West Virginia Horse Rescue Wins Feed a Horse in Need Contest

Horse Illustrated, the premier monthly equine publication devoted to horse care, riding and training, and Nutrena, makers of high-quality animal feed, have named Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue as the winner of their “Feed a Horse in Need” contest.

Scarlett, a 12-year-old National Show Horse, was found tied on a mountainside in July 2012. She was rehabilitated by Heart of Phoenix and adopted in January 2013.

The October 2013 issue of Horse Illustrated first introduced the “Feed a Horse in Need” contest to readers, asking them to sign on to HorseChannel.com to nominate their favorite equine rescue organization. From more than 1,700 submitted entries and 11 chosen finalists, Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue was selected as the winner.

“It was a challenge to select a winner,” says Jackie Rieck, marketing manager at Nutrena. “There are phenomenal organizations out there doing wonderful work through the generosity of volunteers and private donors. But Heart of Phoenix is serving a particularly hard-hit area of the poverty-ridden Appalachian region where the ability to raise funds is limited. The organization has a big heart and a truly great need.”

Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue is a small nonprofit serving the tri-state area of West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio. With a staff of dedicated, unpaid volunteers, Heart of Phoenix rescues and rehabilitates horses as donations allow and is nearly totally donation-funded. Their main focus, like many equine rescues, is to get adoptable horses out of dangerous situations and give them a chance at a real life with a caring home. Since 2009, this organization has helped over 100 horses and counting.

“Unfortunately, this is such a high-need area,” says Heart of Phoenix founder and President Tinia Creamer. “It’s a very poor area, and as a result, the animals, especially large animals requiring very expensive care, suffer.”

Heart of Phoenix can go through five bags of feed a day depending on the horses they have at the time and where they are in the rehab process. Senior horses that rely on complete feed for most of their nutrition also require more resources to maintain.

As the winner of the “Feed a Horse in Need” contest, Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue will receive a one-year supply (for one horse) of SafeChoice feed by Nutrena. SafeChoice feeds are nutritionally balanced to help horses re-establish muscle mass, energy levels, digestive function and overall health.

“Rescues like Heart of Phoenix work incredibly hard to save and rehabilitate horses, and we are pleased to be able to help out with this much-needed feed donation from Nutrena,” says Elizabeth Moyer, editor of Horse Illustrated. “We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Nutrena and raise awareness for a worthy cause with this contest.”

Learn more about Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue and the Feed a Horse in Need contest in the February 2014 issue of Horse Illustrated (on newsstands Jan. 21).

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