“Dr. Stacie Boswell has created a book that is packed with extremely valuable information for not only equine rescues, but a book that horse owners in general can also glean a lot from. She takes a pragmatic and all-inclusive approach to explaining the good, the bad, and the ugly involved when it comes to operating an equine rescue successfully. The Ultimate Guide for Horses in Need is a must-have book for both current rescues and those thinking of taking the leap into horse rescue—the importance of knowledge in this field cannot be underestimated if you want to run a truly successful rescue operation, and Dr. Boswell provides a solid foundation of that knowledge.” —Ashley Harkins, Director, United Horse Coalition
In the United States alone, it is estimated that almost 150,000 horses per year are unwanted. This number grows exponentially when you consider horses worldwide. What is “unwanted”? The term is used to refer to horses that are old, injured, sick, unmanageable, or fail to meet expectations. The horse may have a lameness or illness…or he could just be the wrong color or gender. His problem could be life-threatening…or chronic and manageable. He may have a mild behavioral problem…or a severe one.
The good news is today, more and more individuals are choosing to give an unwanted horse a second chance. Whether through purchase, adoption, or rescue, the horse in the “wrong” situation has a chance to find his way to the “right one.” Dr. Stacie Boswell’s goal is to restore health and comfort to every horse in transition, and to help him learn how to function as the horse he is expected to be—from the Thoroughbred off the track to the grade pony from the field down the road. She has compiled hundreds of case studies highlighting the areas of concern in the horse “in need,” and in these pages details proactive methods of handling common medical problems and health issues, from nutrition and dentistry to deworming and hoof care to traumatic injury and emergency rescue scenarios. Dr. Boswell then explains the ways that, as a new horse is rehabilitated physically, specific training techniques can help him adapt to the positive changes in his care and environment.
Stacie Boswell, DVM, DACVS, is an equine veterinarian who completed five years of specialty training beyond veterinary school, earning Diplomat status with the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS). Through this training, she has worked with horses in veterinary medicine in Virginia, North Carolina, New York, Tennessee, New Mexico, and Montana, completed a three-year surgical residency, and spent additional training time with pathology, radiology, anesthesia, and internal medicine specialists. She has raised and trained her own horses for over two decades and is a lifetime member of the AQHA and APHA, as well as participating in Backcountry Horsemen of America (BCHA), volunteering to keep trails open to riders and maintained in her region.
Rescue organizations abound, and it seems that each day more people become aware of the need of countless small and large animals who are unwanted and cast aside, suffering from abuse or starving from neglect. While some animal lovers choose to join existing rescues, many decide to embark upon the difficult task of creating their own organization and others become the leaders of existing groups. In How to Start and Run a Rescue, Jennifer Williams discusses the complex issues involved not only in starting a rescue but also in the long-term management of the organization. While Dr. Williams’s experience is in horse rescue, this book should appeal to anyone interested in starting their own rescue or improving their rescue operations for animals of any species. Dr. Williams, who has started and successfully run two rescue organizations, covers topics such as the formation of a non-profit, formulating policies, fundraising, and public relations. Readers involved in rescue at any level or interested in learning more about rescue should enjoy How to Start and Run a Rescue for its practical advice, insight into successful rescue operations, and stories of real horses helped by rescue organizations.
Jennifer Williams says she cannot remember not knowing about needy animals. In fact when she began taking riding lessons at age 12, she decided she wanted to open her own lesson barn. Her goal with that barn was to purchase horses at local auctions to spare them a trip to the slaughter house, use them for lessons and then sell them to her lesson students, enabling her to save more horses. As she grew her goals changed, but horses and rescue were always a part of her vision. The drive to help horses led Jennifer to obtain a Masters and Doctorate degree from Texas A&M University in Animal Science, with an emphasis on equine behavior, learning and welfare. While at A&M, Jennifer also co-founded Lone Star Equine Rescue and ran the organization for seven and a half years. During her tenure as president, the rescue brought in over 500 horses and helped countless more through educational programs. In 2005, Jennifer left LSER to co-found and run Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society, an organization helping equine animals throughout both Texas and Arkansas. Bluebonnet s strong focus on educating horse owners so that they can keep their horses when possible and on networking with organizations and agencies throughout the United States allows the organization to help many needy horses. Through How to Start and Run a Rescue, Jennifer hopes to share her experiences so that other animal lovers can create and run successful rescue organizations. Jennifer feels that working together we can help many more animals than we can help alone.
Through industry collaboration, the UHC promotes education and options for at-risk and transitioning horses.
The United Horse Coalition is a broad alliance of equine organizations that have joined together under the American Horse Council to educate the horse industry about the issues facing horses At-Risk, or in transition. We seek to provide information for existing and prospective owners, breeders, sellers, and horse organizations regarding the long-term responsibilities of owning and caring for horses, as well as focusing on the opportunities available for these horses.
