Donate a Horse
Working as a therapeutic riding horse is a difficult job and not every horse is cut out for this type of program. A typical therapy horse gives about three lessons a day and will most likely be used four to five days a week. This program is less strenuous on horses than some forms of competitive riding...but all of our herd still needs to be in good shape and able to work on a consistent basis. Due to the range of clients we serve we have high standards for the horses we use in our program.
Potential Horse Requirements:- Sound at the walk, trot, and canter
- Excellent ground manners
- Well trained under saddle (formal training in a dicipline is required)
- Ability to comfortably and safely carry 15-20% of their body weight under saddle
- Difficult to startle or spook
- No major health issues and up to date on vaccinations, deworming, dental, and farrier
- Sight in both eyes
- Between 12.2-16.0hh
- No older than 18 years of age
Horses Help Herd Members... - Feeding three times daily
- Turn out 15+ hours per week
- Groomed 1 or more times per day
- Walked and/or exercised 3+ days a week (in addition to warm-up and class time)
- Lots of love from volunteers, staff, and riders!
It is very important that each horse we bring into the program is going to be happy being a therapy horse. Being a therapeutic riding or hippotherapy steed is not the best fit for every horse. Let us get to know a little bit about your horse by filling out the Evaluation Form and mailing, faxing, emailing, or hand delivering the filled out form.
Steps to Donating a Horse
1. Read
Donation Process Letter2. Fill out
Evaluation Form and return to Horses Help
3. If horse is a potential match for our program, we will schedule an on-site evaluation
4. Schedule a vet check (horse must receive a clean bill of health and
must be up to date on shots, worming, dental work, and shoeing). Vet check letter required before horse is brought on Horses Help property.
5. Horse comes on trial for 90 days (this may be a few days after the on-site evaluation or we may put your horse on our waiting list)
6. Owner receives Donation Letter if horse is accepted into the program by Horses Help
We always give the Donor of the horse first right of refusal when it is time for the horse to retire from our program.