Support for Horses
Donate
At Lancers, providing the best care for our horses is paramount to our program. We not only teach our riders the highest standards of horse care but we also value, respect, and love these magnificent animals as such. All 29 horses are owned by the non-profit organization and we therefore collectively share in their care and maintenance. You can provide support for the “Horses of Halifax” by contributing financial donations or by adopting a horse through our Retire a School Horse Program.
Donations can be sent via e-transfer to accounting@halifaxlancers.com or via mail to:
Halifax Lancers, 1690 Bell Road, Halifax, NS. B3H 2Z3
We regret to note that tax receipts for donations to the Retire a School Horse program cannot be provided at this time.
Give your support to the horses
Thank you, Volvo of Halifax, for your sponsorship!
The Horses of Halifax are thrilled to receive brand new winter blankets in 2023 thanks to the sponsorship provided by Volvo Cars Halifax. Thank you very much for your generous support! To learn more about Volvo of Halifax, click here!
Retire a School Horse Program
At Lancers, we greatly value our horses and the service they provide for us, often for many years. In return, we strive to give them a retirement where they can enjoy their golden years. We aim to find home for our horses while they still have some good years left. Some are still able to be ridden while others may be less suitable for riding in which cases we work hard to find them ideal sanctuary homes.
Even if a horse is not ready for retirement, we may open a list so that future retirement homes can be secured. We have many very talented and safe horses that will be in high demand as they approach retirement.
Our Retire a School Horse Program is a phenomenal way for individuals to financially support (or fully or partially sponsor) a horses’ retirement or to “adopt” one of our school horses who deserve a wonderful retirement.
To express your interest in adopting a retired Lancer horse, please complete the following adoption application.
Adoptable Horses
Check back to see our next adoptable horse.
You are welcome to email office@halifaxlancers.com to inquire about future adoption opportunities.
Alice
Alice is 21 years old, and has been an absolute rock at Lancers for well over a decade. Last year she underwent some serious health concerns, but we have nursed her back to health and she is doing very well. It has been a bit of a challenge to get back into a full lesson schedule for her, and we think she has more than earned her way to retirement. She is currently healthy and sound but is seeking a light riding or companion only situation where she can continue to enjoy her golden years. She is as safe and tolerant as they come, but still excitable at times. We are looking for a knowledgeable home for her who knows how to care for senior horses. To learn more about Alice you can read about her on our website here, and in her features here and here. Alice’s adoption fee is set at $1500.
Rupert
Rupert is 21 years old and full of personality. He has taught many important lessons to many riders, and while he is safe, will likely continue to test his riders, so needs a home with a sense of humour who can appreciate his strong character (It is well worth it! He is extremely well loved and will love you back!) Rupert has some arthritis in his joints that bothers him at times. At this stage in his life he would benefit from a living situation where he has more turnout time and can keep moving. He is still suitable for some light riding and has been amazing in our therapeutic riding and equine supported wellness programs. He prefers the company of mares, and loves to go on trails. To learn more about Rupert you can read about him on our website here, and in his feature here. Rupert’s adoption fee is set at $1500
Alvin
Alvin is 14 years old, and is one of the sweetest creatures you will ever meet. He has a number of issues requiring maintenance, and would really benefit from a home without a lot of physical demands. He is lovely to ride and will always do his best to please his rider, but he really shouldn’t be asked for too much due to his physical limitations. Alvin requires a good farrier and dietary support, so a knowledgeable, experienced horse home is a must. He is a special soul who will bring you plenty of joy, but does require some special care in return. To learn more about Alvin you can read about him on our website here, and in his feature here. Alvin’s adoption fee is set at $800.
Success Stories
Read the success stories of the horses who have been retired from Lancers since 2016!
Chevy
Chevy was one of the Horses of Halifax for well over a decade and taught hundreds of people new skills and lessons in confidence and perseverance. Chevy has beautiful soft expressions and the kindest eye that will melt your heart. After all of these years, Chevy has more than earned his retirement from the school horse life. Chevy started to let us know that he would be happier in a slower-paced program. At Lancers, we greatly value our horses and the service they provide for us, often for many years. In return, we strive to give them a retirement where they can enjoy their golden years. We aim to find a home for our horses while they still have some good years left. Chevy has moved to the country where his new owner (a current Lancer!) will dote on him and continue to develop the wonderful relationship they have begun at Lancers.
