HOC Rose Sanctuary Rescue

HOC Rose Sanctuary Rescue Sanctuary Rescue for the Blind Horses

501c3 nonprofit
Deaf Founder uses American Sign Language (ASL)

Changing Stigma on Blind Horses and Deaf

HOC Rose Sanctuary Rescue (HOC Rose), established in 2016, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 81-4494883 HOC Rose is located in Stacy, Minnesota. HOC Rose provides a safe haven for blind horses. HOC Rose is determined to bring awareness and change the stigma associated with blind horses. HOC Rose Sanctuary Rescue is a very small sanctuary on the Belevender’s 10 acres hobby farm. Fully bli

nd horses do not get adopted as easily as partial blind or sighted horses. We are currently at capacity (10 horse limit) and have started a waiting list. In order to get on the waiting list, a surrender form MUST be filled out. It can take 1 to 3 years for a spot to open up. HOC Rose relies heavily on donations to run this rescue; however Kari and Jeff Belevender (founder/owner) often step in and personally support these horses. Thus, we have to limit the horses in this program based on finances available to be able to provide excellent care each horse needs. We run this rescue on the side while working full time jobs. Each horse care costs an average $1500- $2000 a year so that is $14,000 annually. Please consider giving your blind horse a chance. It can take a year or two for blind horse to adjust to being blind. I did not have any knowledge when I first started learning how to take care of blind horses. We offer mentoring and resources to help you. We also allow visitors to come to HOC Rose for a tour and learn about blind horses. To reserve a time to visit and meet our blind horses, please go to our website at hocrosesanctuaryrescue.org. Check out our "I would love you to meet my blind horse!"
Since 2020, We started collecting stories from owners who have a blind horse(s). They wanted to share their journey and story to help others and give HOPE to others who seek help. We post those stories every Sunday on our page and Blind Horses page. Blind horses can still thrive as well as seeing horses if given right support. If we share our knowledge with the world, the ripple effect can go far. Help us change the stigma that is associated with blind horses. Also check out a very good website: http://Blindhorsescare.org

Please also keep in mind, we work full time jobs and manage this rescue on the side. We are not available at all hours. We will try to respond back as soon as we can. Email us at [email protected] with as much information you can so we can help more effectively.

Sunrise vet was here today to recheck on Hugo's eyes.The vet are not sure what is happening. They plan to contact Univer...
06/19/2026

Sunrise vet was here today to recheck on Hugo's eyes.

The vet are not sure what is happening. They plan to contact University of Minnesota Eye dept to look at Hugo eyes photos and videos to help them determine what is happening.

Julie came to interpret for the appointment

Julie with Hugo. Photo.

Hoof trims this morning! Esel, Cami and Uno!Uno with Liz in photo
06/19/2026

Hoof trims this morning!

Esel, Cami and Uno!

Uno with Liz in photo

06/14/2026

I would love you to meet my blind horse!

Hollywood fever’s story or who I just call Hollywood.

I started riding horses when I was 6 and when I was 10 my grandparents decided I could finally get one of my own. This is prides Well my mom’s friend posted an ad for a horse and I begged for him. He was up for sale after being in a pasture for years. His owner was getting a divorce and living in an apartment so she needed to downsize, Hollywood was one of several Missouri Fox trotters. We were told he was partially blind from a kick in the eye as a foal. His orbital socket was broken and it was obvious from looking at him. Looking at his papers he was bred to be a Missouri Fox Trotter Show horse but this made him less desirable so from his records he was passed around a few times. The lady I bought him from owner him for years and he was her trail horse so me, my mom and teacher went and looked at him. He was partially blind in his left eye and I’m disabled and my left side is weaker so we worked well in our dysfunction. Hollywood’s always been a goofy personable horse. He enjoys the company of people more than other horses so you can call his name and he comes trotting up to see you. When I first got him I took him to a show the weekend after I bought him. He was always a great horse, in 2013 he started acting out and broke my knee, ribs and elbow and gave me a concussion. I didn’t give up on him because I discovered his eye was getting worse and his hips were starting to bother him. So he got retired from riding at the age of 18 and now he’s a big pasture pet. He really enjoys escaping his pasture and being loved on. He wasn’t the best option for my first horse but I absolutely love him am so glad I bought him. Hollywood acts like a c**t at the age of 23 so I think he’ll live well into his thirties. Currently his eye is gone he can’t see out of it at all and it’s getting worse and sometimes I worry about the other eye. Even with his issues he’s absolutely bombproof, I do anything and everything to him. He gets dressed up for every holiday, birthday or special event and the ranch I keep him on does parties with inflatable bounce houses and he could care less. He truly is my heart horse and is one of a kind

