The Horse contacted more than 100 industry and welfare groups in North America from the list in The Horse Source industry directory to ask them specific questions regarding their organizations, how they serve the horse, and what they see as needs for their organizations and the industry. Following are the questions we asked, and some of the candid responses from these organizations.

1) How long has this group worked in equine welfare?

The 30 groups that responded immediately had a combined total of 308 years of official service with the currently named group, for an average of 10.3 years of service among the groups.

Many of those associated with groups say they have been involved in equine welfare and rescue for many years–and even decades–prior to working with the current group, either on their own or with other groups.

2) What are your group’s roles in equine welfare?

Barbara Geittmann, executive director of the Hooved Animal Humane Society, explained her group’s role as “promoting the humane treatment of hooved animals through education, legislation, investigation and, when necessary, intervention.”

Spring Creek Horse Rescue located in Colorado says they “work with local animal protection and the public taking injured, owner-surrendered, confiscated, unwanted, and abused animals to rehabilitate, cure, mentally heal, and retrain.” They want to adopt those horses into “screened, forever homes those that can be and give the others a safe, clean, loving environment to live out their lives.”

Barbara Luna, executive director of ReRun Inc., represents one of the groups that focuses on welfare of one specific breed of horse: Thoroughbred. She says, “We are an adoption organization that rehabilitates and finds homes for Thoroughbred racehorses when they are no longer competitive on the track.”

Sunkissed Acres Rescue and Retirement in Georgia says, “Our roles are to provide shelter and medical care for the sick, aged, abandoned, and inhumanely treated equine. With the overwhelming amount of unwanted animals today, it most often comes down to helping humans even more so than the horses, those in the most precarious positions with nowhere left to turn.”

Many groups also mentioned the human element of their rescues, whether they work with at-risk horse owners, community education, or providing therapy horses. Some groups work only in specific geographic regions, and others work throughout the United States and Canada. Some groups work only with animals that can be rehabbed and turned around for other careers, some rescue any equid (including making the decision for euthanasia, if it’s in the best interest of the horse), and some focus on providing lifelong sanctuary for horses.

Wildhorse Rescue in Arizona, says, “We rescue abused, neglected, and slaughter-bound mustangs and some domestic horses, ponies, mules and donkeys. We rehab, gentle, train, medicate, and/or whatever the horse needs, and then we look for a permanent adoptive home. If the horse is deemed unadoptable, we give it a lifetime home of freedom at our sanctuary.”

Lost Acres Horse Rescue and Horse Rehabilitation in Ohio says their rescue specializes in “accepting abused, severely injured, and blind horses; rehabilitating them and letting them live as comfortably as possible at our facility for their lifetime