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The EQUUS Foundation Announces 2012 Grant Awards

WESTPORT, CT - August 31, 2012 - The Board of Directors of the EQUUS Foundation, Inc. is pleased to announce the award of over $290,000 in grants to charities dedicated to the well-being of horses and improving the quality of life of people through equine-assisted activities and therapies.

The EQUUS Foundation is dedicated to Helping Horses Heal People. The number of unwanted horses, estimated at 170,000 a year, has reached an epidemic level in the United States. Tragically, many are slaughtered. Instead, they can be rescued - and many can be re-trained and re-homed for useful lives as therapy horses.

Therapy programs using horses benefit the minds, bodies and spirits of people with special needs in ways that no other therapy can. Therapy programs using horses can improve balance, strengthen muscles, advance communication skills, and increase self-esteem and confidence.

Helping Horses Heal People

First words are spoken; crutches are set side.
Equine therapy programs cannot operate without healthy, reliable and trained horses. There are an estimated 1,000 organizations using horses to provide physical, cognitive and emotional therapy to over 40,000 people with special needs.

Many more people can benefit from this extraordinary therapy with more trained horses. For example, an estimated 1.5 million Americans live with Autism; an estimated one in four veterans come home with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

“Our goal is to secure homes for all unwanted horses, and for those that can be trained for use in therapy programs, to ensure that these horses benefit from the horse-human bond as much as people do. We envision a more informed and compassionate America that values the magical and powerful bond we have with horses so that more people can benefit from the horse-human bond,” said Jenny Belknap Kees, EQUUS Foundation Chairman of the Board.

“We strive to provide financial support to as many worthy equine charities in the United States as possible; however, on the average, less than one-quarter receive grant awards. While we continue to work hard to raise more funds, we have developed and continue to develop other programs and services to benefit equine charities.”

Champions
Sign up at equusfoundation.org/signup.

You can help!
The carros4acause network was launched in October 2011 to bring together interested individuals with equine organizations across the United States. To date, over 500 equine organizations have joined the network, and there are over 1,200 individuals now participating as volunteers.

In January 2012, the Foundation launched "Champions", our incentive-based equine service volunteer program. "Champions" are individuals who volunteer a minimum of 24 hours over the course of one year for an organization on the network.

Champions are eligible to receive EQUUS Foundation scholarships and are automatically entered in an annual drawing where the winner can give a grant to her or her favorite equine charity on the network.

The 2012 grant recipients of the EQUUS Foundation include:

7 Star Horse and Family Center
Amazing Grace Equine Sanctuary, Inc
American Institute for Neuro-Integrative Development (AIND) & Giant Steps School
Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue, Inc.
Animal Assisted Therapy Services, Inc.
Animal Protection of New Mexico (APNM)
Animals as Natural Therapy
Bridgeport Police Mounted Unit
Brook Hill Retirement Center for Horses, Inc
Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center
Charleston Area Therapeutic Riding, Inc.
Chasing Rainbows
City to Saddle
Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center
Days End Farm Horse Rescue
Dream Catcher Stables, Inc
Dreamchaser Horse Rescue & Rehabilitation
Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary
Equus Therapeutic Inc
Faith Equestrian Therapeutic Center
Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center
Friends of Ferdinand Inc
G.A.I.T. Inc.
Garfield Park Academy
Giving Alternative Learners Uplifting Opportunities, Inc. (GALLOPNYC)
Gleneayre Equestrian Program
Green Chimneys Children's Services, Inc.
H.O.R.S.E. of CT, Inc.
Habitat for HorsesHeaven Can Wait Equine Sanctuary For Healing and Learning
High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc.
Hole in the Wall Gang Camp

Hoofbeats Therapeutic Riding Center
Hope in the Valley Equine Rescue and Sanctuary Inc.
Horsepower, Inc.
Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center
Mitchell Farm Equine Retirement, Inc.
Neigh Savers Foundation, Inc.
New Canaan Mounted Troop
North Carolina Therapeutic Riding Center
Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program
People & Animal Learning Services, Inc. (PALS)
Refuge Farms, Inc., Horse Rescue & Sanctuary
Reindancer Therapeutic Riding Center
ReRun
Ride On St. Louis
Riding To The Top Therapeutic Riding Center
Riding Unlimited Inc
Rio Bravo Therapy Services, Inc DBA Therapeutic Horsemanship of El Paso
Ripley's Horse Aid Foundation
Rocking Horse Ranch Therapeutic Riding Program, Inc.
S.T.A.R. Ranch
Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program
Small Miracles Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Inc.
Speak Up for Horses, Inc.
Special Equestrians
Special Equestrians, Inc.
Therapeutic Horsemanship of Hawaii - Kona Program
Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center
We Will RideTherapeutic Riding Inc.
Windridge Therapeutic Equestrian Center

About The EQUUS Foundation

The EQUUS Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity established in 2002, also known as Horse Charities of America, is dedicated to improving the quality of life of horses, advancing the use of horses to enrich the lives of people in need and educating the public about the horse’s unique ability to empower, teach and heal.

What started as a local effort is now a nationwide campaign on behalf of horses. The Foundation accomplishes its mission by providing financial support to horse-related charities across the United States; connecting a network of equine organizations to equine enthusiasts; providing scholarships to reward volunteer service on behalf of horses, and conducting information outreach to educate the public about horses.

Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Contact The EQUUS Foundation, Inc., at 168 Long Lots Road, Westport, CT 06880, Tele: (203) 259-1550, E-Mail: mail@equusfoundation.org, Website: equusfoundation.org.