Thank you for your time, Analiese Gaffey

FYI: Since March 2020, Kari with HOC Rose Sanctuary Rescue started collecting Blind Horse Owner’s stories (I would love you to meet my blind horse) told in their own words from those horse owners who discovered their horse is blind, sharing their journey of owning and caring for their blind horse(s) because they want to give HOPE to others who seek HOPE for their blind horses. We post those stories every Sunday on our page and Blind Horses page.
There is a blind horse community among us that needs to be heard and seen.
Sharing Blind Horse Owner's stories is our most powerful tools in sharing awareness on blind horses. The more stories we can share then more people will realize it is very common and is not a rare occurrence.
Each one of us started knowing nothing about blind horses and we learned as we went along. If we can, so can anyone. Horses become blind in different ways: genetic predisposition, injury, eye diseases, or from natural aging process.
The stigma is very low with partial blind horses but when it comes to those fully blind horses, the reaction is a whole different picture. The stigma is still there for those fully blind horses.
If you have a blind horse, please consider sharing your story with us so we can share your story on our platform and I would like to see everyone share their stories on their own platform and any other media source to spread ripple far as possible. Our email is [email protected].

P.S. If you already shared your story with us, please feel free to share any new update on what is happening with your horse so we can keep your story updated.

Esel! Oh those big cute ears!
06/13/2026

Esel! Oh those big cute ears!

Ty eye enucleation site continues to heal and is looking good. Ty had eye enucleation surgery a week ago to remove bad e...
06/11/2026

Ty eye enucleation site continues to heal and is looking good.

Ty had eye enucleation surgery a week ago to remove bad eye that was causing pain and discomfort..

Today was vaccinations day for all horses except Hugo and also do wellness exams on Hugo, Woody and Reba.Hugo's eyes is ...
06/09/2026

Today was vaccinations day for all horses except Hugo and also do wellness exams on Hugo, Woody and Reba.

Hugo's eyes is abit swollen so had his eyes checked out. Vet decided to do antibiotics and eye ointment to see if that will fix it or not. Recheck in about a week

Thank you to Sunrise Equine Veterinary Services for taking good care of our horses.

Photo of Hugo having his eyes checked

I would love you to meet my blind horse!My name is Judi, and I love my blind horse.Jasper is a 23 year old Appaloosa. He...
06/07/2026

I would love you to meet my blind horse!

My name is Judi, and I love my blind horse.
Jasper is a 23 year old Appaloosa. He came to live with me in 2012.
Two years ago I noticed that he began to hesitate when we would enter into a dark spot from light, and vice versa. Based on his breed, I suspected uveitis, but as is typical for greys, he also has melanoma, so I took him to the opthmalogist for a diagnosis.
Sure enough, he was diagnosed with ERU, but it was indeed exacerbated by the melanoma.
Within 30 days of diagnosis, my boy was completely blind.
The vets all said he'd be fine, but that I could never ride him again.
We've proved them wrong for two years
He lives outside 24/7 with two of my other horses who were with him while he was sighted. He is ridden regularly, and trusts me to be his eyes
He's happy and healthy and I look forward to more years together
Picture 1 is 5 months before total blindness.
Picture 2 is day of diagnosis
Picture 3 is riding after total loss of sight

Jasper and Judi



FYI: Since March 2020, Kari with HOC Rose Sanctuary Rescue started collecting Blind Horse Owner’s stories (I would love you to meet my blind horse) told in their own words from those horse owners who discovered their horse is blind, sharing their journey of owning and caring for their blind horse(s) because they want to give HOPE to others who seek HOPE for their blind horses. We post those stories every Sunday on our page and Blind Horses page.
There is a blind horse community among us that needs to be heard and seen.
Sharing Blind Horse Owner's stories is our most powerful tools in sharing awareness on blind horses. The more stories we can share then more people will realize it is very common and is not a rare occurrence.
Each one of us started knowing nothing about blind horses and we learned as we went along. If we can, so can anyone. Horses become blind in different ways: genetic predisposition, injury, eye diseases, or from natural aging process.
The stigma is very low with partial blind horses but when it comes to those fully blind horses, the reaction is a whole different picture. The stigma is still there for those fully blind horses.
If you have a blind horse, Please consider sharing your story with us so we can share your story on our platform and I would like to see everyone share their stories on their own platform and any other media source to spread ripple far as possible. Our email is [email protected].

