Maryland Equine Transition Service & The Right Horse Summit, continued
ground with METS, as they also believed in being nonjudgmental and offering as many resources as possible, even though they may not have the space to take a horse into their facilities. If organizations cannot help owners in the ways they need, they give them a contact for someone else who might be able to; it’s all about the common goal of helping the horses. Te second day of the Summit was open to the public. Days End
Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR) also attended the summit and CEO Erin Ochoa gave a presentation about marketing the companion horse. Many of the horses that are most at risk of ending up at auction are the ones that are older or suitable as companions only. While there is certainly a market for companion horses, they are significantly more difficult to place than a rideable horse. Ochoa’s advice that hit closest to home was to make each interaction as personal as possible, no matter if it’s with current owners or with potential adopters. Since adoption is an emo- tional thing, it’s useful to touch on the emotional connection that people form with horses. If you can connect with a potential adopter, they are more likely to adopt. Ochoa also spoke about the common theme of us- ing resources as effectively as possible. She explained that many trainers would be willing to donate their time in order to make a horse more adoptable. Everyone wants to feel like they are a part of something big- ger than themselves, and many horse professionals would be willing to help a rescue if asked. She encouraged everyone to reach out to their local trainers if they needed extra training help, because you never know what the answer will be until you ask. Te METS team flew home with their minds brimming with new ideas. Being able to collaborate and work with Te Right Horse has proven to be tremendously positive for METS and meeting the many other Partners helped reinforce that fact. All in all, the Summit was an inspiring and ex- tremely beneficial event and METS is excited for what the future holds as it continues to grow and help even more of Maryland’s horses.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Partnerships Crucial to Transitioning Horses
by Brittney Vallot, Director of Maryland Equine Transition Service Finding successful placement for horses in need of homes can be a
challenge for a variety of reasons. It takes hard work, creative thinking, and collaboration, but it can be done. All of these components ultimately resulted in the successful placement of a sweet pony mare named Magic. As Director of the Maryland Equine Transition Service (METS), a large
Magic is METS’ first official placement horse!
part of my job is assessing horses in need of transition and determining what is the best avenue to take for each horse, placement or humane eu- thanasia, based on a physical and behavioral assessment. Te majority of owners opt to use METS for placement assistance. In early October 2018, I arrived at a Montgomery County farm to assess Magic, a 10 year old, 14.3h Appaloosa-X mare. Magic’s owner was heartbroken over having to quickly rehome her pony due to unforeseen illness and financial difficul- ties, and she only had until the end of the month to find her a safe place to go. She refused to allow Magic to go to auction, or to carelessly give her away to anyone who would take her, out of fear that Magic could end up in an unsafe situa- tion such as pos- sible abuse, neglect, or slaughter. Tis is why she called METS for help. Upon meeting
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