Leigha Schrader: “I am the intern who never left DEFHR”
DEFHR Trainer Leigha Schrader explains how horses have been her passion and her purpose — and the immeasurable ways in which the horses she has worked with
November 1, 2025
DEFHR Trainer Leigha Schrader explains how horses have been her passion and her purpose — and the immeasurable ways in which the horses she has worked with
I came to DEFHR 20 years ago, at a point in my career when I was seeking a place where my leadership skills could intersect with my love
Horses are a lot of work, so you can imagine why horse rescue and adoption groups welcome a helping hand. But it’s so much more than the
n April 2023, Hometown Halsey — an off-the-track Thoroughbred mare born in 2015 — arrived at Days End Farm Horse Rescue, in Woodbine, Maryland. She was underweight and in
It’s a form of horsemanship called “liberty work.” Maybe that’s why Zillow is such a master of the discipline where the horse is reinless and without a lead rope.
Equine rescue organizations are widely known for the rehabilitation and rehoming of horses that have been saved from neglect or abuse. However, helping an individual transition
In May 2022, a 20-year-old Warmblood mare was seized by animal control officers in Howard County, Maryland, due to neglect. She was one of six horses
Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR) is a national leader in equine rehabilitation practices and equine-cruelty education. It has evolved from a small nonprofit to a full-scale rescue
In March 2023, Animal Control in Howard County, Maryland, seized a neglected pony whose owners failed to comply with previous orders to improve her care. The 13-year-old
In July 2021, Top Gun, known as “Topper” and “Mr. Top” in the barn, was found abandoned at a boarding facility in Cecil County, Maryland, and
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