Interested in Setting Up a Non Profit Rescue? A Resource to Help

(photo by The Second Race, two residents of GEVA in Northern California)
Before I started The Second Race and went out on my own to rescue/retire ex-racehorses, I served on two boards of California based rescues. I learned from those that started their own, how difficult and the amount of work it takes to successfully get them up off the ground. I volunteer presently for CERF (California Equine Retirement Foundation) and see 25 years of experience in running a well organized and funded operation. Whether you are just contemplating a non profit, struggle each day to make it work, or have a relatively well known and funded group. It's a lot of work. Often folks go into rescue with the thought that they have a pasture area, pipe stalls and a willing heart, however many well intentioned (and some not so much) find it's not "easy" to open up a rescue facility for horses.

The Second Race does have it on the business plan to open it's own facility within five years. So I am learning and gathering resources all the time. I have discovered that the AAEP has put together a manual as a guide for those that would like to responsibly consider the creation of an equine rescue.
The introduction page from the manual reads:

In order to provide guidance to non-veterinarians at equine rescue and retirement
facilities regarding the care of a horse throughout its life, the AAEP has developed
the following care guidelines. Rescue and retirement facilities play a vital role in
providing lifelong care and/or finding new owners for horses that may be considered
“unwanted” or have been subjected to neglect or abuse. The AAEP recognizes and
commends the important services these facilities provide to the horses and individuals who benefit from their work. While many principles of basic horse care and management apply to all horses, regardless of their situation, those horses entering rescue or retirement facilities may arrive with unique health challenges. For this reason, employees and volunteers should be experienced in basic horse care and understand the health conditions that require medical attention from a veterinarian. Equine veterinarians play an important role in the care of the animals at rescue and retirement facilities and can offer valuable advice on many aspects of horse care. It is important that facilities establish a good relationship with an equine veterinarian. The guidelines presented in this manual are for informational use only and are not considered to be legally binding. Because appropriate horse care practices vary due to climate, region, use and many other factors, the guidelines are intentionally broad.

To read more or to download the manual here is the link:

http://www.aaep.org/pdfs/rescue_retirement_guidelines.pdf

An Equine's Rights??-- The Argument for and Against Retirement of Horses and Second Careers

In order to keep up to date on all that is going on in retirement, rescue, racing etc I subscribe to Google Alerts. With Google Alerts I am able to key in phrases or words from articles and blog postings that may be of use to me. I use key words such as Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, Horse Rescue, Horse Charity to name a few. To say that I have had an education in the past month to how others see horse racing and animal rights would be an understatement.

For the most part I do not comment on what I see nor post. I rarely leave a comment to the original author of what is said. However, today I was floored to read on a vegan slanted blog post and the subsequent comments that I thought I would share their musings. First off, I love horse racing. I am going to be biased in my approach straight away. I love many people in horse racing, and again my take will be much different than those who are not associated with the industry. More importantly I love horses and I love being able to remove them off the track when they can no longer race for whatever reason.

So, back to the blog and posts--- The jest of the article was that it was "cruel to ask a horse to provide for it's own care after retirement by making it work as a therapeutic riding horse in order to maintain it's own keep at the facility". Subsequent posts stated that "the equine's rights were being violated". HUH? The blog post went on to argue a hypothetical analysis of what was in the best interest of the equine vs. the best interests of the human that it was transporting on it's back and was the exploitation of the horse beneficial to the experience of the person versus the forced will of man over beast. Yes, I will wait while you catch up.

I can't believe that this is all we have as lovers of animals to argue about?. Whether or not a horse should be donated or not to a charity that provides mobility to a child or a blind adult that they would not normally have, so that a horse can have something to do and feel good about itself in the process and by the way "earn it's keep", HUH? But then again should I really be surprised when the national news carried for an entire day the fallen fly that our leader, President Obama blotted off our American landscape?

Many find horse racing cruel, many argue that until all horses are free to roam we are exercising our will on them. Another remark stated that "horses are raped for a rich mans pleasure". OUCH! Breeding of horses is an industry, and yes covering a mare is not a chosen courtship as in the wild, however it is the way in which a foal is conceived in racing. Basic biology here, and it's to protect the stallion, mare and those that are standing there collectively helping with the process.

We can argue that a race horse shouldn't be raced at two, that they should be started at three or four, we can argue why and when if ever a horse should be whipped, and we can argue over the use of Lasix to enhance performance. However, the argument that the horse has "rights" as a human does, is insane and in my opinion misguided.

Race Horse and Equine rescue and retirement groups, and therapeutic riding centers do not need a bunch of "crazed" individuals ridiculing their efforts by suggesting a horse doesn't want a saddle on him and should not be made to be useful to society after it's racing days are over (if at all). I say leave these arguments dear animal lovers behind, and find something better to worry about, like the giant horse fly that I will swat and kill the next time it buzzes around my head.

Many of you wrote to say how outraged you were regarding the cruelty inflicted on the grey filly. Here is a follow up to that story. She has arrived at her forever home in San Diego county. Here is the news story.

http://www.cbs8.com/Global/story.asp?S=10758557