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Best Friends Animal Society’s Horse Haven takes in horses with varied histories and prepares each one for a placement suited to its needs. In a March 16, 2018 interview, trainers Linda Alvey and Ann Hepworth described how they assessed horses for companion or riding homes, the skills they taught, and their natural-horsemanship approach. Their answers are a historical account of the program, not confirmation of current horse availability, adoption criteria, or training requirements.
The central point is individual fit: a horse’s physical condition, behavior, past care, and preparation all matter, as do an adopter’s experience and ability to provide long-term care. Here are the seven questions the trainers addressed, with practical context for people considering horse adoption.
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What kinds of horses did Best Friends take in, and how had that changed?
In the 2018 interview, the trainers described horses arriving at Horse Haven for many different reasons. Some had experienced abuse or neglect; others were older or injured, or came from families that could no longer care for them. The interview presents no single profile that fits every horse. A horse may therefore arrive needing very different kinds of help: patient handling after neglect, support for age-related limitations, rehabilitation after an injury, or basic education because a previous family could not continue providing care.
Ann Hepworth said the sanctuary had begun taking in more young, healthy horses that needed taming or training, while continuing to care for older horses and horses with significant challenges. That is Hepworth’s description of a change at that time—not a current intake tally or a statement about what the sanctuary accepts today. The original interview was published March 16, 2018.
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This mix matters to anyone considering adoption. “Young and healthy” does not automatically mean “ready to ride,” and an older or injured horse may still be a good companion with the right home. The useful starting questions are what the horse has experienced, what handling it already knows, and what kind of placement the trainers believe is appropriate. A prospective adopter should ask about both strengths and limitations rather than infer a horse’s history from age or appearance.
The trainers’ experience was substantial: the feature said Alvey and Hepworth had worked with Best Friends horses for a combined 33 years—13 years for Alvey and 20 for Hepworth. That background helps explain the perspective behind their answers, but it does not make every observation a universal rule for horses. Their comments describe what they saw while working with the sanctuary’s horses and should be understood in that context.
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How does Horse Haven decide whether a horse is suited to riding or companionship?
The trainers described an individual assessment, rather than assigning horses to riding or companion roles based on age alone. A horse’s physical condition and care history are important, alongside behavior and the skills it can safely learn. In practical terms, the question is not simply whether a horse has ever carried a rider; it is whether riding is suitable for this horse now, and whether a particular home can manage the horse’s ongoing needs.
Alvey and Hepworth said some horses can be ridden into their late 20s, while others may no longer be suitable at 15 or even 10. In their account, genetics or how a horse has been used can affect its working life, and physical issues were more commonly the reason a horse could not be ridden than behavior. Those are the trainers’ observations from the interview, not a veterinary rule or guarantee about any particular horse. An adopter should have the individual horse’s condition and history explained rather than treating an age as a cutoff.
A companion placement—sometimes described as a “pasture pal” home—does not mean that a horse needs no preparation or care. A pasture pal still needs safe handling, appropriate housing, food, social contact, movement, hoof care and veterinary attention. The difference is the intended activity level, not the value of the horse or the responsibility involved. Conversely, a horse described as rideable still needs a home prepared for the possibility that its soundness or tolerance for work can change.
For a fair comparison, consider three questions:
- Soundness and history: What does the horse’s physical condition and previous use indicate about comfortable activity?
- Preparation: Which handling or riding skills has the horse learned, and in what settings?
- Home fit: Can the adopter provide the experience, support, space and long-term care that this individual horse requires?
The relevant question is what the individual horse can comfortably and safely do, and whether a prospective home can meet its needs. Best Friends’ horse-care guide also advises prospective owners to get hands-on experience and seek help from an experienced person when choosing a horse.
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In Alvey’s description, the goal was to make every horse as safe and confident as possible and to prepare it for basic handling beyond the sanctuary. The trainers named skills that can matter in ordinary care, including trailering, veterinary visits, farrier visits, and general handling. These are the moments when an adopter may need to lead, load, restrain or otherwise cooperate with a horse while arranging routine care.
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Trailering practice is relevant because a horse may need transportation for a move, a veterinary appointment or another care need. Familiarity with veterinary and farrier handling can make those visits more manageable for the horse and the people assisting it. General handling encompasses the ordinary interactions that make feeding, grooming, checks and movement possible, even when no riding is planned.
