Patch's Place

🤠 Howdy from Apollo! 🐴

Apollo just wanted to pop in and say, “Howdy!” 🤎

This sweet boy never misses a chance to brighten someone’s day with his curious personality and gentle heart. Whether he’s greeting visitors, checking to see if snacks have arrived, or simply enjoying life with his herd, Apollo always has a way of making us smile.

We hope his friendly face brings a little sunshine to your day, too. Have a wonderful day from all of us at Patch’s Place! 🤠❤️🐴

🌳 Blacky & Mattie: Summer’s Best Seat 🌞

When the Texas sun turns up the heat, Blacky and Mattie know exactly where to be—under the cool shelter. 💚

While many people imagine horses soaking up the sunshine, these two have mastered the art of staying cool and comfortable.

🌅 Sunset Supper at Patch’s Place 🐴

There is something truly magical about dinner time at the sanctuary, aside from the heat cooling off.

As the Texas sun slips below the horizon, our gentle giants gather for their evening meal. The day’s worries seem to fade with the light, replaced by the quiet sounds of happy munching, soft nickers, and contented sighs.

For many of these horses, there was a time when they didn’t know if their next meal would come. Now, they know they are safe, loved, and that dinner is always waiting.

Moments like these remind us that healing doesn’t always happen with grand gestures. Sometimes, it looks like a peaceful sunset, a full belly, and the comfort of knowing you’re finally home.

From all of us at Patch’s Place, we hope your day is filled with a little peace, too. ❤️🌅🐴

🌳 Hide-and-Seek: Draft Horse Edition 🌳
Can you spot Sammy, Apollo, Bill, and Shadow? 👀🐴

On these hot 🥵 Texas days, our gentle giants know exactly where to be, tucked away beneath the cool shade of the trees. While we might think they’d choose the shelters, they’re perfectly content creating their own peaceful little hideaway among the branches.

🌿 Fun Fact: When we designed the pastures at Patch’s Place, we intentionally organized them so every sanctuary pasture has plenty of natural trees for shade and shelter, in addition to the lean-tos. Why? Because most of our herd prefers relaxing under the trees! We wanted them to have choices and the freedom to spend their days where they feel most comfortable.
Take a close look… can you find all four? 💚🐴🐴🐴🐴💚

SWEET BEN: Until We Meet Again 🌈🐴

Yesterday, we said goodbye to our beloved Ben.

Ben came to Patch’s Place on April 4, 2024, as a rescue from our incredible partner, 1 Horse At A Time Draft Horse Rescue. Before finding his way to us, Ben had lived a very difficult life. A former Amish milk horse from Wisconsin, his body carried countless scars, and his heart carried even deeper ones. From the moment he arrived, we knew he wasn’t simply looking for another home, he needed sanctuary.

He came to us full of fear. Trust was something the world had never really given him, so he wasn’t sure how to offer it in return. But little by little, day by day, he began to understand that life here was different. He learned our routines. He found comfort in his herd. Patch’s Place became his home, and these gentle giants became his family.

Ben taught me more than I could have ever taught him.

Like so many people, I once thought loving a horse meant brushing them, grooming them, spraying away the flies, scratching their favorite spots, and showering them with affection. But that wasn’t what Ben needed.
Ben’s sanctuary was about three to five feet away.

He would happily walk up and nicker at dinner time. He loved his herd. He found peace walking to the barn each morning, and over time, the worry in his eyes was replaced by quiet contentment. But he didn’t want to be touched, and that was okay.

Ben taught me that true sanctuary isn’t about asking an animal to accept love in the way we want to give it. It’s about meeting them exactly where they are and loving them in the way they need to be loved.

That lesson changed me.

We had a mutual understanding built on patience, respect, and trust. He loved his dinner, treasured every treat, and German Muffins were always his favorite. He never asked for hugs or scratches. He simply asked for kindness, consistency, and his space. It became one of the most beautiful relationships I’ve ever had.

Sadly, years of hard labor had taken an irreversible toll on his body. His osteoarthritis had become severe. His joints were failing him, and new bone growth had begun to deform one of his legs. Despite supplements, medications, careful management, and every comfort we could provide, the pain continued to steal more of his good days.

One of the hardest promises we make to every horse who comes to Patch’s Place is that we will never allow them to suffer simply because we are not ready to say goodbye.
When the difficult time comes, we promise them a peaceful passing filled with dignity, love, and compassion.

Yesterday was that day.

