MISSION & PROGRAMS

Mission:
Faith N Friends works to address both the equine and human needs by providing care, treatment, rescue, and training, as well as matching loving owners to the right horse while helping and educating horse owners and the community.

Our organization provides programs involved with equine rescue, adoption & retirement
Our organization conducts Equine Assisted Services in accordance with the EQUUS Foundation Guidelines on Qualifications of Organizations Conducting Equine Assisted Services (EAS).
Our organization provides community outreach and/or public education programs involving horses.
Our organization is directly responsible for the care and shelter of equines involved in our programs.
100% of our total programs and services are horse-related.
Our organization uses satellite, overflow, foster, and/or outreach facilities which adhere to all the policies, procedures and practices of our organization

Horse Rescue, Rehabilitation, Retraining & Re-homing:
Overview of our programs involved with rescue, rehabilitation, retraining, re-homing and/or retirement:
     Faith N Friends accepts owner surrenders and donations of equines for rehoming and sanctuary (retirement) opportunities. Owner Surrender information and forms are provided under direct links on our website. We promote rehoming through adoption with individual pages on our website for each adoptable equine with direct links to fostering/adoption contracts on multiple pages on our website. We provide clear and transparent information on each equine, including any "vices," disability, or special needs. We provide pictures and video where available for each horse with clear contact and adoption information.
This section is required only for organizations that provide Equine Assisted Services (EAS).

Equine Assisted Services (EAS):
Our organization provides the following Equine Assisted Services (EAS):
    Equine-Assisted Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy/Speech-Language Pathology
    Equine-Assisted Learning involving Academic Learning


Overview of our programs involved with providing EAS to individuals with special needs:
     Reading with the Rescues is a group language, literacy, and social skills session for students with disabilities run by a certified speech-language pathologist. It will include assisted therapy using mini horses to increase motivation and sensory input, and decrease stress. Recommended for 4-10-year-olds but could be modified for older students with high support needs/lower communication if needed. We do not provide physical therapy.

Overview of our programs involved with providing community outreach and/or public education programs involving horses:
     On-site school programs and summer camps for elementary-aged students providing handling and riding opportunities as well as education.
     Volunteer opportunities for school-aged children through high school providing handling and riding opportunities as well as education.
     Partnering with local agencies to provide handling and education opportunities to special needs and groups.

Research/Medical Use of Equines:
Our organization has never made, and would not ever consider making, equines available for research studies or medical training that involves invasive procedures and/or that which may cause pain or suffering to the equine. 

Religious Affiliation:
Our organization does not promote religious education, religious purposes, or a specific religious faith or use donations for religious education or religious purposes; require participants to be of a certain faith; require participation in religious, instruction, activities or services; or require participation in prayer, worship, religious instruction or other religious activities as a condition of receiving social or secular services offered. 

Auction Donation:
Our organization has never allowed, or would not consider allowing, an equine to be sold, transferred, released, or otherwise placed into possession of any person or organization that would cause or allow the equine to be sold at auction for slaughter. 

POLICIES: ACQUISITION

Our organization acquires horses/equines from the following source(s):
    Donation  
    Auction  
    Return  
    Surrender  
    Abandonment  

Our organization does not acquire horses/equines from the following source(s):
    Lease  
    Purchase/Adoption from Owner  
    Kill pen/Feedlot  
    Seizure  

Our organization will accept the following:
    Geldings
    Mares
    Pregnant Mares
    Foals
    Only Stallions to be castrated

Not Checked:
    Stallions

Additional information about our acquisition policies and practices:
On rare occasions we may accept a donated horse for use in our programs.
     On rare occasions, we have purchased from an auction for use in our programs.
     On rare occasions we have accepted a stallion but have it castrated immediately. Our policy is that this must be done prior to intake, but some situations we feel we must accept the horse as-is for the benefit of the horse.

