About Us
Welcome to Nalani Horse Rescue! Our mission is to provide care and rehabilitation to horses who have suffered abuse, trauma and neglect, bring awareness to the plight of unwanted horses as well as provide education on proper horse care.
What We Do
Horses that are neglected and abused end up in the slaughter pipeline through absolutely no fault of their own—Nalani Horse Rescue is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to changing the outcome for these needy horses.
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Horses are highly intelligent and very sensitive animals. When they have endured trauma or neglect—the damage to them is profound and exceeds physical damage. It is often accompanied by emotional and psychological damage. Nalani Horse Rescue takes a multi-step approach to their care. First, we heal them physically and then we slowly and steadily work with them to earn their trust and heal their trauma emotionally and psychologically. Our safe, peaceful, and tranquil environment fosters healing on many levels.
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Nalani Horse Rescue recognizes that every horse is an individual. Each horse we rescue is treated with a customized plan for their recovery based on their specific individual unique needs and challenges. Recovery and building trust take time and slow, steady steps. We invest the time each horse needs to move toward their healing.
Our lush pastures, safe fencing, abundant fresh water, and large paddocks provide our rescues with room to run free, play, and live in a natural herd setting. Nalani Horse Rescue gets to know each horse well to determine which group of horses will be best suited for their herd buddies. We feed top-quality hay and grain and supplements as needed. Our horses receive regular vet and farrier care and specialized services as needed.
Verified by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries in 2020, Nalani Horse Rescue provides every horse in our care with the absolute best customized care for them.
Why Rescue Horses
There are many factors that lead to a horse being dumped at an auction and headed to a horrific journey and terrifying death in a slaughterhouse. A horse costs at minimum $3K - 10K a year to feed and maintain. Often, people with the best of intentions fall on hard times and can no longer feed and give the proper care to a horse. In the racing and sport horse world, horses are often started far too young and sustain injuries early in life that limit their ability to perform, making them unwanted. As horses age and are no longer able to do a job (whether it’s a lesson horse, cart horse, or show horse), they are often discarded. Sadly, the world is full of cruel people who abuse, neglect, and starve horses for seemingly no reason. Over 100,000 horses are shipped to slaughter every year. Many of our rescues come from an end of line auction where we bid directly against the "meat” buyer to save them from a terrible fate.
Horses are part of our history. America was built on the backs of horses and our childhood story books are filled with them. They represent freedom, power, beauty and majesty. Horses serve people in many capacities: work, entertainment, pleasure, therapy and more. We OWE it to them to care for them when they are no longer “useful”.
Our Founder
Cherry Tapley, Founder and President
Hi! I was once that horse crazed little girl who was obsessed with all things horse related. I grew up dreaming about riding horses, but never had the opportunity. In 2013, I realized my dream and began taking riding lessons. It didn’t take long before I became aware of the plight of many horses who were starved, abused, and discarded, often leading them to be shipped to slaughter. Horses are such intelligent, intuitive and sensitive beings and the thought of them suffering broke my heart. Determined to make a difference, I immersed myself in hands-on horse care and became an advocate for horses in the hopes of one day starting a rescue. Nalani Horse Rescue was founded in 2015. As President and Executive Director of Nalani, I run the daily operations of the rescue and drive planning, coordination, and fundraising. Running a horse rescue has exceeded all of my childhood dreams, and I consider the opportunity to help these deserving creatures to be one the biggest blessings of my life.
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As a compliment to running the rescue, I am a certified Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) Coach and I founded Nalani Encounters in 2022. Having personally benefited from the healing power of horses, I felt compelled to work with our rescue horses to help people. Outside of Nalani, I enjoy spending time with my two grown sons, hiking, visiting local wineries, and exploring the beautiful Virginia countryside.
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Learn more about Cherry's Nalani story: The dream that spawned a horse rescue: Nalani Horse Rescue - Cherry's story - YouTube
Executive Board
Stacy duCellier
Stacy duCellier joined the board in early 2022 after starting with Nalani as a volunteer in 2021. Stacy grew up riding in Northern VA, mainly focused on English riding and competing in the hunter ring. She switched to 3 Day Eventing after college and competed for about 15 years. Stacy has worked at Akre Capital Management in Middleburg VA for almost 20 years and lives in Rectortown with her husband Vince & rescue pup Sasha. She keeps her horse Teddy, an off the track thoroughbred, in Middleburg.