P.S. If you already shared your story with us, please feel free to share any new update on what is happening with your horse so we can keep your story updated.

Ty had eye enucleation a few years ago to take out a bad eye that was having inflammation issues. His other eye started ...
06/06/2026

Ty had eye enucleation a few years ago to take out a bad eye that was having inflammation issues. His other eye started having same problem few years ago.

On Tuesday, his other eye was taken out. Ty will feel better not having to deal with the pain discomfort and inflammation in the eye anymore.

Sunrise Equine Veterinary Services (Dr Kate, Elizabeth and Bailey) came to our barn to do the eye enucleation and took good care of Ty the whole time they were here.

Ty has been doing well and is healing nicely.

Let's shout a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Kari Hanson-Belevender-Owner of Hoc Rose Sanctuary Rescue!!!
06/02/2026

Let's shout a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Kari Hanson-Belevender-Owner of Hoc Rose Sanctuary Rescue!!!

I would love you to meet my blind horse!Meet AngelThe spring of 2010 I received a phone call from a friend that he had a...
05/31/2026

I would love you to meet my blind horse!

Meet Angel

The spring of 2010 I received a phone call from a friend that he had a foal that was born blind and could I take her. He did not have the facilities to care for her and didn’t have the heart to put her down either. I asked for a few days to think about it as I really wasn’t set up for a blind foal nor had I ever cared for one. I received a call the next day that he had found a home for her. So I went on about my business and 2 months later he called me. The lady had no showed and would not respond to his calls. So I told him to give me a couple of weeks so that I could make a spot for her and her momma. The day came about a month later. He delivered her to me and I was not ready for what I saw when she jumped off the trailer with her mom. Not only was she blind but was born with no eyes. There was some tissue but no orbits at all. It broke my heart and brought tears to my eyes. She didn’t let that stop her though, she was feisty and full of s***k. I felt sorry for her, but what I soon came to realize is she didn’t feel sorry for herself. She didn’t know any different, this was the hand she was dealt and she adapted and moved on. I named her Angel. And Angel over the last 10 years has taught me a lot. We have had our learning curves together and I have discovered she is only limited by me. She is a pet. I never broke her to ride as I didn’t know how to go about doing it. Plus she is on the small side , not sure if it has anything to do with her blindness or not. I taught her several voice commands, whoa, step up, step down, left, right, wait and gate. I talk to her a lot and love when she c***s her head sideways to listen to me.
I’ve tried to sneak up on her but have found it is impossible. She either hears me or smells my scent.
She is an amazing animal and will be with me until we are parted by death.

Angel and Cassie

FYI: Since March 2020, Kari with HOC Rose Sanctuary Rescue started collecting Blind Horse Owner’s stories (I would love you to meet my blind horse) told in their own words from those horse owners who discovered their horse is blind, sharing their journey of owning and caring for their blind horse(s) because they want to give HOPE to others who seek HOPE for their blind horses. We post those stories every Sunday on our page and Blind Horses page.
There is a blind horse community among us that needs to be heard and seen.
Sharing Blind Horse Owner's stories is our most powerful tools in sharing awareness on blind horses. The more stories we can share then more people will realize it is very common and is not a rare occurrence.
Each one of us started knowing nothing about blind horses and we learned as we went along. If we can, so can anyone. Horses become blind in different ways: genetic predisposition, injury, eye diseases, or from natural aging process.
The stigma is very low with partial blind horses but when it comes to those fully blind horses, the reaction is a whole different picture. The stigma is still there for those fully blind horses.
If you have a blind horse, Please consider sharing your story with us so we can share your story on our platform and I would like to see everyone share their stories on their own platform and any other media source to spread ripple far as possible. Our email is [email protected].

P.S. If you already shared your story with us, please feel free to share any new update on what is happening with your horse so we can keep your story updated.

Address

6804 320th Street
Stacy, MN
55079

Telephone

+16512733960

Website

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