.png)
frequently asked questions
Lawson’s story lives at the heart of the questions below. He is an Off-Track Thoroughbred, bred for racing, with just two starts to his name. He clearly wasn’t cut out to be a racehorse. After that, much of his history is unknown until he surfaced in the auction pipeline, at risk of shipping to slaughter.
He was rescued by another organization and adopted to a riding home, but after the new home spent thousands of dollars in veterinary diagnostics, the truth emerged: Lawson has advanced kissing spine, a condition where the vertebrae touch, making riding painful and inappropriate.
Without sanctuary, horses like Lawson often cycle through resale, transfer and uncertainty because their safety is still conditional.
Here, it isn’t. Lawson is not a failed athlete. He is not wasted in pasture. He is not waiting for another job. He is home.
What is an equine sanctuary? How is it different from a rescue?
An equine sanctuary is a permanent home for horses who cannot safely or ethically be rehomed. While many rescues focus on rehabilitation and adoption, a sanctuary prioritizes lifelong placement. Our horses are not commodities moving through a pipeline. They are individuals whose stories often include neglect, repeated transfers, medical complexity, behavioral trauma, or age-related decline. Red Feather Equine Sanctuary is proud to be an EQUUS Guardian charity, meaning our policies, care standards, governance, and financial transparency have been reviewed by an independent third party. We are also pursuing accreditation through the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), which holds organizations to rigorous international standards for animal welfare, safety, and ethical operations. These accreditations matter. They ensure we are accountable, not just to donors, but to the horses. Studies consistently show that horses in the U.S. are rehomed an average of seven or more times in their lives. Every transfer increases risk: auction, neglect, instability, slaughter pipeline entry. Sanctuary interrupts that cycle. We exist to provide permanence.
Why focus on lifelong care instead of adoption?
Because instability is one of the greatest threats to equine welfare. While adoption is an important tool in the rescue ecosystem, data from organizations that actively track placements show that at least 30% of adopted horses are returned within the first five years. And that figure only reflects programs that have the systems and staffing to monitor outcomes. The reality is more sobering. Thousands of horses are resold privately each year with no follow-up, no contract enforcement, and no safety net. When those transfers are factored in, the true rate of rehoming is significantly higher. In practical terms, that means at least one in three adopted horses remains at risk of being rehomed, resold, or potentially reentering auction and broker pipelines. Horses are expensive. They are large. They require land, specialized care, and long-term financial stability. When life circumstances change—job loss, medical crisis, relocation, divorce—the horse is often the first asset to be liquidated. Each transfer increases risk. Sanctuary interrupts that cycle. By committing to lifelong care, we remove the horse from the instability pipeline entirely. No resale. No re-advertising. No silent transfers. No second guessing where they will land next. Sanctuary is not the fastest model. It is not the highest-volume model. It is the most stable one.
Where do your horses come from?
Our horses come from: -Local neglect and cruelty cases -Owner surrenders when no safe alternative exists -Auction and pipeline intervention -Partner organizations that need placement for unadoptable equines -Emergency response situations We primarily serve North Carolina and the surrounding region, functioning as a pressure-release valve for horses who are aged, medically complex, behaviorally challenged, or otherwise unlikely to succeed in traditional adoption programs. But age and complexity are not the only factors. Occasionally, younger horses enter our care. In some cases, we intentionally choose sanctuary over adoption—even when there is interest—because the interest is contingent on rideability. Rideability is not a lifetime guarantee. Every horse, if they live long enough, will one day become unrideable due to age, injury, arthritis, or changing physical capacity. When a horse’s value is tied to performance, their security is tied to usefulness. And usefulness has an expiration date. We believe a horse’s right to safety should not depend on how long they can carry a rider. Sanctuary allows us to remove that condition entirely.
What happens after a horse arrives?
Every horse receives: -Veterinary evaluation and intake exam -Dental care -Farrier care (on a 4–6 week individualized schedule) -Vaccinations and deworming -Nutritional assessment -Behavioral evaluation -Individualized care plan From there, horses enter one of three pathways: -Permanent Sanctuary Residency -Training & Behavioral Stabilization -Care-Based Educational Programming (unmounted horsemanship, humane education, restorative programs) Some horses become ambassadors in our Equine Assisted Learning programming. Others simply live quietly in pasture, finally safe. All remain under our lifelong oversight.
