Homes for Horses Coalition members benefit from HSUS-Parelli Collaboration

(Aug.13, 2009) – The Humane Society of the United States’ collaboration with world-renowned natural horsemanship trainers Pat and Linda Parelli has once again helped a member organization of The Homes for Horses Coalition find a forever home for Jedai, a deserving rescued horse who once faced the possibility of slaughter. The HSUS and the Parellis have joined forces to spotlight the trainability and intelligence of rescued horses at each of this year’s seven Parelli Celebrations across the country.

At each “Celebration” stop, The HSUS works with a local Homes for Horses Coalition member to help a horse in need of training through a three-day development program with Pat Parelli. At the end of each Celebration, the rescued horse is offered for adoption to a loving, approved home. This collaboration has successfully placed five horses. The participant in the Kansas City, Mo. Celebration was Jedai, a 13-year-old chestnut Missouri Fox Trotter gelding rescued from slaughter by Winding Road Equine Rescue and Retirement, Inc. in Waverly, Kan. Jedai was placed in a loving forever home with a family in St. Charles, Mo.

“As a rescuer and a member of The Homes for Horses Coalition, I was thrilled to have been part of Jedai’s story,” said Kristin Chambers, director of Winding Road Equine Rescue and Retirement, Inc. “Being saved from a broker lot where Jedai faced possible slaughter was just the first step in the story of his rescue. To then be the featured horse at a Parelli Celebration was the next in the journey to finding him a forever home.”

The Homes for Horses Coalition, co-founded by The HSUS and the Animal Welfare Institute in 2007, is dedicated to ending horse slaughter and other forms of equine abuse while promoting growth, collaboration and professionalism in the equine rescue and protection community. “We’ve been extremely pleased that each of the rescued horses from member rescues has found forever homes with Parelli students,” said Keith Dane, director of equine protection for The HSUS. “The Celebrations and the Parellis have been a powerful force in highlighting the adoptability of rescued horses and we are delighted with the results of this collaboration.”

In addition to Winding Road Equine Rescue and Retirement, Inc. participation representatives from two other Homes for Horses Coalition member organizations were present at the Kansas City Celebration: Shooting Stars Stable and Equine Rescue of Wakarusa, Kan. and Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary of Greenville, Ariz. On behalf of Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary, Board Member Carol Grubb presented Pat Parelli with a plaque in recognition of Parelli Natural Horsemanship’s support of the horse rescue community. The Parellis also offer a lending library to horse rescues of the Parelli Natural Horsemanship training DVDs which are provided through The HSUS. Equine Voices was the first horse rescue able to utilize this highly beneficial program that assists them in re-training and re-homing adoptable horses.

Facts:

.The Homes for Horses Coalition’s 175 member organizations represent a wide array of equine welfare organizations including equine rescues, sanctuaries and retirement homes, as well as programs that work directly with children, law enforcement and community groups to provide second careers for at-risk horses.

.All of the coalition’s members are active supporters of The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009 (H.R. 503/S. 727), which, when passed, will prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the United States and the export of American horses for slaughter elsewhere.

.To learn more about the coalition, please visit: homesforhorses.org http://www.homesforhorses.org/ .