Fostering a Horse

The Right Horse and ASPCA launch a foster campaign to help horses in transition.

The right horse and AsPCA launch a foster campaign to help horses in transition.

Nexus equine rescue, a rehoming partner of the american society for the prevention of cruelty to animals (aspca) regional support center and an adoption partner of the aspca’s the right horse initiative (trh), seeks to place horses in loving homes through adoption or temporarily foster them in order to create additional capacity at the facility for those horses in need.

“I think it’s really good for kids to be able to take an animal in to rehab or work with and get it to the point for someone else to enjoy,” says Carrie Hunt, who recently took part in Nexus Equine Rescue’s foster program, along with her 15-year-old daughter, McKayla.

Hunt sees it as an opportunity to spread joy that also happens to include great learning experiences.

Hunt and her daughter fostered Ace, a 20-year-old Quarter Horse that was surrendered to the ASPCA Regional Support Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., last November. Ace had been ridden as a 7- or 8-year-old but, in recent history, had only been under saddle a handful of times before he came to stay with the Hunts.

“He was definitely very sweet,” says McKayla. “But it took him a little bit to get the hang of things after being out for so many years.”

ACE’S STORY

Nexus Equine Rescue became familiar with McKayla’s talents last year when she was named the winner of the 4-H Equine Makeover, which was held at the facility. The program, funded by TRH, pairs 4-H youth with horses of different breeds, training levels, and health scores, and then challenges the 4-Hers to use their skills to improve the lives of their equine partners over a 90-day period. This led them to reach out to McKayla for assistance with Ace.

Prior to Ace’s arrival, the rescue made certain that he was up to date on his health and farrier care. Then, during his stay with the Hunts, they provided his feed and hay. The amount of assistance provided by the adoption organization varies.

“In general, they will cover veterinary care and most of the farrier care,” says Emily Weiss, DVM, vice president of ASPCA Equine Welfare. “Some of them do reimburse for hay and feed or provide a stipend for it.”

While under the Hunts’ care, McKayla started him on a desensitization process and got him going under saddle again. Ace needed help calming his anxieties and improving some basic manners under saddle. Her goal was to help create a safe trail riding horse, which is exactly what she did.

In the meantime, the rescue continued to market Ace for adoption. About a month later, potential adopters came to visit. Although the potential adopters, a father/daughter pair, had previous horse experience, McKayla walked