5 Reasons to Adopt Your Next Horse

Are you ready to bring another horse into your life and your heart? There are many horses to choose from, mostly from private owners and trainers, but rescues offer an often overlooked place to shop for horses. Here are a few reasons why you should consider horse adoption as a path to getting your next equine buddy.

• There are many rescued horses needing homes. There are far more unwanted horses than there are homes for them, so by taking the path of horse adoption, you’ll be giving at least one of those equines a home. Many horses are sold at auction every year and trucked to Mexico or Canada for slaughter, so by adopting a horse from a rescue, you’re freeing space at that rescue for them to save another.
• Horse rescues need your support. By adopting your next horse from a rescue, you’ll be supporting their work.  Not only by giving one of their horses a home, but also by putting money back into their operation. Supporting a rescue financially makes those funds available for the next horse they rescue.
• Rescue horses have already been vetted. A reputable rescue will have already done any vet work their horses need before they are put up for adoption. You will likely still want to have your own vet look the horse over, but any major health issues should have been addressed already, such as weight issues, dental work, or chronic issues such as Cushings. Any necessary farrier work should have been done as well, and you should be notified up front of any chronic issues. Remember, a reputable rescue’s goal is to find good, long-term homes for their horses, and lying to people won’t support that goal, so it’s in their best interests to be as transparent as possible.
• You need another hobby. Are you looking for a new training challenge? Most horse rescues provide training before adopting out there horses, so you may not find what you’re looking for by going through a traditional rescue. Instead, consider horse adoption through the BLM, which adopts out wild Mustangs brought in from the range, or adopt an off the track Thoroughbred (OTTB). Either of these options should offer plenty of training challenges for you. Just first make sure that you’re up to the task!
• You want to feel good about your choice. Let’s face it, some horse owners are just suckers for that feel-good story. We all like knowing we’re making a difference somewhere, and you can’t get a much better feeling than knowing you’ve just given a noble equine a safe, stable home and an opportunity to bond with someone.

If you’ve decided to go the route of horse adoption, make sure you’re meeting your new equine pal’s nutritional needs. Rescue horses sometimes have more demanding dietary needs than other horses, especially horses that have had health issues, suffered neglect, or just recently come off the track. For more information on how to feed your newly adopted equine friend,  contact Sacate Pellet Mills at 602-237-3809.