Walk Alongside a Mae’s Haven Horse 🤍
🌿 Walk Alongside a Mae’s Haven Horse.
At Mae’s Haven, healing is not something that happens alone.
It happens in relationship — between horses and people — through presence, patience, and shared care.
Each Mae’s Haven Horse carries a story. Some of hardship. Some of loss. Some of resilience, leadership, rest, or joy. And many who come here carry stories too — of being tired, uncertain, hurt, or longing for something steady and real.
Walk Alongside is an invitation into partnership.
Not to rescue.
Not to fix.
But to be present — again and again — as healing unfolds for horses and humans together.
🤍 What It Means to Walk Alongside
When you walk alongside a Mae’s Haven Horse, you are choosing to become part of their ongoing journey. Your monthly partnership helps provide daily care, nourishment, and the calm environment that healing requires.
In return, you are invited into relationship:
Learning a horse’s story — where they came from and what they’ve overcome
Receiving gentle weekly updates from life at the farm
Spending quiet time together during monthly meet-and-greet gatherings
Sharing moments of connection, reflection, and presence
Many people find that as they support a horse’s healing, something within themselves begins to soften too — a sense of steadiness, belonging, or peace.
🌱 A Shared Path
At Mae’s Haven, horses are not tools for healing — and people are not saviors.
We believe healing happens with, not for.
Walk Alongside is about honoring stories, allowing rest, and trusting that when care is mutual and unhurried, transformation happens naturally.
If one of our horses’ stories speaks to you, you are welcome to walk alongside them.
Healing happens here — quietly, gently, together.
🌿 What Partnership Looks Like
At Mae’s Haven, partnership is not transactional.
It is built through consistency, presence, and care — over time.
Walking alongside a Mae’s Haven Horse means becoming part of a shared rhythm of healing. It’s not about doing more, but about showing up — gently and intentionally — as life unfolds for the horses and for yourself.
Partnership at Mae’s Haven is lived through connection.
🐴 Getting to Know a Horse’s Story
Each Mae’s Haven Horse carries a story — where they came from, what they’ve overcome, and who they continue to become. As a partner, you are invited to learn that story and walk alongside its unfolding.
This is not about erasing the past.
It’s about honoring resilience and growth with patience and respect.
📬 Staying Connected
Partnership continues even when you’re not physically here.
You’ll receive a weekly email update sharing reflections and moments from life at the farm — how the horses are doing, small shifts we notice, and glimpses into the quiet healing happening day by day.
These updates are meant to feel like connection, not obligation.
🏡 Time Together
Partners are invited to monthly on-farm gatherings where you can spend meaningful time with the horses in a calm, unhurried environment.
These moments are not performances or lessons.
They are simply time to be — to observe, connect, and experience presence alongside the herd.
📸 A Shared Moment
As part of your welcome, you’ll receive a photo with your Mae’s Haven Horse — a keepsake marking the relationship you’ve chosen to walk alongside.
👕 A Symbol of Belonging
Partners receive a Mae’s Haven t-shirt, offered as a symbol of belonging within a community that values healing, dignity, and shared care.
🤍 Sustaining the Path
Partnership is sustained through a monthly membership, which supports:
Daily care and nourishment
Veterinary and farrier needs
A safe, calm environment where healing can continue
Membership is flexible and respectful, honoring that life shifts and needs change.
🌱 Rooted in Trust
These offerings are not incentives — they are touchpoints of relationship.
Ways to remain connected, present, and part of the shared healing happening here.
At Mae’s Haven, partnership means walking alongside — together.
Texas Marie
🐴 Texas Marie
“Texas Hold ’Em”
Mae’s Haven Horse | Founding Circle
Born May 23, 2024
Morgan × Friesian
🌿 About Texas Marie
Texas Marie’s story began before she ever took her first breath.
She was rescued from slaughter while still in her mama’s belly. Thanks to Colby’s Crew, her mother was brought to safety — and Texas was born surrounded by care, protection, and hope. We welcomed Texas into our family when she was just seven months old, and she became the very first horse to call Mae’s Haven home.
