MISSION & PROGRAMS

Mission:
Hope for Horses, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a safe, caring, and healthy environment for horses that are in need, unwanted, at risk, or displaced and providing education to young and old on how to better help our horses in need.

Our organization provides programs involved with equine rescue & adoption
Our organization provides community outreach and/or public education programs involving horses.
Our organization is directly responsible for the care and shelter of equines involved in our programs.
100% of our total programs and services are horse-related.
Our organization uses satellite, overflow, foster, and/or outreach facilities which adhere to all the policies, procedures and practices of our organization

Horse Rescue, Rehabilitation, Retraining & Re-homing:
Overview of our programs involved with rescue, rehabilitation, retraining, re-homing and/or retirement:
     Our goal is to help our equine companions through training and behavior modifying to be of value so that they can find appropriate "forever" homes. Our re-training focuses on each individual horse's unique abilities so we can place them in best matching environment/discipline (exhibition, competition, therapeutic, school/lesson, etc.).
     
     We promote these horses in many venues, from competitions, exhibitions, and other public performances -- along with our "at home" programs as lesson horses, sponsorship, and volunteer programs. We provide horses with exposure to new environments with qualified horsemen and women, in several Horse Expos and other exhibitions, and we are daily performers in the California State Fair.
     
     Hope for Horses hosts clinics with nationally renowned Horsemen and women, to better our understanding and training techniques to better prepare the horses to be Great Equine Good Citizens.
     
     Our programs include offering a trainer's incentive program with qualified trainers, offering horses to these people to train for their clients. We are partners with CARMA: California Retirement Management Account for retired Racehorses, ASPCA partners and are TAA accredited.
     
     We take in at risk, in need, and displaced horses, evaluate each of them as individuals, prepare a specific program that will help them become good equine citizens. Contacts with peer trainers/instructors increases the visibility of the value of program equids, offering more opportunities to find homes.
Overview of our programs involved with providing community outreach and/or public education programs involving horses:
     Most people have struggles, and Hope for Horses programs promote individual confidence, giving purpose to the relationship between Horse and Human. Our educational programs promote responsibility and compassion, while providing a learning environment for personal growth. This system promotes team work and the ability to think outside of the box.
     
     Through helping horses, each individual gains greater self-esteem and grows in confidence, learning to be comfortable in many areas. Hope for Horses provides educational sessions that help humans where they are, and helps them grow in areas they never thought they could or would.
     
     Hope for Horses assists the students with haltering, grooming, and saddling their horses, all while helping create a bond between students and horses.
     
     Equipment used for each horse is specifically fitted to each horse. We use bit-less/side-pull headstalls for each horse. Bitted bridles are only allowed once the student shows awareness and ability to use that equipment.
     
     Hope for Horses holds educational clinics at the facility; world class clinicians are invited to lead our teaching and training of both horse and human. Outreach Days are also provided, with lessons in grooming and riding.
     
     Hope for Horses also provides educational field trips for children of many ages through connections with schools and scouting programs. We provide mounted and unmounted educational sessions.

Research/Medical Use of Equines:
Our organization has never made, and would not ever consider making, equines available for research studies or medical training that involves invasive procedures and/or that which may cause pain or suffering to the equine. 

Religious Affiliation:
Our organization does not promote religious education, religious purposes, or a specific religious faith or use donations for religious education or religious purposes; require participants to be of a certain faith; require participation in religious, instruction, activities or services; or require participation in prayer, worship, religious instruction or other religious activities as a condition of receiving social or secular services offered. 

Auction Donation:
Our organization has never allowed, or would not consider allowing, an equine to be sold, transferred, released, or otherwise placed into possession of any person or organization that would cause or allow the equine to be sold at auction for slaughter. 