To help ease any anxiety, Ben received light sedation mixed into his breakfast before we handled him for his final journey. The Patch’s Place family gathered together. The day was beautiful. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and I couldn’t have been more grateful for the incredible people who stood beside us.

As heartbreaking as it was, his transition was peaceful, gentle, and full of love.

After Ben crossed the Rainbow Bridge, he was surrounded by beautiful flowers. Each of us took time to say goodbye, and his herd was given the opportunity to pay their own quiet respects. The entire time Lady never left his side.

Watching horses say goodbye to one of their own is something that is both heartbreaking and deeply beautiful.

We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to a special anonymous donor who generously covered Ben’s veterinary expenses, allowing us to focus solely on giving him the peaceful goodbye he deserved.

We are also incredibly grateful to Linda and Jim Drescher for arranging Ben’s transportation and burial at Pine Hill, where he will rest with a marked grave and a permanent headstone, a lasting tribute to a horse whose life mattered.

Despite the hardships they endure before arriving here, every horse who calls Patch’s Place home leaves behind more than hoofprints in the dirt.

They leave hoofprints on our hearts.

And here, they are never forgotten.

Run free, sweet Ben. Run without pain. Run with strength you haven’t felt in years. Give your best buddy R***r a nicker from all of us.

Until we meet again…

You were deeply loved.

You always will be.

And we already miss you beyond words.

🐴🇺🇸 Happy Fourth of July from all of us at Patch’s Place Draft Horse Sanctuary! ❤️🤍💙🐴

Today we’re celebrating freedom, family, community, and the simple blessings that make life so special.

Our gentle giants are enjoying a peaceful day with plenty of hay, fresh water, and lots of love. As you celebrate, we wish you a safe and happy Independence Day filled with laughter, memories, and time spent with those you love.

From our herd to your family, Happy Fourth of July! Thank you for being part of the Patch’s Place family and for helping us give these incredible horses the second chances they deserve. 🇺🇸🐴

If You Build It… They Will Break It.” 🤣🐴

Forget the movie quote… around here the saying goes:

“If you build it… they will break it.”

Fences? ✔️�Gates? ✔️�Water filters? ✔️�Fence posts? ✔️�T-post caps? Apparently those are toys. ✔️

If it’s attached to the ground, the herd see it as a friendly suggestion rather than a permanent fixture.

Just last week they reminded us of this little sanctuary tradition by breaking a fence. And because our babies have impeccable comedic timing, it happened right around midnight.

So there we were… in our pajamas… under the headlights of the truck 🛻 and tractor 🚜 … trying to convince several thousand pounds of gentle giants to return to the correct pasture while my husband repaired the fence. It’s practically a Patch’s Place nighttime family activity at this point!

The funny part is that they truly have no idea how big they are. A little lean here, an itchy scratch there, one playful shove to a buddy… and suddenly a perfectly good fence becomes a “before” picture.

Then there’s baby Shadow, who has apparently promoted himself to the ranch maintenance crew. He has taught himself how to pull T-posts out of the ground and Amelia and Blacky seem to think popping the caps off the T-posts is some sort of competitive sport. If we ever wonder where the missing caps went… we already know who the prime suspects are.

The irony of all of this never escapes us.
These same horses that can accidentally flatten a gate or snap a fence post with hardly any effort will carefully watch where they place their feet around a person or a kitten. They will gently lower their giant heads into your arms, softly take a treat from the palm of your hand, and patiently stand beside a child as though they know just how precious that little person is.

For animals that weigh close to a ton, and some slightly over, they possess an incredible awareness of the hearts 💞 around them, even if they don’t always have the same awareness of fences.

For those who are new to our page, there’s a reason our logo means so much to us. It was inspired by a photo of our very first rescue, Bill, with our then two-year-old son. At the time, Bill feared adults. Yet somehow, he trusted that tiny little boy enough to gently accept treats from his hand.
That moment captured everything we love about these magnificent horses.

They may accidentally destroy just about everything else…

…but when it comes to people, they truly are the gentlest of giants. 💛🐴💛

Love these big beautiful babies more than they know- even their fun midnight games! 🤣🐴💛 Never a dull moment around here!

🌾🐴 A Giant-Sized Thank You 🐴🌾

A HUGE, gentle giant THANK YOU to our incredible benefactors, LINDA and JIM DRESCHER.

Their generosity extends far beyond volunteering their time. They have selflessly maintained and prepared their acreage. They had their property weeded, seeded, cut, and baled, all with one purpose in mind, providing hay for the special herd here at Patch’s Place Draft Horse Sanctuary.