From the start, Texas showed us her spirit. She brings the spice — confident, expressive, and very aware of her place in the world. Sweet at heart, she also likes to be in charge, reminding us that strength and softness can live side by side.
🤍 What Texas Has Overcome
When Texas first arrived at Mae’s Haven, trust did not come easily. Though young, her early experiences left her unsure whether people were safe. She often hid in the woods, keeping her distance, and would run when approached.
Rather than forcing connection, Texas was given time, space, and consistency.
Slowly, something shifted.
Today, Texas approaches with curiosity. She seeks out scratches, enjoys quiet presence, and engages gently with both us and our guests. Her journey is a reminder that healing doesn’t happen through pressure — it happens when safety is felt and choice is honored.
🌱 Partnership in Healing
Texas now shares her days with her “brother from another mother,” Whiskey, living a life rooted in companionship, steadiness, and growth.
Those who walk alongside Texas often see reflections of their own journeys — learning to trust again, finding confidence after fear, and discovering that it’s okay to take your time.
At Mae’s Haven, healing isn’t something we do to Texas.
It’s something we experience with her.
As her heart continues to open, many people find their own hearts doing the same.
🌾 Walking Alongside Texas
Members who walk alongside Texas help support her ongoing care while becoming part of her story — a story of resilience, courage, and becoming.
This partnership honors both the horse and the human, meeting each where they are and allowing healing to unfold naturally.
🌿 Availability
Currently welcoming Mae’s Haven Horse members
(Founding Circle)
🤍 Invitation
If Texas Marie’s story speaks to you — if you believe healing can be shared, patient, and deeply relational — you are welcome to walk alongside her.
Whiskey
🐴 Whiskey
formerly “Teacher’s Pet”
Mae’s Haven Horse | Founding Circle
Born Spring 2024 (exact date unknown)
Quarter Horse
🌿 About Whiskey
Whiskey came to Mae’s Haven through Colby’s Crew after being rescued in August 2024 from a reservation out west. Born feral, his earliest days were shaped by survival and freedom, without close contact with people.
When we went to adopt Texas, it became clear that Whiskey had already chosen his family. He followed Texas everywhere that day, staying close as she moved — quietly bonded to her in a way that was impossible to ignore. When the opportunity arose to bring him home too, there was no hesitation.
From that moment on, Whiskey became part of Mae’s Haven — and part of our hearts.
🤍 What Whiskey Has Overcome
When Whiskey first arrived, closeness felt unsafe. He was wary, alert, and quick to retreat when approached. Trust wasn’t something he could offer easily — and that was respected.
For weeks, the work wasn’t about training or expectation. It was about presence.
Time was spent simply sitting in the field with Whiskey and Texas — no demands, no pressure — just showing up consistently and allowing him to decide when connection felt possible.
Slowly, day by day, something softened.
Today, Whiskey is confident, gentle, and deeply trusting. He is sweet-natured, eager to please, and curious about the people around him. His journey reminds us that healing happens when fear is met with patience — and when trust is allowed to grow at its own pace.
🌱 Partnership in Healing
Whiskey is often described as an “angel baby,” and his presence carries a quiet reassurance that many people immediately feel. Those who walk alongside him often notice how their own guarded places begin to soften in his company.
At Mae’s Haven, Whiskey’s healing continues through relationship — not control. And in that shared space, many people find pieces of their own healing unfolding as well.
He now spends his days alongside his sister from another mother, Texas, living a life rooted in companionship, safety, and joy.
🌾 Walking Alongside Whiskey
Members who walk alongside Whiskey help support his ongoing care while becoming part of a story shaped by patience, trust, and mutual growth.
This partnership honors both the horse and the human — recognizing that healing doesn’t require force, only presence and time.
🌿 Availability
Currently welcoming Mae’s Haven Horse members
(Founding Circle)
🤍 Invitation
If Whiskey’s story resonates with you — if you believe trust can be rebuilt and healing can happen gently — you are welcome to walk alongside him.
