Scattered around the country are populations of wild horses. Some are famous – the wild mustangs out west and the Chincoteague ponies on the Virginia coast. But believe it or not, West Virginia has a few wild horse herds of her own, and thanks to the work of the organization Heart of Phoenix, these horses are getting the care and attention they deserve.

Horses are beautiful, magnificent animals that have a 6,000-year history of domestication by humans.
Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, INC/Facebook
And as much as we love them as pets, there's something romantic about the idea of wild ponies running free through the mountains.
Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, INC/Facebook
But reality for Appalachia's wild horses is far different from an idealized storybook.
The wild horses that roam through abandoned coal fields of Appalachia are often severely malnourished and riddled with disease.
Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, INC/Facebook

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That's where Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue comes in.
Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, INC/Facebook
Heart of Phoenix has been rescuing wild and uncared for horses for over a decade, returning them to health, and then matching them with owners who are eager and qualified to continue their care.
Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, INC/Facebook
Heart of Phoenix services horses in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio; their West Virginia farm is located just outside Huntington.
Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, INC/Facebook
If you are touched by the plight of Appalachia's wild horses, there are several ways you can help.
Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, INC/Facebook
Donate to Heart of Phoenix, volunteer on one of their farms, or sign up to be matched with one of their rescued horses!

To learn more about how you can help (and see more pictures of recently rescued ponies), visit Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue on Facebook.

And if you’ve been encouraged to learn of the efforts of Heart of Phoenix in our area, you’ll also be interested to learn about the work of PIGS animal sanctuary.

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