POLICIES: ACQUISITION

Our organization acquires horses/equines from the following source(s):
    Donation  
    Lease  
    Purchase/Adoption from Owner  
    Return  
    Surrender  
    Seizure  
    Abandonment  

Our organization does not acquire horses/equines from the following source(s):
    Auction  
    Kill pen/Feedlot  

Our organization will accept the following:
    Geldings
    Mares
    Pregnant Mares
    Foals
    Only Stallions to be castrated

Not Checked:
    Stallions

Additional information about our acquisition policies and practices:
Hope for Horses primarily takes in and trains/teaches off-track Thoroughbreds.

POLICIES: INTAKE, ASSESSMENT & TRAININING

Prior to a horse being accepted and/or arriving at the facility, the organization requires the following with respect to the health status of the horse:
    A current Coggins
    Vaccination records that have been administered within the last 12 months
    If health records are not available or are out-of-date, the owner is responsible for having vaccinations administered.
    If health records are not available or are out-of-date, our veterinarian will administer appropriate vaccinations

Prior to a horse being accepted and/or arriving at the facility, the organization has the following policies in place:
    The owner of a potential equine is interviewed over the phone or in person prior to seeing the equine
    The equine is evaluated at its place of residence
    The owner completes an application/contract which constitutes the agreement between the owner and our organization
    The owner is financially responsible for the shipping of the equine to and from the organization
    Equines are not taken on trial

Following arrival of the equine at the facility, the following is performed:
    Physical examination by trained barn staff
    Photographs are taken of each equine upon arrival at the facility and kept with the equine's health records
    A Henneke Body Conditioning Score or other body conditioning score is assigned
    Physical examination by a farrier
    Physical examination by a dentist
    Coggins test
    Fecal test
    Vaccinations
    De-worming
    The equine is scanned to check for a microchip
    The equine is microchipped if the scan indicates that there is no microchip

Upon intake, the organization has the following quarantine policy in place:
    The equine is confined to a designated and separate area for isolation and quarantine at the facility for a prescribed period of time
    The equine is not quarantined

The typical length of quarantine is:   Up to 10 days

Horses are assessed for following skills and behaviors:
    Retrieval from a pasture/paddock
    Leading with a halter and lead rope
    Temperament, disposition and attitude, such as rated from very calm to very high spirited
    Saddling
    Bridling
    Lunging
    Loading onto and unloading off a trailer
    Mounting and dismounting
    Riding at the walk
    Riding at the trot
    Riding at the canter
    Riding by a beginner and/or unbalanced rider
    Jumping
    Tolerance to unusual objects and loud noises
    Known vices, i.e., cribbing, biting, kicking, weaving, stall walking, etc
    Grooming
    Bathing
    Tolerance to multiple handlers at the same time

Our organization has the following policies and procedures in place pertaining to the ongoing assessment of horses in its care:
    The Henneke Body Condition score or other body conditioning score is updated at least annually
    Photographs are taken of each equine annually and kept with the equine's health records
    Equines at our facility may be treated by an equine chiropractor
    Equines at our facility may be treated by an equine acupuncturist
    Equines at our facility may be treated by an equine massage therapist
    Equines at our facility may be treated by an equine nutritionist
    Physical examination by a veterinarian at least annually
Our organization has the following policies and procedures in place pertaining to the weight-carrying or workload capabilities of horses/equines that are ridden in our care:
    Our organization evaluates at least annually and maintains a written record of the weight-carrying and workload limitations for each equine that is ridden

The following variables are considered in determining the weight-carrying and workload limitations for each equine that is ridden:
    Equine age, weight, breed, body condition, fitness, balance, health and soundness
    Equine conformation to include the top line, length of back, strength and width of loin, bone density (measured by the circumference of the cannon bone just below the knee)
    Size, shape, condition and angle of the hooves
    Participant weight, height, body proportions, balance, fitness and riding skills as well as behavioral issues and safety concerns
    Weight and proper fit of the saddle and other equipment
    Terrain and footing in the working environment
    Duration and frequency of working sessions, as the frequency with which an equine is subjected to maximum weight carrying and/or workload
    Nature and pace of work, repetitive or varied, radius of turns, degree of incline and regularity of footing when equine is subject to maximum weight-carrying capacity
    Temperature and/or weather conditions
    Seasonal impact on the equines' workload and weight-carrying capabilities and limitations


Horses provided formal training (groundwork or riding):   As needed; no set schedule

Additional information about our intake, assessment & training policies and practices:
Professional trainer, instructor and clinician for 20 years
     Forever Foundation Partners
     With this experience, we assess and continue the education of all horses used in our programs, including our adoptable horses.

