Helping Unwanted Horses
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The growing number of unwanted horses in the US continues to confront the horse industry. Assisting these horses is our responsibility. In an effort to involve all equine associations in helping unwanted horses, the Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) has compiled a list of what associations might do to help their own breeds or disciplines. By researching what some of the UHC member organizations are doing and adding some of its own ideas, the UHC has put together some ideas for associations to adopt in whole or part.
The UHC hopes the following suggestions will help you to expand your organization’s efforts to help with this growing problem. The UHC believes that if every horse association and their members work together to help their own breed or discipline, we can help to solve this problem as an industry.
Dedicated Staff
Unwanted Horse Coordinator. Fundamental to any of the following efforts is the assignment of one person (or several) to be an Unwanted Horse Coordinator. A coordinator can focus on this problem and provide helpful assistance and information to your members. An important step is to identify someone in your organization to be the focal point for issues involving unwanted horses and assign them this responsibility.
Designating a person within the association who is responsible for “thinking about this issue” would ensure that any activities the association undertakes are considered in the context of their affect on unwanted horses, either as opportunities or problems. Without such a staff person it is easy for this problem to slip through the cracks in the day-to-day activities of running an organization.
The coordinator would be responsible for any programs or initiatives you undertake. The coordinator can also help to distribute educational information about this issue to your members at meetings, events and similar activities.
Information on Your Website
Links to Resources. Including a section on your website to assist your members with horses about to become unwanted would be very helpful. There is no limit to how helpful and interactive a website can be. Linking the UHC website (using the UHC logo) to your website gives people information and options for horses. The UHC website currently includes literature on the problem, information about options for horses, and guidelines to “Owning Responsibly.” It also provides a list of facilities that accept horses, like rescue facilities, retirement and retraining facilities, and facilities that will use horses, like therapeutic riding centers, universities and stables. There are many other websites that list such facilities.
Links to the UHC website and others will provide information to your members that will be very helpful, often at a very difficult time. If your members are considering what to do with their horses, any information may be crucial to keeping the horses out of the unwanted category.
Posting news stories about unwanted horses and the important issues surrounding the problem on your website is another way to keep your members informed.
Available Resources. The UHC is expanding its website to include a “resource” section that will list the availability of equine supplies like, hay, tack, medical supplies, funding assistance, etc. when owners face difficult times. The UHC will continue to update this new resources section as more is available.
Support Your Breed or Discipline with Funds and/or Facilities
Funding Assistance. Horse owners are often willing to help their own breed or activity. Associations should provide them with that opportunity. Many equine associations have already done so through organized efforts to raise funds for their horses. Some have designated them as “[Breed] Rescue”; these organizations accept contributions for their breed or discipline.
Putting energy into raising funds for such breed-specific or discipline-specific programs or creating a foundation for your breeds or discipline will reap great rewards for your horses. Member donations and fund-raising events not only help your horses, but also create awareness of the issue. Association sponsors may also be willing to help.
Running or Associating with Facilities. Associations can also organize their own rescue, retirement, adoption or rehabilitation facility for their breed or horses in their discipline. In addition to accepting horses of a specific breed and/or discipline, a facility can also become a wealth of information for owners who may be faced with a difficult decision. By starting a rescue, or retirement facility, members of an organization will have somewhere to turn to first if they must surrender their horse. Hay, feeding, vaccination or funding assistance can also be a part of a facilities program.
If an association does not wish to open its own facility it might organize individuals who will accept horses or associate itself with existing facilities that have the capacity to accept your horses. Supporting and working with existing facilities might be less costly and more efficient. Regardless it is a way to ensure that some of your horses are cared for and do not become unwanted.
A rehabilitation program that helps to give new careers to horses after their original career is over not only showcases the versatile talents of the breed, but can also help raise more money to further your cause.
Check-off. Some associations have also initiated a mandatory or optional fee or “check-off” applied at registration or transfer to provide funding for retired horses in your breed or discipline. This fee can be paid when a horse is registered or transferred in addition to the registration and transfer fees. If this additional fee is not needed, the money can go towards helping other horses that become unwanted or rescue/retirement facilities with which the association is associated.
An association might offer to match funds raised up to a certain level or others might agree to match funds raised.
“Classified Ads”
Horses Available. Another idea is to post pictures and information about horses available for adoption on your website or in your periodicals. Your members would be able to advertise horses that are available. You should have criteria for listing.
Horses Wanted. On the other side of the equation there are people willing to take a horse even if it is only as a “pasture buddy” for other horses. A list of such benefactors would allow owners to contact them. Again specific criteria should be adopted to be listed. An association might create “wanted ads” for such horses for your website.
Spread the Word. Finally, take advantage of any event, meeting or show, large or small, to raise this issue and educate your members about the needs of your breed. The UHC will provide materials to be distributed. The Coalition can also provide a speaker to discuss the needs of unwanted horses at the event.
“Horse Connect” Database. This would be an outlet for owners, breeders, or other interested parties to provide their contact information on an association’s website in order to connect with a horse they once, bred, owned, or just saw and would like to eventually have. Many times horses are seen at shows, races, etc. and are wanted by someone who has watched them perform. By listing their contact information and the horse(s) they are interested in on their own, associations will be able to connect many horses with new owners with minimal effort once an interactive database is in place. The database will also be accessible to owners, breeders, racetracks, rescues, etc. via the internet, in order to see who may be interested in taking over ownership of their horse.
Tracking Horses – Last Clear Chance
Registry Papers. An important focus of the UHC is to keep horses from becoming “unwanted.” One way is to assist owners who want to be responsible for horses they have bred or owned even after they no longer own them. When registering or transferring a horse breed registries might allow an owner to indicate that he/she wishes to be contacted should this horse become “unwanted.” Some owners may be willing to take a horse back, or help in some way should the horse ever become unwanted. This can be noted on the horse’s registration papers. If the “last” owner cannot sell, donate or take care of the horse, he/she would be able to contact the original owner and seek assistance. The original owner’s commitment to the horse at the time of registration or transfer might not guarantee help down the road, but at the very least, the willingness to be contacted for help with the situation.
