Many people dream of a life around horses. One Fulks Run couple has just that.
On their farm, Pale Hollow Farm LLC, Laura and Joey Van Orden have dedicated their spare time, and really, their lives to making life better for animals. Joey is a Rockingham County Animal Control Officer with Harrisonburg PD, where he spends the day helping and rescuing animals of all kinds. On occasion, he will even bring one home! When he is not doing that, Joey is a volunteer fireman with the Broadway Fire Department.
Laura Van Orden works a full-time day job, and in her off hours works with horses. She is also an artist, creating beautiful drawings, that often, no surprise, depict animals.
They both are very involved with Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue Inc.
Every year, Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue Inc holds a trainer event, Appalachian Trainer Face-Off (ATFO) for horse people, who enter and take on a rescued horse to train.
These horses are saved from Ohio, Kentucky, PA, WV, and Maryland. In the poorest areas of Appalachia, horses found there really need help.
Laura and Joey are participating in the Face-Off again this year.
During the event, horse trainers from around the country will select a horse to train, for 110 days. At the end of this training period, horse and trainer will compete in a 3 day event. This year it takes place August 20-22 in Winfield, WV. Applications to participate were accepted through early April.
According to the website there are 4 Competition Training Divisions.
“Diamond Division- Unstarted horses under 16 years old. May be unhandled or feral but lower level based on our evaluation, should be mostly simple blank slates, most will be handled/haltered/leadable.”
Platinum Division are started horses age 16 and under, who just need a few more skills.
365 Division are horses who may be started but have issues that need to be worked on to make them adoptable.
Whippersnapper Division are young, unstarted horses. They are also available for adoption after the event.
Laura Van Orden is competing in the Platinum Division. She will be choosing her horse at the end of April.
Joey Van Orden is in the Whippersnapper Division with baby Triscuit. Triscuit is already at the Van Orden’s farm, a gorgeous and gaited Rocky Mountain grullo with a dorsal stripe and stripes on his legs. He is one of many babies who ended up being rescued. Usually, the babies go to trainers through a random draw, but since there were so many this year, trainers got to pick, if they took theirs early. Triscuit was the one Joey wanted. He needs socialization but was making progress in just a few days. Triscuit’s mother, Twinkie, is also in the program with another trainer. Triscuit is on ulcer medicine, having gotten sick during the move from Kentucky to the Phoenix Rescue in WV. His paddock companion and “babysitter” here at Pale Hollow Farm is the Van Orden resident pony, Dozer. Dozer takes the job very seriously, teaching the baby manners and boundaries. Mr. Mom Dozer helps smooth the transition for Triscuit, who left his mom, and is experiencing a whole new world here in Fulks Run. His schooling has already begun. Joey had a baby, Sprocket, in last year’s competition, and did very well with him.
Laura was the 2025 ATFO Platinum Reserve Champion. Joey got first place in Freestyle.
As in previous years, the couple will be looking for business sponsors for the competition. You can follow their progress on their Facebook page, Pale Hollow Farm LLC, and Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue Inc.