Course 03Cairo
🐴 Cairo
formerly “Cairo Breeze”
Mae’s Haven Horse | Founding Circle
Off-Track Thoroughbred
6 years old
🌿 About Cairo
Cairo’s journey began on the racetrack, where he was known as Cairo Breeze. As a young thoroughbred, he raced, won, and earned monetary prizes — doing exactly what he had been trained and asked to do.
But when Cairo fractured his ankle, his racing career ended abruptly. With no future on the track, his owner chose to surrender him to rescue rather than continue his care.
Cairo was rescued by Central Virginia Horse Rescue, where he began learning that life could exist beyond performance. Later, while searching for a trail horse, we were approached by the barn manager who had been working closely with Cairo and his brother, Prince. She asked if we would be willing to adopt them together — honoring the bond they shared.
From the very beginning, it was clear Cairo was something special.
🤍 What Cairo Has Overcome
When Cairo first arrived at Mae’s Haven, he was powerful, energetic, and still very much carrying the intensity of his past life. Along with his brother, he was high-strung and learning how to exist in a herd environment. The two of them played hard, pushed boundaries, and struggled at first with overstimulation and biting.
But within just a couple of weeks, something remarkable happened.
Cairo settled.
He didn’t lose his strength — he channeled it.
Cairo naturally stepped into the role of leader. His energy shifted from reactivity to responsibility, and he became a steady, grounding presence within the herd. Today, Cairo leads six other horses with calm authority and quiet confidence. He is respected, trusted, and deeply attuned to those around him.
🌱 Partnership in Healing
Cairo is a protector by nature — strong, aware, and deeply relational. Though he is a powerful horse, he carries a gentle heart. He loves to “hug” people, often resting his head against them in moments of quiet connection.
There have been many times when Cairo has held space during the hardest days — offering comfort without words, simply by being present.
Under saddle, Cairo is attentive and thoughtful. He enjoys being ridden and remains gentle and responsive, always tuned in to the person on his back. He seems to know exactly what is needed in each moment — steadiness, reassurance, or quiet strength.
Cairo’s journey reflects a truth many people understand: that when identity is no longer tied to performance, leadership can emerge in new and meaningful ways.
🌾 Walking Alongside Cairo
Those who walk alongside Cairo partner with a horse who understands responsibility, resilience, and care. Supporting his ongoing journey means honoring not only his past, but the powerful role he now holds within the herd and within the hearts of those who know him.
Cairo reminds us that strength and gentleness are not opposites — they belong together.
🌿 Availability
Currently welcoming Mae’s Haven Horse members
(Founding Circle)
🤍 Invitation
If Cairo’s story speaks to you — if you believe leadership can be rooted in compassion and healing can create new purpose — you are welcome to walk alongside him.
🐴 Prince
formerly “Prince of Fenton”
Mae’s Haven Horse | Founding Circle
Off-Track Thoroughbred
6 years old
🌿 About Prince
Prince arrived at Mae’s Haven alongside his brother, Cairo — bonded not only by blood, but by shared experience. They have the same sire, different dams, and were born just one month apart. At first glance, Prince looks nearly identical to his brother, with the exception of a white stripe on his nose and a white marking on his left foot.
On the racetrack, Prince was known as Prince of Fenton. He raced hard, won often, and earned even more than his brother. Fire runs through him — energy, drive, and enthusiasm are part of who he is.
But when Prince fractured his ankle, his racing career came to an abrupt end. Like Cairo, he was surrendered by his owner and rescued by Central Virginia Horse Rescue, where the next chapter of his life began.
🤍 What Prince Has Overcome
Prince arrived carrying intensity — not fear, but momentum. He was high-strung, powerful, and learning how to exist outside the fast, demanding world he had known. Alongside Cairo, he had to relearn boundaries, rhythm, and what it meant to be part of a herd rather than a competition.
Prince found his place.
Today, he holds second position in the herd, directly beneath Cairo. He respects his brother’s leadership and stands confidently in his own role — strong, aware, and deeply engaged with those around him.
