Our Story

While officially established in 2013, the origins of “Midnight’s Equine Rescue and Sanctuary” (MERAS) began years earlier with the rescue of a lovable, pure black Morgan Horse with a big personality named Midnight. Later, we rescued “India,” a six-year-old Paint/Draft Amish Field horse mix that was about to travel long distances to meet its end at slaughter. When we went to retrieve India from the transport truck, we couldn’t help but notice a that squeezed in next to her was a giant Belgian Draft Horse with a face that would melt a stone-heart. For $700.00, we rescued him, too, and named him “Tiny Tim.” Infested with lice and pneumonia, these two were nursed back to health and now lead a life free from the cruel threat of slaughter.

Since then, several more rescued horses, ponies, and mini- horses have made their way to this Sanctuary and into our hearts. Currently, MERAS leases a 30-acre farm in Mount Airy, Maryland, and provides a safe home to 12 standard size and miniature horses (and a female mule). While a few of the horses came to the Sanctuary by way of owners who could no longer care for them, most of the horses were rescued at auction from kill-buyers. Midnight’s Sanctuary provides the horses with veterinarian, farrier and dental care; fresh feed and water; and the chance to live out their natural lives in a safe refuge. Formally, Midnight’s purpose is to rescue, rehabilitate, retrain, and, whenever possible, rehome horses. For equines that cannot be rehomed, Midnight’s provides a permanent sanctuary. With over 100,000 horses in the United States being shipped to other countries for slaughter each year, Midnight’s strives to: inform the public that adopting a horse should be a fulfilling, lifelong responsibility; and encourage the care and training of horses using an intuitive horsemanship approach. Midnight’s Equine Rescue and Sanctuary is a registered 501(c) (3) charity.