February 2025
Brother Bear
Equine Foundation
Our Mission: to pull the sickest, most debilitated horses from the slaughter pipeline, restore them to vibrant health, and re-home them with loving guardians
What is the Brother Bear Equine Foundation?
The nonprofit Brother Bear Foundation was created in memory of Brother Bear, an aged quarter horse who spent three decades in service to humans — only to be abandoned in a field where he starved to death because his mouth had not been tended in so many years that he could not open it to eat. Brother Bear came to us for help — he was a skeleton covered with skin and fur — and we had him for one week before he collapsed from severe heart failure. He died with his head in my hands.
The outrage over what happened to him, the grotesque injustice, and the terrifying lack of compassion that killed him still grieves us.
Bear’s death is a symbol of what goes wrong for helpless, sick, old, and damaged horses everywhere — many of whom end up in the slaughter pipeline and die in the most horrible circumstances imaginable.
We need to do more.
Our mission: to pull horses like Bear — sick, old, starved — out of the slaughter pipeline.
Horses 1 and 2:
Pendragon and Igraine
On Christmas Day, two emaciated Percherons were in a local sales pen, designated to go on the slaughter truck the next day. Pendragon was in the worst condition, lacking about 150 lbs and hunched in a corner because his inflamed eyes were so swollen that he could barely see. On the other side of the pen stood Igraine, another seriously underweight Percheron, with a terrible uterine infection oozing pus.
The miracle? We did not know they came in together until they arrived in quarantine and their constant calling made clear they needed to be together. They are a bonded pair who became separated in the chaos of the pen. They were placed in a shared space. In the picture above you can see Pendragon’s streaming painful eyes and Igraine, incredibly ill, standing guard over him.
Veterinary attention and excellent care turned these two wonderful animals around quickly. Pendragon needed blood work to rule in/out potential causes of severe uveitis in both eyes. Igraine needed a uterine culture to select the correct antibiotic treatment.
Pendragon had Lyme disease; treatment was begun. Multiple medications were used in his eyes to stop the inflammation and pain. Igraine had four uterine lavages. Her infection is gone.
They both are steadily gaining weight. They will be rehomed together — we will wait for the adopter who can take them both. After being miraculously removed from hell, they shall not be separated again.
Meet Horses 1 and 2: Pendragon and Igraine, two emaciated Percherons pulled on Christmas Day — this is a love story… (keep reading to find out why)
How does the Brother Bear mission work?
We have partnered with a sister nonprofit facility that can haul, quarantine, provide access to all needed care, and rehome. A complexity of pulling debilitated horses is that the ultimate cost of rehab is unknown. Paying the fee to the pen to release them is just the first step. Then there are the costs of quarantine, vetting, medications, farrier, food, supplements, and so on. These expenses, especially veterinary costs for sick animals, can rapidly escalate to thousands of dollars.
How does this work?
I assume personal financial responsibility for any horse pulled in order to protect the facility, the staff, and the veterinarians who have to be paid whether or not the Foundation has enough money.
With just my personal resources, I can pull one or two at a time and cover their costs until they are well enough to go to new homes. Then I can pull another one or two. I may be able to save 5 or 6 during the year depending on how high the costs run
If you help by donating, however, we can do much much more. The Foundation is an IRS-designated 501c3 charity — all contributions are tax deductible and every dollar you contribute goes to horse care (the Foundation has no administrative expenses; it is run for free by volunteers).
I would like to pull at least 50 terrified debilitated animals this year and give them not just hope — but LIFE. I cannot do that on my own. But we can do it together. And maybe we can do more.
We pulled four horses in January. Read on to learn about their stories.
Please help. Every dollar counts.
How do we know their names?
We do not. Can you imagine mattering so little that you are dropped off in this environment and no one bothers to reveal your name? Names are identity. Every animal pulled by Brother Bear has a name. We honor who they are. And we remember….
Horse 3: Arthur
The third horse we pulled is Arthur. He was an emaciated quarter horse who was having trouble standing up in the pen chaos.
Vetting revealed that he had extremely severe degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis (DSLD). This is an excruciatingly painful condition in which the suspensories become scarred and inflamed and no longer support the lower legs. As a result, Arthur’s fetlocks were almost touching the ground and his pasterns were parallel to the ground.
Arthur had been suffering and breaking down for years. His owner dumped him in the pen because his ability to stand had become limited.
In the early stages, much can be done to help horses with DSLD but in the end stage there is nothing but palliative care.
Arthur had trouble standing and walking. He needed a safe environment in which he could rest and feel cherished.
He received anti-inflammatories and supplements to help with pain. He took up residence in a clean stall with deep bedding so that he could lie down as much as he wanted. He had unlimited hay, good food, and kind voices and hands. He was safe.
We waited for him to tell us when he was ready to go.
After two weeks of care, he was ready. He left gently. His last day was full of cookies and grooming and love. He left knowing he mattered and had been fully seen and heard and that we honored him for his service.
This one breaks my heart. But it is part of the Brother Bear territory — to offer a dignified and compassionate transition when it is time.
Horse 4: Phoenix
I do not have a picture of Phoenix.
He was a terribly injured Saddlebred who could barely walk. Whether he was dropped off in this condition or whether he was injured in the chaos of the pen was not clear — one never knows what actually happens…
We suspected multiple fractures in his left front leg, which was hugely swollen. He was in agony. Vetting was not permitted without purchasing him.
I was his guardian for about 20 min. I paid $500 so that he could be removed from the pen and on the way out he collapsed in the driveway and could not stand. He was euthanized there, in the cold and on the gravel.
This one shatters my heart. Please know, Phoenix, that there are good people in the world and in those last moments you were surrounded by loving hearts…
Six more horses are in the process of being rescued under this program. Watch for the March 2025 Newsletter to learn about their stories.
ABOUT THE DONATION SOFTWARE:
The donation software generously pays the processing fees so that 100% of donations goes directly to the Brother Bear bank account. However, once you specify your donation amount, it will ask for a tip.
TIPPING IS OPTIONAL.. If you scroll to Other in the tip window then it will not charge a tip. If you prefer Venmo, then please use @martha-faraday and designate your gift for Brother Bear. If you prefer a paper check, then please make out to Brother Bear and mail to the address at the bottom of this email.
NEED MORE INFORMATION?
WANT TO DONATE A DIFFERENT WAY?
INTERESTED IN SPONSORING A BROTHER BEAR HORSE?
PLEASE EMAIL: 4oaksconsulting@gmail.com
Pendragon and Igraine 30 days after rescue — well and happy and with the energy to cuddle…
ABOUT DR. FARADAY:
Dr. Martha M. Faraday (PhD) is the founder of the Brother Bear Equine Foundation. She is a whole horse health scientist and equine nutritionist who has a national reputation for fixing unfixable horses. She also cares for seriously ill small animals. Her passion is to restore all horses everywhere to vibrant health — no matter what. For more information about her work, please go to https://4oaksequine.com.