- Contact us!
The animals:
Where
do the horses come from?
Horses in our program may come from any number
of sources, however, this does not mean all of them have been
abused or neglect. Some of them were just unlucky. We also try
to act proactively, getting to the horse before he is hurt.
- voluntary owner donated or surrendered
- owner passes away and estate donates the horse
- seized with help from animal control
- abandoned
- in a neglect / abuse situation
- pulled from an auction where there was a high change the horse
was going to slaughter or an unscrupulous broker
How
do you determine which ones to help?
It's a hard choice. We ask ourselves which
of these horses will suffer the most or may be dead if we don't
step in?
We do not have the facilities
for mules or donkeys at the moment.
We do not accept other farm animals. No
dogs or cats.
Any horses we take in must be yours to
sell or donate. If you are under 18, you must have your parent
or legal guardian present to sign the paperwork.
What
about cruelty?
We do accept horses seized from cruelty/neglect
investigations, BUT only if ownership is signed over to Equihab.
We will not rehab a horse just to have him returned to the owner
by a lax judge.
What
if a horse is a bad situation, animal control can't help and
the owner won't give the horse up?
We have several options. You can call us if
it's in our area, and we can gather evidence to encourage animal
control.
Some mistreatment may not be illegal, depending
on your area, which means the owner must voluntarily give the
horse up. Sometimes a bored owner will give the horse away if
asked the right way.
Another option is to negotiate with the owner
to pay a token sum to get the horse. We have to do that directly,
if you've determined the owner might be open to this idea. We
are limited to horses in our region. If you're outside our region,
contact rescues closer to you to see who can help.
What
animals do you not accept?
We are unable to accept the following:
- no dogs or cats
- no exotic animals (deer, zebra, etc)
All horses must be
- turned over by their legal owner including a donation/sales
agreement signed
- not be stolen or reported missing
- not be ill with any reportable disease. A current negative
Coggins is also required.
Do
you buy horses?
We are not a dealer, so generally we do not
buy horses. We do make an exception when the horse is suffering
or about to die, and there is no other way to prevent it.
We will pay a reasonable amount (usually what the person would
get from a slaughter buyer or auction) but we don't casually
buy riding horses to resell.
Will
you take a trade of my nice ____ horse in trade for one on
your site?
Sorry, we do not do trade-ins.
In some cases, we may be able to accept
your horse as a donation, but we cannot give you any discount
on the adoption fees. Adoption fees usually don't even cover
what it cost us to get the horse ready for adoption.
Financial:
Where
do you get the money to run your program?
We are a community supported charity.
We fund raise, do events, get sponsorship, apply for grants
or awards, and collect adoption fees.
We do not get any government
funding.
How much
profit do you make per horse? And where does the profit go?
We don't make any profits on the horses we adopt
out. The adoption fee generally doesn't even cover the cost
of getting the horse ready to adopt: the vet fees, vaccinations,
farrier, dental work, microchipping, evaluation, pickup/delivery,
and other expenses can easily add up to $500 or more, depending
on the horse. Some arrive with health issues and we have to
pay for x-rays, surgery, or long-term rehabilitation.
Do you
get free hay or vet care because you're a non-profit?
No, not usually. We pay full price for vet care,
which is why donations are so important.
Who
is your highest paid employee?
None. At the moment we are 100% volunteer
based.
This means a much higher percent of your
donation goes direct to the horses.
How
do I get a receipt for my donation?
Please ask! If it was awhile ago, please
give us the details on when it was sent and what it was, so
we can look it up and fill out the receipt properly.
Rescues in General
Who
do i talk to if I want to start a non-profit horse program of
my own?
May Snyder will be happy to talk to any
serious individuals about getting a rescue started in your own
hometown.
Be aware it's a big commitment, even if
you're not ready to go 501c3 just yet.
Also be aware you'll need $500-$1000 in
filing fees (not including any attorneys or CPA) to get filed.
How
are therapeutic or school non profits different from a rescue/shelter
nonprofit?
The mission statement of the non-profit
guides the group's priorities. A therapeutic program focuses
on the people riding in the program. A rescue/shelter focuses
on the horses.
This means if there is a conflict (such
as should an uncomfortable horse be ridden -or- where a horse
may go when leaving the program) the answer may be different.
How
can I verify a Rescue is truly a non-profit?
Established organizations should be in the
IRS List 78. They will also appear on guidestar.
If it's a brand-new nonprofit, please allow
a little time for them to appear on the list.
It's not rude to ask to see their 501c3 letter,
a document the IRS mails to organizations once their Form 1023
(request for non-profit status) is recorded.
