Free Rein Foundation

Cowboy is a 21-year-old Dun Paint, with the kindest heart and the sweetest personality. He previously boarded at the Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center during 2022 and 2023.

During that time, Cowboy began to show signs of physical deterioration. After being evaluated by his vet, it was discovered that he had a heart murmur and a back injury. His owner made the compassionate decision to retire him to a horse sanctuary. Heidi Van Der Hoek, who helped care for Cowboy at the equestrian center, worked with Cowboy’s owner to find him a new home. Cowboy moved to his retirement home on April 1, 2023.

On May 1, 2026, Cowboy was seized by animal control as part of a large-scale rescue and investigation into poor animal welfare on the property. Because of Heidi’s connection to Cowboy, she worked with animal control to get Cowboy to safety. Cowboy was transported from animal control custody to San Luis Rey Equine Hospital for evaluation. His medical evaluation confirmed malnourishment and neglect.

Cowboy is truly the best boy. He loves attention, has the kindest heart, and we feel incredibly honored to give him a safe place to live out his years. We are especially grateful for Heidi’s commitment to Cowboy’s rescue and for making sure he had a way back to safety. He will now receive the love, dignity, and care he has always deserved.

Free Rein is home to elderly horses, horses with health problems, and horses recovering from malnourishment.
Each horse has a custom diet that helps us ensure every member of our herd is meeting their nutritional requirements!🐴🍴

All Free Rein horses eat hay, the foundation of a healthy equine diet. When needed, we add on pellets. Pellets help us target nutrient deficiencies and keep weight on. They are also a tasty vehicle to deliver medications! 💊