A Sanctuary of Compassion in Quebec

By Monique Noble

Located in Quebec’s picturesque Vaudreuil-Dorion, just a short distance from the banks of the Ottawa River, is a charming farm that might easily be mistaken for a family home — if not for the red signs swaying in the breeze, announcing you’ve arrived at the sanctuary of A Horse Tale.

Soft landings can be hard to come by for animals of any size, especially in a world where open spaces and surplus funds are becoming increasingly scarce. Large animals like horses are particularly challenging to rehome. It was the need to provide a soft landing for their neighbour’s horses that inspired founder Kerri Fenoff and her daughters Raychel and Hanna Myara to establish A Horse Tale — a horse rescue located in Quebec that has saved more than 50 horses and brought hundreds of people together in shared compassion since 2012.

Kerri Fenoff and her daughters Raychel and Hanna Myara, founders of A Horse Tale. Photos courtesy of Kerri Fenoff

A Horse Tale (AHT) started as a passion project but spoke to the hearts of many. Now more than a decade later, AHT has grown to include more than 100 volunteers, over 400 members, and continues to thrive thanks to the community that has rallied behind its mission. While the organization occasionally adopts out horses to loving families (at no cost), most horses remain on site and receive palliative care until they peacefully pass on to greener pastures. Their first rescue horse, Buddy, still lives happily at the sanctuary today.

Though Fenoff now works as an emergency room nurse and her daughters are pursuing their education and travels, she remains proud of the rescue they started. With the support of the community and generous sponsors, AHT has grown into a self-supporting non-profit that continues to make a difference. 

Related: Horse Community Heroes: Dan Wilson

A Unique Model of Sponsorship

AHT’s innovative sponsorship model has played a key role in supporting the ongoing medical and farrier needs of its aging horses. Potential sponsors can visit the website to choose a horse to support through monthly contributions. In return, they join the exclusive Sponsorship Club.

Every sponsor receives a welcome package including a thank you letter, the horse’s story, and a 5x7-inch photo. Sponsors are invited to monthly visits at the barn where they can groom their horse, spend quality time together, and receive updates. Each horse’s visit is scheduled to ensure one-on-one time, and many sponsors travel hours just to see “their” horse each month.

Of course, donations come in many forms, from photoshoots hosted on site by local companies, to annual fundraisers, raffles, and community events. But perhaps the most impactful donation of all is volunteered time.

Membership and Volunteering

Becoming a member of AHT for just $35 per year gives access to a private Facebook group with regular updates, photos, and videos. Members are invited to monthly open house visits (March to November), the annual general meeting, and are encouraged to support and promote AHT within their communities.

Membership also enables individuals to volunteer at the barn — helping with horse care, feeding, maintenance, and events. Volunteering offers a hands-on, deeply rewarding experience with these majestic animals.

A Dedicated Team

It was during an open house that current Executive Director Jenn Gentile first became involved with AHT. A longtime animal lover and SPCA volunteer, Gentile visited with a friend and signed up on the spot. Eight years later, she now holds one of only two paid positions at AHT and is recognized for fostering a strong sense of belonging, collaboration, and inclusivity.

Many rescue horses arrive in need of advanced veterinary, farriery, and nutritional care. AHT has a team of dedicated professionals who help provide this care, which is funded by donations and sponsorships. Photo courtesy of AHT

Related: Horse Community Heroes: Barbara Jackson

Gentile’s multitasking abilities were evident during our phone interview. While we talked, she guided a five-person feeding team, ensuring that the wheelbarrow was kept far from rescue horse Zach, who struggles with food-related anxiety and resource guarding, a challenge faced by many rescues who come from neglectful or traumatic circumstances. Despite receiving three meals a day, Zach still hasn’t quite realized he’ll never go hungry again.

Executive Director Jenn Gentile is proud to be part of a community-minded non-profit that supports other non-profits and groups in their area whenever they can. Photo courtesy AHT

Safety is paramount at AHT. Multiple five-person teams volunteer three times a day to feed horses and administer medications under the careful supervision of barn manager, Caroline Handy. Handy, the other paid staff member, has been with AHT since July 2013 after attending an open house herself. Inspired by her children’s love of animals, she found AHT the perfect place for meaningful volunteer experiences for her family.

