OUR HISTORY

Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society

BEHS was formed in March 2005 by a group of horse enthusiasts who felt there was a need for a new rescue to help horses and other equines throughout Texas and Arkansas. The new organization was publicly announced on March 12th by President Jennifer Williams as an introduction to her talk entitled “How Rescues Help Unwanted Horses” at the American Quarter Horse Association’s annual convention in St. Louis, MO.

The organization incorporated as a Texas Non-Profit Corporation on March 14, 2005 and then filed to do business as a foreign corporation in Arkansas on March 21, 2005. Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society filed for and received certification as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization in 2005.

In the first year of operation, BEHS gathered over 180 new members and was able to help over 60 horses, donkeys, and mules in both Texas and Arkansas. The organization investigated over 50 neglect cases. Horses were seized from their owners in four of those cases and in four other cases the owners voluntarily surrendered their horses to BEHS. The rescue also placed 14 equines into loving, adoptive homes.

In 2007, BEHS launched its signature event the Bluebonnet Horse Expo.  The Expo is a day-long event for horse lovers that includes clinics and demos by well-known equine professionals, a saddle auction, art show, tack sale, vendor area and more.  In 2009, the Expo expanded to include the annual fall Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge.

In 2018, Bluebonnet took in its 1,000th equine.

In 2019, Bluebonnet added the spring Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge and Adoption Event in north Texas to its annual calendar.

Bluebonnet celebrated its 15 anniversary in February 2020 with its first annual Bluebonnet Birthday Bash.

Today, Bluebonnet has taken in over 1,100 horses, donkeys, and mules and continues to help more every day, and the organization represents over 600 members from across Texas and beyond. Bluebonnet continues to work with law enforcement agencies across the state to help needy horses, and the rescue educates horse owners and rescuers around the world on proper equine care, rescue techniques, and more.