Sending my horse to Therapeutic Riding Program....help me get through this!

[BetterOffRed]

This is a good thing, but I just need moral and mental support!

I tried to retire my 21 year wb, but he wasn’t ready to stop working and he was pretty miserable this summer while I was focusing on work and my young horse. I just don’t have the time to keep 2 horses in full work- and my senior just loves attention and loves having a schedule.

When I saw how unhappy he was, I brought him back to work and also started using some of our riding time to let him give pony rides to some younger kids. He was a GEM. :tickled_pink:

That gave me the idea of talking to a local therapeutic riding program for which I have a lot of respect/admiration. The program is nationally known- they work with children and adults with disabilities and autism as well as having a veterans program. Their barn is beautiful- if it was a boarding barn it would be considered an A Barn.

The staff came out to evaluate him and they really loved him- they are taking him for a 30 day trial. If he doesn’t work out, he comes back to me and I will be happy. If he works out (they think he will, and so do I) I will donate him to the program but the paperwork allows me to get him back if he doesn’t work out or if he ages out of the program. I can go and visit him and I can even ride him when I visit.

I am getting him ready by riding him and getting him fit. I am prepping his blankets and bridles.

This is a gift and a loss…it’s a gift because I know it takes a special horse to be in a therapeutic riding program, and it pleases me to know that he will bring as much joy to someone else as he does for me…but at the same time, we’ve been together for so long- he’s my child. I will miss him and I don’t want to ever feel like I’ve let him down or let him slip through the cracks somehow.

Help keep me strong COTH!

[talkofthetown]

That’s such an awesome thing though…talk about paying it forward. :yes: Your old man will be spoiled and treated like a king, and he’ll get to share his equine wisdom and love with others. And you get to visit and ride whenever time allows. Win-win-win.

It’s got to be hard to let him go. But it sounds like such a better option than potentially selling him or gifting him to a random home that may or may not keep in touch with you. He won’t fall through the cracks.

[findeight]

As long as you have a written clause that protects you from them selling him without offering him to you first? It’s all good.

As a caveat to others, many of these places can and do sell donated horses to fund their operations, be SURE to carefully read the contract before signing and surrendering the horse. And keep in touch with them.

[invinoveritas]

You know that the therapeutic riding programs give horses away or sell them off to anyone if they don’t work out? I’d never send a horse to one of those programs (or to a college riding program) because of what I’ve seen happen to horses in only a month or two after they are given to the programs. I’d put a horse down before I’d let one suffer and be afraid and end up dead or starved.

[invinoveritas]

[QUOTE=findeight;8888398]
As long as you have a written clause that protects you from them selling him without offering him to you first? It’s all good.

As a caveat to others, many of these places can and do sell donated horses to fund their operations, be SURE to carefully read the contract before signing and surrendering the horse. And keep in touch with them.[/QUOTE]

This is so true. And, sometimes even with a contract, the horse is disposed of without the prior owner being notified.

[Bluey]

Fine, but do check regularly, so if the staff changes, they know that is your horse and you want it back, or the next set of managers may not know that.
Happened to us with our college equestrian program, that the director left and the new one geared it more for reproduction than giving lessons and sold the lesson horses, including the one that we were supposed to get back!

He was never found and we heard of it four months after they were sold.

We were part of our local handicapped program, that was built around loaned local horses.
We had three of our old ranch horses there, rotated as they needed, generally spending from 6 to 12 weeks in there, then back home and they took another one.

That worked wonderfully for us, they took very good care of the horses, lessons twice a week and one or two more days the trainer exercised them lightly, the other days they were turned out.
Our horses thrived under that program.

I don’t know how the program you are looking for your horse is managed, but if he is suitable, I would not worry, but still keep a regular eye, maybe volunteer a bit when you can, even once a month, to keep track that all is going well.

[beowulf]

I will be the dissenting voice; there is a TP very close to me and they are WONDERFUL. They take good care of their horses and when the horses no longer work they are offered back to the owners - if the owners decline they are rehomed or sold through an email network group and the money made from the sale goes directly to the TP.

