the process | the agreement | the inspection

ADOPTION INSPECTION

• All equine adopted from DEFHR must be provided shelter from all weather conditions through the use of stalls and/or shelters in fields.
• Equines must have the availability of a stall in case of illness or injury.
• Under no circumstances will horses be adopted out as either birthday or Christmas presents.
• Days End Farm Horse Rescue reserves the right to deny adoption for any reason, in its sole discretion, and is not obligated to state any reason.
• No horses will be adopted out to first time horse owners to be housed on their property that can not prove that they have the knowledge to care for the horse they want to adopt.
• All horses adopted from DEFHR are required to have another horse, pony or goat on the property, as a companion. Horses are herd animals and require a buddy.

Stabling Facilities must:

1. have reliable electrical power adequate for artificial lighting to enable the adopter to properly assess the equines health on a daily basis.
2. have designated areas for disposal of soiled bedding material, manure, trash, garbage, and other such debris so as to prevent vermin infestation, odors, and disease hazards.
3. be equipped with a form of communications (e.g., telephone, cell phone, intercom) in the event of an emergency.
4. have a designated examination area which is safe and well lit, and has access to hot water and electricity available for use by the veterinarian or farrier.
5. have on hand all materials necessary for emergency first aid for equines.
6. have the necessary tools and implements to properly care for, clean up after, groom or feed equines and proper, secure storage for food, medications and care items.
7. supply salt blocks or mineral supplements at all times wherever horses are housed or turned out.

Shelters must:

1. be designed so they are structurally sound and include no less than three sides and a roof.
2. be maintained in good repair and free from sharp edges or objects.
3. be free from accumulated waste and debris and have no standing water.
4. be of adequate size to accommodate all horses regardless of breed/type, personality, age or health.
5. allow equines must to go into and out of shelter with ease and without fear of reprisal from other equines higher in the pecking order.
6. have ample natural or artificial lighting, be well ventilated but not drafty.

*Trees and tarp covered wooden frames are NOT considered adequate shelter. Also keep in mind that certain equines adopted from DEFHR may have specific needs or requirements not addressed above.

Stalls must:

1. be box type stalls constructed of material of sufficient thickness and strength to safely and properly contain equines according to their size, sex and temperament. Stall ceiling heights and door widths shall be of sufficient size and to prevent injury to the equine. Standing stalls shall NOT be used to house equines.
2. All equine adopted from DEFHR shall have access to a stall if needed for medical emergencies. Some horses adopted from DEFHR may require the use of a stall on a permanent basis.
3. Stalls must be constructed in such a way as to prevent injuries from horses in adjoining stalls.
4. Bedding in stalls must be at least 3" deep to allow for the comfort of the equine and to keep them from getting sores. Sick horses prone to laying down may require deeper bedding.
5. Bedding must be suitable and as free from dust and mold as possible. DEFHR recommends shavings or straw.
6. Stalls shall be kept clean, dry and free from excessive manure accumulation or ammonia odors.
7. Stalls shall be well ventilated and draft free and sufficiently cool in heated weather.
8. Stall floors shall be level and made of either non-absorbent materials or easily disinfected. If stall floors are made of concrete or similar materials, rubber mats shall be used as floor covering, and shall be non- absorbent and easily removable for cleaning.

Grain must:

1. be kept in a clean, dry, building, secured from the horses.
2. be free of contaminants and stored in such a way as to prevent rodents from gaining access.

Hay must:

1. be of good nutritive quality, and free from contaminants.
2. be stored in an area that is well ventilated to prevent combustion or fire.
3. be stored in a building to protect it from extreme weather conditions.

* DEFHR prefers the feeding of square bales. An average square bale weighs approximately 60 lbs. and is more easily handled than round bales. Round bales are hard to store and move around without proper equipment. You may require a number of round bales in the field to allow access for all the horses. Round bales are also more prone to mold and dust and will require an experienced eye to determine the quality of the bale.

Proper feed:

1. Grain shall be fed in sufficient quantity and have appropriate nutritive value based on the horses health, work, breed and age to allow the equine to maintain adequate weight and body condition. Horses must maintain a Henneke body condition score of "5" unless under a veterinarians supervision due to ill health. (Type of food currently fed horses being adopted from DEFHR and quantity will be passed on to the adopter.)
2. Equines must be fed separately to ensure the horse receives nutrition in sufficient quantity.
3. Equines shall have access to adequate natural forage or hay on a daily basis.
4. All storage and feeding receptacles shall be kept free from contaminants, such as feces, mold, mildew, insects,…etc. )

*Some horses MUST be maintained on food in the quantity recommended by DEFHR and fed at specific intervals. If a horse you are adopting falls into that category, it will be included in your adoption contract and may not be changed except on the recommendation of your veterinarian.

