How To Adopt Your Perfect Horse

a woman in a blue shirt rides a bay horse in an arena. She adopted the horse from a rescue.

The choice to adopt a horse can be a very exciting start to a rewarding partnership. Whether you are looking for a pasture pet, kids’ horse, or sport partner, a wonderful fit can probably be found through adoption. This article will focus on how to adopt your perfect horse from a rescue organization. However, there are other ways to rescue horses, such as buying them directly from kill pens. You can read about that process from Horse Nation here.

Why Adopt A Horse

There are so many reasons to adopt a rescue horse. Helping a horse in need is certainly a great reason. It feels really good to give a good life to a horse who’s had a less-than-perfect past. Adoption also pays it forward in that the rescue can then take in another horse in need.

Adoption is an affordable way to get a great partner. Horses of all kinds can be found at rescues. No matter what your goals are for your horse, chances are you can find a good fit. That is, if you are willing to commit the effort and resources to polish your gem to their potential.

Another great reason to adopt, especially for first-time horse owners, is the built-in support system the rescue provides. Once you apply and are approved to adopt, the rescue is there to support you in horse ownership. They will make sure you know how to take good care of your new horse. Most rescues will also check on you and your horse after adoption, to make sure you still fit each other well.

Why Not To Adopt

It’s important to consider reasons you may not want to adopt a rescue horse. Horses available for adoption from rescues often come with issues, such as health issues, low body condition score, or advanced age. Understanding the particular issues of the horse you’re considering, and being prepared to help them through, is key to a successful adoption. This can mean being prepared for vet bills and involved treatment plans that take time and energy. Sometimes, a horse at a rescue has no health issues, but lacks training. In this case it is important to have a plan to advance the horse’s training, either by yourself or by working with a trainer. If you are looking for a horse of a certain background, with a certain level of training for a particular sport, it may be best to look elsewhere than a horse rescue.

Path To Adoption

1. Decide if you are ready for horse ownership.

There are many options for enjoying horses that do not involve all of the responsibility of owning your own horse. You can take lessons on a horse owned by a lesson barn, lease a horse, or even volunteer at an equine rescue or therapeutic riding center. Any of these options are great ways to enjoy time with horses and learn important skills. Once you are ready to take the leap into horse ownership,

2. Define what type of horse you are looking for.

Take time to consider what you will do with the horse, and what health or training issues you are willing to take on. Be realistic. Think about your goals and the resources of money and time available. Think about where the horse will live, as this could make a difference in the horses you can adopt. Blind horses, for example, can function very well in many roles, but need certain accommodations in their living areas. You can also think about what you are willing to spend on an adoption fee at this stage. Keep in mind that a horse with fewer health issues and more training will always have a higher fee than the reverse. But, many rescues set adoption fees as low as they possibly can. They may even be willing to work with you to set the fee if they agree that the horse you’re looking at would be a perfect match.

3. Start the search.

Start by becoming familiar with local rescues and their requirements for adoption. You can even start submitting applications to get approved for adoption. Some things rescues commonly ask for on the adoption application are: the names of the veterinarian and farrier that will be caring for the adopted horse, and pictures of the area where the horse will live, including fences, shelter and water sources.

If you don’t know of any local rescues, a quick Google search should reveal the main ones. You can also join some local horsey Facebook groups. This is a good way to find out about any smaller or new rescues that might not be appearing on Google yet.

Search the websites of the rescues you’ve found often to look for your perfect horse. Contacting the rescue directly can also be a good way to learn about adoptable horses that haven’t made it onto the website yet. Staff and volunteers are often happy to keep you in mind when evaluating new horses if they know you are serious.

Myrighthorse.org is also a great place to search hundreds of horses across the USA. There you can filter your search by all sorts of parameters to quickly find horses that may be a good fit.

4. Adopt your horse

Once you have found your partner, it is a good idea to have a pre-purchase exam done by a veterinarian. This way you will not be caught off guard by any health issues that were not obvious at first. If you are satisfied with the exam results, it is time to sign the adoption contract and take your new horse home. Rescues have varying contracts, which are usually somewhat different than a private sales contract. Be prepared to find the contract somewhat strict about protecting the horse. For example, a contract for a mare might stipulate that she may never be bred. Many contracts include restrictions on the sale of the horse, perhaps giving the rescue right of first refusal if you decide to rehome the horse.

5. Enjoy your new partner

Congratulations! Owning an adopted horse is such a rewarding experience, and there are many wonderful years ahead.

It may take some time for your new horse to get settled into their new life. Be patient with them and enjoy getting to know them as their true personality begins to emerge.

I’ve been so happy with my choice to adopt The Bay. She’s been a perfect partner and I hope for many happy years with her. Please leave a comment telling me all about your plans or experiences of adoption. I love hearing those stories!

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