Though powerful, Prince is also a gentle giant at heart. His personality shines through in playfulness and curiosity. He loves to interact — often with his mouth — pulling hats, gloves, buttons, or anything else he can gently explore. He brings laughter wherever he goes and reminds us that joy is an essential part of healing.
🌱 Partnership in Healing
Prince now lives a life rooted in connection rather than competition. He has taken on new purpose as a trail horse and therapy horse, offering both strength and levity to those who spend time with him.
Guests are often drawn to Prince’s affectionate nature. He is loving, engaging, and remarkably attuned to people, meeting them with openness and warmth. His ability to balance power with play teaches an important lesson — that healing doesn’t always look quiet. Sometimes it looks like joy, silliness, and learning how to be fully present again.
Prince’s favorite pastime? Rolling in the sand — fully, unapologetically, and with complete delight.
🌾 Walking Alongside Prince
Those who walk alongside Prince partner with a horse who embodies resilience, joy, and leadership through relationship. Supporting his ongoing care means honoring a journey that transformed speed into steadiness, and intensity into purpose.
Prince reminds us that healing can be playful.
That strength can coexist with softness.
And that belonging changes everything.
🌿 Availability
Currently welcoming Mae’s Haven Horse members
(Founding Circle)
🤍 Invitation
If Prince’s story resonates with you — if you believe healing can be joyful, relational, and full of life — you are welcome to walk alongside him.
Prince
🐴 Emily Sue
Mae’s Haven Horse | Founding Circle
Belgian Draft Horse
18 years old
🌿 About Emily Sue
Emily Sue is the third horse to step foot onto the land at Mae’s Haven — and her presence carries both strength and tenderness.
Her story began with heartbreak. After years of working long, demanding days, Emily was sent to slaughter when her body could no longer give what was expected of her. When her usefulness ended, she was discarded by those she had served faithfully.
Colby’s Crew intervened, rescuing Emily from the slaughter pipeline, and we welcomed her home to Mae’s Haven — a place where she would never be asked to earn her safety again.
🤍 What Emily Has Overcome
When Emily arrived, her body showed signs of neglect and exhaustion. She was malnourished and living with heaves — a condition similar to asthma in humans — meaning she can no longer be pushed or overworked.
But the deeper wounds were harder to see.
Emily kept to herself, often standing alone in the corner of the field. She didn’t feel safe with other horses, and she didn’t trust people. When approached, she would quietly walk away. In her eyes, you could see hurt, betrayal, and deep uncertainty.
At Mae’s Haven, nothing was demanded of Emily.
No work.
No pressure.
No expectations beyond kindness and care.
Day by day, gentle words were spoken to her from a distance — reminders that she was safe now, that no one would hurt her, and that she was deeply loved. Over time, her breathing improved. Her body softened. And slowly, her heart began to open.
🌱 Partnership in Healing
As guests began visiting Mae’s Haven, Emily started to experience something new — people who came not to use her, but to simply be with her. Through those quiet interactions, she learned that humans could be gentle, patient, and trustworthy.
Eventually, Emily trusted enough to allow connection — and even to be ridden, not out of obligation, but out of relationship.
Today, Emily allows most people to approach her for affection. She moves comfortably within her herd and shares a special bond with her best friend, Mayday. She spends her days resting, grazing, and enjoying the freedom she was once denied.
Emily’s journey reflects what so many people understand deeply: the healing that comes when worth is no longer tied to productivity, and rest is finally allowed.
🌾 Walking Alongside Emily Sue
Those who walk alongside Emily Sue become partners in a story of restoration — supporting her continued care while often finding pieces of their own healing mirrored in hers.
Emily teaches that it’s never too late to be safe.
That rest is not failure.
And that love offered without expectation can change everything.
🌿 Availability
Currently welcoming Mae’s Haven Horse members
(Founding Circle)
🤍 Invitation
If Emily Sue’s story speaks to your heart — if you believe healing can happen at any stage of life — you are welcome to walk alongside her.