How to adopt a horse
Thinking about adopting a horse? Learn how our rehoming process works, what experience and facilities we look for, and how we match horses and ponies with suitable homes.
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Horse and pony adoption process
Find a rescue horse
Use our Find a Pet search to browse horses and ponies looking for homes. Whether you’re hoping to rehome a horse or pony, you can filter by location to discover horses available at centres nearby.
Each profile explains the horse’s background, needs and what type of home they are suited to. Some may be companion animals, some may be suitable for riding, and others may need experienced rehabilitation or handling.
Apply to adopt a horse or pony near you
Once you’ve decided if you want to adopt a horse or pony, complete our online application form.
This helps our teams understand your experience, facilities and what kind of horse you’re able to care for. If the horse you apply for isn’t the right match, we’ll help you explore others who may be better suited to your home, land or livery setup.
You don’t need an RSPCA account to apply, but having one makes it easier for you to add horses to your favourites and track your application.
Meet and get to know each other
If your application is suitable, our team will arrange the next stage of the process. This may include a visit, a discussion with the centre team or additional checks depending on the horse and the type of home you can offer. We’ll also find out about your experience, such as if you've trained a horse before or have previously had a horse with medical or behavioural needs.
This stage helps us make sure the rescue horse’s needs, history and temperament are a good fit for your experience and expectations.
Prepare your home
Before adoption is completed, we’ll need to be confident that your facilities are suitable.
This may include checking grazing, stabling or livery arrangements, fencing, turnout and how ongoing care will be managed. Horses have complex needs and significant ongoing costs, so this stage helps make sure the horse can settle into a safe and stable environment.
Complete the adoption
Once everything is agreed, we’ll guide you, if you’re the lead adopter, through the final paperwork and adoption fee.
You’ll receive information about the horse’s health and history, along with advice on settling in and any ongoing care needs. We’ll make sure you have everything you need and help you to your vehicle. If you’re happy to, we may take a photo with you and your new horse. Our teams can also provide follow-up support after adoption if you need it.
Find a pet
Meet our rescue horses
Before you apply
What we need from you
Horses and ponies have very specific needs, so it’s important to think carefully about whether your experience, facilities and finances can support them. We’ll consider your background, your setup and the type of horse you’re interested in.
Horses can live for many years and need ongoing specialist care, regular farriery, veterinary support and a stable environment, so adoption is a long-term commitment.
Before you apply to rehome a horse, we ask that you:
- Are aged 18 or over
- Have access to suitable land, stabling or a reputable livery arrangement
- Can provide safe fencing, turnout and ongoing daily care
- Can cover the ongoing costs of horse ownership
- Have the experience or support needed for the horse you want to adopt
- Understand that some rescue horses may only be suitable as companions, rather than for riding or other activities.
If the horse you apply for isn’t the right match, we’ll help you explore others who may suit your experience and facilities better.
Horse and pony adoption fees
If you’re wondering how much it costs to adopt a horse or pony from the RSPCA, adoption fees vary by centre and by the needs of the horse or pony. The fee helps cover the cost of preparing each horse for rehoming and supporting their care while they’re with us.
Adoption fees also help support our rescue work and allow us to help more animals in need.
Your fee contributes towards:
Veterinary checks and treatment
Farriery and routine care
Rehabilitation where needed
Ongoing care while the horse is with us
Preparation for rehoming
Frequently asked questions
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No. Rescue horses and ponies are rehomed to provide them with a safe future, not for breeding.
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You’ll need access to suitable grazing or turnout and appropriate facilities for the horse you want to adopt. Our teams will assess whether your setup can meet the horse’s needs safely and consistently.
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No, but you do need secure, reliable arrangements in place. This could be your own land and stables or a reputable livery yard that can meet the horse’s needs.
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Insurance requirements vary, but many adopters choose cover for veterinary fees and public liability. It’s also important to budget for routine care such as farriery, feed and dental work.
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The RSPCA generally looks for experienced homes, especially for horses with more complex needs. If you have strong support from knowledgeable professionals, talk to the team about what may be suitable.
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We’ll share everything we know about your horse, including their history before they came to us (if we know) and any behaviour or medical assessments they’ve had. If your horse has been under the care of one of our behaviour specialists, you’ll receive a bespoke behaviour report. We pride ourselves on knowing the animals in our care and we’ll share that with you too.
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Our team can guide you through necessities. We recommend all pet owners have pet insurance.
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We provide a full medical history and it's good practice to arrange a routine vet check post-adoption. In some cases, you may wish to discuss veterinary details with your vet prior to adoption.
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There is no set time frame for a horse to settle into their new home. Every animal is individual, and some may feel comfortable quickly, while others may need more time and patience.
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There’s no single set of ‘normal’ behaviours during a horse’s first week in a new home. Every animal will respond differently, and it's important to give them time to settle and not expect too much from them initially.