My sister volunteered in their program as a teen and they are still wonderful today. I would give them a horse of mine in a New York minute if any of them were no longer suitable for me but suitable for them.

I’m with Findeight, so long as there is a contract and you have done your due diligence, excellent for you and your senior WB! Good luck!

[smoofox]

[QUOTE=invinoveritas;8888432]
You know that the therapeutic riding programs give horses away or sell them off to anyone if they don’t work out? I’d never send a horse to one of those programs (or to a college riding program) because of what I’ve seen happen to horses in only a month or two after they are given to the programs. I’d put a horse down before I’d let one suffer and be afraid and end up dead or starved.[/QUOTE]

I have worked with 3 different therapeutic riding programs, one very small, one medium and one of the biggest ones in the country. If horses do not work out, the original owners are always contacted - even if they sold the horse to the program. They always have had right of first refusal. Always.

If the original owner was not able to take the horse back, then a suitable home was found for them - some were sold after careful screening and even went on to happy show careers, some were given away to retire as pasture pets - with equally careful screening. There are two retirees at my current program who had homes offered to them that did not meet the requirements for a safe, knowledgeable, forever home. They will stay at the center until they find that perfect placement.

I have worked in therapeutic riding for 30 years - and I strongly resent the implication that all donated horses are discarded, abused, frightened, starved or left to die. If a horse ages out of the program or no longer wants to do that kind of work, great care is taken to find them a new home.

We returned one happy, aged TB to his owner after he made it clear he was ready to retire - and the OWNER promptly turned around and shoveled the old guy off to a lesson program that our center knew he could not handle. We still worry about him. He had earned and deserved a nice retirement and increasing neurological issues made that crucial. His owner was “delighted” to have him back and then flipped him inside of a week. She did not care.

Our horses’ well being - both mentally and physically - comes first. They are not just tools or inventory. They are partners in making miracles happen for their riders.

Currently there are 4 horses in the program that have been happy in their jobs for 10 years and show no signs of wanting to be done. Some horses are accepted after the trial period, work a few months and then we find that they are not happy in the job - and we take great care to make adjustments for them. If that does not work, they are carefully returned or rehomed as I already described.

Previous owners are always welcome to come and visit their horses - if they were sold to the center or are on a lease. Updates are sent to the owners of the leased horses all the time. All the horses have other sponsors who are also kept updated n them - in fact I am writing out such a sponsor thank you and update right now…

For the OP - thank you for considering that center to look after your old guy, keep him happy and interested in his work - and help little miracles happen every day.

[peedin]

You are their rainbow according to Maya Angelou. It is a wonderful thing you are doing. If you can’t volunteer, visit periodically for checkups and carrots.

[ASB_Stars]

I have the last horse from my breeding program on loan to a local program. They love him, and they take really great care of him. Fortunately, he can do dressage tests for the able bodied, and he is built like a truck, and quiet, so he does a terrific job for the folks who need someone solid underneath of them. I’ve seen them teach children whose legs did not come below the skirt of the saddle, and he is a peach.

I could bring him home, but he is the star where he is, and gets a ton of attention, and exercise. Here, he’d be turned out, and retired, and he really wouldn’t love that.

Be careful where you send them, and keep an eye on things, but it can be a wonderful thing- for them, and those whose lives they touch!

[crosscreeksh]

[QUOTE=findeight;8888398]
As long as you have a written clause that protects you from them selling him without offering him to you first? It’s all good.

As a caveat to others, many of these places can and do sell donated horses to fund their operations, be SURE to carefully read the contract before signing and surrendering the horse. And keep in touch with them.[/QUOTE]

And I would be checking on him occasionally. Some therapeutic programs see nothing wrong with using lame horses!! “They are only walking”…well if you hurt that is not nice!! I’ve seen this scenario!!

[findeight]

I in no way meant all these programs can be sketchy about what they do with donated horses at all.

