I have put out a lot of feelers but am looking for advice from people who have successfully placed or taken in a companion horse or horse to non-riding home. Where to look. Who to contact. What works or didn’t work. I have a super sweet warmblood mare former hunter that loves to be groomed and doted on, is an easy keeper, barefoot, no maintenance that I am looking to place. I am no longer riding due to injury, so she is currently alone. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Talk to your vet, your farrier, the lady who runs the little tack shop down the road, any horse people you know… Your best chance at finding a good home is through personal contacts.
I have taken in two different unrideable horses in the past. Both were word-of-mouth contacts, both times I was approached by “middle men” who basically said, “This horse needs a good home, you’ve got room, and you’re a soft-hearted sucker.” 
One I cleaned up, got some needed vet care done, refreshed her ground manners, and confirmed that her brain was totally fried and she was indeed unrideable at this point. But, a relative of mine knew some people who owned one of the mare’s offspring and they offered to take her in, an offer I gratefully accepted.
The other I kept for several years until she had to be euthanized. She was a sweetheart and I had no regrets about taking her in.
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The best way to find a home is to pay someone in a low cost of living area.
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I too have found that letting everyone and anyone know about the horse, ie, networking, is key. I’ve placed a couple of companion types that way. It also helped that I said (and meant) that I would take them back if it didn’t work out. I maintained ownership and let the new home have them for more or less a care lease and I was willing to foot the bill for veterinary care. Fortunately the most recent one (a few years ago) that I placed was with a colleague, another veterinarian, so that isn’t an issue.
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