Resources for Responsible Horse Ownership

The American Association of Equine Practitioners estimates that the minimum yearly cost to care for a horse, not including veterinary and farrier expenses, is $1,825. Add in veterinary and farrier costs, as well as boarding expenses in some cases, and the yearly cost for keeping one horse can reach $5,000.

According to the Unwanted Horse Coalition, there are many reasons why horse owners are unable to keep their horses, including illness, injury, age, and expense.

If you are a horse owner who is facing a difficult decision, please know that there are options, from selling or leasing your horse to donating it to a worthy organization. Following are some resources that you may find helpful:

American Association of Equine Practitioners

The AAEP offers resources for horse owners, including a booklet on Care Guidelines for Equine Rescue and Retirement facilities.

American Veterinary Medical Association

The AVMA has an FAQ on horse slaughter and the issue of unwanted horses in our country.

Dignified Pet Services

Dignified Pet Services offers whole body, individual cremation for horses and provides transportation from your home to their facility.

Equisearch.com

Equisearch.com provides articles and information on horse rescue and welfare issues, including articles about the horse slaughter issue.

Unwanted Horse Coalition

The mission of the UHC is to reduce the number of unwanted horses and improve their welfare through education. The coalition's "Own Responsibly" campaign includes a handbook, which offers information on the responsibilities of horse ownership, options for owners with unwanted horses, retirement facilities, and tax implications of donating a horse to a charity.

Horse Care Classes

Bend, Redmond, Prineville: Offered in Winter 2008 through Central Oregon Community College’s Community Learning program, you can learn about horse nutrition, vital signs, how to recognize emergency situations, bandaging and first aid, vaccinations, and health problems such as colic and founder. Use your new knowledge to create a basic health-care routine to keep your horse well. Six weekday evening sessions at locations in Bend, Redmond and Prineville. Instructors are local veterinarians: Dr. Fay Burton, Dr. Cassee Terry and Dr. Rhet Schultz. Register online or call (541) 383-7700. The cost is $49.

Corvallis: The second annual Horse Owner Education Series is designed to help horse owners learn about issues ranging from disease and illness prevention to care and feeding. All seminars are led by specialists from the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine. The sessions will be held on Mondays in Magruder Hall Room 102 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. For more information, call (541) 737-2858.

• Dec. 17: Equine dentistry, Dr. Jacob Meacham
• Jan. 7: Dealing with colic, Dr. John Schlipf
• Jan. 14: Equine toxicities, Dr. Katelyn Romeo
• Jan. 28: Laminitis, Dr. Shannon Reed
• Feb. 4: Management and problems related to geriatric horses, Dr. Jaime Hustace
• Feb. 11: A horse owner’s guide to lameness, Dr. Stacy Semevolos
• Feb. 18: Equine nutrition, Dr. Erica McKenzie

Note: The Oregon Veterinary Medical Association is not responsible for, nor specifically endorses, the content of these Web sites, but offers these links as a courtesy. If you have specific questions or concerns about any of these sites, please contact the owner of the site directly.