No, Healing with Horses Ranch is not a sanctuary for retired equines, nor a rescue organization, but rather a special place where an equine comes to fill a special need. It is the policy of Healing with Horses Ranch to accept donations of equines from their owners for the purpose of our Equine Assisted Learning/Therapeutic Riding Program, only. Equines accepted into Healing with Horses Ranch’s program must be mentally and physically healthy and sound, and they must be able to maintain a moderate work schedule.

Two evaluators will come to your horses current living facility and evaluate the equine’s temperament, soundness, education, and abilities. 

• The evaluators will observe you groom and tack up the equine. During this time we will be evaluating the equines temperament, ground manner, and conformation. At this time, evaluators may pat,  poke, and/or pull to see if the equine has any sensitive spots.
• Evaluators  will test the equines sensitivity to “foreign” items like balls, noisy toys, bags, pompoms, bubbles, etc.
• Evaluators will lead the equine at a walk and trot from both sides.
• Evaluators  will ask you or your agent to ride at a walk, trot and canter both directions.
• Evaluators will then lead the equine while you or your agent are mounted. Evaluators may act like you or your agents are a typical  Healing with Horses Ranch clients; evaluators will crowd the equine with walkers on either side to test tolerance.
• One or both of the evaluators will ride the equine at a walk, trot, and canter.

Yes, Healing with Horses Ranch asks for all equine candidates be evaluated for a 30 – 60 day trial period.

Within 30 – 60 days, the equine gets acclimated the new environment and then matriculates into the herd. After that Healing with Horses Ranch staff and conditioning team riders will asset the equine candidate, in and out of saddle, to make sure that he is not stressed in the new environment.  Staff will conduct a mock therapeutic riding session/lesson. If the equine preforms well in the mock lesson, they will be placed into the lesson schedule.  If there is ever a point where the demands of therapeutic riding are causing too much stress and the equine is not happy, they will get rejected from the program. It is Healing with Horses Ranch’s policy that to have a therapeutic session, it must be mutually beneficial to all those involved, including the horse.

Healing with Horses Ranch can work with the equine owner to ensure the equine candidate has a safe home regardless boarding or horse property difficulties. It may mean that Healing with Horses Ranch take ownership earlier than 30 days and if the equine is rejected durning the trial period, and the owner cannot take him back, Healing with Horses Ranch will find the equine a safe and loving home.

Generally the off-site evaluation can take up to an hour.

Any injuries or aliments sustained while on the property of Healing with Horses Ranch will be paid for by Healing with Horses Ranch. If after a vet check, the veterinarian recommends a treatment for an undiagnosed or undisclosed issue, we will consult with the owner. If the owner chooses to have treatment done, it will be at the owner’s expense. If the owner does not treat a condition that could progress, then Healing with Horses Ranch may choose to end the trial and return the horse to its owner. Healing with Horses Ranch does not have colic surgery performed on equines in our possession. Healing with Horses Ranch will make every effort to contact the owner/donor if you would elect to pay for colic surgery. The horse would then become your responsibility for .

Once the equine’s service is completed, and it is deemed they need to retire, the donor will be the first party contacted. Healing with Horses Ranch will work with the donor and either, returned to the equine to the care of their donor, find a suitable home for the equine, or retire the equine on Healing with Horses Property.  

You can absolutely come and visit your horse any time the Ranch is open for business or at a prearranged time with the Executive Director. Due to insurance issues, you may continue to ride your horse if you go through volunteer training, join the conditioning team, and follow the rules of Healing with Horses Ranch.

Healing with Horses Ranch is a nonprofit organization, which means that you may deduct the fair market value of the horse you are donating to our program and any cost associated with transferring the horse to us (transport , Coggins, etc.). A copy of your signed Equine Donation Contract serves as your receipt, as we ask you to indicate the fair market value of your horse on this document. Horses with a fair market value of $5000 or higher must be appraised by a current member of the American Society of Equine Appraisers, and a copy of the appraisal must accompany your donation contract (www.equineappraiser.com). You will also need to retain a copy of any appraisal for tax purposes. This will not be done by Healing with Horses Ranch.