OUR STORY
Rising Phoenix Thoroughbred Rescue was founded on a simple belief; a horse’s story should not end when its first career does.
We rescue Thoroughbreds whose futures have become uncertain. Some have finished their racing careers. Others have been neglected, discarded, or found in kill pens and the slaughter pipeline. Whatever brought them to us, they arrive at Rising Phoenix with one thing in common: they deserve another chance.
Here, recovery is never rushed. Each horse is given the time, veterinary and farrier care, nutrition, training, and individual attention needed to heal physically and emotionally. We learn who they are, what they need, and, when they are ready, what their next chapter might become.
And sometimes, something extraordinary happens along the way.
Horses who needed a second chance become part of someone else’s second chance.
Through our equine-assisted recovery programs, rescued horses form connections with people rebuilding their lives from addiction and other challenges. Trust is rebuild on both ends of the lead rope.
HOW IT BEGAN
My first horse - not a pony - was a Thoroughbred named Prince.
Prince had raced before being retrained as a Hunter. He was sweet, kind and deeply loved. As my riding ambitions grew, I eventually needed a different horse, and Prince was sold to a neighbor. I believe he lived out his life with that family, but I never knew that for certain.
That uncertainty stayed with me.
Over the years, I have been fortunate to follow the lives of most of the horses who have left my care. But not all of them. Once you have loved and cared for a horse, not knowing where they are, how they are doing, or whether they are safe is difficult to accept.
Years later, my heart horse, Gerry, made that lesson even more profound. Circumstances beyond my control threatened my ability to protect the horses I loved, and getting Gerry safely back into my care required a fight I never expected to have.
Gerry ultimately lived safely with me until his death at 23.
Prince taught me how difficult it is to let go without knowing. Gerry taught me how fiercely I was willing to fight to make sure a horse was safe.
Those experiences became part of the foundation of Rising Phoenix: a belief that the horses who come into our care deserve more than rescue from one bad moment. They deserve security, dignity, and a future in which someone continues to care about what happens next.
THE MISSION EVOLVES
Rising Phoenix originally began as an equine rehabilitation center. But it quickly became clear that the greater need was rescue - giving vulnerable horses a safe place to land, recover, and begin again.
In time, the mission expanded beyond horses.
Rising Phoenix began working with veterans through the San Marcos Veterans Center, using the connection between horses and people to support those struggling with PTSD and the challenges of life after military service.
Through that work, another need became impossible to ignore. Some veterans were turning to drugs and alcohol as a way to escape the pain of their post-service reality. Their stories left a lasting impression and ultimately helped shape the next chapter of Rising Phoenix.
Today, our equine-assisted programs focus on addiction recovery. The circumstances may be different, but the connection at the heart of the work remains the same: horses who have experienced uncertainty, fear, and profound change, building relationships with people who are finding their own way forward.
Both are learning that what happened before does not have to determine what happens next.
CONNECT WITH US
Have a question about Rising Phoenix?
Whether you’re interested in our horses, recovery programs, volunteering, partnerships, or other ways to get involved, we’d love to hear from you.
Send us a message, and we’ll be in touch.