Doc
Doc was with Lancers for three years and was been a wonderful addition. Many will be familiar with Doc, as he arrived at Lancers during the pandemic, and we held a public naming contest for him. Little did we know he would garner so much attention and his own little media blitz when the public voted to name him “Dr. Strang” after our chief public health officer. Doc did a little bit of everything in the short time we have had him here - beginner to advanced lessons, Musical Ride, showing in the hunter ring at EC-rated shows, and even therapeutic riding. He is easygoing and easy to love. Sadly Doc had a chronic soundness issue that made it difficult for him to keep up with the demands of our programming, so we decided it was only fair that he move on to a home where he can take things slower, which is his favourite pace. We are happy that Doc has gone to a knowledgeable home with one of our Therapeutic Riding Volunteers. We know they will make each other happy!
Rainey
Rainey was one of the Horses of Halifax since 2015. She is an 18 year old paint/draft cross, and one of the nicest mares you will ever meet. Her show name is “P.S. I love You”.
In the 8 years Rainey has been at Lancers she has participated in junior and adult lessons, training shows, clinics, Prince Philip Games, off property shows, our Musical Ride, Salmon River camp, public workshops and pony rides, but where she has really shined brightest has been in our therapeutic riding program.
Rainey has such a kind and gentle demeanour it’s hard not to fall in love with her. Rainey has received and given so much love since she’s been at Lancers, but sadly she was starting to struggle to keep up physically with some of the demands of Lancers’ programming. We made the difficult decision to retire her. Happily, she has gone to live with a Lancer! We miss Rainey dearly but are thrilled she is enjoying retired life in the country.
Baloo
Baloo came to Lancers as a 7-year-old. During his time at Lancers, he was a part of our Musical Ride, participated in many horse shows and clinics, and was well known for some silly antics, which included a fear of skateboards.
Before Lancers Baloo had spent most of his younger years as a trail riding horse for the public. This means that Baloo never really had a “person of his own”. After working with him and his larger-than-life personality at Lancers for 3 years, it became clearer to us that he wasn’t happy having to adjust to different riders on a daily basis. We knew Baloo would thrive under the care of one consistent person, so made the difficult decision to retire him from Lancers.
We were thrilled when a former Lancer and experienced horse person wanted to take him under her wing. He is a challenging horse to work with, and we knew he couldn’t go to just anyone. He now has his own person who loves him dearly, and they challenge each other to grow every day.
Bella
Bella came to Lancers in 2017 with little-to-no English riding experience. Bella’s patience and kind disposition quickly stole our hearts. Bella was a star in our Therapeutic Riding program, junior and adult lessons, pony rides, and extra-curriculars like the Musical Ride! Bella was often our top pick for our Equine-Supported Wellness programs as she is calm and LOVES to be groomed!
At age 18, Bella told us that she would like a slower paced life. As with all our horses, we listen to them, take their lead and find them the best retirement homes that suit their needs while they still have some good years left. We are over the moon that a Lancer gave Bella a retirement in the countryside where she spends her days in a pasture with a gelding friend and enjoys some light riding and going on trails.
We are so grateful to Bella and all that she gave to Lancers and we are excited for this next chapter of her life! Her stall plate will be hung on our Wall of Honour in recognition of her service to Lancers.
Dublin
Dublin retired from Lancers in 2021 at the age of 18. He had been at Lancers for just over two years but unfortunately developed some arthritis in one of his stifle joints that affected his ability to comfortably keep up with the demands of our lesson program. Dublin is sweet as can be. He adapted to city-living remarkably quickly when he moved to Lancers - not much fazes him, and he loves attention. We were saddened to see our very loveable Dublin leave but we needed to do what was best for him. We wanted the perfect home for him where he would be kept as a companion or be used for very light riding only and a knowledgeable home that could give him the care necessary to maintain a high quality of life. We were thrilled he went to a marvelous home in rural New Brunswick with a highly experienced horse owner. Dublin is enjoying his life as lead line pony on lush green grass and is very much loved by his new family.
Tootsie
Tootsie has broken our Head Coach’s rule of not playing favourites since the day she came to Lancers and has become a teacher’s pet. She came to Lancers as a 14-year-old western pony in 2016 and quickly adjusted to being Lancers’ quintessential Thelwell pony teaching hundreds of kids the ropes. When she sustained a soft tissue injury that would put her long term soundness in question, it was determined that she should be retired. Ever fond of Tootsie, our Head Coach took her home and Tootsie now enjoys the country life!
