Illinois Equine Humane Center

Welcome to the Illinois Equine Humane Center!

ILEHC and Founder Gail Vacca Featured in America's Best Racing

Conte's Whirl soon after coming to the ILEHC

After showing horses as a child and later transitioning into becoming a racehorse trainer, Gail Vacca had a strong background with horses before starting the Illinois Equine Humane Center (ILEHC) in 2008. As a teenager, Vacca spent summers at Rockingham Park cooling out racehorses to earn extra money so she could afford to show her horses in top level hunter and jumper shows. That experience found her spending more time at the track as the years went on. “I just fell in love with the horses; the beauty and the athleticism of the racehorses. It’s an addiction,” Vacca said. “I did that during summers when I was a kid then when I got out of high school, I kind of spent a little more time at the track. I was a groom for a couple years and then that evolved into me getting my trainer’s license when I was 24.”

During her time as a trainer, people would come to Vacca with horses who needed to be rehabilitated or rehomed. That eventually turned into Vacca rescuing retired racehorses and finding them new homes before starting ILEHC seven years ago. “It was just kind of a natural progression of things with me for being involved and advocating for racehorse welfare while racing and after racing for all those years just kind of evolved into me ultimately opening my own facility,” said Vacca. ILEHC gets horses from both the track and neglect cases, so depending on the situation horses can go through the program in only a few weeks or they can stay for the rest of their lives. Horses who can’t be ridden generally go on ILEHC’s permanent resident list but in some cases those horses will be adopted out if the right non-riding home comes along. However, if the horse is healthy, it will be ridden a few times to figure out what it is best suited for. -

See more at: http://www.americasbestracing.net/en/the-latest/aftercare/2015/2/18/program-spotlight-illinois-equine-humane-center/#sthash.I62HNHY6.dpuf

Got Tack?

ILEHC rescue horse, Veloce

In preparation for the Spring Barn Opening and Tack Sale on Saturday, April 25th, ILEHC is in search of tack donations. The proceeds will be used solely for horse expenses. Please consider cleaning out your barn, trailer, tack room and dropping off your items at the ILEHC Barn in Maple Park. If you prefer that ILEHC pick-up your items, we are happy to do so, just email info@ilehc.org or call 815/761-4937 to make arrangements. Remember your donated tack can be taken as a 2015 tax deduction! Thank you.

SUCCESSFUL NEW VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION

Thanks to all who attended the new volunteer orientation on January 11 - we are looking forward to working with you and your continued assistance in taking care of the ILEHC horses and facility. We appreciate your interest and cannot thank the current volunteer team enough for their hard work and dedication. The next scheduled orientation is March 22 starting at 2pm.

Please Click on "How to Help" and "Calendar of Events" to see when the ILEHC Spring Barn Opening is scheduled!! Pony Rides, Face Painting and so much more.

ILEHC RECEIVES ACCREDITATION AND DECEMBER GRANT FROM
THOROUGHBRED AFTERCARE ALLIANCE (TAA)

The ILEHC is proud and honored to announce that we have officially been awarded accreditation from the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. The ILEHC is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of care for its horses and we are grateful to the TAA for including us among their roster of upstanding organizations and a generous grant. The ILEHC serves in part to provide rescue, rehabilitation, retraining, adoption and sanctuary for Thoroughbreds whose career on the racetrack has ended. For more information on TAA, please visit, www.ThoroughbredAftercare.org.

ILEHC FALL FARM FESTIVAL - ANOTHER SUCCESS THANKS TO THOSE WHO ATTENDED AND OUR VOLUNTEERS!

The Illinois Equine Fall Farm Festival was a success, thanks to all who ventured out in less than pleasant weather and stopped by to visit. The pony rides were a great hit with the kids; thanks to volunteers Monica and Lauren along with ponies Codi and Jenga. Alana did a great job of face painting and pumpkin painting. We have some of Alana's artwork on pumpkins still in front of our barn. We are blessed to have such committed volunteers, loyal financial supporters and patrons who truly care about the welfare of horses. Thank you all again and again.

ILEHC IS GRATEFUL FOR THREE GRANTS IN SEPTEMBER!
We wish to send a special thank you to the Equus Foundation, TCA and Blue Horse Charities for their generosity in providing grant dollars to the ILEHC. As has been stated before, we function solely on donations and grants, and each grant or donated dollar goes a long way in feeding and caring for the rescued horses. Please see "Our Supporters" page for more information on these fantastic equine organizations.

