There are so many horses in need of good homes. How do you decided which one to bring home?
That's a great question and a complicated one to answer. It depends on several factors that can be distilled into three categories...
What you would like to with this horse.
Your skill and comfort level.
What type of horse you like.
Once you have answers to these questions you will be better equipped to make the right choice.
What Will This Horse Do?
Jumper? Trail horse? Pasture pet? There are many tasks rescue horses can perform with you. Knowing what you will be asking of the horse you rescue will help narrow down your search parameters. Every horse has its niche, activities that he or she will be more likely to excel at. Take a look at breed characteristics and other factors such as height, age, and experience to see if the horses you're considering are a good fit.
How Comfortable a Horse Person are You?
There are some awesome horses that go through rescues that have no physical or emotional issues. They may be more suitable for a beginner owner or someone who needs a confidence builder - a horse that is more capable of taking care of his handler/rider vs relying on his human to take care of him.
There are other horses that may have emotional troubles or a history or trauma and may need an experienced human to help them recover. Horses can also end up with issues that require medical treatment, rehabilitation of the body, special diets, or simply a safe place to live out their life without pressure or expectations.
The best course of action is to be honest with yourself about what you can and want to handle. Even if you take extreme care to make an excellent choice, seek the help of a behavior-based trainer if you and your horse horse need help getting along.
Be Picky and Specific
Get what you want. Otherwise you may regret your decision and end up with a horse you don't enjoy. That happens far too often and is one of the reasons why horses end up at rescues in the first place. Remember, you get the horse you've got and there may be very little if anything you can do to change that. It may take a bit longer to find the perfect match to your wish list, and you may need to compromise a bit, but it will be helpful to start your search with a solid plan.
Another Option
Your other choice is to pick a horse based on its need for a caring and loving home. If you come across that special sweet sad face that pulls at your heart, you simply may not be able to say no.
