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FAQsDo you adopt to first-time or inexperienced horse owners?
At this time, we do not. We will rarely have horses available that are suitable for first time owners and feel it is in the best interest of the horse to place them into experienced homes. There are many situations that can present themselves in horse ownership, that include lameness, colic and behavior issues that could prove to be hard for a first time owner to identify, understand and properly deal with.
However, all prospective foster and adoptive homes will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Why is there an adoption fee?Adoption fees help to offset the many expenses that we incur for the care of horses brought into the rescue. These include feed, hay, supplements and/or medications when needed, farrier work, worming and housing. We depend on ourselves and the kind donations from the public. Our Board of Directors and volunteers do not receive a salary or compensation of any kind. Winding Road operates completely as an all-volunteer organization. Why do some horses have a required donation and others do not?Horses over 25 and those that are companion only do not have a required donation. Horses that are rideable or otherwise in demand will have a required donation that is still well below a reasonable selling price. What is WRERR’s adoption policy?Adopted horses remain the property of WRERR. Adopters may not breed, race, sell or give away the adopted horse. Adopters must allow WRERR to inspect their facility for safety prior to adoption, and access to check the horse thereafter at WRERR’s discretion. How does the adoption process work?Potential adopters first need to fill out an adoption application. If a particular horse interests them, they should put that horse's name on the application. A WRERR volunteer will contact them to discuss the horse and put them in contact with the foster home if the horse is not housed at our facility. Once the potential adopter, foster home and the appropriate members of WRERR agree that the horse and adopter is a match, WRERR will schedule a barn check. How long does the adoption process take?It depends on how quickly you can get out to meet the equine and how quickly we can get a volunteer to do your barn check. There is also time involved in processing the adoption application. And we do thoroughly check out all references. Expect anywhere from one week to one month. What does a barn check involve?A WRERR volunteer will schedule a time to meet you at your barn. S/he will be looking for safety (i.e. no barbed wire, no junk in the pastures), a clean, healthy environment and the condition and temperament of your other horses, if any. Why does WRERR not give the adopter ownership of the equine?WRERR's commitment is to the equine, and retaining ownership protects the future of that animal. Adopters may die, get laid off or become ill but WRERR will always be there to make certain that the horse has food, shelter and love. Most of our adopters feel security in knowing that if anything happens to them, WRERR will be there to provide for their beloved friend. Our intention is for the adopter to have the equine for the rest of its life. On a darker note, retaining ownership prevents a small number of unscrupulous people from adopting a horse then selling it for whatever profit can be had - maybe to a killer buyer, or to someone completely unsuitable for that horse, or to someone with a record of animal abuse. Why does WRERR not allow breeding?WRERR does not oppose responsible, well-researched breeding programs that aim to improve the breed and species. WRERR does oppose indiscriminate breeding practices. WRERR embraces the belief that there is an overpopulation of horses in the United States. If there were no overpopulation problem, there would not be thousands of sound, healthy horses going to slaughter every year. As a matter of principle, WRERR does not allow its rescued horses to be bred. WRERR feels that denying breeding of any one horse will not negatively impact the quality of the species as a whole. However, stopping a single horse from breeding will significantly impact the horse population over time. Also, since WRERR retains ownership of adopted horses, the organization would also feel compelled to retain ownership of the resultant foal. This would mean more work for volunteers (doing barn checks, placing returned horses, keeping up with vaccinations, etc.), putting an unnecessary strain on WRERR's resources. Why does WRERR require a minimum of a three-sided, roofed shelter?Wild horses are free to find natural shelter and also run in large groups that can huddle together for warmth and protection from the elements. Domestic horses, on the other hand, are typically confined to relatively small areas that lack adequate natural shelter, and are pastured in small herds that cannot provide enough protection from the elements. I am interested in adopting. What should I do now?Examine our Available Horses and see if a particular horse interests you. Fill out an application (offered in PDF, Word, and on-line formats). Submit your completed application to WRERR. You should follow up with a phone call or e-mail to make sure your application has been received. Read more about Adoption/Fostering here. How do my monetary donations help?
Your donations help pay for everything from hay to bedding, feed, and more. |
Page updated on 02/23/08 | Site Design & Webmaster K Rose • Rose Business Solutions |