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Adopting a Horse From The Horse
Protection League
Please review
our FAQ’s below about adopting horses from HPL. If you would like to
consider a horse for adoption, click here to fill out an adoption
application. It will be forwarded to the Adoption Committee and you will
receive a call within 1 – 3 days.
Frequently
Asked Questions:
How
are HPL adoptions different from those of other horse rescue
organizations?
When HPL
accepts a horse, we commit to either keeping or following up on the
horse for the duration of its life. We screen adopters carefully, and
watch them interact with a horse in the hope of placing the horse in a
permanent home. After a horse is placed in an adoptive home, we continue
to monitor its progress to be sure both owner and horse are content. The
adopter signs a contract agreeing that if he wants to sell, lease, or
give away a horse obtained from HPL, he must have HPL’s approval of
the new home and any succeeding homes in advance.
What
kind of horses does HPL have available for adoption?
We can
never predict what horses we’ll have available at any one time as we
constantly receive new ones. We accept horses, ponies, donkeys and
mules. Some of our animals are donated to us, some we purchase at
auction, and some are “impounds” (by the State Veterinarian or
animal control officers) from abusive situations. We may have everything
from animals with physical problems that make them suitable only as
companion animals, to horses that can do light work, and others that can
serve as high performance animals.
What
does HPL do with the horses before they are adopted?
Even
before accepting an animal (and we can’t take all that are available
or offered), we try to get as much of the animal’s history (behavior,
performance, veterinary) as possible. When we receive a horse,
regardless of how we acquire it, it is sent either to our farm or a
safe-home. We evaluate the animal to see if there are any health or
behavior issues to be dealt with. We obtain whatever medical treatment
is necessary and provide on-going care. If there are behavior issues
(ground manners, trailering, etc.) we have a trainer try to overcome
them.
How
does HPL choose adopters?
When
selecting an adopter for a particular horse, we are less concerned about
the prospective adopter’s ability to ride than about his ability to
safely handle the animal, provide for any special needs it has (physical
and financial), and to develop a bond with the horse. When we match a
horse with an adopter, we will also match riding ability to the
horse’s riding requirements.
What
is the procedure for adopting an HPL horse?
Prospective
adopters fill out an adoption application stating their previous horse
experience, what kind of horse they’re looking for, where and how the
horse would be kept, and what they want to do with the horse. We try to
match a horse with the perfect applicant for that animal. If we think we
have a match, we’ll visit the applicant’s premises (or the
prospective boarding location) and review the applicant’s experience
in handling horses and riding. We’ll try to make sure the
applicant’s expectations don’t exceed what the horse is capable of
and that the applicant can properly care for the horse. We’ll invite
the applicant to visit the horse and spend time working with it. If
there appears to be a good match between horse and applicant, we’ll go
forward with the actual adoption.
What
is the adoption fee?
An
adoption fee is based on the horse’s usability and soundness. It is
almost always below the price for a similar horse bought on the open
market. It does not reflect what HPL may have spent to rehabilitate the
horse.
What if I
decide I don’t like the horse or can’t afford it after I’ve
adopted it?
HPL’s goal is to have
each horse placed in a happy, loving, permanent home. If, for any
reason, the match between horse and adopter doesn’t work out (due to
financial problems, health or behavior issues, or simply a mis-match of
personalities), HPL is always willing to take the horse back.
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