Our Angels.....
Rainbow Bridge Residents
Over the past 30+ years we have lost several of our residents due to age and declining health. We strive to provide each resident with a lifetime of love and care and when the end is near, we give them a humane passing, surrounded by loving hands to guide them home. We are dedicated to providing customized care for our residents for their lifetime as well as a gentle passage to the rainbow bridge and with your help, we can continue to do that! Did you know that the average time a horse spends with us in sanctuary is TWENTY years!? That is a lifetime.
This page is dedicated to all of the wonderful animals who have guided our growth and expanded our hearts
JUSTIN
On Friday 1-10-14 we said goodbye to our beloved Morgan gentleman and papa bear, Justin. He is the inspiration for our sanctuary. For 22 years our co-founder Barbara has been honored to walk by his side without ever viewing the world from his back. His neglect and abuse before coming to us left physical and emotional scars that ran deep and permeated his life for his entire time he was with us. We have fought alongside his valiant efforts to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds for so very long, and at the end we had to give him the gift of peace. Until we see you again at the rainbow bridge brave man, run whole and run free and watch over us all. You were completely loved and desperately missed. April 1984 to January 2014
Angel Nadiya
Angel Ernie
Angel Mia
On January 19, 2022, we said goodbye to the horse that started it all for us. Mia was going to turn 34 in July that year, and she had spent over 30 years with Tara, shaping her work with horses and the sanctuary.
No words can express the shear grief experienced by us all, including her best friend, Po. She was like the presence that held up the sky for us all and without her, everything is so heavy.
We thank her for her 30 years of love, companionship, partnership and inspiration. Without her, The Big Purple Barn would not exist. Because of her, we will carry on and continue to help animals and make a difference in the lives of people as well!