1. Facility
2. Sourcing
3. Selection Process
4. Horse Rehab
5. Intake process
6. Assessment
7. Horses not suitable for adoption
8. Ownership of horses
9. Training
10. Trainer Incentive Program (TIP)
11. Ongoing Adoption Initiatives
12. Sanctuary

1. Facility

Project Spirit rescue horses are currently housed at rescue headquarters in Chiloquin, OR. We also utilize a network of approved volunteer and foster homes to rehab and train horses prior to adoption. In the long term, it would be beneficial for Project Spirit to raise the funds to purchase a permanent facility to support our mission.

2. Sourcing

We are not involved in the legal process of seizure of animals by law enforcement – other organizations provide this service under contract with Klamath County.We identify candidates for our program through referrals from the equestrian community, through owner surrender, abandoned animals, and horses housed at other rescue or foster facilities where we feel we can best help in placement.

3. Selection Process

We will accept horses to our program based on need and give priority to those we believe we can rehab, train and successfully place thorough adoption. Equines are brought into our program subject to board member discretion as part of our selection process. As a part of our mission we work with owners to find the best solution for their horses when we do not feel they are a good fit for our program.

4. Horse Rehab

There are very few alternatives for bringing the worst of the worst – abandoned, injured and/or abused horses – back to health in Klamath County. Project Spirit will continue to support this need at rescue headquarters in Chiloquin, through our working board of directors, and through others who support our mission as capacity allows.

5. Intake process

Our rehabilitation approach after rescue involves placing the horse in a safe environment for recovery, providing timely assessment by a veterinarian to assess the health of the animal, delivery of appropriate treatment and follow up care. In addition to attending to the immediate needs of the animal upon intake, we provide all routine health care for the animals in our program including vaccinations, dental and hoof care.

6. Assessment

Horses are assessed to determine the training level, abilities and temperament of the animal. Assessment helps us design the right training program for the horse and later place them with the appropriate home/rider. This lowers the percentage of animals returned to the rescue due to poor fit.

7. Horses not suitable for adoption

After assessment, if it is determined that a horse will not be a good candidate for training and adoption, we will seek other alternatives for the animal. Safety is a primary concern – we will not place an animal into our adoption program that we feel will be unsafe for an adopter, and if we see no other alternative, we will euthanize the animal. We will also strive to find the best solution for horses who are safe, but may not be adoptable due to age or physical condition. Project Spirit has a goal to facilitate long term care for un-adoptable horses in a sanctuary setting.

8. Ownership of horses

Once a horse is brought into the program, it will be immediately titled to Project Spirit. After adoption, we will follow up on the horse with visits to its new home for two years. After two years of satisfactory follow up visits, the title will be transferred to the adopter. While not prohibited, we do request the adopter notify Project Spirit if they later re-home the horse.

9. Training

We will invest in training for the horse as necessary. The length of that training is dependent on the horse’s individual needs. As training has a limited shelf life, our goal is to find a home for the animal while they are in training or as soon as possible upon completion. If necessary, we will provide refresher training as necessary to those we feel should be ultimately adoptable.

10. Trainer Incentive Program (TIP)

As a part of our training initiatives we utilize a Trainer Incentive Program (TIP) that requires horses meet a standard of minimum basic foundational training similar to the BLM program. We select and approve trainers throughout the state for this program. Horses will be gentled and trained for halter and lead, tie, load, bathe and have their feet handled for the farrier and started under saddle when appropriate. As a part of TIP, we provide incentives to our trainers to find homes through their local network for our horses that they have trained.

11. Ongoing Adoption Initiatives

In addition to the TIP and Pegasus programs, Project Spirit will also continue to actively market adoptions though our network to approved homes as we have done in the past.

12. Sanctuary

In accordance with our Vision, Project Spirit is expanding its Mission to provide long term care for horses who may not be adoptable but deserve a caring and safe environment to live out their lives. This a critical need in our community that is not being adequately addressed. We have begun a sanctuary operation on a limited basis at our Chiloquin Headquarters to further define the program – its scope/capacity given the quality of care we want to provide, admission profile, operational funding requirements and potential sources of funds. We will also begin to explore the possibility of fund raising to purchase land and establish a permanent sanctuary operation.