Fire at Aiken Equine Rescue Destroys Barn, Injures Pony
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Photo: Courtesy of Aiken Equine Rescue
The grounds at Aiken Equine Rescue
A fire at Aiken Equine Rescue the evening of April 3 destroyed a barn and caused minor injuries to a pony, according to the organization's president and executive director, Jim Rhodes.
Rhodes called it fortunate that most of the horses on the South Carolina property—80% of which he estimates are off-track Thoroughbreds—were not in the barn but safely in paddocks and other areas on the property.
Rhodes' wife, Debbie, called 911 and rescued the pony after hearing an explosion, he said. The pony, named Whistle for his habit of making whistling noises, is at a veterinary clinic and is doing well, according to Rhodes.
No cause of the fire was immediately determined, reports the Aiken Standard.
"We were very lucky. There was no loss of life, and we will be able to rebuild," Rhodes said April 4. "People from this community and people from across the world are reaching out and helping."
Aiken Equine Rescue, also known as Equine Rescue of Aiken, is a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredited organization. Rhodes said the rescue currently has 37-38 off-track Thoroughbreds onsite with the aim to ultimately place them with new owners.
Rhodes estimates a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars on the modestly insured property from building damage and loss of supplies. The rescue is funded by grants and donations.