Kristin Flora
Kristin Flora joined the Executive Board in early 2019 as the organization's Treasurer, a position that allows her to use her professional skills and her passion for horses which started from the time she was a child. As the owner of Flora Financial Works, she brings the financial knowledge the organization needs to be fiscally sound as it pursues its desire to rescue and re-home the most needy of horses. Kristin grew up caring for and learning about horses as a student of English riding and jumping. She only competed in a few shows when she was young and finds as she has gotten older she far prefers trail riding and enjoying the scenery. She likes to spend her free time with her family and friends, enjoying being a spectator of sports events, especially lacrosse, and checking out the local breweries. She and her family live in Loudoun County.
Krasi Henkel
Krasi Henkel: "Horses touch my soul. My love and fascination with horses was born from my earliest memory of the brutal abuse of an emaciated gray mare pulling a coal cart up a steep hill in my home country of Bulgaria to the gracious perfectly turned-out riders atop gleaming bay horses that I met on a forest trail in Germany a year later. I vowed that I would “ride horses and that I would save horses from mean people.” You see, in my opinion, the horse is entitled to the utmost respect and care. It is the horse who helped carry man into civilization and helped us reach today’s technology. These majestic creatures have hearts and minds; they feel love, pain, hunger, and disappointment. My heart breaks at the injustice and inhumane treatment that many horses continue to endure today—in the 21st century! When I met Cherry, I knew that our mission aligned. I am so very grateful to have this opportunity to help and represent Nalani Horse Rescue. While I could not help the poor gray mare, I help others in her spirit. Networking, fundraising, grants, and community involvement are among my strengths."
Sarah Bercher
Sarah Bercher joined the board in 2024, after starting with Nalani as a volunteer in 2017. Sarah has focused on expanding awareness of Nalani and the need for horse rescue, seeking out networking and fundraising opportunities, and representing Nalani at local events.
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Sarah grew up in Southern California, where she nurtured her love of horses through summer riding camps and choosing Breyer horses over Barbie until she could convince her parents she needed her own horse. She grew up riding Western, finding any and all opportunities to spend time around horses, to include serving as a volunteer horseback trail guide before she was old enough to drive. Her first experience with horse rescue came in the form of an off the track thoroughbred while living in Nicosia, Cyprus, where she transitioned from Western to dressage and jumping. Although she doesn't have much opportunity to ride these days, she loves spending time with the Nalani herd at what has become her peaceful, happy place. Sarah recently retired from a 33-year federal government career and launched her second career as a travel advisor with Cruise Planners. She lives in Loudoun County with her family.
Advisory Board
Lisa Korhnak
Lisa Korhnak has been involved with Nalani Horse Rescue from the start, first joining the fundraising committee and now serving on the Board of Advisors. She combines her marketing expertise and passion for horses to support the rescue's mission. As president of Moore Marketing Solutions, Lisa brings strategic insights, resources, and increased awareness to help save horses. Lisa has a lifelong connection with horses, having cared for them and competed in both English and Western riding. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities such as watching lacrosse, hiking, horseback riding, and visiting local wineries or breweries—all while making sure to stop by and greet the horses at Nalani. Lisa lives in Loudoun County with her husband, has three grown children, and a labradoodle.
Liz Mras
Liz Mras has been working with horses most of her life. She currently owns and runs Stone Oak Stable, a professional lesson and training barn. She has a passion for retraining off the track thoroughbreds (OTTBs) and has been a competitor in the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) for the past 4 years. Her most recent horse, Empire Station, came out of West Point Thoroughbreds and won the "Most Conditioned Horse" award at the age of 3. Liz met Cherry in 2018 and in 2019 Nalani placed one of its rescues, Belle, an OTTB, in Liz's training program. Since that time, Liz has become a key resource helping with on-the-ground rescue missions and general training advice. Liz lives on her farm in Virginia with her husband, Scott, and their three dogs. They have two grown kids. When she is not teaching, training or riding, Liz enjoys supporting her husband in his competitive sailing adventures.
Partners
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