Bobbi
Bobbi retired from Lancers in 2020 as a 19-year-old veteran lesson horse. He served Lancers for 6 years, but had been a lesson horse since the age of three. Always a wonderful all-round horse, healthy, and sound, Bobbi began to show a drop in enthusiasm towards his lessons. We felt Bobbi was ready for a person of his own after all these years. A Lancer who had always enjoyed riding Bobbi graduated from our junior program and wanted to take on horse ownership. It was a match made in heaven and Bobbi happily retired to a wonderful barn in the Annapolis Valley where he enjoys plenty of turn out, activity, and above all, love.
Simba
Simba had spent many years at Lancers and had done it all! He was a wonder horse for juniors and adults and was safe but still brought some challenge. Although still fit and healthy, after many years of service Simba began to tell us that he may be happy to retire from his school horse life. We were thrilled when he retired in 2020 to a wonderful home in rural New Brunswick. He is well loved and cared for by a youth rider and is enjoying his new life.
Inga
Inga is a beautiful 15.2hh fjord cross. She retired from Lancers in 2020 after serving us for the 10 years. She has always been rock-solid sound. Inga was a star in our therapeutic riding program as well as our beginner summer camps. Although she jumped a 2’6” course with ease, she was never a fan of ring work. We felt that although Inga is sound, healthy, and relatively young, she had put in her time and served us very well. We felt Inga deserved a forever home where she could spend more time on trails. Inga was happily retired to a former Lancer who always rode and loved Inga! Inga now lives in the country and enjoys lots of trails.
Punkin
Punkin was at Lancers for many years having gone through being a speedy little show pony to a our quietest beginner and therapeutic riding horse. She retired in December 2018 when she began to let us know that she would like to slow down even more. She retired to Port Hood Cape Breton where she continues to teach children to ride but at a much lower frequency than she did at Lancers. She is happy and well-loved and this will be her forever home.
Jacob
For many years Jacob was the largest horse at Lancers. Like many other of our Clydesdale crosses he is a gentle and easy-going way about him. He retired at the age of 17 when he began to find his job at Lancers less enjoyable. We only like to keep horses working so long as their happy working. Jacob was retired to the home of a former Lancer who used to ride him when she was a child.
Rockette
Rockette is an Appendix Quarter Horse born in 2008. She was a lovely addition to our school program who came to us on a trade but due to a previous injury was only with Lancers for 2 years when we established she might not be able to remain sound in our program. She has now found a lovely home in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia where she enjoys light riding and goes by the name Juliette.
Heidi
Heidi was a wonderful lessons horse at Lancers having come to us with much experience as a lesson horse at another barn. Though she was in her late teens she had plenty of energy and enthusiasm for the job but sustained a minor injury which made her longterm soundness questionable. At this time we opted to find her a retirement home. She now lives out her days underneath an apple tree with two other horses for companions in rural Nova Scotia with a lovely family.
Zero
Zero was a treasured mount in our lesson program giving many of our riders extra confidence when they needed it most. When he developed arthritis that jeopardized his longterm soundness we retired him to a home where he could be in a program better suited to his condition. We were happy to have reconnected with someone who had fallen in love with Zero at his previous home prior to coming to Lancers. They are now reunited in his forever home.
Pumba
Pumba was a beloved Lancer horse who was the ultimate confidence builder. He went out of his way to keep riders safe and was much loved by everyone, in particular many of his therapeutic riders. Pumba struggled with soundness issues throughout his time at Lancers and was ultimately retired where he was able to spend his final year in a herd with other horse enjoying life.
Peter
Peter spent more than 15 years as a Lancer school horse. He was one of our top show horses who then went on to become a wonderful beginners mount, even though he spent much of his time scared of his own shadow. Peter was retired to a former Lancer in Ontario, who rode him a child. He now lives amongst a herd of horses in the beautiful setting.
Freddie
Freddie was at Lancers from the time he was three years old until he was in his twenties. A lovely horse full of personality who taught many riders some lessons the hard way. In his older years he was a wonderful beginners mount and loved being part of a riding school. We therefore retired him to another home where he could still take part in regular riding lesson but spend much of his days being a horse on green pastures.
Support the Horses in the Lancer Retire a School Horse Program
Whether you are a Lancer alumni who wishes to help provide for your former favourite horse or you are passionate about animals, you can play a role in the retirement of Lancer horses. Even if you are unable to adopt a retiree, all donations will be gratefully received. You may wish to sponsor (fully or partially) the future retirement of a specific horse.
Donations (payable to Halifax Lancers) can be sent via e-transfer to accounting@halifaxlancers.com or forwarded to the stables office at:
Halifax Lancers
1690 Bell Road
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3H 2Z3