Outdoor Facilities:

1. Fields and paddocks and other outside areas where horses are turned out shall be free of debris or sharp objects.
2. Fences shall be sturdy and in good repair.
3. Gates shall be sturdy and in good repair & bars must be of sufficient distance to avoid injury to horses.
4. Gates shall be free of sharp edges.
5. All outdoor facilities shall be free of poisonous plants, trees and shrubs.
6. Gates shall have secure latches that can not be opened by equines.

Fencing:

1. DEFHR prefers fencing to be either three board fencing with wood posts or vinyl fencing.
2. Wire mesh fencing with wood posts and top wood rails may be approved if wire mesh squares are a diameter that prevents horses from injury.
3. Wire mesh fencing with wood posts and top electric wire may also be approved.
4. Green Metal posts ARE NOT acceptable fencing.
5. Electric wire with flimsy white posts IS NOT acceptable fencing.
6. Barbed wire IS NOT acceptable fencing unless the area fenced is very large in relation to quantity of horses turned out with large pastureland in between.

*Other types of fencing or combination of fencing would have to be evaluated on a case by case basis. Certain types of fencing may be unacceptable for specific horses based on their personality and their ability to get into trouble.

Water Supply:

1. Water and water receptacles shall be clean, free of contaminants and available at all times.
2. If Ponds or streams are the available water source they must be continuously running through all seasons and free from ice during the winter. (This may not be acceptable water for some DEFHR equines that may not drink sufficient water in winter months and could suffer from impaction colic.)
3. Water receptacles in stalls or fields must be heated through the winter to avoid freezing.
4. Quality and quantity of water available must be adequate for the number of horses.

Other Horses on Property

1. All horses housed on the property shall be in good health with no obvious eye problems, open sores, or unattended injuries.
2. There must be at least one other horse or goat on the property housed with the adopted horse.
3. Horses hooves shall be in good condition with the proper hoof length and angle.
4. Horses shall have good hair coat as indicated by weather conditions and appear well taken care of.

Quantity of Land:

1. DEFHR requires a minimum of three acres of land to house two horses, however, adopter shall be responsible for ensuring that their facility is zoned for horses. They must also check the zoning requirements in their county in regards to the sheds or out buildings on their property and number of horses allowed per acre.
2. Facility must have a method of introducing new horses into a field with existing horses.

*Founder horses or ponies will require a dry paddock for turn out or must wear a bucket when turned out on grass. They must be bedded deeply in a stall if necessary for a recurrent flare up.

**Some adopted horses may have special requirements based on their limitations.

Necessary Veterinary Care

1. All horses adopted from DEFHR shall be afforded immediate veterinary care if known or suspected to have an injury, accidental or deliberate, or exhibiting signs of shock, colic, founder, tremors, swelling, broken bones, open wounds, inability to eat or drink, blistering as a result of fire, acid, etc.., irregular or abnormal breathing, partial or total paralysis, abnormal discharge or bleeding, signs of disease, severs parasitic infestation or infection, loss of appetite, weight loss, abnormal skin condition or hair loss, temperature fluctuation, persistent diarrhea, inability to bear weight on a limb or lameness or other such sign.
2. The following are required for all adopted DEFHR equine;
   • Hoof Care- Hoof care maintenance & Trimming shall be done every six to eight weeks. (Some DEFHR equine may require more frequent care. If so, that will be listed in the adoption contract.)
   • Parasite Control - Horses must be dewormed every six to eight weeks.
   • Dental check up and necessary treatment to ensure proper and adequate food digestion shall be done annually.
   • Your veterinarian must vaccinate all DEFHR horses with EWT, Rabies, Rhino, Flu & PHF. Your veterinarian due to your specific area or locale may recommend other vaccinations as well.

*When adopting a DEFHR horse, there may be explicit veterinary care required for the horse you plan to adopt. If so, additional care will be listed in your adoption contract.

 

For more information call:
301/854-5037 or 410/442-1564
E-Mail: info@defhr.org

Physical Address:
1372 Woodbine Road
Woodbine, MD 21797

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 309
Lisbon, Maryland 21765

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Days End Farm Horse Rescue, Inc. is a non-profit, volunteer based humane organization whose mission is Fostering compassion and responsibility for horses through intervention, education, and outreach.