Fostering for Equihab
We have several local farms who have graciously donated space
on their farm for one or more Equihab horses. It's the foster
home's responsibility to give the animal care, food, and attend
to any medical needs. We pay for farrier and medical services,
but the foster needs to keep track with what is due & schedule
it.
Fosters do not get a boarding fee, sorry. It's done on a voluntary
donation basis. We can give you a receipt for the expenses you
incurred which allows for a tax deduction per IRS rules.
We cover medical and farrier expenses.
Some of the horse's food and other needs may be reimbursable.
Ask what the limitations for your horse is
- How long is
the commitment?
It's as long as the foster is willing to participate. You can
rotate in and out.
If you'd like the horse(s) moved out, you do need to give us
as much notice as possible.
We cover the expense of moving the horse.
- Can I pick
the horse I want to foster?
We try to weight the needs of the horses' as well as the needs,
limitations, and experience of the interested foster home. You
can request a certain kind of horse.
Fostering is not a free trail horse, however. Depending on needs,
you may be assigned a horse which is companion-only, is driving(harness)
only, or needs extensive retraining. Please try to be understanding.
Adopting
Anyone over the age of 18 and who resides within our region can
inquire about adoption.
You MUST come meet the horse.
We reserve the right not to adopt a horse to any one for any
reason.
We do not approve people and let them pick something cute. Instead
we'd rather match the person with a particular horse and approve
the match that way.
We do adopt on a first-come basis, even if the first person doesn't
seem to be a bad home. We want the best possible match AND we
don't wasn't anyone "impulse shopping". We prefer you
go home to sleep on it.
Have your parents or legal guardian contact us. We will answer
basic questions but we will not set up a showing or proceed with
the adoption process without speaking to your parents. Your parents
must also be present when you come meet the horse.
- What is the
farm check about?
We're not being nit picky but we do need the peace of mind of
knowing where the horse will be living. If we see some things
that might be safety issues, we'll discuss ways to improve them.
The horse's new home doesn't need to be fancy. It does need to
be SAFE.
- What else
do I need to provide you to be approved?
We will ask for references which may include your vet & farrier's
name and number.
We really love it when people get involved not just with the
horse but with Equihab and our members. We really encourage you
to come to a meeting or find out more about what we do. We want
you to have a horse, but we also want to welcome you into the
Equihab family.
Transport
- What if I
don't own a trailer?
No problem! Delivery is usually included for local adoptive homes.
- What is
the "free delivery" special you offer?
If you are within 60 miles of our office, we deliver the horse
to you at no cost. This is part of the adoption fee. Locations
more than 60 miles might require a reimbursement for gas &
tolls.
We do not place horses farther away than we can reasonable deliver,
check up on, and/or pick up (in the unlikely event one day you
can no longer keep the horse). This limits adoptions to the mid-Atlantic
region: Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia,
and/or southern New York.
- Can you haul
my horse to a show/event/vet for me?
Sorry, we are not insured to professionally transport horses.
The $500 Reward
While we do screen, check references, do site checks, follow
up visits, and other precautions, there is always the possibility
a horse might end up in a location other than his approved adoptive
home. Equihab horses are not to be resold, auctioned, slaughtered,
abandoned, or re-assigned.
All horses have a AVID microchip permanently marking them. We
also document photos of the horse, markings, and any tattoos or
brands.
If you suspect you might have seen an Equihab horse somewhere
he clearly does not belong, contact us
immediately
You contact us if you suspect the horse is an Equihab horse.
Please try to get us as much information as possible. Emailed
photos, a microchip number, and/or a listing of any distinguishing
marks/brands is very helpful.
If your tip results in the reclaiming of the horse from a clearly
improper place, we give up to a $500 reward. We do allow adopters
to take their horse on trail rides, show, or board within the
same region. We do not allow them to take the horse to New Holland,
a "kill" buyer, a broker, or put in a newspaper ad.
- How do I claim
the reward?
Allow us a little time to look into the situation so we can verify
it's our horse. Then follow up to get the status. If you're feeling
generous, you might consider donating the reward back to the program.
(We do provide a tax receipt for donations)
- Is the name
of the person who tipped you off made public?
No, your tips are confidential and will only be discussed with
Board of Directors and law enforcement.
The only way we'd publish your name is with your express written
permission.
Payment policies
Yes. Make them payable to "Equihab"
- What if a
check I write is returned ? (bounces)
Our bank charges us a $8 fee for each time the check is submitted
and does not clear. We reserve the right to ask for up to $25
in addition to the check value to cover these bank charges.
- What other payment
methods do you accept?
Cash, credit cards (via PayPal), and regular PayPal money.
Any other questions?