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Reggie at the ILEHC Barn, Trained and Ready for Adoption. Click on the link below to view more.
http://www.ilehc.org/horses-available-for-adoption.html

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ILEHC Attended the Horse and Drum Festival

ILEHC volunteers who "personed" our booth in the "rabbit" barn during the Horse and Drum thank all of you who stopped by to visit, said hello, purchased tack or a raffle ticket. Special thanks to Amy K. the raffle winner who elected to not take her 50% and let ILEHC use to obtain hay, straw and grain for the rescue horses. Thanks Amy K.!

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ILEHC Benefits from Dining event at California Pizza Kitchen in Geneva

Thank you ILEHC supporters for having lunch or dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen in Geneva Commons on August 7th, as 20% of your meal purchase benefitted the rescued ILEHC horses. ILEHC has a very generous and hungry followers!

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ILEHC Celebrated Its 6th Anniversary with Many of Its Friends!

A special thank you to all of the ILEHC friends who came out on July 19th, said hello and visited with us. The weather was beautiful, the horses behaved (maybe it was the carrots) and we are once again truly appreciative of the interest and passion that so many have for the ILEHC mission and cause.

This is the type of event that enriches the heart and we appreciate each and every one of you!

Breeze ready for a Celebration

Illinois Equine Humane Center Celebrated ASPCA Help A Horse Day
The Illinois Equine Humane Center (ILEHC) celebrated the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) national Help A Horse Day on April 26. To celebrate the day, ILEHC was invited to join the “Thoroughbred Rescue Day – Illinois Cares” event hosted by Hawthorne Race Course. Several Illinois based equine rescue groups also attended, including the track’s resident Thoroughbred Aftercare program and Galloping Out. The purpose of this event was to raise awareness about the lifesaving work horse rescue groups do year-round to care for at-risk horses in their community who have been abused or neglected.

What a Great Day for the Spring Barn Opening!

Thank you to everyone who attended the ILEHC's Spring Barn Opening on Saturday, April 5th, we appreciate your personal interest in the ILEHC and the horses in our care. The weather prevailed and it really felt like Spring had arrived. The horses after being groomed and ready for guests made sure that before the hour of 10am that they had sufficiently rolled in the mud. Oh well, April and horses = mud!

The ILEHC volunteers who helped before, during and after, we thank you! These horses are cared for by the best and between volunteers and donors we will continue to be successful in the mission of rescuing, rehabilitating and having these horses adopted. Acknowledgements to The Neighborhood Bakery and Deli in DeKalb for the many loaves of delicious bread, Timothy Grant Jewelers in Schaumburg for the lovely necklace and jewelry cleaner that was sold, Jim Vostik for great hotdogs and bratwursts and Megan Klein of Klein's Tack and Feed who was the raffle winner and donated her portion back to the ILEHC.

A heartfelt THANK YOU - Pictures under Photo Gallery thanks to Catlyn Cochrane.

Visitors Welcome!

45W050 Beith Road

Maple Park, IL 60151
Please call to make an appointment. We are located on the grounds of Promise Equestrian Center.

Be sure to tell all of your friends!

ILEHC rescues, rehabilitates and then places horses in proper homes. Please see horses available for adoption, fostering or sponsoring at this website.

Thank You!!! Thank You!!!

To all of the ILEHC volunteers, we could not continue our mission of horse rescue, rehabilitation and adoption without you.

We've Moved and Enjoy the New Place

The ILEHC moved during May 2013. The horses have nice roomy paddocks for all to romp and enjoy. The grounds due to the consistent work of one Volunteer are fabulous. The barn address is 45W050 Beith Road, Maple Park, IL 60151 (barn to the far east). Our Mailing address is still the same, though (P.O. Box 337, Big Rock, IL, 60511).
Click on photos to enlarge

HAY! HAY! Time to Make Hay in 2014!

Featured Horse: Amo

The Illinois Equine Humane Center (ILEHC) is always in need of hay - so let's gallop into action to raise the funds we need to purchase hay for the year. Hard to believe that the cold winter weather is behind us but we are now at SECOND 2014 hay cutting. Please help us increase our financial funds in order to take advantage of what we are hoping will be a bountiful and less costly hay season.

The ILEHC current hay price is $5.50 a bale (as of July 2014), we are in critical need of your financial support to help us continue to provide a safety net for the horses in our care and for the horses we will be called upon to assist throughout the year. You can help ensure that ILEHC can meet these essential needs by donating to our HAY FUND today.

To make a secure online donation, click on the “Donate” link above. To mail your donation, please send to: ILEHC, P.O. Box 337, Big Rock, IL 60511. On behalf of the horses, we thank you very much for your kindness and generosity!