POLICIES: INTAKE, ASSESSMENT & TRAININING

Prior to a horse being accepted and/or arriving at the facility, the organization requires the following with respect to the health status of the horse:
    A current Coggins
    Vaccination records that have been administered within the last 12 months
    If health records are not available or are out-of-date, the owner is responsible for having vaccinations administered.
    If health records are not available or are out-of-date, our veterinarian will administer appropriate vaccinations

Prior to a horse being accepted and/or arriving at the facility, the organization has the following policies in place:
    The owner of a potential equine is interviewed over the phone or in person prior to seeing the equine
    The owner completes an application/contract which constitutes the agreement between the owner and our organization
    The owner is financially responsible for the shipping of the equine to and from the organization
    Equines are not taken on trial

Following arrival of the equine at the facility, the following is performed:
    Physical examination by trained barn staff
    Photographs are taken of each equine upon arrival at the facility and kept with the equine's health records
    A Henneke Body Conditioning Score or other body conditioning score is assigned
    Physical examination by a farrier
    De-worming
    The equine is scanned to check for a microchip
    The equine is microchipped if the scan indicates that there is no microchip

Upon intake, the organization has the following quarantine policy in place:
    The equine is confined to a designated and separate area for isolation and quarantine at the facility for a prescribed period of time

The typical length of quarantine is:   20 to 30 days

Horses are assessed for following skills and behaviors:
    Retrieval from a pasture/paddock
    Leading with a halter and lead rope
    Temperament, disposition and attitude, such as rated from very calm to very high spirited
    Saddling
    Bridling
    Lunging
    Loading onto and unloading off a trailer
    Mounting and dismounting
    Riding at the walk
    Riding at the trot
    Riding at the canter
    Riding by a beginner and/or unbalanced rider
    Tolerance to unusual objects and loud noises
    Known vices, i.e., cribbing, biting, kicking, weaving, stall walking, etc
    Grooming
    Tolerance to multiple handlers at the same time

Our organization has the following policies and procedures in place pertaining to the ongoing assessment of horses in its care:
    The Henneke Body Condition score or other body conditioning score is updated at least annually
    Photographs are taken of each equine annually and kept with the equine's health records
    Equines at our facility may be treated by an equine chiropractor
    Equines at our facility may be treated by an equine acupuncturist
    Equines at our facility may be treated by an equine massage therapist
    Equines at our facility may be treated by an equine nutritionist
Our organization has the following policies and procedures in place pertaining to the weight-carrying or workload capabilities of horses/equines that are ridden in our care:
    Our organization evaluates at least annually and maintains a written record of the weight-carrying and workload limitations for each equine that is ridden

The following variables are considered in determining the weight-carrying and workload limitations for each equine that is ridden:
    Equine age, weight, breed, body condition, fitness, balance, health and soundness
    Equine conformation to include the top line, length of back, strength and width of loin, bone density (measured by the circumference of the cannon bone just below the knee)
    Size, shape, condition and angle of the hooves
    Participant weight, height, body proportions, balance, fitness and riding skills as well as behavioral issues and safety concerns
    Weight and proper fit of the saddle and other equipment
    Terrain and footing in the working environment
    Duration and frequency of working sessions, as the frequency with which an equine is subjected to maximum weight carrying and/or workload
    Nature and pace of work, repetitive or varied, radius of turns, degree of incline and regularity of footing when equine is subject to maximum weight-carrying capacity
    Temperature and/or weather conditions
    Seasonal impact on the equines' workload and weight-carrying capabilities and limitations


Horses provided formal training (groundwork or riding):   2-3 times per week

Additional information about our intake, assessment & training policies and practices:
Following arrival at the facility, the following is performed:
     Depending on condition of horse at arrival, a veterinary visit will be scheduled asap if we determine it's needed. So many times owner's who surrender do not always reveal the complete history or condition of the horse, but every horse is assessed on arrival to determine condition & if a vet visit is req'd.
     
     We require all surrenders to be up to date on all vaccines/dental/deworming/coggins/farrier. There are times when an owner cannot afford the cost or because of their situation, whatever it may be, we will accept the horse and take care of it by a vet at our cost.
     
     We sometimes evaluate a horse at it's current place of residence prior to intake. If we cannot evaluate at place of residence, we ask for videos and pictures to be sent for review.
     
     We use an intake form for assessment at time of arrival. We often find inconsistencies with the information the owner has provided on their owner surrender form. The owner surrender form is rec'd by email with pictures and is presented to the board for acceptance or denial.
     
     Where is a horse/equine quarantined on intake? We only quarantine if we are not provided current health records by the owner until we can have the horse brought up to date by our vet, and then kept in quarantine for up to 30 days.
     
     We maintain all records digitally w/ Stable Secretary software and also hard copy binders for all horses.

