Horses  Healing  Souls

OUR  STORY

Kindred Hope Rescue and Sanctuary, Inc. was founded in 2020, when Kaye Bough and her daughter, Kara Stephan, combined their passions of service to veterans and rescuing horses.  Kaye's #1 passion is honoring veterans in memory of her husband, Hubert Bough, a Korean War veteran who passed away in January 2019 after a long battle with cancer as way to pay-it-forward and a "thank you" to the VA Hospital system for the care they provided to her husband.  Kara's passion has always been horses and after a thirty-year break from owning a horse, she started rescuing horses in 2018 one-at-a-time from various kill pens in Texas and rehoming them into their forever homes. 

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As Kaye began to prepare to move to West Texas to live closer to her daughter after Hubert's passing, she discovered a nearby VA Hospital where she planned to volunteer her time once she relocated.  There was a plan, but as we all know life and God sometimes have other plans for us.  In May 2019 Kara's Texas employer reorganized and let 1/3 of its workforce go, Kara among them.  Kara relocated to Alabama in January 2020 where both she and her mother still wanted to continue what they had planned to accomplish in Texas - first to help veterans and also rescue horses.  Kara brought five rescue horses with her to add to Kaye's existing herd of four miniature horses and while searching for ideas on how to help veterans in the Tennessee Valley, Kara stumbled upon a clinical study (Man O'War Project conducted by Columbia University Irving Medical Center) with promising scientific findings showing equine-assisted therapy (EAT) helped a majority of veterans who participated in the study.  In fact, 68% were able to substantially lower their PTSD and anxiety symptoms and also lower their reliance on medication within two weeks of interacting with horses.  Through this study Kaye and Kara realized their dreams were about to become reality and they had found a way to combine both of their passions into one singular mission! 

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Discussions were held with local veterans’ organizations and construction soon began on a horse barn that would allow veterans, first responders, and others in the community to safely interact with the horses.  Kaye and Kara decided to name their organization Kindred Hope Rescue and Sanctuary, Inc. - “Kindred” because it translates to family and that is how they want people to feel when they visit;  “Hope” in honor of T’s Hope, an off-track thoroughbred (OTTB) and the first horse Kara rescued in 2018;  “Rescue” because Kaye and Kara plan to continue rescuing and rehabilitating horses; and “Sanctuary” because they want Kindred Hope to be a place of refuge and safety for people and animals alike.

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In August 2020, Kindred Hope Rescue and Sanctuary, Inc. officially became an Alabama nonprofit corporation and shortly thereafter Kindred Hope was granted 501(c)3 nonprofit status by the IRS.  What began as a 100% self-funded endeavor soon became a nonprofit authorized to accept tax-deductible donations to help fund operating expenses and allow fulfilment of Kaye's and Kara's dream to help veterans, first responders, and others in their community lessen the symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and other traumas, while also helping horses.

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