ILEHC's Gail Vacca Featured In Tribune

Illinois Equine Humane Center founder and President Gail Vacca was featured in the Chicago Tribune this past weekend as part of their "Remarkable Women" series. Congratulations Gail! And thanks for your undying dedication to the horses! Read the article below!

gailvaccatribunearticle.pdf
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Lulu - ILEHC Mare - And Son Taxi On WGN News

Our mare Lulu who was rescued by President Gail Vacca at an auction was featured with her offspring Taxi on WGN News. The segment tells their incredible story of survival and great fortune!

Click here to watch the story!!!

Update On Maple Park Neglect Case

Maple Park/Hampshire Woman Abused and Neglected Animals Including Horses.

From the Kane County Chronicle...

http://www.kcchronicle.com/2012/11/27/burlington-township-woman-gives-up-13-horses-in-care-complaint/ai2lwqq/?page=1

Horses Seized From Local Woman Arrive At ILEHC

Local Vet, ILEHC, and Area owners/trainers Work Together To Rescue Horses

November 19, 2012 Over the last weeks, the ILEHC had been working with local vet, Dr. Margaret Rodgers, as well as area horse owners and trainers in an investigation into neglect and abuse by a local woman, Angela Beers.
During the past few days, Dr. Rodger was able to convince Beers to relinquish 7 horses and to return another 5 horses to their owners who were paying Beers to care for them. The ILEHC was asked to help by taking 2 of the horses one of which is a stallion that had starved repeatedly over the course of the last 4 years.

King Cielo is a 14 year old Thoroughbred stallion who earned over $218k during his career on the track. He is currently in stable but horrible condition - a 1.5 on the Henneke scale. King has essentially been locked in a filthy stall for the past 4 years. His feet were caked with inches of fecal matter...stuck on like cement, and he is literally skin over bones.

Bling is a 2 year old Thoroughbred filly that Beers intended to race. The filly is not registered or broke to ride. A 2.0 body score, Bling is in better condition than some of Beers other horses, however, her growth has been horribly stunted by malnutrition likely permanently compromising her full growth potential.

At this point, we are in need of donations to help with the expenses of restoring these horses to good health. All donations will go directly toward the care and feed of King and Bling. This will be the first Thanksgiving and Christmas in 4 LONG YEARS that King will not go hungry standing in a dark, filthy stall. Please help us to continue to be there for horses like King and Bling by making a donation today. Donations can be made online at www.ilehc.org or checks mailed to : ILEHC P.O. Box 337 Big Rock, IL 60511

Click on photos to enlarge

The "Not-So-Skinnies" Update

October 14, 2011 - The southern Illinois horses (originally dubbed "The Skinnies" are on the mend!!! All have been adjusting well to their new environs and are gaining much-needed weight. But we still need your help to care for these sweet animals!!! Every dollar counts so please donate what you can and pass the word along to friends and family alike!!! And all are available for adoption or for sponsorships as well. Check them out!

Update On The Southern Illinois Horses

September 4, 2011 - It's been almost a month since we welcomed the first of the "skinnies" at the barn and all are doing quite well! These photos were taken this morning and you can see the marked difference in both Lexi and Zingy. While they each have put on close to 100 pounds, there is still a ways to go with all of them. Your donations and kindness have helped tremendously! Keep passing the word, though - every dollar counts and these sweeties are not out of the woods yet! It's been almost a month since we welcomed the first of the "skinnies" at the barn and all are doing quite well! These photos were taken this morning and you can see the marked difference in both Lexi and Zingy. While they each have put on close to 100 pounds, there is still a ways to go with all of them. Your donations and kindness have helped tremendously! Keep passing the word, though - every dollar counts and these sweeties are not out of the woods yet!

Horses In Distress Arrived At ILEHC

Over the past several weeks the Illinois Equine Humane Center (ILEHC) has been working to rescue several horses from a downstate Illinois horse owner who has fallen upon hard times and was unable to provide adequate feed and care to his horses. In total, the former owner has voluntarily relinquished 11 Thoroughbreds to the ILEHC. Each of the horses are underweight with several of them being extremely thin having Henneke Body Count scores of 1.5 - 2.0. Each of the horses are in drastic need of veterinary, dental, and farrier care and are going to require an extensive period of rehabilitation in order to be restored to good health. Read more and find out how you can help.....

One Man's Trash - Taxi's Story

Gail's article about the rescue of Taxi and his "momma" from the kill-pens at Shipshewana has been published by Midwest Thoroughbred Magazine! Click here to read their incredible story "One Man's Trash" by Gail Vacca!

You can also read about Taxi on his own website - http://www.magnafortuna.weebly.com

Or on Facebook at Taxi - THE MIRACLE HORSE

Lulu (dam) and Taxi. Lulu is an ILEHC forever horse but would welcome a special someone to sponsor her.

Taxi