There may come a time when you or one of your friends or family may be faced with finding a new home for your horse. Divorce, loss of income, health reasons, or death may force you or your loved ones to figure out what to do about your horses. With horse adoption, foster homes and various rescues over-flowing with animals, how do you find a good home for your horse? Sometimes selling your horse isn't an option due to time or health considerations. Finding a new home for your horse needs to be a consideration. Be sure your family members know what you would like to have happen to your horse if something were to happen to you.
Utilize All of Your Sources
Make a list of people you trust to find a home for your horse. This may include:
- your farrier
- your trainer
- your veterinarian
- your riding friends
- tack and feed stores
- riding clubs
The internet makes an obvious avenue of finding a new home, but be sure you trust your email recipients to outsource your information. Favorite magazines or newsletters may also offer information such as someone seeking a horse to love.
Visit all potential new homes if possible. Discuss with the new owner possible scenarios which may affect the ownership or care of your horse. Put in writing what you decide you would like to have happen with your horse should the new owners come upon a situation that would require them to find a home for the horse.
If your horse is well-behaved, you might consider giving him to a handicapped riding program. If you want to volunteer there, you can see your horse and help too.
List All of Your Horse's Needs and Requirements
- Does he need special supplements or medications?
- Does he eat special feed or hay?
- Does he have any health problems or issues that may need attention?
- Does he have behavioural problems that may affect the willingness of the person taking your horse? Try to have those problems under control if possible.
- List all bad behaviours or personality traits and how he gets along with other horses.
Once you have found someone to take your horse, plan out every possible scenario that could go wrong.
Make a Contract
If you love your horse, make a contract that says exactly what you want to happen to your horse should the person who takes him can't take care of him. Adoption centers have contracts that may require the horse come back to the center should the new owner no longer want the horse. You may want to make that clear in your contract.
Donating Your Horse
By donating your horse, you may at least be able to take a tax deduction, if the organization is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit. Provided the horse is sound and healthy, a ridable horse may find a good home in a riding program at a college or riding school. If your horse is under the $5000 price range, you can claim his value as a tax deduction provided the school or organization will provide you this information in writing. You may also be able to spell out the eventual outcome of his future should he become unusable in the program. If the horse is worth more than $5000, you must get an independent appraiser.
Horse Sanctuaries
A retirement home for horses is another place you might consider if your horse is lame or has other problems making him unsuitable for riding. Most equine sanctuaries require a fee to take your horse and maintenance of between $5 and $10 per day. Sometimes cost is estimated based on the remaining years your horse may live.
Giving Your Horse to an Individual
This may or may not work even if you have a lawyer draw up a contract and you are convinced of the good and reputable character of the person you give your horse to. Circumstances change and that nice home with the wonderful new owner can change quickly! There is truly no way to have any control over the horse's future, even with a contract. If you have specific agreed upon terms, put it in writing. For instance, you may require that the person give you the option of getting your horse back should the new owner not be able to afford to keep it any longer.
You might also want to put a "right of first refusal" in your contract. If the person you gave your horse to did some training or anything that would increase the value of your horse, you need to consider this just as you would consider if the horse developed bad habits or became lame while in her care. It may be unreasonable to expect this person not to sell your horse at a profit. Ideally, this person would contact you first, with the option of getting the horse back. Those terms may include paying for the upkeep of of the horse while in the care of the new owner, shipping costs or other fees. It is possible the new owner may have invested a considerable amount of time and money increasing the value of the horse. This also needs to be considered. But if you sign over the ownership of the horse to the person, you relinquish your rights to have a say in his future, unless there is a legal contract.
Euthanasia
This may be the choice of last resort. If your horse has infirmities or severe problems that would be difficult for someone to deal with, you may want to consider euthanasia. This may be the most humane end for your horse if all other alternatives are not possible. Consult your veterinarian about this as well as disposal of the body. If your state allows it, you may want to have his body buried on your property. Check with pet crematories as well. There are a dwindling number of animal removal businesses and many charge a fee to come and get your horse's body.
Sometimes, veterinary teaching hospitals will take your animal for research. Again, check with your vet about this.
Sandra Judy - An avid horse woman for all of her life, Sandra has providedholistic hoofcare education through clinics and her website. She began with ...
