# Sticky  Guidelines for Adopting a Horse



## wr

Sidepasser deserves a lot of credit for this. It is well thought out and full of terrific information:

Adoption of a horse to give it a lifetime home is admirable. There are many homeless horses that sit at agencies waiting for their special person to come. This is a guideline to help in the process of adoption and it does not cover all issues.

I cannot stress enough to check references. While most agencies are reputable, there are many out there that are not.

I advise adopting from a 501c agency.

501 C status:

501C status does not guarantee the quality of the horse. It is a way to discover if the agency keeps records for tax purposes and how long the agency has been in business as a recognized charity.

You can check status through this link:

http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/search...umn=name&city=

There are several search options available - by city, state, or use of a word such as belgian.

At the home page link here:
http://www.irs.gov/charities/article...=96136,00.html

Search for suspended organizations, those organizations that are deleted, etc.

Obtain a receipt from the adoption agency so you may deduct the expense on your income tax return. Speak with your tax preparer regarding this!

Finding the Adoption Agency

1. What type of horse are you interested in? Do you prefer one breed type over another? Contact the breed organization to see if it is associated with a licensed adoption agency.

Here are a few links to several breed specific adoption organizations:

Thoroughbreds:
http://www.fingerlakestap.org/
http://www.horseadoption.com/
http://www.rerun.org/
http://www.canterusa.org/

Saddlebreds:

http://www.saddlebredrescue.com/

Draft Horses

http://www.gentlegiantsdrafthorserescue.com/

Arabian

http://www.arabianhorserehomingresource.com/

These are just a few of the many agencies that are breed or type specific.

2. DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

I cannot stress this enough. You want an enjoyable experience, one that you will recommend to others and a contract that you can live with. You do not want hassles, an undisclosed illness or sickness, or a legal nightmare!

General Guidelines:

a. Call them! Ask for the Director or other person in charge - it should be listed on their website as a contact person.

Sample Questions to Ask:

What is your mission statement?
Where do your horses come from?
Ask for a copy of their 501C status.
How long have they been in business?
How many horses are placed and what is your return rate?
How are horses evaluated for soundness, training and temperment?
What are your policies for a horse that must be returned? (such as bad behavior not discovered until said horse is at home, loss of adoptor's income, health, divorce, etc.)
Does the agency have an "open door" policy during normal business hours?

Is there a trainer on site to evaluate horses for adoption? Can you ride said horse before adopting?

What are shipping policies for said horse?

Make a list of questions prior to contacting the agency so you will not forget something important. Most agencies are glad to answer questions and beware those that will not answer fully.

Ask for a copy of their adoption contract - READ THE FINE PRINT!! Some contracts are lengthy and require many things that you may not want to deal with.

3. After you have narrowed your search down to one or two reputable agencies, visit them in person if possible. You can also go to a well known forum board of horse folks and ASK them if they know of or have dealt with the agency in question. GOOGLE is your friend! Use it to see what is out there regarding the agency but be aware that there will always be a person who is disgruntled. Red flags are if there are many, many people who are disgruntled.

4. BE HONEST!

I want to believe that I am an Olympic rider - lol..or I can rehab the worst of the worst bolters. In reality though..I am not. Most people are average riders who need an average horse that is well mannered and of good temperment.

BE HONEST regarding your skill with horses. If you are a novice or beginner, be prepared to hire a riding instructor! Most agencies prefer that the horse and rider be a good match, they want success and that means finding a trainer or instructor that will supervise your riding until you are competent to handle the horse alone.

Skill sets may be defined as:

1. Beginner -never owned or ridden a horse up to someone who has taken a few lessons;

2. Advanced beginner - ridden a few times, understands basic gaits, still needs to build confidence;

3. Intermediate - those that have ridden for some time, comfortable with a horse that may shy or spook, may be able to handle a green horse, confident and knowledgeable of horse care.

4. Advanced - has maybe trained a few horses, has ridden extensively, can handle most horse related care, has taken lessons/shown/done lots of trail rides, etc.

5. Professional - Upper level rider, person who trains horses for a living or teaches riding lessons for a living, can sit on most horses, has much knowledge of horse care, medical issues, etc.

Then there is the "special" group - the re-riders. Those are folks that have ridden in the past and may have been awesome, but they had to give up horses and now want to come back to horses. They may not have ridden in 5, 10, or 20 years. While they have the knowledge in their heads and the love in their hearts, their body and skills are rusty, they may be out of shape or have physical problems. Some bounce back quickly and others never do. Some have never lost their confidence, while others are more timid.

Most folks fall somewhere in those general groups. Those are not hard and fast definitions as people are different, but honesty regarding YOUR abilities will ensure that you end up with a horse you can enjoy. Describe your length of time riding, whether you have owned a horse or not in the past, whether it stayed home or was boarded, etc.

Describe the type of horse you want. Meek and mild, or with a bit of fire..but know in advance that all want the well trained, no vices, easy to ride horse so you may have to give a bit on age, height, or other characteristic in order to find what you are looking for. Be clear regarding the sex of the horse you want. Some people are not suited for a mare and need the steadiness of temperment of a gelding.

5. Fees!

It costs money to process adoption applications. It costs money to vet, rehab, and possibly retrain a horse so it is useful. If the fees are way out of line for the type of horse, go back to your search for another agency. However do be aware - you are NOT going to get a world champion horse for $300 unless it has issues. Some issues you may not want to deal with.

Discuss fees in advance so there are no surprises!

6. Be prepared to wait for that perfect horse for you. Never adopt the first horse you see, look a bit and see what is available, be patient, try the horse out if possible. Ask for a vet check. Some places allow a return within 10-30 days if the horse fails the vet check and will swap and/or refund your money.

Obviously since many horses that are adoptable do not come with extensive history, there is only so much an agency can tell you about the horse. I suggest that you deal with an agency that has a very good return policy/refund/swap policy.

Your new horse may need a tune up, you may have to spend money on training to re-educate the horse. Be specific in regards to your finances, your skills, and your desire to work with a horse that may have sat in someone's back pasture for a couple of years before being turned over to an agency. Most agencies will tell you upfront that the horse is SUITABLE for X. Suitable does not translate into TRAINED. Be very specific in this regard.

7. Have your place ready for said horse when it arrives. Have a stall or safe paddock with a run in shed so horse can get used to it's surroundings and not get hurt. Make arrangements with an equine vet and a farrier in advance to come see the horse a couple of days after it arrives. Ask the agency what type of feed and hay the horse was eating and have that type of feed on hand. You may not be able to get the same brand, but should be able to find similiar feedstuff in your town. Ask the agency if there are any quirks you need to know about, such as whether the horse is used to eating by itself (due to being lowest of low in the herd) and make sure that you follow their guidelines for feeding. Make sure you have access to an enclosed area when you first ride your new horse and have someone around to keep an eye on you the first couple of times since you two are a new pair.

Please provide reports back to the agency through their required means (email, regular mail,). Some agencies cannot personally check on a horse due to distance, or money involved for travel. They rely on your reports to ensure the horse is being cared for.


Hopefully this guideline for choosing an agency and finding the perfect adoptable horse will be helpful. I am certain I did not cover all the issues, but tried to point potential adoptors in the right direction. As usual, when in doubt - ASK - I will do my best to answer the questions and/or provide a link to a professional who can!


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