Days End Horse Rescue Farm to Hold Festival

Days End Farm Horse Rescue invites the public to its fall festival celebrating 25 years of rescuing horses and educating people Sept. 20 in Woodbine, Md.

The festivities will begin with a Friday evening happy hour Sept. 19 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the farm. Saturday, Sept. 20,  will be a full day of festival activities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the "Hops for Our Horses" beer garden open from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Guests will be able to enjoy live music, food from the Lisbon Town Grill, and Anheuser-Busch beer.

In addition to the beer garden for the adults, there will be children’s games, pony rides, a petting zoo, and a horse costume contest. Back this year will be the third annual "Trainers Challenge" highlighting eight rescue horses that have been in off-site training by talented professional and amateur trainers for 60-90 days.

For more information about the trainers and their horses, visit http://www.defhr.org/meet_our_horses/trainerschallenge.html.

The festival benefits more than 110 horses that DEFHR cares for annually. Vendors will add a shopping experience to the day, and DEFHR gear and gently used tack will be available for purchase.

Local businesses are invited to sponsor the event, which is expected to draw more than 1,500 people. All proceeds directly support DEFHR’s mission of ensuring quality care and treatment of horses through intervention, education, and outreach. The organization has rescued and re-homed 1,922 horses from neglect and abuse since its founding in 1989.

The fall festival will be held rain or shine at DEFHR’s farm located at 1372 Woodbine Road, at the intersection of Routes 94 and 144 in Woodbine. Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children. Information about the event can be found at www.defhr.org.