When Madison Fields brings in a new horse, they go through a 30 day trial period. During this time, they are introduced to their new environment and evaluated on their ability to be a therapy horse. The horses that are accepted prove that they are exceptionally fit for our Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT) programs. 

We have a large herd of amazing horses for our EAAT programs. They range from minis to thoroughbreds and draft horses. But, as most people know, horse care and maintenance can be very expensive. Our excellent horses need things like food, vet/dental care, and even clothing! One of the ways that we meet our horses needs is through the horse sponsorship program. 

The sponsorship program is supported by individuals or organizations that donate to specifically help provide horse care. It costs $4,000 for a year sponsorship, $2,000 for half a year, and $1,000 for three months. According to our TR team, the sponsor will have their name added to our website, and placed on the horse’s stall. Depending on the term of the sponsorship, sponsors also receive a picture of the horse, and information about how the horse is helping our program. Sponsors can pick a horse to support or be assigned one by staff. 

Sponsorships help us a lot in caring for our horses. They take care of the day to day expenses such as food, supplements, and hay, as well as monthly and emergency expenses like the farrier and vet. One year, we were fortunate enough to have a sponsored horse receive surgery for a broken bone. Having a sponsorship allowed this horse to have a successful surgery, and easy recovery, that led to his return to our EAAT program good as new.  Sponsorships also help the other horses in the herd by going towards group expenses like hay. Other funds that help our unsponsored horses are riding and program fees, and donations. 

Like all of our donors, our sponsors are essential in supporting the Madison Fields’ mission. Our horses are an integral part of our EAAT programs and farm environment. By helping keep our horses happy and healthy, they allow our riding and job readiness programs to function while creating a welcoming, calming community!

Source: Maggie Jackson, Head Instructor at Madison Fields