Who we are.......

Northern Michigan Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation (NMHRR) is a non-profit organization, currently working on our 501(c)3, tax-exempt status. We are happy to provide receipts for bookkeeping purposes but please obtain advise from a qualified accountant before making or claiming a tax deduction for your donation. NMHRR takes in horses who are in need of a new home, regardless of the reasons. Although we are required by law to carry a dealer's license, we are not horse dealers. We need the help of individuals, communities and other like-minded volunteers who are as dedicated as we are to the rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming of horses in Northern Michigan, including the Upper Peninsula. Any and all donations, funds and adoption fees are put back into the organization and as soon as our tax exempt status becomes formal, all donations will be tax deductible.

We board our adoptees at a local equestrian center where they have access to shelter, summer pasture, winter time and supplemental hay, fresh water, trails to ride on and the use of both indoor and outdoor arenas. The center also offers lessons and trail rides, which our adoptees become part of while waiting for their new homes. This provides them the opportunity to work with a variety of people and ages, in a secure enviornment. We have a trainer available for those horses that need some additional training and many volunteers available to provide any special care and all the TLC they could ever want.

Northern Michigan Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation is a public benefit nonprofit corporation organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes. Specifically, this organization will prevent cruelty to animals through rescue, rehabilitation, adoption and/or retirement of abused or starving horses. Our organization has designed and has developed four (4) programs in furtherance of our purposes.

Our first program is entitled: Horse Rescue Operations. The purpose of this program is to prevent cruelty to and neglect of horses. NMHRR retrieves surrendered or donated horses from individuals who are no longer able to care properly for these horses and are unable to locate new, acceptable homes for these horses. We will also retrieve horses from the Humane Society and other animal cruelty agencies. We will not seize horses directly from current owners, but will work with a licensed agency or proper authority that may need assistance. We will occasionally purchase a horse from auction or private individual, if we determine that the horse would benefit from our program. We advertise and encourage people to donate horses in need of a new home to our organization, where their future health and well being can be monitored. To accomplish this goal, we collect donations and raise funds to board them at an equestrian center already set up for the care of horses. We plan on raising money and advertising through distribution of logo inscribed t-shirts, hats, and jackets for donations. These products will be predominately available online, at the equestrian center, at horse shows and at other community functions. Accepted donations for these products will be between $10 and $25. We will also advertise through our website at http://www.nmhrr.org and place ads in online horse classifieds, horse related publications and at other horse related functions. Additional funds are raised through bake sales, garage sales, educational horse related seminars, community outreach events and adoption fees. Rescue operations have begun on a limited basis and the solicitation of donations and other public funds will be pursued more aggressively as soon as we obtain tax-exempt status. The organization will also apply for grants upon receipt of tax-exempt status. Beth Ann Weise and other directors administer the program. They also accept the assistance of volunteers in the horse community; horse trainers, veterinarians, farriers, etc. The program takes approximately 20% of our organization's time and takes place predominately at 847 Meecher Road , Gaylord , Michigan .

Our second program is entitled: Rehabilitation. The purpose of this program is to restore the horse to full health, both physically and psychologically and to continue their training or to retrain them for other activities. Specifically, after a rescue, surrender or donation of the horses, we will provide them with as much care and attention as necessary. Rehabilitation activities consist of the boarding and veterinary care of a horse until we determine the horse's best potential. A licensed veterinarian and farrier will properly examine and decide the proper care for all horses. Some will become pleasure horse prospects, some will have show prospects, some will become 4H projects and some will become trail horses Some horses might take longer to regain proper strength and weight before they can be rehabilitated for adoption. Others may take longer to retrain due to psychological problems caused by neglect and/or abuse, inadequate training methods or other negative experiences. If medical and training evaluations reveal that a horse is unable to be rehabilitated, these horses may simply be retired. We will find these horses a pasture home as a companion animal or personal pet, which will allow them to live the remainder of their lives comfortably and without harm. This program will follow the same fundraising efforts as the Horse Rescue Operation. This program has begun and is administered by Beth Ann Weise and other directors, with the assistance of volunteers and other qualified individuals. We depend largely on an equestrian center already set up to care for horses until such time as enough donations and grants are collected to open a training and stabling center. The program will take approximately 30% of our organization's time and will take place predominately at 7000 Hayes Tower Road , Gaylord , Michigan .

Our third program is entitled: The Adoption Program. The purpose of this program is to place rescued and rehabilitated horses with compatible, long term, loving individuals. All interested individuals must go through a screening process that includes an application for adoption (Appendix 2), reference checks and a visit to potential new homes by one of the directors or other qualified volunteers. Follow up visits will be performed for at least the first year, in order to confirm that the horse is doing well and being cared for as stipulated in the adoption contract. Horse adoption fees will vary with the age, quality, and temperament of each horse. Adoption fees will be kept as low as possible and average adoption fees will be between $300.00 and $500.00. On rare occasions, the quality of the horse that goes through our program would warrant more. All adoption fees are returned to the organization so that we may continue operating. We advertise these horses through our website at http://www.nmhrr.org , by placing ads in online horse classified ads, horse related publications and will begin hosting open houses in order to introduce these horses to potential adopters. We assist individuals with finding veterinary and farrier care and provide support after the horse has left our possession. Beth Ann Weise and other directors administer the program. The program takes approximately 30% of our organization's time and is coordinated primarily at 847 Meecher Road , Gaylord , Michigan .

Our final program is entitled: Education. The purpose of this program is to educate people regarding the care and the costs involved with owning a horse. We will promote the use of vaccinations and Coggins testing and provide information on what constitutes cruelty and neglect. We will host seminars that will provide instruction in basic horse care with farrier, veterinary, dental, chiropractic, massage, tack, training and riding demonstrations. Beth Ann Weise and other directors will administer this program with assistance of volunteers experienced in horse care; veterinarians, farriers, equine massage therapists, chiropractors, horse trainers and individuals with multiple years of experience with the show and rodeo circuits. This program will take approximately 20% of our organization's time and will be held predominately at 7000 Hayes Tower Road , Gaylord , Michigan .
Northern Michigan Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation,
Beth Weise, Administrator - Day to Day Operations

Our Board of Directors

Beth Weise, Executive Director
Liz Koscielniak
Dr. Todd Rabb, DVM
Josh Wodja
Stuart Spencer

Our Officers

Liz Koscielniak, President
Paul Weise, Vice-President
Susan Moden, Secretary / Treasurer