Starting A Horse Rescue


Drill from United Pegasus Foundation, California

Things to think about BEFORE you start a horse rescue:

Running a horse rescue is a huge commitment. You will be responsible for the
daily care of your horses, and have someone available if you aren't every day.
Rescue horses need more care than other horses many times, sometimes
having to be fed up to four times a day.

If you do decide to start a rescue, start SMALL. Don't rush into taking too many
horses, get your organization financially stable and take only as many horses as
you can care for. And even if you're only able to rescue two or three horses at first,
those are still two or three lives that you're saving from abuse, neglect, or slaughter.

Websites to check out:

I recommend taking a look at the Equine Protection Network's page.

The following links may also be helpful to you:

Equine Rescue List and Resources

IRS Information for Tax-Exempt Organizations

How to raise funds:

The only way to keep your horse rescue going is through advertising. Spreading
the word about your horse rescue can mean the difference between taking in one
horse or ten. Here's a helpful list of ways to do so:

- Pass out or post flyers and brochures at tack shops, horse shows, and other
related events. If you can, attach a list of your current rescues (their stories,
even pictures) to your information. You should get even more responses.

- Leave donation cans in tack shops, and carry one with you when advertising
at horse shows. Most people should be glad to give you a dollar or two, and
you can make over $50 in one day's work, and possibly find a few potential
adopters or sponsors!

- Create a website! Hundreds of people visit my site and others like it daily,
giving you nationwide, or even worldwide, exposure. Try to keep a current
list of rescues with photos on your site to gain viewer interest.

I do not run my own horse rescue, so I would encourage you to contact
any of the rescues on this site for further information on how to get
started. If you have any other questions, feel free to email me
at lunar_aradia@yahoo.com. Good luck!