November 28, 2016
In 2012, while in Kentucky, Tammi Jo Regan saw an emaciated, neglected and lonely horse standing in his own filth. Hank captured her attention. In that moment and all at once, her life changed. She was suddenly a horse owner, an advocate for disregarded horses, and voice for a cause she hadn’t even known existed. In one day, her life had changed, and along with it, a desire born of passion and compassion.
With strength, determination and the will to win, the Equinox/For Hank’s Sake mission has already accomplished great things since its inception, including the rescue and rehabilitation of seven horses to date, even amid a great many unexpected, unforeseen, and upsetting trials and tribulations.
From trainers who blatantly lied about their skill sets to promising allies who falsely claimed to understand or even embrace the organization’s rescue philosophy, situations too numerous to mention have threatened to stand in our way, failed to deliver, or protected only their own self-seeking interests.
And yet, none of it has thrown this cause off-course. With each challenge that has reared its ugly face, the rescue effort, led fearlessly by Tammi, has risen up to be a voice for the voiceless, a heart for the heartbroken, a home for the homeless, and a light in darkness. Here at Equinox, we stare down injustice and insult, head-on, and we stand for none of it. We have come literally face to face with some of the nastiest, mean, and selfish people and circumstances we’ve had to actually see to believe. And it has boiled our blood and emboldened our purpose.
Heartbreak and betrayal can confound even the strongest of convictions, but a mission born of love and compassion is only solidified and made more clear when pushed to the brink of tolerance. With renewed clarity and conviction, Equinox and For Hank’s Sake and our fearless founder maintain that no one compromises the health and safety of the herd. To those who dare try we say only this, "Stand down. We have not and will not be defeated.” To those that have supported our mission and cheered us on through the toughest of times, we thank you and are deeply grateful for your love and support.
Tammi chose to productively channel the immense anguish and grief suffered over the years in honor and memory of her beloved father, who had once championed his daughter’s valiant rescue efforts during his lifetime and proudly lauded everything that her two organizations came to represent. Duane’s daughter made a promise years ago to provide a lifetime of love, comfort and care to any and all stranded and disregarded souls who make their way into her barn. Nothing and no one will ever stand in her way of fulfilling that promise.
Here are the Equinox horses in their pastures today; the entire rescued herd of seven running, bucking, and playing, full of life, healthy and happy. Join us in honoring and celebrating every difficult obstacle that has made it all so worthwhile, as we bask in this stunning display of total, utter freedom. Just as they, and we, have always dreamed.
Welcome to the new beginning of Equinox, a unified mission to bring awareness and a visibility to abused and neglected horses everywhere. Follow us as we move forward in a newer, bolder, and even more passionate way. The Phoenix is rising, and we are re-emerging anew… transformed, awakened, resolved and reborn.
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