If the time comes that you decide you can no longer care for your
horse, either because of finances or they have out grown their usefulness, as the owner it is your
responsibility to do all you can to make sure that they leave your care and enter into a new home in which
they will be treated with the same love and attention they received from you. At-risk horses are all too
often sold in auctions to "killer buyers" who take them to slaughter.
At-risk horses are those horses that, regardless of age, breed, size, or
ability become in danger of becoming homeless, being abandoned by their owners, being sent to auction and
becoming the victims of neglect or cruelty. If you fear that your finances or lifestyle may cause your horse to
become an "At-Risk" horse, consider the following humane alternatives to auction.
Re-Homing
If you are having to relocate and feel you will
not be able to provide your horse with adequate space, or you simply can't afford him, re-home him. Check with
friends and family, ask your veterinarian, put up posters. You can choose to try and sell your horse to someone
new or you can give the horse away to someone you feel will be a good owner. Regardless, you will want to
ensure that your horse is actually going to a home where it will be cared for, so prepare some questions for
the new owner to be sure they're prepared for the upkeep of your horse. If word of mouth doesn't turn up any
interested parties, consider listing your horse for adoption on websites like www.petfinder.com
Leasing Your Horse
If financial strain is a reason you're
having to consider giving up your horse, consider leasing it out. Leasing is a commitment between you and
another individual to allow the other person access to your horse for a specific amount of time each day for a
set time period. In exchange, they pay you a portion of the cost of owning the horse. Be sure you draw up a
contract to keep both yourself and your lessee safe and happy!
Donate Your Horse
Therapeutic riding programs, mounted
units, and a variety of other organizations happily accept donations of horses for use in their programs. If
you cannot care for your horse yourself, look into these options. Use the same careful consideration and
elimination system that you would use for any re-homing. You want your horse to go somewhere that they will be
well treated and happy. Be sure you also explore what happens to your horse if things don't work out or he has
to be retired.
Give Your Horse to a Rescue or Sanctuary
Relinquishing
your horse to a rescue or sanctuary takes much of the re-homing burden off you. You will want to check and make
sure that they are humane and have acceptable conditions for their horses. Rescue groups attempt to re-adopt
the horses, so check what their adoption ratio is. How many horses come in and are re-adopted back out?
Sanctuaries provide a life-long place for the horses to live; be sure that there are not too many horses for
the number of staff, that conditions are clean and the other horses look well cared for and happy before
you leave your horse.
Don't Give Up
It may take some time to find a new home for
your horse. Screen people and organizations carefully, and be careful to put into writing that your horse will
be returned to you if things don't work out. This guarantees your horse does not become an animal in
danger.
Related Articles
Stable Building Tips
Bedding Pros and Cons
Mucking Out Your Horse's Stall
Feeding Your Horse
What To Feed Your Horse
Giving Up Your Horse
Horse Grooming
Do Horses Need Shoes?
Teeth and Horses
Winterizing Your Barn
Preparing to Travel With Your Horse
Winter Care for Horses
Preventing Barn and Stall Boredom
Tips for Traveling with Your Horse
Stable Requirements: Building
the Space to Meet Your Horses' Needs
Preparing Your Horse for Hot Weather
Tips for Maintaining Your Horse Trailer
Proper Hoof Care
Why Braiding Horse Hair is Beneficial to
Their Health
Tips for Taking Care of an Older Horse
How to Keep Your Horse Fed on a Budget
Transitioning Horses from Winter Feed to
Spring Feed
Why You Should Feed Your Horse Flaxseed
Dealing With an Unhappy Horse in Their
Stall