Christmas Morning Standing Ovation by Ovation Riding

On Christmas morning, we’re looking back at the past year of Standing Ovation nominees. Do you have the time or resources to give them a hand this holiday?

Sweet Water Stables’ 2015 Christmas horse, Liam.

Each Friday, Horse Nation teams up with Ovation Riding to spotlight an individual or organization doing good work in the horse world. Today, we’re revisiting our past year of nominees and encourage our readers to remember these hardworking people on Christmas day: some nominees are rescues or therapeutic riding centers always in need of donations of time, supplies or money; others are individuals who are deserving of a little recognition for their good work.

Rescues

Horse Haven: Tennessee-based rescue

Saddlebred Rescue, Inc.: New-Jersey based Saddlebred rescue

Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue: New England-based donkey and mule rescue

Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue: North Dakota-based miniature and general horse rescue

Standardbred Retirement Foundation: New Jersey-based off-track Standardbred rescue and placement

Copper Horse Crusade: Ohio-based rescue buying horses directly from kill sales to train and rehome

Brooke USA: Providing veterinary care and owner education to the world’s working animals in the poorest countries

Blaze’s Tribute Equine Rescue: Oklahoma-based rescue

Thoroughbred Placement Resources: Maryland-based OTTB rescue, rehoming and placement

Last Chance Ranch: Pennsylvania-based rescue

Red Bucket Equine Rescue: California-based rescue

A Home For Every Horse/Purina: Purina’s fundraising program to help facilitate horse adoptions

Team American Saddlebreds: Saddlebred rescue and adoption located in New York, Ohio and Kentucky

Colorado Horse Rescue Network: individuals networking to rescue horses from abusive situations and auctions

Sunshine Horses: New York-based off-track Standardbred rescue

Riding programs

Camp Casey: Michigan-based riding program for children with cancer and their families

Bear Spot Foundation: New England-based therapeutic program for individuals with severe depression, anxiety and eating disorders

Compton Junior Posse: Compton, California, teaching at-risk youth horsemanship skills and enriching lives of young people

Center for Hope of the Sierras/Nevada Equine Assisted Therapy: two organizations working in partnership to offer healing through horses

Equest: Texas-based therapeutic riding center

Reins to Recovery: Indiana-based therapeutic riding center

High Hurdles Therapeutic Riding: western New York-based therapeutic riding center

Reins of Life: Indiana-based therapeutic riding center

Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch: Oregon-based riding program for youth and family outreach

Horses for Happiness/Kelsey Yin: California-based riding program for at-risk youth, created and run by a teenager

Horses Healing Hearts: breaking the cycle of alcoholism through horses

Windrush Farm: New England-based therapeutic riding center

The Westernaires: Colorado-based youth program

Sebastian Riding Associates: Pennsylvania-based therapeutic riding center

Horses 4 Hope: New Jersey-based therapeutic and at-risk youth riding center

Events

Hooves Across America: a fundraising ride with nation-wide reach

Pink Poker Prance: Maryland trail ride to fundraise for breast cancer awareness

Make-a-Wish Day: annual fundraiser at Keeneland racetrack

Individuals

Willie Nelson: advocate and equine rescuer

Amberley Snyder: inspirational barrel racer who competes despite paralysis

Eden Rice: teenage horse lover raising funds for Chincoteague pony organizations

Tracy and Sarah Bailey: mother/daughter team who adopted a miniature pony missing a hoof

Metro Meteor: the painting racehorse, raising funds for OTTB placement and awareness

Amos the Wonder Horse: a therapy mini who also aids in anti-bullying programs

Eleanor Vallone: rescues horses out of pocket

Charlotte Dujardin: an ambassador for The Brooke

Miscellaneous programs

Full Circle: the American Quarter Horse Association’s efforts to help facilitate the rehoming or retirement of registered horses

JustWorld International: equestrian outreach to developing nations

Colorado Horsecare Foodbank: hay foodbank for equestrian families in times of need

Equine Land Conservation Resource: organization to help equestrian-use land remain undeveloped

Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue: educational organization to teach personnel the skills to rescue large animals in emergency situations

Love Road Wild Horse Sanctuary and Adoption Center: part sanctuary, part adoption center, part educational center for mustangs and mustang awareness

Laughton Ranch: a private farm that took in hundreds of displaced animals after the Butte wildfire in California in September

Edge Equestrian/Horses N Heroes: a philanthropic effort to prevent Horses N Heroes from closing its doors

Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club: detailing how philanthropic efforts are turning around the fate of this Philadelphia-based youth riding program

Sweet Water Stables’ Christmas horse: a private barn that rescues a horse each Christmas instead of a gift exchange

Many thanks thanks to Ovation Riding for their support of both Horse Nation and individuals and organizations that are doing good work in the horse world. If you know someone who deserves a Standing Ovation, we would love to recognize them in a future post. Email the name of the person or organization along with a message about the good work they do to [email protected]. Photos/videos are always welcome, and include a link to their website if applicable.