Heartland accepts horses on a care lease OR a purchase/donation with a trial period
Care Lease - When a horse is on a care lease, Heartland takes care of all of the horses needs. We pay for all the horses bills, and provide all physical care. There is no lease fee paid to the owner. Horses on a care lease will be sent back to the owner when the horse is ready to retire from our program. Horses are typically on trial until their training is complete - generally about 90 days.
Purchase - In the interest of making sure each horse in our herd is a great fit for our program, HTR always needs a trial period before buying a horse. Lease paperwork will be signed for the duration of the trial period. At the end of the trial, Heartland will determine if the horse is a good fit for the program, and will sign documents to purchase, or will send the horse back to the owner. The owner can also asses at the end of the trial to make sure they also feel it's a good fit and choose to sell the horse or not. The length of the trial period depends on the horse and circumstances.
Donation - In the interest of making sure each horse in our herd is a great fit for our program, HTR always needs a trial period before accepting a donated horse. Lease paperwork will be signed for the duration of the agreed upon trial. At the end of the trial, Heartland will determine if the horse is a good fit for the program, and will sign documents to accept the horse on donation, or will send the horse back to the owner. The owner can also asses at the end of the trial to make sure they also feel it's a good fit and choose to donate the horse or not. The length of the trial period depends on the horse and circumstances.
Horses expectations - Horses are Heartland are ridden in several lessons per week. Lessons consist of learning basic riding and horsemanship skills, walk and trot, games, trail rides etc. All students who participate at HTR have a disability. Horses will regularly be around riders who may act impulsively(such as jumping up and down on the monting block in excitement). They will be around fast and unexpected movements, loud and unexpected noises, toys and props that may bump them or fall (student could drop a ball when throwing it in a basket), students may sit backwards or sideways for therapy purposes, or may wiggle or lean throughout the lesson etc. Our volunteers help handle our horses. Horses may have mutiple people in close proximity for the duration of the lesson. Horses need to be able to tolerate having someone lead them, and having people walk beside them in a lesson.
What horses recieve at HTR - A stall in our barn, feed 2-3 times per day, daily turnout, blanketing, rotuine care with our vet, farrier, chiropractor, and saddle fitter, special services as needed - mainly accupuncture and massage, training and conditioning for our programming conducted by our staff, a meaningfull job helping people, daily love and attention from staff, riders, and volunteers! Horses recieve 3-4 days off per week and several full weeks off throughout the year.