Adoption Introduction: All You Want to Know

What we look for in Adopters:

We look for a well maintained fence, at least a 3 sided shelter in poor weather, access to clean water and a place free of overcrowding, extreme mud or manure.

Boarding facility are happily accepted if they meet these above terms.

For Current or Previous Equine Owners:

We look to gain insight about your care and horsemanship. We ask for additional references to help get the best picture of your riding level and personality. If you currently have horses, we must have a vet, farrier (dental if you do not use your vet for floats) references, as well as an equine, personal and professional reference.

If you are new to ownership or have limited history with horses we have a program for you:

If you have not owned a horse before or do not have a sufficient reference history for traditional adoption, we have a program that streamlines the adoption process if you wish to board with a previously approved boarding facility within our network or a facility that screens as a good environment for care and learning for 12 months, as during that time, you can learn about horsemanship, riding and care. In most cases, even if our traditional adoption process does not fit, this process will work for most individuals. For the New to Horses Program, after 12 months in boarding, if all is going well, the adopter can move the horse to their own location. Click here for that program.

Equine dentists, 4H leaders, Pet Vets, Trainers and boarding barn owners make wonderful references.

Please make sure they know we will be calling or they know to contact us to make things move quickly.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING to us is compatibility between horse and rider:

A horse can only be adopted to someone who can easily handle and ride the horse they select, unless an adopter comes with a trainer and is boarding and working with a trainer in a facility.

• Applications will be denied if their references refuse to be helpful and courteous. Applicants can also be denied if they are personally rude and unhelpful during their own interviews. The Application must be approved by our Board of Directors unanimously. Fact is, almost everyone who applies is able to be approved, so don’t be too worried.
• First approved applicant who makes an appointment to visit a horse and is a good fit as the first option to adopt that horse.
• Applications are rarely denied.
• We usually will adopt up to 2 horses to experienced homes upon approval.

Before the Application is submitted:

• Apply once you’re certain you want to give adoption a try. Our volunteers work really hard on these applications, so if you’re in a rush, the application process may not be a good fit for you.
• Please be sure to not leave areas blank on the application.
• Understand we are processing many applications constantly. Sometimes this means even if You are approved, the horse you’re interested in may have been adopted to an earlier applicant. Ask us what a horse’s status is at any time.
• Once your application is approved, you can meet any of the horses that may fit your needs at their foster location. You are not expected to adopt just because you completed an application, though.
• We adopt to the first approved application that is a good fit for an equine except during special events like the Appalachian Trainer Face Off. Applications are processed by volunteers, so while we try to be quick, it may take a week to several depending how quickly your references get back with us.