Horse Hunters, Consider Adoption as a First Option
by Kelli Summers Sorg
T
he search for your next equine partner can be a long and expensive process. It’s hard to know if you really are a good fit with that flashy, fancy horse that has captured your attention (and often your heart) before you ever open your wallet. Even then, after paying several thousand dollars, it takes time for both you and your new horse to settle into a good working relationship. People don’t often consider rescue horses because they assume that the horses are in the rescue system through some fault of their own. This is very rarely the case. Horses that have been surrendered by their owners often come from homes where they were loved and well treated, but the family fell on financial hardship. Even
horses that are surrendered from more difficult situations often receive the training they need to fill in any training “holes”, making them more solid equine citizens after their time at a rescue facility. That is the case for horses and other equines that pass through the barn doors of the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center (KyEAC) in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Situated on 72 rolling acres in the heart of the Bluegrass, KyEAC is the largest all-breed equine rescue in the state. At any given time, approximately half of the 50+ equine herd are thoroughbreds. The rest of the equines range from the biggest draft horses to the smallest miniature ponies, with donkeys, mules, and other breeds of horses making up the balance. Horses come to the
Center from all four corners of Kentucky, sometimes with dramatic stories of neglect and abuse. More often, however, they are stories of horses and people caught in difficult life situations – family crises, financial woes, job loss, or any of life’s transitions that could mean a beloved horse needs to find its next forever home. KyEAC is home to the FastTrack program, where off-the-track thoroughbreds come to the Center within 3 years after the end of their professional racing career. They are evaluated by a veterinarian that specializes in thoroughbreds and their particular set of issues. After a season of rest, and nutrition suited to their individualized needs, their retraining begins with a trainer whose interests and strengths are suited to this
special breed. Off-the-track thoroughbreds are natural athletes and the horses that come through KyEAC’s FastTrack program are exceptionally suited to go on to other disciplines where their athletic abilities, quick reflexes, and agile minds will be assets to their human partners. The Kentucky Equine Adoption Center only accepts horses from within the state of Kentucky, but places horses all over the United States. For more information and to view ALL currently available horses, not just thoroughbreds, please visit: kyeac.org. KyEAC is a 501c3 that operates on donations from the public and private foundations. Donations can be made through PayPal and through our secure website.
2022 OHIO EQUESTRIAN DIRECTORY 97
