A Holistic Approach to Horse Rescue, Part 3

Emotional rehabilitation, re-homing and long term care

by Hannah Evergreen, DVM

In the first two parts of this series, we discussed both the immediate needs of rescue horses and the physical rehabilitation needs for the first few months after rescue. Here, we will explore the emotional needs of rescue horses and what comes after rehabilitation: long term care and re-homing.

All rescue horses have unique emotional needs, some simple and some severe. Common emotional issues I see with rescue horses include post-starvation food aggression, insecurity and trust issues (e.g., difficult to catch, sensitive to being touched), and lack of basic boundaries/training. It can be difficult to tell early on what the horse’s true personality will be as evidence of emotional problems tends to surface later, as the horse gains weight and strength. These issues must be thoroughly addressed as they come up for complete rehabilitation of the horse and to give the horse the best chance of finding a new home and staying in that home long-term.

Training Decisions

At this stage in rehabilitation, the horse is at a normal weight, the physical needs have been addressed, and long-term conditions have been diagnosed and are being treated. Rescue horses at this stage range from completely sound and healthy to sound for light riding to non-ridable. It is important at this stage to have made this determination so the emotional rehabilitation and training can help the horse reach its potential, whatever that may be. For example, if a horse has a saddling issue but is not ridable, it would be silly to spend a month working on desensitizing the horse to the saddle. On the other hand, if the horse is in its early twenties and sound for light riding but has never had any formal training, it may be a more difficult decision whether or not to pursue saddle training. In these situations I recommend an evaluation by a professional trainer to find out more about the horse’s personality and the probability for the horse being suitable for a beginner or intermediate rider with training. Most rescue horses require 2-3 months training by a professional or advanced rider to help them on their way.

This may be a good opportunity for you to brush up on your natural horsemanship skills or other gentle, appropriate training methods. The most important thing in this stage is to go slowly, be consistent, and take the time the horse needs to work out these issues from the start. If a horse is rushed through a program without complete emotional rehabilitation, the issues will surely crop up later.

Adoption Prospects

Once the horse has been rehabilitated as much as possible, it is time to find a permanent home. Most horse rescue organizations advertise on Petfinder.com, on their rescue websites, etc. It is very helpful to the rescue group if you assist them in getting the word out about the horse you are fostering, as well as other horses that are available for adoption. It is ideal to have a home lined up by the time the horse has been rehabilitated, but the reality is that it can take months to find a “forever home.” Keep in mind that some emotional damage from neglect is permanent. Once this has been determined, it should be discussed openly with prospective adopters and these horses should be placed into qualified homes only.

The act of rescuing a horse commits you to caring for that horse or making sure it is being cared for, for the rest of its life. Rescue organizations repeatedly follow up on each horse that has been adopted to ensure it doesn’t end up in a neglect situation again. Because of this, it is easy for rescue organizations to fill up quickly and then be unable to help other horses in need. We are in a time of crisis with too many horses and not enough homes or recourses to properly care for them all.

How You Can Help

Promoting the adoption of rescue horses rather than breeding more is essential. While some breeding may be done responsibly, it quickly becomes a slippery slope for me to decide what is or isn’t responsible breeding. Because of this, I have made the ethical decision as a veterinarian to eliminate breeding and reproduction from my equine practice, and instead help horse rescue organizations. I urge you to be part of the solution and consider fostering or adopting a rescue horse if you are looking for a rewarding rehabilitation project, new companion, or riding partner.