Frequently Asked Questions

We get a lot of the same questions over and over, so why not just answer them here. Here are some of them and as others come in I will post questions and response here as well…

Why do you retain ownership on your horses and why is your application so long?

Easy answer? Our horses come from incredibly torturous or hard working pasts, and our goal is to protect them from going through this again. Our contracts and 6 month check ins are required to monitor to make sure the horses are cared for and safe. Our motto is: No contract. No horse. We want our horses to go into homes who are committed. If you can’t take the time to complete the paperwork and do the follow-ups, then we will find a home elsewhere.

Do you adopt outside the State of Ohio?

Yes, as a matter of fact, we do. We work with rescues and Humane Societies all over the country to insure we can place within the US. We don’t place any horses outside the US, as the contracts are too intensive to uphold.

What are your typical fees and how are they determined?

Our adoption drafts run from free to $1500 or so, depending on the horse, its abilities, its accomplishments, age, and temperaments.

Do you allow your mares to be bred?

Our mares are on an absolute NO BREEDING policy. All horses are required to be seen at a documented visit to a vet on their yearly exams. Part of this exam is either a pregnancy test or palpation of the mare for pregnancy. One of the quickest ways to have a horse removed from your placement is if we find she is indeed bred.

Do you allow placement with camps, community groups, lesson programs or as work horses?

We no longer place our drafts with any of these types of placements. We feel that most have spent too many years already working farm equipment or unappreciated by their owners. Now it is time for being spoiled and well cared for without the stress of plowing fields, standing/working long hours in the heat, or standing nights in a tie stall after working long hours.

We don’t place with carriage companies so that the horses are stressed out over everything encountered while working in the city or even the occasional wedding that might set them off due to not being used to it. We feel that horses placed in lesson or camp programs don’t have a specified owner responsible for their care, and too many people not knowing a horses routine could easily mask an issue. But if someone knows the horses habits they can spot an issue right away. These types of programs also cater to beginner riders who have no knowledge of proper horsemanship, and we don’t want our horses to be handled roughly, have their mouths pulled on, or an unassuming person being hurt by such a large animal. And we definitely don’t place with breeders, embryo transplant farms or nursemare farms for surrogates.

When are your mandatory check-ins for your horses?

We must have mandatory paperwork in to us by June 1 and December 1 of every calendar year. Pictures are to be timestamped. We will contact vet offices after receiving yearly exam forms for verification if a concern arises. If you adopt a horse between September 1 and February 29, your first set of paperwork will be due to us by June 1. If you adopt between March 1 and August 31, your first set of paperwork will be required by December 1. You will continue to follow that schedule for the 5 year period. You will have five 6 month checks and five 1 year checks. Only when you receive an email releasing your draft will you be the new full owner of that draft. Additional forms can be e-mailed to you by us. If you need the forms, please contact us far enough in advance for us to get them to you in a timely manner. These are your responsibility to get to us. We will try and send reminders, but have a lot going on here at the farm and sometimes forget. Unreceived check-up forms are enough of a reason to remove your horse.

Are your staff paid from funds and donations you receive?

Our rescue is run 100% by unpaid family. Every dime of donation fees, adoption fees and proceeds from rebates are put right back into the care of the animals, facility and equipment needed to operate.

Do you use volunteers?

Until now we have not used volunteers. We have done everything hands-on ourselves. We may accept a very limited number of volunteers in the future, but none will have hands-on with horses until after several months of working with us.

How about foster homes? Do you use those?

Until very recently, we haven’t allowed our drafts out on foster care, due to wanting to maintain them hands on ourselves. We have since decided that due to the overwhelming number of horses needing homes, we are using a very small number of qualified and screened homes for some of our horses.

How do I become a volunteer or foster home?

Please contact us and someone will get back with you with the necessary paperwork.