One of the best places to find a free horse (or a very cheap one) is horse rescue associations. They take on a large number of horses each year but have only so much room (pasture, boxes), money (for food, bedding and other costs) and staff (to muck out and provide general care). Consequently, most of them are very happy to give a horse away to a good home, as this frees up room for other rescue horses and saves money. Usually they will provide a horse for free, although they may ask an administration fee (to help cover a portion of their direct costs).

Aside from getting a horse for free (almost), you are also helping out not only that horse but making room for the association to take on another rescue horse. So, you can save money and know that you are doing a good deed at the same time. Another advantage is that rescue organisations are non-profit and consequently looking at what is best for the horse and new owner, so are more likely to be honest about potential issues and the suitability of the horse to your requirements than businesses offering horses for sale.

Before they give a horse to a new owner, the association will need assurances that the horse will be well taken care of. You will need to show them that you have the facilities (e.g. stall, pasture) to take care of the horse, or that you will be renting adequate facilities (e.g. at a professional horse boarding business). They will also want to be assured that you have the time, money and commitment to take care of the horse long term.

Before taking a horse from a rescue organization, you should learn as much about the horse and its history as you can. This will help you understand its capabilities (e.g. how much training it has), physical health, any behavioral issues, and any health concerns. In this regard, one should ask about the results of any veterinary examinations and the experiences of the staff when dealing with the horse while it was in their care.

It is also useful to know why the horse was rescued and what condition it was in when rescued. If the reason was economic (e.g. owner in financial difficulty) or practical (owner moving house and will no longer have facilities) then there are no implications. However, in the case of horses which were neglected or abused, there may be long term health or behavioral issues. Knowing the horses background can identify potential issues which may otherwise not be apparent.

One also needs to think carefully about the horse’s current capabilities in terms of what you will use it for. Many rescue horses are old; if you only want the horse as a companion horse then this is not a problem but if you want to ride it regularly then an elderly horse is likely unsuitable. If the local rescue organizations don’t have a horse that meets your requirements, the best solution is to wait. Leave them your contact details and your requirements, after assuring them that you will provide a good home for the right horse. You may need to wait a few months, but with so many horses being rescued for a variety of reasons, there is a very good chance that one which meets your requirements will become available.

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