Guide to First Time Ownership
Before buying a horse for the first time, you should consider the following questions: What type of horse will best meet your needs? Where can you buy a horse? How are you going to take care of the horse’s daily needs? What type of supplies will you need? What are the expected costs of keeping a horse?
The Current Costs of Horse Ownership
Here’s what owners can expect to pay when prioritizing their horses’ welfare as of December 2023.
Equine Welfare Data Collective
We’re a group of agencies working together to collect national data on at-risk equines and those in transition from nonprofit organizations that take custody of at-risk equines and/or provide other services related to improving equine welfare such as assistance with veterinary care, euthanasia, rehoming, and behavioral needs as well as other “safety net” services including but not limited to feed banks and gelding clinics.
American Horse Council
The American Horse Council’s Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC), formed in 2006 to bring attention to the issue and challenges of unwanted horses, will be renamed and rebranded as the United Horse Coalition. The changes reflect the industry’s unity around the importance of aftercare and the progress and extensive resources that have come to fruition since the UHC’s inception. The UHC’s new mission statement reads, “Through industry collaboration, the UHC promotes education and options for at-risk and transitioning horses.”
North Carolina Horse Council
The North Carolina Horse Council exists to represent and further the common interest of the entire equine industry of North Carolina. The North Carolina Horse Council is composed of volunteer individuals and groups from all breeds and types of horse activities, without bias. We are amateurs and professionals, horse hobbyist, commercial producers, local riding clubs, and larger corporations.
Equine Assistance Programs for Horse Owners
Through our programs, the Equine Assistance Project assists horse owners who have fallen on hard times to keep their horses, assist owners in keeping their horses until a foster home can be provided, re-homing assistance when there is an immediate need, and rescue at-risk horses from auction.
Vet Direct Safety Net
The Vet Direct Program is run by the American Association df Equine Practitioners and is designed to help owners in need pay for certain emergency procedures.
Help for Horse Owners and How to Get It
Even the most diligent owners can find themselves facing hard financial times. They just need to remember to keep their horses’ well-being in mind and not be afraid to seek assistance as they work through their challenges.