But it would be naive for those donating horses to some random therapeutic facility to assume everything is always sunshine and butterflies and to not carefully READ the contract, reasearch the place and its operators and visit the facility periodically.

Stuff happens, even in good programs, staff changes, facility relocation, financial setbacks can result in donated horses being sold. As much as you have to admire dedicated volunteer help, sometimes they aren’t aware, properly supervised or trained so mistakes are made. Many facilities do sell horses on to fund operations so due diligence s needed.

Enough donors have had nasty surprises down the road for me to point out the need for caution. That shouldn’t bother legit centers. Should also mention that legit operators will turn down more horses then they accept as unsuitable for the job demands. Beware the ones that take anything offered, they are little more then low end dealers slapping “Therapeutic” or " Handicapped" in the business name. Very few are actually non profits, verify that if they make the claim,

[Murphy_s_Mom]

My friend donated a horse a few years ago. She visits every six months or so. He looks great. Actually has better turnout than at her place. And the kids love him. He’s even been on the news a few times when the local station does a piece on the program.

[horsenut_8700]

We had a former boarder donate her older QH mare to a therapeutic program in western MA. She went out there several times, and was very up front with the fact that the horse was elderly and needed some extra care- a supplement and senior feed/soaked hay cubes to maintain weight.

Several months later we got a panicked call from the owner begging us to go pick up her horse. Turns out they hadn’t been managing her at all, but were using her literally up until the point where the horse was ready to drop dead. When we got there she was maybe a 1.5 on the body scale, had liquid diarrhea, and looked horrendous! She was vet checked for the ride, but we were all prepared for the fact that the 1 hour ride home might be too much in her condition.

The most disturbing part was that the owners of the therapeutic program weren’t in the least bit apologetic or embarrassed that they let this horse deteriorate to this condition. EVERY other horse on the property looked fine, but they couldn’t be bothered to give a little extra care to this old girl despite the fact that they were making $$$ off her up until the end. I would NEVER recommend donating a horse to a therapeutic program after that happened.

[lorilu]

BLESS YOU. It is an awesome, kind, caring thing to do, for both your heart horse and the folks in the program!!!

[jetsmom]

We have a therapy horse program at our barn. The horses are treated really well. They seem to enjoy their job and the attn.

[Inclined]

As a person with family members on the autism spectrum, thank you for your thoughtfulness. As a horse owner, check for red flags, and if there aren’t any, enjoy giving both your horse and some truly needy people a priceless gift.

[BetterOffRed]

Thanks all for your words of support … And of caution

I’m really confident with this program and the management. Regardless I plan to stay involved- I will probably be his sponsor to make sure that I stay up in the loop and make sure he wants for nothing.

Regarding the paperwork- my boyfriend is a contract attorney and one of my good friends is an equine attorney so I’ll have all paperwork reviewed before I sign anything.

I have friends who have children in this program - I’m beyond happy that he will be able to help them and others. I’ve also seen para riders like the late Jonathan Wentz develop incredible bonds with their horses. I would be over the moon if my guy found someone to help- lord knows how many times he helped me through hard times.

[findthedistance]

You’ve done your due diligence with the facility. Your contract states you get first right of refusal. You intend to drop in occasionally and check on him. You’re doing it right. These old guys that love people and attention tend to really thrive in the busy environment of a TR program, where they get petted every 15 minutes all day.

I work in the industry, and our program has a pony that has been doing the job for at least eight years. At age 31 he’s still sound and trucking around with the littles. We thought about retiring him a few years ago and he was NOT having it. So many kids have had physical, social, communication breakthroughs thanks to this pony. It wouldn’t have happened without his loving donor helping him find his “retirement” gig. Thank you!

[Skip_s_Rider]

I think this can be wonderful for both sides. My old horse, now 27, lives and works at a TR center. He gets excellent care, has a job, and enjoys the attention from the kids. He’s a rock star there because he’s so dependable. I still own him and pay for his vet, hoof care, ration balancer, and any other extras he needs. The TR facility is only a mile from where I board my other horse, so it’s easy to stop in.