, and loved. That is why we do what we do.
Congratulations to our horses and their new families.
- From the entire team at CDHR
Every dollar counts.
Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue Inc. (CDHR) is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to saving the lives of draft horses that were bound for slaughter, victims of starvation, neglect, or abuse, or whose owners are unable to provide for their needs. In addition to our work with the horses, we educate people about the proper care, training, and responsible ownership of horses. We organize gelding clinics to address the problem of unwanted horses, and we promote and support equine efforts and animal rescue in times of natural disaster.
We need your financial support through donations, matching gifts through your organization, monthly sponsorship of horses, and planned giving. The money raised helps pay for the medical care, hay, grain, supplements, and supplies that will continue to require financial support.
We are so grateful for your support and generosity!
Questions?
If you have questions about any of our horses, please use this form to reach out to us!