EQUUS Foundation

10/31/2026

Happy endings don’t always mean returning to the saddle. For Nora, the right next chapter was a companion home where she could be part of a herd and loved for who she is. ⁣
⁣
After nearly two years of training, arthritis in Nora’s knees meant she needed a different kind of home. Claire was looking for a friend for one of her geldings, and Nora fit right in. The three horses formed a little herd within minutes, and one of the geldings even groomed her over the stall door.⁣
⁣
Now Nora has a place to belong. 💚🐴⁣
⁣
Read more: https://equusfoundation.org/next/next-chapter-display-profile-happy-endings.php?hid=24995&actionid=703⁣
⁣
|

10/30/2026

What a lovely day celebrating horses, the people who care for them, and the special connections that make our lives with horses so extraordinary!

We were fortunate to spend some time at Beezie Madden / John Madden Sales, Inc, home of Beezie Madden, a champion of champions and one of our very own EQUUS Foundation Equine Athletes.

John and Beezie have created a home for horses like no other. But what makes it truly special is something you can't measure in ribbons, rankings, or championships. It's the connection between horse and human—especially the extraordinary bond between a groom and a horse. The quiet moments, the daily rituals, the trust, and the countless little acts of care that make all the difference in a horse's life.

And that's what Horsetober is all about!

It's a celebration of the horse-human connection and a reminder that our love for horses comes with a responsibility to look out for their well-being and their futures.

A braid is a beautiful symbol of the time, patience, and care we share with horses. Passing it along is a way to celebrate the people who make a difference in horses' lives, spread the love, and bring more people into a community that believes every horse deserves a future worth celebrating.

So grab a braid, pass it on, tag a fellow horse lover, and help us close out this joyous celebration that reaches far beyond the barn!

Because it's not just about what horses do for us. It's about what we do for them.

For the Love of Horses. 💙

10/30/2026

What does the equine population in Guardian care actually look like? It’s incredibly diverse. 🐴💙

In 2024, EQUUS Foundation Guardian charities were responsible for the care of 4,228 equines, representing more than 30 different breeds and ranging in age from less than one year old to 42 years old.

Nearly 44% of Guardian organizations cared for between 10 and 25 equines, while Thoroughbreds represented more than 23% of the overall population and Quarter Horses approximately 14%.

These findings offer a closer look at the horses behind the numbers and the wide range of needs Guardian organizations are prepared to meet throughout an equine’s lifetime.

Explore more from the EQUUS Foundation 2025 Best Practices Study: equusfoundation.org/research/study.php

|

10/29/2026

📣 Calling all IEA teams!⁣
⁣
What could your team do to make life better for horses? ⁣
⁣
The new EQUUS Foundation IEA Team Award challenges IEA riders to take that question beyond the barn aisle.⁣
⁣
Choose an EQUUS Foundation Guardian or Mentor charity. Complete a volunteer project supporting its work. Then tell us what the experience taught your team about equine welfare.⁣
⁣
Projects can even be completed in person OR remotely, making it possible for teams across the country to participate.⁣
⁣
🐴 Make an impact.⁣
⁣
🤝 Work together.⁣
⁣
💙 Become .⁣
⁣
Registration closes January 15, 2027. Learn more: equusfoundation.org/horseprotectors-award⁣
⁣
|

10/28/2026

Watching Mr Fluffy connect with his partners at Maryland Therapeutic Riding, it was abundantly clear that he has a very special way of making so many ❤️ connections. We are delighted to share a a few pictures of his story as we celebrate Horsetober and the celebration of horse-human connection.

10/28/2026

Finding another home can feel kinder than saying goodbye.⁣
⁣
But for an aging horse, a horse living with chronic pain or one whose medical or physical limitations make their future uncertain, rehoming isn’t always the safest or most compassionate choice. ⁣
⁣
Before passing responsibility to someone else, consider what you know that a future owner may not.⁣
⁣
You know your horse’s history. Their normal. Their limitations. Their good days and difficult ones. You have relationships with the veterinarian, farrier and other professionals who have cared for them. Most importantly, you have the relationship with the horse.⁣
⁣
When quality of life is declining, transferring ownership can also transfer a very difficult decision to someone without that history and relationship. It may also leave a vulnerable horse facing an uncertain future.⁣
⁣
There are circumstances where responsible rehoming is absolutely appropriate. But there are also circumstances when providing a peaceful, humane ending surrounded by the people a horse knows and trusts may be the greatest protection we can offer.⁣
⁣
Responsible horse ownership doesn’t end when a horse can no longer do the job they once did. 💙

|

10/27/2026

🎨🐴 It’s time to get creative for Week Four of !

Bring your story to life through art! Whether you draw, paint, photograph, sculpt, or craft, we want to see what the horse-human connection means to YOU. 💙

Share your creation, tell us the story behind it, and to someone else!

Learn more: https://horsesformentalhealth.org/horsetober/

|

10/26/2026

Jo Anne Miller Receives the 2026 WIHS/EQUUS Foundation Honor and Service Award

EQUUS Foundation: Protecting America's Horses and Strengthening the Horse-Human Bond

10/26/2026

For nearly a decade, Shepard Meadows Equestrian Center in Bristol, Connecticut, has relied on the skilled support of a gelding named Moses to facilitate their vision: “to make a meaningful difference in the world - one person at a time - through creative, non-traditional and experiential equine-assisted services.”⁣
⁣
Through his contributions to adaptive riding, hippotherapy, equine-assisted learning, youth development, Gestalt programs, programs for veterans and seniors, and more, “Mo Mo” has touched thousands of lives.⁣
⁣
One veteran and first responder shared how Mo Mo has changed how he lives his life. “I’ve witnessed how Mo’s demeanor remains unaffected while supporting challenging riders, myself counted among them,” he says. “Confusing cues will not shift this horse from his drive to serve. I sense from this horse that there is something larger at stake here; he offers an invitation to look within.”⁣
⁣
Moses has also impacted volunteers who help care for the herd. One volunteer credits Moses for supporting her through her father’s serious illness and eventual passing. “During that time, I often didn’t know who I was or what my place in the world was, but this horse’s gentle, affirming presence was a lighthouse in the category five hurricane of my life,” she shares.⁣
⁣
“Moses offered comfort in ways only he could - using his body’s warmth and the gentle reassuring pressure of his flank against my side, lending his strength, absorbing and releasing my grief, as I processed emotions,” she says. “He affirmed choices I was contemplating in my life, and through his subtle yet intentional movements - either stepping toward me in encouragement or away in quiet reflection - helped guide my path forward. This horse is a profound healer. He is more than just a horse I work with; he is one of my best, truest friends.”⁣
⁣
Moses was named the 2025 PATH Equine of the Year, and in 2026 he was inducted by EQUUS Foundation into the Horse Stars Hall of Fame.⁣
⁣
Read more about Mo Mo here: https://equusfoundation.org/horse-stars/inductees/189/moses