Long Island horse community rallies to aid North Carolina equestrians hit by Hurricane Helene

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Polk County, North Carolina is a central hub for the state’s significant equine industry. 

When Hurricane Helene slammed western North Carolina with historic flooding and mudslides, causing power outages and damaging infrastructure, even washing out roads and isolating communities, a passionate Riverhead knew immediately that the impacts to the vast equestrian community in the region would be devastating. 

Darlene Raynor, who has owned and operated Hillcrest Stables on Middle Road in Riverhead for 37 years, had one thought as she watched in horror what was going on in western North Carolina: I have to do something to help.

Raynor knew the flooding would mean devastation and long-term struggle and suffering for the horses and the people who care for them. She began monitoring social media for updates from equestrian facilities and rescue organizations she was familiar with. 

Raynor read about flooded hay fields that were under mud. “All their local hay supply is gone  and they’re not going to be growing any time soon. They need it from elsewhere,” she said.

“Their horses are  standing in mud, which is not good for them. They get fungus. They have problems.” 

Raynor read about the efforts being coordinated by Tryon International Equestrian Center, a major equestrian facility in Mill Spring, Polk County and by Red Bell Run, an equine rescue organization located in Columbus, about five miles to the northeast.

Raynor, who has done rescue work locally over the years, was compelled to help. She called a longtime friend in the local horse community, Kelly Bailey, of the L.I. Dressage Association. “I called her and said, hey we’ve got to do something.”

The two women sprung into action, launching a fundraising campaign so she could purchase feed and supplies, and soliciting donations of feed and supplies.

“We set up an account at Neptune Feeds [in Calverton],” she said, “so people could donate.” Through word of mouth around the local horse community they raised over $2,000, which they used to purchase grain to donate. 

They also had many donations of goods, as well, such as 4,000 pounds of grain from Eric Weissbard of Sundance Stables in Manorville,  and 3,000 pounds of grain from Chestnut Bay Equestrian Center. They received other donations like 6,000 pounds of hay, medical supplies for the horses and even about 3,000 feet of electric fencing and everything needed to make a paddock, Raynor said.  

The local equestrian community pulls together to help fellow equestrians in need, no matter where they are, Raynor said. And this time was no different. Their generosity was overwhelming, she said.

In the end, Raynor and Bailey, with the help of Raynor’s son Nick, 25, filled two large trailers with thousands of pounds of food and supplies for delivery to Red Bell Run, in the heart of North Carolina’s horse country. The rescue facility, working with Tyron International, is receiving donations, inventorying them and overseeing distribution to farms and stables in the region who remain in desperate need of help.

As the trio finished packing up the massive haul of donations last week, it was time for a photo op and the Raynors drove their rigs out into the field of Hillcrest’s 33-acre spread, tucked away between Middle Road and the northern property line of the massive Riverhead Centre shopping plaza. 

Out past the farm’s homestead, rustic barns and stables, the tree-lined field surrounding the paddocks and rings is a place Raynor describes as her “little piece of heaven.” It’s a sanctuary so quiet it belies the commercial development along its southern border and the traffic passing by along the busy roads to its east and south. “I often just come out here to soak it in and recharge,” Raynor said. 

At 9 o’clock Friday night, mother and son each got behind the wheels of their Dodge Ram 2500 heavy-duty pickup trucks  — with Bailey riding shotgun — and hit the road.

Raynor said the 9,000 pounds of goods they packed into her four-horse trailer was the heaviest weight she’s ever towed. Nick Raynor towed a long flatbed trailer carrying even more supplies. It was a long ride to their destination, located near the border of South Carolina in western North Carolina. 

They arrived at Red Bell Run at 9 a.m. Saturday. The facility was a hive of activity with other trucks, most towing trailers, lining up for unloading by scores of volunteers all day. 

“The volunteers down there were great, unbelievable,” Raynor said.  They were so well organized and very appreciative of the donations. 

People were delivering donations there from all over the country — including Texas, Chicago — while the Long Island folks were there. Local volunteers with trucks and trailers delivered feed and supplies to horse farms and equestrian facilities across the hurricane-impacted region. The North Carolina National Guard pitched in, too. 

The Raynors and Bailey helped unload everything, and after they finished they were surprised by organizers with two complimentary rooms at a nearby hotel. Raynor and Kelly couldn’t resist the opportunity to see a horse show going on that evening and did that before turning in.  

“We got some rest” before the trek back to Long Island. They arrived home at about 9 p.m. Sunday, having logged 30 out of 48 hours on the road.

“We have to thank all the donors who made this happen,” Raynor said in a phone interview Monday. There were over 70 donors, too many to list individually, but Raynor wanted to give a shout-out to their largest donors, Neptune Farm and Feeds, Chestnut Bay Equestrian, Sundance Stables, Calverton Fuel and David Wilcox. 

“It was amazing. I was hoping to fill one trailer, I never anticipated people to step up like they did,” Raynor said. “I have to give a special thanks to Nick. He volunteered his time, spent money out of his own pocket and went without sleep. We couldn’t have done it without him,” she said with pride.

The need in western North Carolina remains dire and will remain that way for a long time, Raynor said. 

People interested in donating goods can check the Red Bell Run Facebook page for updates on what is needed. Fleet of Angels, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping equines in crisis is also accepting donations of goods and cash donations as well to aid in the relief effort. 

Editor’s note: This article has been amended to correct an error in the weight of the trailer towed by Darlene Raynor as well as an error in the number of horses in Polk County, North Carolina.