Pride and Joy Rescue

09/23/2026

Gunnar wants to know he is watching everyone

09/22/2026

Think about the nice summer and fall strolls you could have on Cash. He is a papered Tennessee Walker that has talent waiting for the right person.

09/22/2026

Mr. Cash! This could be you enjoying rides with him.

Watch, follow, and discover more trending content.

09/21/2026

Sonny in training. Refreshing his skills.

He will be looking for a home soon. Keep him in your mind!

09/08/2026

Labor Day at the rescue the day off.

We started with morning chores, worked on fence preparation, put up a new door, cleaned stalls, cared for the animals, and tackled all the other little things that keep the rescue safe and running.

Thanks to our amazing staff and volunteers we were able to get some family time in.

Rescue work isn’t always the big, exciting moments people see online. Most days, it looks like dirty boots, full wheelbarrows, fixing fences, improving the barn, and making sure every animal has what they need.

It may not have been a traditional Labor Day, but it was a day filled with meaningful labor—and we wouldn’t have spent it any other way. ❤️🐴

09/08/2026

Toby is “making his way” down the road!

Being a blind horse, it can be scary to leave what you know. With a calm and friendly handler such as Kelsey, it can be a confidence building experience! Safe to say he did great!

Good job Toby! 💕

09/07/2026

An important reminder about leadership, training, and safety at Pride & Joy Rescue:

Audrey, our barn manager, is the first point of contact for daily barn operations. She does this because she genuinely loves animals and believes in what we are doing. Her direction must be listened to and respected.

If a concern requires further evaluation or a higher-level decision, it should be brought to me as the barn director. Connie and other members of rescue leadership are also involved in animal care plans, training decisions, and rescue operations.

Our feeding programs, medical care, training plans, and handling decisions are developed with guidance from our multiple veterinary teams and experienced rescue leadership. Not every animal can be fed, trained, handled, or managed in the same way.

Many of the animals here have special medical, physical, behavioral, or emotional needs. Decisions are based on the individual animal, professional veterinary guidance, safety, and the experience of the people directly responsible for that animal’s care. There is a reason behind how things are done, even when someone looking in from the outside may not immediately understand it.

Riding is not permitted at Pride & Joy Rescue because of safety and liability concerns. There are no exceptions.

Participation in training is not automatically permitted simply because someone volunteers, helps with chores, owns a horse, or has previous horse experience. Training is a privilege that must be earned through time, trust, consistency, respect, demonstrated ability, good judgment, and a willingness to follow direction.

Audrey, Connie, other members of rescue leadership, and I must have the opportunity to work with and evaluate a person before that individual may participate in training. Final decisions belong to rescue leadership and will always be based on demonstrated skill, sound judgment, and the safety and well-being of the animals and everyone involved.

Respectful questions are welcome. Ignoring established leadership, questioning boundaries simply because you do not like them, or refusing to follow instructions will not be accepted.

If you cannot respect our leadership, policies, and the people responsible for the animals in our care, Pride & Joy Rescue is not the right organization for you.

09/07/2026

We may not be perfect—but we show up every day.

We may not post as often as we would like. We may not have the fanciest website, the nicest barn, or everything completed as quickly as someone thinks it should be. That does not mean the work is not being done.

I work a full-time job Monday through Friday and am frequently on call during weekends and holidays. Then I come home and do everything I am physically able to do for the rescue. Less than two years ago, I was hit while riding my motorcycle and shattered my pelvis. I still get up, go to work, come home, and keep going.

Connie works a demanding full-time position with the State of North Dakota. She completes morning barn chores before beginning work by 7:00 a.m. During especially busy periods, she may work until after 10:00 p.m. Then she still handles rescue reports, messages, scheduling, animal care, emergencies, and everything else required to keep this organization operating.

We are also raising a child with special needs who requires additional time, attention, advocacy, and care.

We are fortunate to have a dedicated volunteer team working beside us. These individuals are not paid. They are here because they love the animals and believe in what we are doing. They freely give their time, work incredibly hard, and repeatedly step up to help keep this rescue running.

Pride & Joy Rescue does not have unlimited money, paid employees, endless physical energy, or extra hours hidden somewhere in the day. It is operated by people who give their time, money, energy, and often their own rest because the animals depend on us.

We know we are not perfect, and we have never claimed to be. We will make mistakes. Things will sometimes take longer than we want. The barn may occasionally be messy, the website may need work, and social media may be quiet because we are busy doing the actual work of rescue.

Some respect, appreciation, understanding, and grace for the people who give so much to this cause would mean a great deal.

If you expect perfection and cannot respect the very human people doing this work, Pride & Joy Rescue may not be the right organization for you.

08/20/2026

Solo Trail Ride

08/20/2026