These are practical skills, not proof that every horse has the same training history or will respond identically in a new home. Ask which skills have been practiced, how recently, and under what conditions. A horse that loads for a familiar handler may need time to adjust to a new person, trailer or setting. An adopter should understand what a particular horse has learned, what situations remain difficult, and what support may help during the transition.
A useful handoff conversation can cover:
- How the horse is caught, led and handled for routine care.
- Whether the horse has loaded into a trailer and what approach makes loading easier.
- How the horse behaves for veterinary examinations and farrier visits.
- Which cues, boundaries and routines the horse already recognizes.
- What the trainers recommend practicing first after the horse arrives home.
The 2018 feature describes the trainers’ aims; it does not publish a standard readiness checklist or guarantee that every horse has mastered every skill. Treat the listed abilities as subjects to verify for the individual horse, not as a promise attached to the term “pasture pal.”
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What extra skills do horses prepared for riding learn?
The riding skills listed in the interview included walking, trotting, loping or cantering, moving sideways and backward, and standing still while being mounted. Alvey also said she liked to teach horses to approach a mounting platform and wait before moving forward. Together, these examples describe preparation for controlled communication, not merely teaching a horse to move straight ahead.
Walking, trotting and loping or cantering introduce different gaits. Sideways and backward movement asks the horse to respond to directional cues and body position. Standing still for mounting is a safety-related behavior because it gives the rider time to settle before the horse moves. Approaching a mounting platform and waiting adds a specific routine that can help a rider mount without immediately having to manage forward motion.
These examples show that riding preparation includes more than forward movement. The horse is also asked to respond to direction, move in different ways, and remain settled during mounting. Ask whether a horse has practiced these skills with the type of rider and environment relevant to the proposed home. A skill demonstrated in a training area may still need consistent reinforcement elsewhere.
The interview does not specify a uniform curriculum, a particular riding discipline, or that every horse entering the program is trained for riding; suitability depends on the individual horse. It also does not promise a certain level of mileage, speed or performance. Prospective adopters should discuss what “rideable” means for that horse, what activities are considered appropriate, and what limitations or follow-up training the trainers anticipate.
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Do adopters need to be natural-horsemanship experts?
The trainers said adopters did not have to be experts, but should be willing to listen and try the method used with the horse. They also pointed to local trainers as one possible way for adopters to learn. That distinction is important: a person can be new to the terminology and still be expected to develop the practical skills needed to handle the horse safely and consistently.
Learning should begin with the horse’s existing cues and routines. Ask the trainers to demonstrate how they approach, catch, lead, load and redirect the horse, and ask what responses they consider signs of confusion or stress. Writing down those details can help an adopter keep the first weeks predictable. A local trainer may then help the adopter and horse continue the same communication rather than introducing abrupt changes.
This is guidance from the 2018 interview, not verified current adoption policy. Before applying, ask Best Friends what experience, support, and training approach are expected for the specific horse and placement. A willingness to learn is useful, but it cannot substitute for an honest assessment of whether the adopter can safely handle that horse and meet its needs. If the adopter lacks hands-on experience, the guide’s recommendation to get practical experience and seek help from an experienced person is especially relevant.
What did the trainers mean by natural horsemanship?
Alvey and Hepworth contrasted their approach with methods they described as more traditional, saying they used less physical pressure. For ridden horses, they described asking the horse to follow the rider’s energy and direction. In that description, the handler’s body, focus and cues are part of the communication, rather than relying primarily on force to obtain a response.
Hepworth summarized her view this way: “The proof is in the pudding with natural horsemanship, because all our horses are friendlier, they’re more interested in us and they’re easier to catch.” That is her assessment of the approach and its results at Horse Haven, not a measured research finding. The interview does not provide an external study comparing training methods or quantifying those outcomes.
For a prospective adopter, the useful takeaway is to ask what cues and handling methods a horse already knows and how to continue them consistently. “Natural horsemanship” can mean different things to different practitioners, so the label alone does not tell an adopter what to do. Request a demonstration, clarify how pressure and release are used, and find out which local trainers are familiar with the approach described by the Horse Haven team.
Consistency is particularly important during a move. A horse may be friendlier or easier to catch with a familiar routine, while a new property, new people and different equipment create a learning period. The trainers’ account suggests adopters should be open to learning the method, but it does not establish that natural horsemanship is a universal requirement for horse ownership or a current Best Friends rule.
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What care and long-term commitment should a horse adopter plan for?
The interview described Horse Haven’s care as involving medical and farrier care, food, attention, room to roam, and training. Best Friends’ broader horse-care guide says horse ownership also calls for routine veterinary care, hoof care, safe housing, social contact, room to move, and a long-term commitment.