A lifelong horse girl, Handy thrived at the rescue. After just two years, she was asked to take on the role of barn manager, and she’s held that role ever since. A fountain of knowledge, Handy genuinely enjoys every aspect of her job.

Zach, one of the rescue’s largest horses, worked as a calèche (horse-drawn carriage) horse in Montreal for over 20 years. He is 18.1 hands high, weighs almost 2000 pounds, and has an extreme attachment to wheelbarrows, which can make this 29-year-old Belgian a big but beloved handful at feeding times. Photo courtesy of AHT

“I love the fact that you can never know too much. I’m always learning. There’s so much information out there to find, and I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s just incredible,” she says. “I love the medical aspect of it. I love figuring out the nutrition. I love helping when they have a medical issue. I love working with a vet. I love all the follow-up care that I need to do. I love learning about it all. I can’t imagine my life without horses at this point. It’s just become such a core part of who I am and what I need in my life. And then, you know, I get to meet all these amazing people here as well.”

Related: Horse Community Heroes: Brian Tropea

Community at the Core

While horses are the heart of AHT, its people are the soul. With hundreds of local volunteers and a welcoming spirit, it’s a pillar in the community.

The sanctuary often welcomes groups from seniors’ homes, schools, and community organizations who come to experience the peace and healing presence of the horses. While rescue horse Zach may be the exception when it comes to sharing food, AHT also gives back by donating leftover non-horse food from events to the local food bank. While open houses and membership days are the main opportunities for the public to meet the horses, AHT is also determined to share their beauty beyond the barn and occasionally their retired horses visit other retirement communities.

The rescue became particularly well-known after taking in several calèche horses from nearby Montreal when the historic carriage service was discontinued. Other “rescued” horses include former mounted police horses that can no longer be ridden but deserve comfort and dignity in their golden years. AHT has become the retirement home of choice for these former equine officers. Horses from more public backgrounds are often especially personable, making them favourites among visitors and volunteers alike.

Volunteer, member, and sponsor Debbie Dole, with retired police horse Sunny. Photo courtesy of Debbie DoleFormer calèche horse, Blanco, was a favourite of longtime volunteer and member Debbie Dore and the first horse she sponsored. Dore became a sponsor in 2016 and started volunteering in 2017. Now she spends every Sunday at the barn and leads a feeding team. Her love for the horses is palpable.

Related: Horse Community Heroes: Stella French

“The bonds we form with these rescued horses are hard to describe. I just love them all and their different personalities! They have taught me to be patient and how to communicate without words.”

Dore now sponsors five of the 13 horses currently living at the rescue. For her, the membership fee and monthly sponsorships are a small price to pay for the joy of having “13 of the sweetest horses” in her life. Like many, she can’t afford to own or board her own horses, but through her time and donations to AHT, she’s found a way to build those relationships without the usual financial burdens of horse ownership. And thanks to generous supporters like Dore, AHT continues to meet those challenges head-on.

Some of the amazing AHT volunteers. Photo courtesy of AHT

Almost all horse rescues depend on generosity, but few can truly invite supporters to take part in enriching the horses’ lives. At AHT, the spirit of giving has created more than just a haven for animals — it has built a place of peace and belonging for people, too. The sanctuary provides a soft landing for horses and for those who love them. Together, the people who have found purpose and solace alongside the horses that call A Horse Tale home have created a uniquely self-sustaining rescue — an entire community of Horse Heroes — and that is truly a tale worth telling.

Related: Bear Valley Rescue

Related: Horse Community Heroes: Rupert and Buck: Beloved therapy horses leave hoofbeats on countless hearts

More by Monique Noble 

Main Photo: Barn Manager Caroline Handy has been with AHT for 13 years and forms amazing bonds with all the rescues. Handy is pictured with Partriote and Sunny, retired mounted police horses. Photo courtesy Caroline Handy