ASPCA® Adopt a Horse Month Resources

Consider this your one-stop-shop for resources to help you support equine adopters and volunteers and find more homes for horses in May and beyond. Join our Horse Adoption Resources for Shelters and Rescues Facebook group to share ideas and get tips from other equine adoption agencies!

a woman stands next to a brown horse in the wind smiling

Examples from the Field

They Did It: Reduced Length of Stay Through an Efficient Intake Process

Having an intake process that accurately and efficiently assesses individual horse’s needs helps you plan the pathway to the best outcome for the horse.

girl stands looking at white horse lovingly

Webinar

Horse Matchmaking 101: Evaluation and Training

Learn about systems and processes that can be adopted by any shelter or rescue to increase the number of successful equine adoptions.

Watch the Webinar

Videos

Evaluating Horses for Better Matchmaking

Learn how one organization evaluates horses to match them with the right adopter.

Tips

Tips on Creating Effective Adoption Contracts for Horses

Crafting an adoption contract that protects the animal—and doesn’t discourage people from adopting—is a crucial step in finding more homes for horses.

Top 5 Reasons to Transfer Equine Ownership

Learn four reasons transferring ownership at the time of adoption is beneficial to horses, adopters and equine organizations.

Tips

FAQs about Horse and Donkey Microchipping

Learn why and how to microchip horses and donkeys with these informative FAQs.

Tips

Intake Pathways for Managed-Admission Horse Adoption Agencies

Equine open admission programs are a great way to serve your community and prevent horses from going to low-end auctions.

brown horse with blue harness inside stable

Why Equine Organizations Should Avoid Kill Pen Bail-Outs and Find Alternative Ways to Help Horses in Need

Discover the truth behind kill pen bail-outs and how adoption organizations can contribute to equine welfare efforts to help end horse slaughter.

Black horse with a person wearing a straw hat and orange shirt

Tips

Adopt a Horse Month Promotional Downloads and Graphics

Download your guide for Adopt a Horse Month and learn some best practices to promote your adoptable equines.

spotted white horse wearing bridle standing outdoors in sun

Examples from the Field

They Did It: More Than Doubled Their Non-riding Horse Placements

With a focus on marketing efforts, training and care, you can find great homes for non-riding, or companion, horses.

Tips

Adopt a Horse Month Promotional Downloads and Graphics

Download your guide for Adopt a Horse Month and learn some best practices to promote your adoptable equines.

ASPCA team member standing next to brown horse in a field

They Did It: Adopted Out More Horses During Adopt a Horse Month

Discover how Adopt a Horse Month helped 2 organizations boost adoptions, making room to help more equines in their community.

Examples from the Field

They Did It: Built a Successful Social Media Presence to Adopt Out More Horses

Learn best practices for using social media to promote equine adoptions from New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program.

screenshot of the sample horse listing download

How-Tos

How to Write Horse Adoption Biographies

Learn how to attract equine adopters by writing compelling and transparent descriptions for every horse in your care.

How-Tos

Marketing Checklist for Horse Adoption Organizations

Use our checklist to ensure you’re following marketing best practices for your website, social media, email, and more to adopt out more equines.

How-Tos

How to Take Compelling Photos of Adoptable Horses

Learn how to attract equine adopters by taking compelling photos of every horse in your care.

Tips

13 Social Media Tips to Increase Adoptions

Here are 13 creative tips to get equine adopters lining up outside your barn door.

Examples from the Field

3 Tips for Growing Your Own Adopters by Welcoming First-Time Horse Owners

Discover how one agency has found success cultivating their community’s horse enthusiasts into quality adopters—and how you can do the same.

Brown horse running in fenced in pasture

Courses

Online Course to Increase Horse Adoption and Get More Supporters

This short training offers matchmaking strategies to build long-term adopters and supporters using conversation-based adoption counseling.

Webinar

Getting Better Together: How to Embrace, Establish and Empower Equine Adoptions

Want to increase horse adoptions and make great matches at the same time? Join us as two equine adoption agencies share their secrets.

Watch the Webinar

Webinar

Roll Out the Welcome Mat: How to Find and Support Equine Adopters

Find out how two horse rescues appeal to and support a variety of equine adopters while ensuring good matches for their horses.

Watch the Webinar

person in yellow sweater hugs horse snout

Tips

New Horse Adopter Guide

Share this handy guide from Horse Illustrated with all your new equine adopters.

Examples from the Field

6 Steps to Create an Adoption Academy and Increase Horse Adoptions

Learn six steps to create an equine adoption academy and grow your own horse adopters.

Volunteer Management Tips for Equine Adoption Organizations

Discover tips to recruit, train, and keep volunteers coming back to maximize your organization’s impact on the horses in your care.

Examples from the Field

They Did It: Increased Horse Adoption and Decreased Length of Stay with Customer-Friendly Adoption Policies

Learn how one adoption agency was able to help more at-risk horses by welcoming new adopters and transferring in more community members’ horses.

a young blonde person stands with an adult holding the reins of a brown horse outdoors near a barn structure

Tips

How Conversational Adoption Can Help You Place More Horses in Homes

Learn 5 tips for shifting to a conversational adoption approach that will enhance matchmaking and increase equine adoptions.

Tips