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These needs are connected. Safe housing must allow movement while protecting the horse; social contact recognizes that a horse needs appropriate interaction; and regular observation helps an owner notice changes that may require professional attention. Food and attention are not one-time adoption expenses but continuing responsibilities. Medical and hoof care also require planning for appointments, handling and transportation when necessary.
That commitment can continue after a horse is no longer ridden. The care guide says well-cared-for horses can live into their 30s, so an adopter should consider the possibility of many years of care, including retirement years. A riding placement is not a promise that the horse will remain rideable throughout its life. The home should be able to support the horse if its activity level decreases or its care needs increase.
Before adopting, consider whether the home and care plan can accommodate the horse’s needs over time:
- Daily care and attention: Plan for food, routine observation, and the time needed to handle and care for the horse.
- Professional care: Account for veterinary and hoof care, including the logistics of arranging care and handling visits.
- Safe space and movement: The horse needs safe housing and room to move; the guide also emphasizes social contact.
- Skills and support: Be realistic about your experience and identify an experienced person or trainer who can help when needed.
- Training continuity: Be prepared to use the cues and handling methods the horse already knows, while learning how to adapt them safely.
- Changing needs: Plan for the possibility that the horse’s needs or ability to be ridden will change, and that care may continue well into old age.
These are general considerations, not a substitute for learning the needs and history of a particular horse. Best Friends’ guide recommends hands-on experience and help from an experienced person when choosing one. A careful adopter should evaluate the home, available help and long-term commitment before focusing on a horse’s intended activity.
How can you confirm current horse-adoption details?
The interview is from 2018, and the pages linked here do not establish current Horse Haven inventory, intake policies, adoption requirements, or training expectations. Treat the trainers’ comments as a useful description of the program at that time, not as a current promise about a horse or placement. Policies and available horses can change, so a reader should verify details directly rather than rely on an old interview.
For current availability and procedures, contact Best Friends directly. Its contact page lists [email protected] for horse adoptions. The organization’s adoption overview describes the Kanab sanctuary as a home for horses and other animals, but its general animal total is not a horse-specific count.
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When you contact the organization, ask focused questions: Which horses are currently seeking homes? Is each horse being considered for riding, companionship or either option? What health, handling and farrier information is available? What experience does the horse have with trailering, veterinary care, mounting and the listed gaits? What support, follow-up or trainer referrals are offered? Confirm any application steps, site visits, fees or other requirements directly, since the pages cited here do not specify current amounts or universal criteria.
Then compare the answers with your own plan. The best match is not necessarily the youngest horse or the one with the most riding skills; it is the horse whose needs, preparation and future care fit the adopter’s abilities and resources. Ask about the individual horse, its health and handling history, placement fit, and what support is available to adopters.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I ask Best Friends about adopting a horse?
Best Friends’ contact page lists [email protected] for horse-adoption inquiries. You can also use its general adoption information, but confirm availability and the application process directly because those details can change.
Can I use Best Friends’ overall animal count to estimate how many horses are available?
No. The adoption overview describes the Kanab sanctuary as home to horses and other animals, but its general animal total is not a horse-specific count. Ask the organization about current horse availability.
How long can a horse live after it stops being ridden?
Best Friends’ horse-care guide says well-cared-for horses can live into their 30s. That makes retirement care an important part of planning, even when a horse is adopted primarily for riding.
Does calling a horse a pasture pal mean it needs less care?
No. A companion horse still needs food, attention, safe housing, social contact, room to move, hoof care and veterinary care. The term describes intended activity, not an absence of responsibility.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11What should I ask about a horse’s training before adoption?
Ask which handling, trailering, veterinary, farrier and riding skills the individual horse has practiced, in what settings, and what situations remain difficult. Also ask which cues and routines the trainers recommend continuing.
The Bottom Line
The 2018 Horse Haven interview presents horse adoption as an individual-fit decision. Horses arrived with varied histories, and the trainers matched riding or companion placements to each horse’s physical condition, behavior and preparation. Pasture pals were prepared for practical handling, while riding horses learned additional movement and mounting skills. Natural-horsemanship expertise was not presented as mandatory, but adopters were expected to listen, learn and use consistent methods.
Because the interview is historical, confirm current horses, requirements and procedures with Best Friends at [email protected]. Evaluate your ability to provide safe housing, social contact, movement, routine veterinary and hoof care, training support and lifelong care—potentially into the horse’s 30s.
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