SO…you want a rescue horse…
AWESOME! Lord knows there’s many that need good homes…
BUT!!!
Are you prepared & educated about what your rescue/rehab journey might entail?
Rescues get full and look for quick placement to make room to help more horses…but PLEASE take the time to investigate these horses if you can.
REHAB can be LENGTHY & EXPENSIVE!
In some cases your goals & desires may not become reality.
I’m meeting more and more clients that have rescued horses that have issues they feel they were NOWHERE near prepared to deal with and wish they had been better equipped to prepare.
Rescue horses (most often) come from some sort of a neglect situation that could have resulted in a wide array of issues.
☝🏼these issues need to be investigated thoroughly PRIOR to placing these horses in homes.
This can help ensure the proper REHAB environment is in place.
☝🏼knowing the extent of these issues will help gauge not only goals and realistic expectations but the financial realities of possible issue maintenance/rehab.
My suggestions on how to best do this is:
FULL LAMENESS EXAM
HOOF X-RAYS
FULL BLOODWORK PANEL
(Including metabolic panel)
☝🏼the upfront cost of this will save you heartache and money in the long run.
Far too often, people “rescue” horses as a less expensive way of getting a horse and get really discouraged when they find themselves in a heap of unpreparedness.
There are those few unicorn 🦄 situations that turn out perfect but it’s NOT the norm now a days.
Please keep in mind that horses don’t have to be ridden, have a job or have much interest in our goals-as much as they long for a mindful, species appropriate environment to live in.
If you’ve found yourself with a rescue that isn’t going to fit the goals you had-please know that they’re happy just having a well cared for life.
MANY of the issues rehab horses have can be helped with proper environmental management. I created a handful of classes that explain these topics and put them in an affordable bundle with lifetime access if you’d like to learn more!