How can you commit to lifelong care? Is that sustainable?
This is one of the most important questions we receive. Sanctuary is a long-term financial commitment. We plan for: -Lifetime feed and hay costs -Recurring farrier rotations -Veterinary contingencies -Aging-related medical care -End-of-life planning and humane euthanasia when necessary We build sustainability through: -Individual sponsorships -Monthly donor programs -Grants -Fundraising events (such as Rescue for the Roses) -Corporate partnerships -Legacy giving
Do you adopt horses out?
Sometimes. But it is not our primary model. The population we serve makes traditional adoption more complicated. Many of our horses are: -Unrideable or semi-retired -Medically complex or on long-term maintenance plans -Seniors -Behaviorally sensitive -Deeply bonded to pasture mates There are simply not many qualified homes actively seeking that type of responsibility. For that reason, we do not frequently have adoptive matches — but it has happened, and it can happen when the circumstances are right. When we do adopt, we prioritize: -Homes within a drivable radius of the farm Ongoing relationship and visibility -Our ability to remain a lifelong safety net -Financial and land stability -Alignment with the horse’s physical and emotional needs We do not facilitate adoptions: -Outside of a reasonable travel radius -To homes where ownership is conditioned on rideability -In situations that require the horse to generate value to remain secure -In any circumstance that does not clearly serve the best interests of the horse
Why does sanctuary work matter?
Because there are more horses in need than there are truly permanent homes available for them. Adoption is an important and valuable part of equine welfare. But adoption alone cannot absorb the volume of horses who age out of riding careers, develop chronic conditions, or lose market value over time. And here’s something we think about often: Even our youngest horses did not arrive here by accident. They came to us from displacement, from neglect, from financial crisis, from risk, from instability. They have already been rescued once. So when we consider their future, we are not asking whether they could be adopted. We are asking whether they should have to gamble on stability again. Many horses move through a predictable arc: valued → ridden → sold → resold → downgraded → liquidated. Each transfer increases risk and reduces oversight. Eventually, for some, the safety net disappears entirely. This is where our concept of interruption matters. Sanctuary interrupts the lifecycle by removing the horse from the marketplace entirely. A horse is not truly safe until their safety is no longer conditional. When we choose sanctuary for a young horse, we are not denying them opportunity, we are acknowledging that they have already experienced disruption, and we are choosing not to subject them to it again. For horses to be truly safe, an entire ecosystem must exist: responsible ownership, breeder accountability for the animals they bring into the world, strong adoption programs, regulatory oversight, and critically, well-run sanctuaries willing to absorb the horses who cannot keep cycling through the system. Without sanctuary, the safety net ends when usefulness does. With sanctuary, the cycle ends here.
What do you do with the horses? Aren’t they wasted if they aren’t being ridden?
We hear this often, especially from within oldschool equestrian culture. There is a persistent belief that a horse must be ridden, competed, bred, or producing something to justify their existence. That pasture without performance is “waste.” We disagree. Horses are not equipment. They are not inventory. They are not only valuable when they are usable. Many of our horses live primarily in pasture. That is intentional. Pasture life allows for: -Social herd dynamics -Natural movement and grazing patterns -Nervous system regulation -Reduced joint strain -Emotional stability -Aging with dignity Some participate in unmounted horsemanship and humane education programs. Some serve as ambassadors in Equine Assisted Learning. Some are simply companions to bonded herd mates. Some require ongoing medical management that makes riding inappropriate or unethical. And some, quite simply, are retired. Retirement is not waste. It is earned. The idea that a horse is “wasted” in pasture assumes their purpose is output. We believe their purpose is existence. Safety, comfort, social connection, and autonomy are not lesser outcomes.
How can I help?
-Sponsor a horse -Become a monthly donor -Volunteer -Attend or sponsor Rescue for the Roses -Include sanctuary in your legacy planning -Share our mission Sanctuary is a community effort. Lifelong care is not possible without long-term partners.