POLICIES: BREEDING

The organization has the following policies related to breeding and stallions:
    The facility or facilities where our organization conducts its programs, including foster facilities, does NOT breed equines.

POLICIES: EUTHANASIA

The organization has the following policies related to euthanasia:
    Our organization will never have an equine euthanized for space
    Our organization may have a healthy equine euthanized if it is a threat to itself, other equines, or people and euthanasia is recommended by a veterinarian
    Our organization may have an equine euthanized upon the recommendation of the veterinarian after all reasonable treatment options have been explored
    Euthanasia is done on site when possible to decrease trauma from transport
    Euthanasia is done at the veterinarian's facility
    Disposal of the carcass is handled within 24 hours

The following are authorized to administer the procedure for your organization in accordance with state laws:
    Veterinarian

Additional information about our euthanasia policies and practices:
POLICIES: EUTHANASIA: "Our organization may have a healthy equine euthanized if it is a threat to itself, other equines, or people."
     We have never encountered such a situation where we thought a horse needed to be euthanized due to its' behavior. If a horse has behavioral issues, it is sent to a professional trainer. Only as a last resort and if recommended by a veterinarian will it be considered.

POLICIES: RE-HOMING

View Re-homing Agreement
Our organization has the following re-homing (adoption/purchase) policies and procedures in place:
    All potential adopters/purchasers complete a written contract which constitutes the agreement between our organization and the new owner
    Our organization will only re-home an equine to a location where another equine resides
    Potential adopters/purchasers must visit our organization and be observed with the equine on site
    The distance of a potential adopter/purchaser's home from our facility is a consideration for when re-homing an equine
    Our organization conducts a site visit of the adopter/purchaser's facility before the transfer of the equine to the adopter/purchaser's facility

The uploaded Re-homing agreement includes the following re-homing (adoption/purchase) statements:
    The agreement states that re-homed equines CANNOT be sold, adopted, transferred, auctioned, released, given away, or otherwise placed into the possession of another individual or organization under any circumstances.
    The agreement reflects that any individual or organization in possession of the equine as of the date of the agreement and any time thereafter is bound to not sell the equine at auction for slaughter or allow the equine to be sold, transferred, released, or otherwise placed into possession of any person or organization that will cause or allow the equine to be sold at auction for slaughter.
    The agreement states that should the adopter decide to re-home the equine, our organization must grant approval of any individual or organization intending to take possession of the equine for any reason prior to the equine being placed into the possession of such individual or organization, including being provided written notification of the name, address, and telephone number of any individual or organization intending to take possession of the equine for any reason.
    The agreement states that the terms of our organization's agreement will be binding on any future individual or organization taking and/or in possession of the equine for any reason.
    The agreement states that re-homed equines cannot be bred
    The agreement states that if there is any breach of contract the equine must be returned to our organization
    The agreement states that our organization reserves the right to make unannounced visits
    The agreement states that our organization reserves the right to make scheduled visits
    The agreement states that adopters/purchasers can return an equine to our organization free of charge
    The agreement states that adopters/purchasers are required to provide updates (photos, vet records) for three or more years

Our organization requires references from the following:
    Veterinarian
    Farrier
    Personal/Other

Transfer of ownership occurs:   Immediately (at the time of adoption/purchase) or less than one year

The average equine re-homing (adoption/purchase) fee received by your organization:
$501 to $750

Our organization has the following policies and procedures related to horses that need to be retired, are no longer useful, or are no longer manageable:
    Equines may remain at our organization for their lifetimes
    Equines may be found suitable homes by our organization
    In the case an equine is unmanageable and demonstrates repeated dangerous behaviors, the equine may be euthanized upon the recommendation of the veterinarian
    In the case an equine is unsound and/or unhealthy and cannot be treated to relieve suffering, the equine may be euthanized upon the recommendation of the veterinarian

Additional information about our rehoming policies and practices:
The Adopter must return the equine to Faith N Friends if the adopter can no longer care for the equine. If the adopter has a suggestion for a future adopter, the future adopter must go thru the application process and sign the Faith N Friends adoption contract. These provisions protect the equine for the equine's lifetime.
     
     We may allow a surrendered horse to be returned to it's owner under special circumstances only; we personally know the owner, there were extenuating circumstances that caused the surrender. We have done this only one time in our history. It is normally not even considered.