On the final days of September 2024, Hurricane Helene ravaged the southeastern United States, literally erasing traces of entire communities that thrived days ahead of the storm. With storm surges strong enough to wash away entire houses, Helene didn’t just displace the many equestrian communities in its wake but also the animals. Now, the US Equestrian has come to their aid.

The United States Equestrian Federation, aka, USEF, announced that they are aiding the recovery with the Equine Disaster Relief Fund. The USEF has so far granted Fleet of Angels $25,000 to aid their work in helping horses and communities affected by the storm. While USEF CEO Bill Moroney thanked the organization for their work, he also reiterated the importance of the fund.

“Whenever natural disasters like Hurricane Helene leave a wake of destruction like we have come to see over the last week, it really drives home the reason we created the Disaster Relief Fund,” said USEF CEO Bill Moroney in an official statement. This isn’t the first time US Equestrian has dealt with such a situation, as the disaster relief fund came into being in 2005.

In fact, the Equine Disaster Relief Fund exists because of the destruction Hurricane Katarina and Rita caused in 2005. Now, in the wake of the deadliest inland hurricane since Katarina, USEF has put the fund to good use. Over these two decades, the USEF has utilized the fund multiple times to aid in the aftermath of several disasters. So far, the fund has generated over a million dollars.

So Moroney took his time to thank everyone who has contributed to the fund over the years and continues to do so. “I also want to add my sincere thanks to everyone who has given to our Equine Disaster Relief Fund, which makes a grant like this possible. The equestrian community is always willing to give back in times of need,” added Moroney.

He also urged others to continue supporting the fund. “I encourage our community at large to consider donating to the fund today so we can continue to help when disasters arise,” said the organization’s CEO since 2016. However, bodies such as the USEF aren’t the only ones helping helping the affected communities.

Everyone in the equestrian community is playing their part

While farm and reach owners in “The Horse Capital of the World” had early warning ahead of Helene’s landfall, finding a haven for their horses proved difficult. Thankfully, the World Equestrian Center in Orlando, Florida, utilized its advantage as the nation’s largest equine complex to house 1200 horses, completely free of charge.

The massive facility even went the extra mile and didn’t charge a single penny for their services, reported Garden & Gun. Members of the equestrian community also did their part on a smaller scale. While Jennifer Roth’s farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains survived Helene relatively unscathed, the food and supplies for her horse were at risk. However, help arrived in the form of her neighbors.

“It’s been a good lesson about having lots of supplies ready,” said Roth, who, with the help of her neighbors, reorganized the food and water for the horses. “I’m exhausted, but the neighbors have been great,” she told The Chronicle of the Horse. Despite their own struggles, some in the equestrian community even extended their help to others.

USA Today reported that healthcare workers, such as nurse Haley Church, performed welfare checks and handed out critical supplies on horseback in North Carolina. These are just some of the countless helping hands aiding the communities affected by the storm. So while bodies such as the USEF assist large-scale operations, the entire community has banded together in the wake of Hurricane Helene.