We are proud to announce 44 adoptions so far this year!! Thank you to all who have referred us, adopted, fostered, trained, volunteered and supported us in this work. We have 33 horses mules, donkeys and ponies still looking for their forever home!

Who is Tecate Horse Rescue?

Mike and DJ Osborne, and DJ's mother Jean founded Tecate Horse Rescue after learning about a two-year-old filly, since named Brandy, who was 45 minutes from being shipped to a Mexican slaughterhouse. We stepped in and bailed her and brought her home. Luckily, DJ and Mike already owned 99.8 acres in east San Diego County, and along with DJ’s love of horses and background in wildlife rescue, they could provide a haven, to rehabilitate rescues. Our Board of Directors are long-time friends who are aligned with our mission. Our staff is small but mighty and we have amazing volunteers and donors who make this work possible

Whoa Nelly, How Did This Happen???

While horses are legally considered livestock, most of us do not see them that way. They have a special place in our heart and play a big part in the history of our country. In June of 2022 we discovered an entire multi-million-dollar industry founded on the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Horses, donkeys, ponies are sold to auction houses aka “kill pens” . Those not "bailed out" are transported to slaughterhouses in Mexico and Canada. Oftentimes, these horses were someone’s pet! Or, they may have worked on a farm or racetrack and have been discarded when they are no longer useful, to a kill pen. The most heart wrenching problem we have found is the condition of horses upon arriving at the kill pens; the conditions surrounding their transport to the kill pen and ultimate transport to slaughter.
Even livestock deserve humane conditions. Brutish treatment, lack of food and clean water, medical attention and the absence of any emotional stability is simply unacceptable. While we know we cannot save them all, we know something must be done and that we can be part of the solution to stop the suffering and end the brutality, neglect and abuse that is rampant in the industry.
We have learned how to bring these sentient beings back from near death and when necessary, we have provided them their last dignity for humane euthanasia, in the hands of loving and caring humans. We have found the miracle of time, regular food, pastures with herd mates and allowing them to simply decompress and be horses, can be nothing short of amazing as they overcome their fear, distrust and sometimes hate for humans.

Statistics

In 2017, the American Horse Council Foundation reported that in the United States there are over one million horse owners with over 10.31 million horses. The vast majority of these horses have owners that are responsible and caring. It is the other horses, while a small percentage of the total, that desperately need our help.
The USDA has documented that 92.3% of the horses sent to slaughter are in good condition and are able to live out a productive life. These horses represent less than 1% of the U.S. population and could easily be reabsorbed. The remainder of horses that can enjoy a good quality of life could be saved by the approximately 700 horse rescue operations across the United States.
This is Tecate Horse Rescue’s mission, to save as many as possible. But we can only do this with the help of kind donors and volunteers.

Preying on our compassion-- switch and bait

We were stunned when we understood how this very profitable business works.
The kill pen auction houses have streamlined their process. One of the biggest in the United States is the Bowie Auction House located in Texas. It is a lucrative business. In 2022, they profited over $4 million dollars as a result of selling horses to slaughterhouses in Mexico or Canada.
That $4 million blood-soaked dollars set us in motion. We responded to Bowie’s "last chance" list. They publicize a list of all horses they plan to sell for transport to slaughter unless they are "bailed out” at the auction. It is all about making every dime possible on horses that are often ill, underweight, injured, and elderly. Oftentimes, these horses are injured during transport and arrive at the kill pens with broken bones, deep cuts or sometimes have been trampled to death.
The auction houses prey on good people who will do everything in their power to save these horses from slaughter. This is why we and other hundreds of other equine rescuers around the country do what we do. We save as many as we can

And This is Only the Beginning

After bail has been paid to an auction house, the horse must be quarantined for at least 30 days because most are sick and/or might have been exposed to sickness/disease which can be radically contagious to other horses. Transport is usually $500-$650 per animal. If a horse needs vet care, this can range between $300-$10,000. So, on average, the cost is approximately $3,500 per horse.

What They Don’t Want You To See

We purchased our own truck and six-horse trailer and drove to the Bowie auction ourselves. That first day DJ found a horse on the ground that could not get up. DJ was told that she had been brought in on a truck the day before from Arizona. We paid her fee and took her immediately to the vet.
During that first visit to the Bowie auction, DJ walked to the back 40 and found about 10 acres of fenced area with at least 100 perfectly healthy looking, fat horses.  We learned that these horses bring more money from the slaughterhouse because they weigh more and are thus kept hidden from the rescue world. The healthy horses are not listed on the “last call” list and are not to be offered to rescues paying the bail outs because healthy horses bring more dollars from slaughterhouse themselves.
What this essentially means is the Bowie kill pen is selling injured, diseased, skinny and “not profitable by the pound” horses to compassionate rescues and charging them top dollar; preying on the rescue’s humanitarian heart, all in the name of greed.
We felt duped!
When we discovered this, we knew--
we have to do everything in our power to save them BEFORE they ever get dumped in the slaughterhouse pipeline.
Please help us to build a safety net for horses and horse owners who want to do the right thing. Call us to volunteer or donate now!

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This is Gracie, a mare that had been reportedly savaged by a stud and gotten stuck in a fence. Gracie spent a lot of time rehabbing and at the vets in Texas before arriving at Tecate Horse Rescue. She had a crushed skull and teeth that were jammed into her sinus cavity with major infections. After serious attention, she is now enjoying her life here in California. Who are we to say that she did not deserve a 2nd chance? Gracie has been adopted to a loving home. We are so happy for her and her new mom.

That was Gracie then, and below, this is Gracie now!!

Our first rescue, Brandy and our first staff member Shannon

Tecate Horse Rescue strives to be part of the bigger picture and to do our best to save that 1% while working with other rescues and doing what we can personally.

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Tecate Horse Rescue is a 501(3)(c) non-profit charity. We will gladly accept help financially or physically. If you have a unique way to provide help, please give us a call.

Thank you Infinity! Our top sponsor for 2024.

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