It is difficult to put into words just how much this means to us. 🙏🐴💛

Land certainly isn’t inexpensive here in North Texas, and anyone familiar with ranch life knows that hay prices and availability of hay can change dramatically from year to year, heck, even month to month, depending on the weather. And if there’s one thing Texas 🤠is known for, it’s our crazy weather. ☀️🌪️🥵🥶 One week (practical) can bring abundant hay, while the next can leave supplies scarce and prices soaring.

Hay is our sanctuary’s largest annual expense. Every horse in our herd has access to round bales 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except for our pony with a history of chronic laminitis) because many have experienced neglect, starvation, or food insecurity in the past, and also it’s important for them to never be with out grazing for their digestive health. Also, knowing they never have to wonder where their next meal is coming from is an essential part of both their physical healing and their emotional recovery.

Because of Linda and Jim’s extraordinary gift, our herd should have hay through the fall, and possibly even through the end of the year. 🌾🐴

This is such an in incredible blessing to all of us (four and two-legged)!

Linda and Jim, thank you for helping ease not only a tremendous financial burden, but also the constant worry that comes with caring for a sanctuary full of gentle giants. Your kindness, generosity, and unwavering belief in our mission make a difference every single day.

From all of us here at Patch’s Place, and especially from the grateful horses with full bellies and peaceful hearts, thank you. We are more grateful than words could ever express. 💛🐴🌾

Thank you for all you do! 🙏💛🐴

From Fear to Trust💛🐴🐴💛

When these two sweet girls first arrived, it was heartbreaking.💔

One was so incredibly thin it was frightening to see. Both carried the scars of food insecurity, and meal times were filled with anxiety and survival. Every dinner was stressful. This pasture of “geriatrics,” as I lovingly call them, had to eat separated by panels that we turned into individual feeding stations, for their safety and ours. Even with the barriers, they would kick, pin their ears, snarl, and desperately try to get to one another’s food. They simply didn’t know if there would be enough.

This week someone asked me why the panels were gone. Earlier I had watched these two happily standing side by side at dinner.

The truth is, the panels came down because the horses literally bent them in half. I was afraid they were going to hurt themselves trying to reach one another or kick through them, so we took them down, intending to replace them… but somehow, somewhere between then and now, they simply stopped needing them.

The change happened so gradually that I almost missed just how remarkable it was.
Monday evening, these two girls who once fought so desperately over every bite peacefully shared one dinner bowl… then wandered over together to share the other one. There was no panic. No fighting. Just quiet trust.

It may seem like such a small moment, but to us, it was enormous.

Do they still get excited when dinner is coming? Absolutely! They still have their preferred feeding order, and they certainly let us know if we’re taking too long. But the fear is gone. The desperation has been replaced with confidence. They know food is coming. They know there is enough. They know they are safe.

It was however, a beautiful reminder that healing doesn’t always happen in dramatic moments. There is not a big bell or Ah-ha moment. Sometimes it happens quietly, one meal, one kind touch, and one day at a time until you suddenly realize everything has changed.

To our precious herd… thank you for giving us the chance to earn your trust. Thank you for allowing us to love you after so many hands have let you down. Watching you discover peace has been one of our greatest blessings.

And thank you to our rescue partner, 1 Horse At A Time Draft Horse Rescue for saving these beautiful souls and giving them the opportunity to find their forever home here at Patch’s Place. Together, we get to witness miracles like this every single day. We are beyond grateful for you, your work, and our partnership! 💛🐴🤝

🧁🥳HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANCY! 🥳🧁

💛🐴📸👁️PATCH’S PLACE THROUGH NANCY’S EYES 💛🐴📸👁️

Some moments are simply too beautiful not to share.☀️

These heartfelt photos of our beloved herd were lovingly captured on Sunday by our incredible, dedicated, loving volunteer and dear friend, Nancy Clayton. Nancy has a remarkable gift for seeing the quiet beauty in each horse, the gentle glances, peaceful moments, and the loving spirits that make every member of our sanctuary family so special.

We are deeply grateful not only for the beautiful images she shares, but for the kindness, compassion, and generous heart she brings every time she visits. Volunteers like Nancy are such an important part of Patch’s Place, and we are truly blessed by the love she pours into our horses and our mission.

Thank you, Nancy, for helping us preserve these precious moments and for sharing the heart of our herd with others. We appreciate you more than words can express. 💛🐴