POLICIES: BREEDING

The organization has the following policies related to breeding and stallions:
    The facility or facilities where our organization conducts its programs, including foster facilities, does NOT breed equines.

POLICIES: EUTHANASIA

The organization has the following policies related to euthanasia:
    Our organization will never have an equine euthanized for space
    Our organization may have a healthy equine euthanized if it is a threat to itself, other equines, or people and euthanasia is recommended by a veterinarian
    Our organization may have an equine euthanized upon the recommendation of the veterinarian after all reasonable treatment options have been explored
    Euthanasia is done on site when possible to decrease trauma from transport
    Disposal of the carcass is handled within 24 hours

The following are authorized to administer the procedure for your organization in accordance with state laws:
    Veterinarian

POLICIES: RE-HOMING

View Re-homing Agreement
Our organization has the following re-homing (adoption/purchase) policies and procedures in place:
    All potential adopters/purchasers complete a written contract which constitutes the agreement between our organization and the new owner
    Potential adopters/purchasers must visit our organization and be observed with the equine on site
    The distance of a potential adopter/purchaser's home from our facility is a consideration for when re-homing an equine
    Our organization conducts a site visit of the adopter/purchaser's facility before the transfer of the equine to the adopter/purchaser's facility
    Potential adopters/purchasers are encouraged to do a short-term, on-site foster with the equine

The uploaded Re-homing agreement includes the following re-homing (adoption/purchase) statements:
    The agreement reflects that any individual or organization in possession of the equine as of the date of the agreement and any time thereafter is bound to not sell the equine at auction for slaughter or allow the equine to be sold, transferred, released, or otherwise placed into possession of any person or organization that will cause or allow the equine to be sold at auction for slaughter.
    The agreement states that should the adopter decide to re-home the equine, our organization must be notified of the name, address, and telephone number of any individual or organization intending to take possession of the equine for any reason prior to the equine being placed into the possession of such individual or organization.
    The agreement states that the terms of our organization's agreement will be binding on any future individual or organization taking and/or in possession of the equine for any reason.
    The agreement states that if there is any breach of contract the equine must be returned to our organization
    The agreement states that our organization reserves the right to make unannounced visits
    The agreement states that our organization reserves the right to make scheduled visits
    The agreement states that adopters/purchasers can return an equine to our organization free of charge
    The agreement states that adopters/purchasers are required to provide updates (photos, vet records) for three or more years

Our organization requires references from the following:
    Veterinarian
    Farrier
    Personal/Other

Transfer of ownership occurs:   Immediately (at the time of adoption/purchase) or less than one year

The average equine re-homing (adoption/purchase) fee received by your organization:
$201 to $500

Our organization has the following policies and procedures related to horses that need to be retired, are no longer useful, or are no longer manageable:
    Equines may remain at our organization for their lifetimes
    Equines may be found suitable homes by our organization
    In the case an equine is unmanageable and demonstrates repeated dangerous behaviors, the equine may be euthanized upon the recommendation of the veterinarian
    In the case an equine is unsound and/or unhealthy and cannot be treated to relieve suffering, the equine may be euthanized upon the recommendation of the veterinarian

Additional information about our rehoming policies and practices:
Hope for Horses offers a 30-day policy, during which the Horse and Adopter can work together as a trial, and the Horse can be returned for a refund of the adoption fee. After the 30-day trial, the Horse can be returned at any time with no refund of the adoption fee.