WELCOME TO ADOPTION!
Your first step IS Our Pre-Application Self Quiz. This self guided process will only take 2-3 minutes to do
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After our first step, the Pre-Application Self Quiz, you will know how our process works and know if adoption from US is a good fit.
You will then be linked to our full application.
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Why Adopt a Horse?
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Heart of Phoenix has a reputation that makes adopters proud to partner with us
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We have a Right Horse, Right Match guarantee. If the equine doesn’t end up working out, the horse simply comes back to Heart of Phoenix. There are never any hard feelings, and we may refund up to $800 of the adoption fee. We can work with you to see if another HOP horse would be a better fit.
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Often, our adoption fees are 50% or less than what the same horse would cost if you were purchasing.
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We have a mission meaningful enough that adopters are happy to honor their adoption agreements
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We have an easy way to identify and protect adopted horses with a well-known freeze brand and microchip
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We have a sensible screening process
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HOP offers a friendly “open return” policy that doesn’t make an adopter embarrassed or afraid to return the horse
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With our “good match” program, you know we do our best to make sure the horse is A GOOD FIT before adoption
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We offer ongoing support and education to our adopters.
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Each adopted horse goes to a home under an adoption agreement that provides terms to keep the horse safe for his/her natural life, so if the horse doesn’t work for you, the horse comes back to us through a first right of refusal agreement that stays in place, and the adoption fee is refunded.
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Adopted horses cannot be used for breeding or re-sell or be given away, but they are YOUR horses, as long as you care for them and want to keep them in your care.
Are you new to overseeing the care of a horse or has it been years since you last owned a horse? If you’ve ridden some with friends, on guided rides and haven’t owned a horse independently, Or you have ridden and have some horse experience, but perhaps you haven’t had horses in so many years, so you aren’t able to provide an equine vet and farrier references when you are looking to apply, our process is a bit different. Beginner horses are rare. If mishandled by someone newer to independent horse care, even beginner horses can become very dangerous. When horse problems surface, it is always the result of a person who did not have enough skill to work with their horse. Because we do not want to see adoptions fail, anyone who has limited experience needs to be taking lessons and plan to continue with lessons even upon adoption/purchase for at least one year. Horses will need boarding at facility where lessons are possible 2 times a month, at minimum. This sets someone up for success with their new horse. Typically, if you are taking lessons and plan to board, adoption approval is easy as long as the boarding facility meets our requirements. Email us at equinerescue@live.com before applying, so we can chat with you about your specific circumstances and guide you. We can and do adopt to many beginners that are willing to work on a foundation. We want you to find a good, safe partner and be ready to give great care when you take a horse home.
If you have horses now: We Adopt Nationwide Adoptions are different than sales / purchases, but we firmly believe for many horse people, they are actually far more beneficial to horses and humans. We will need to chat with your vet and farrier. If you work with a trainer or lesson provider, we will chat with them. Equine dentists, 4H leaders, Pet Vets, and boarding barn owners make wonderful references, if you do not have a trainer to chat with us about your skill level. Before you apply, your horses must be up to date on routine farrier care, dental floats and vet care. We require income verification (various documents meet this need) to demonstrate ability to care for an adopted horse. Facilities should be tidy and safe. Your barn and fence does not need to be expensive or brand new. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING to us is compatibility between horse and rider. An adopter must be a suitable skill level for the horse they select or place a horse with a trainer. Applications cannot be approved if we cannot speak with your references or gain needed documents. Applicants need to be honest and courteous during their telephone interview, which is the last step of the application. First approved applicant who makes an appointment to visit a horse and is a good fit as the first option to adopt that horse.
