Horses
What kinds of horses do you need for the program?Let’s start this section by very clearly stating that there are many, many wonderful horses around. Most of us working in this program have our own horses at home. We love horses! The truth is, though, that the job skills for a therapy horse are pretty steep.
A therapy horse needs to be safe, predictable, and sound. They have to be intelligent, well-conditioned, unflappable, sensitive, patient, hard-working, balanced, and versatile. They must also be tolerant of unpredictable noises and positional changes made by riders, and responsive to their handler and the riders’ instructions. These qualifications insure safety for the rider, and provide an environment that allows the rider to enjoy and benefit from his or her experiences with horses.
A therapy horse must have the right temperament for this type of JOB; specifically, they need to be very patient as riders mount and dismount as well as be able to adjust to the physical needs of each individual rider. They need to be comfortable with many obstacles, noises, and riders who often send confusing signals. A therapy horse must be able to adjust to unbalanced riders and that can take a toll on the muscles and coordination of the horse.
So, when selecting a horse to participate in our program, we must look for a horse that is suitable for equine assisted activities and therapy. While minor health issues in a horse might be acceptable, horses must be sound enough to work regularly. Areas we review for evaluating a horse for our program:
- Conformation
- Health
- Age
- Gaits and manner of going
- Attitude, reliability and adaptability
Due to the amount of training we invest in our horses, we hope they will stay with us for several years.
How do I donate my horse to your program?
LifeSpan Farm – TRC does not accept an out right donation of a horse to our program. We only accept a horse on a donated lease.
What is a donated lease?
Through a donated lease the owner is able maintain ownership of the horse, but allows LifeSpan Farm – TRC to utilize the horse in our program. While the horse is at our program we provide the horse with its basic needs, i.e. feed, hay shodding, deworming, and routine veterinary care. Any extraordinary expenses are the responsibility of the owner. As much as we all love the wonderful therapy horses we have here, unfortunately, there does come a time when the horse is no longer suitable for our program. The donated lease agreement is then terminated and can be terminated by either party at any time. If your horse is accepted in to our program through a donated lease, we do have a 90 trial period.
How do I go about finding out if my horse is suitable for your program?
If you are comfortable with our donated lease option, we ask owners to complete our “Horse Prospect Form.” Please click here to download and print. Once you have completed the form, please return the form to us. Our Lead Riding Instructor will review the form and contact you to either ask further questions, set up an appointment to come evaluate your horse, or let you know that your horse is not a suitable.
How will my horse be cared for at LifeSpan Farm - TRC?
We will give your horse the same attentive care given to all our horses. We provide regular veterinary and farrier care. We do not routinely stall or blanket our horses. If your horse requires routine blanketing or stalling we will not be able to accommodate their needs. We do have several pastures for grazing, all with shelter from the elements.
Can I visit my horse?
You are more than welcome to come and visit your horse. But you must make prior arrangements with a LifeSpan Farm – TRC staff person. Please note, that for safety and liability reasons you will not be allowed to ride your horse or go into the pastures, unless you are a trained volunteer of LifeSpan Farm – TRC.
As a non-profit, how am I able to get a tax-deduction on my donated lease?
Each individual’s tax situation is different so you should check with your tax advisor about how this donated lease might benefit your particular tax needs. After the 90 day trial period LifeSpan Farm – TRC can provide you with a letter that your horse is in our program through a donated lease. LifeSpan Farm – TRC is not able is to estimate the value of your donated lease and will leave that up to you, the donor, to indicate.
If you have a special horse that you believe would like a job as a therapy horse, please contact us at (704) 393-0333.
