Adoption

WELCOME TO HORSE HAVEN MONTANA
If you are interested in adopting a horse or mule, please click the application link to download your application or email us if you would like the application by mail or email.

The Adoption Application is the first step in the adoption process and our policy, established by the board.  It is not a guarantee of adoption, but key to learning about you and ensuring the right match – the best fit between you and the horse or mule. The application helps us get to know you and match your interests, abilities, and equine home with the best possible horse or mule.  We strive to follow “best practices” and the best interests of the animal and potential adopter.

Adoptions cannot proceed until application is completed and approved.  We review references, which should include a veterinarian. We want to understand your knowledge of equine ownership, experience, financial and personal commitment and an understanding of all that is required in caring for a horse or mule.  We appreciate your understanding with this process. 

To contact Horse Haven Montana with any questions or if you would like to support our efforts or a particular horse or mule, please email us at jrt@montana.com or 406-880-0683.

As an equine rescue, adoption, and education organization, there is nothing more rewarding than placing animals in need or animals that can no longer remain in their current homes, into new, permanent ones.  We strive to ensure the best possible home for every horse or mule.  We take great care to convey the most accurate information about an animal, but often, we rely on limited information, or in many cases,  the information does not exist or the owner may be unable to give us a full background on the animal.  In rescue and adoption, past and present health and abilities of an animal may be uncertain. With adoption, it may be impossible to know every detail. We cannot provide a guarantee about a horse or mule but do our best to provide what we know or assess.  When you adopt a horse or mule, please remember that the animal may or may not be able to fully meet your expectations.

HHMT History:  Established in 2007, within three months, we had three horses ready for adoption.  By the start of 2008, all three were adopted into wonderful homes with human partners who understood their needs and limitations. In January 2010, Horse Haven Montana became a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization recognized by the IRS as a charitable organization. We hope that approval of our non profit tax status will enable us to be even more effective with more resources, grants and donations. Horse Haven Montana can now accept charitable donations and provide donors with a tax deduction for their charitable donation. We can also accept foundation grants to support our outreach efforts.

Horse Sponsorship: If you would like to help Horse Haven Montana feed and care for rescue animals as well as those in foster care, please know that you are helping those in need.  We offer sponsorship for some of our rescues and all donations are tax-deductible.

Please note:  If you have a horse or know of someone with a horse that needs a new home, please contact us. We will do our best to give you an honest assessment of our ability to find the horse a home or what the home might be. We’ll try to help. Remember too, if you have anything relevant to horse care that you can donate such as hay or senior feed, tack, veterinary services or anything that would be of assistance in these efforts, we welcome your support. Thank you!

Do you have or know a horse in need of rescue? Please visit our Rescue page for more information.

Horses and Mules For Adoption (updated August 2020)

Sam: Sam is a 3-year old 15H and growing mule, who has the sweetest, gentlest, most willing temperament without being pushy. Due to a knee injury some time ago, he may occasionally have some lameness issues and is not suitable for heavy, long and hard mountain trails. He will be suitable we believe for light to moderate riding and packing. Sam is being “retired” from the USFS, which thought they would use him for backcountry work but now he is being offered for personal, private adoption as a pet and companion. While Sam is not yet formally trained for riding, he will take to it quickly and easily. He is trained however to halter lead, ground tie, farrier, trailer load and knows basic commands. Sam is one of the sweetest mules we’ve ever met and he’s gorgeous too.

Jake and John: A senior pair of mules, “been there, done that” being retired from the USFS. These are sweet, older mules who are still healthy and sound and would enjoy a nice retirement home. They are still fine for light packing or ponying and with a horse as leader, they will go anywhere and do anything for their caregiver. They are very good looking mules, sweet and mellow.

Pieces (aka Masterpieces): ADOPTED

Red:  ADOPTED

Zorra and Mana: Retired USFS Dun Mules (2):  These adorable mules are half-siblings.  Zorra is purley a pasture pet and companion. Mana is suitable for light packing. Both are friendly and fun to be around and were ridden many years ago. It is possible to lead a child around on them.

Sky: ADOPTED

Ripken: ADOPTED

Rosy: ADOPTED

Testimonials from previous adoptions:
* “I’ve been meaning to send you a note for some time but just getting to it now.  Tobie is doing wonderfully.  I’ve probably ridden him over 50 times this summer and have not had any bad experiences.  He’s become a very willing trail horse and will lead or follow.  He’s fun to be around as he loves people and being handled.”

“Thank you so much for being the “middle woman” in bringing this mare into our lives. She’ll be great for Autumn’s confidence. She is very responsive to Autumn and knows her job and does it! She’s very charming as well!”

“Thanks, thanks and thanks again. I picked Maggie up on Tuesday, rode her on Wednesday. She has adopted me! I have a true testimony of a perfect horse person for a perfect MS person. Thanks for all you did for me, I am delighted.”

Please note: Adoption donations help to keep our program going and are invested right back into our efforts including rescue, daily care, retraining, advertising, feed, travel, transport and veterinary services for all of the horses and mules. We believe too, that a donation conveys the importance of making a responsible, financial, moral and humane commitment to an animal. This further helps to ensure that the horse or mule is not taken to an auction or sold at slaughter, which is against our philosophy, mission and purpose. Thank you for your understanding. For more information, please contact us by email or telephone:

Email: info@horsehavenmt.org or jrt@montana.com

Cell Phone: 406.880.0683

Thank you!

A Few of our Many Success Stories

Lucky

Our first “rescue” was Lucky. While she initially needed reassurance that she would not be all alone and left to fend for herself, once we paired her with our mini, she began the bonding process to both horse and human. As she learned that daily feedings would be the norm and not the exception, she began to relax and just live life like a normal horse, a very funny one we might add. Then came some tune up training and riding time in an effort to understand what she knew and what she was capable of.

Happy to report that Lucky is now living a very contented and well fed life on the ranch with her new best friend, a teenage boy who picked her above all others, to be his pal. Joseph told us he loved her personality, “she’s funny,” he said, and now Lucky and Joseph spend lots of quality time together every day in ground work or just “hanging out” having fun. Lucky loves her other equine companions too and will soon be going on trail rides with the whole family in warmer weather. Congratulations Joseph on finding your best new equine gal friend!

Cody

The best way to describe Cody was gentleman extraordinaire. Cody had been extremely well cared for throughout his life but as a wilderness pack-horse and turning 21, he just couldn’t keep up on those long, arduous rides anymore. With a little soreness in his back legs, we knew he could still make a perfect beginner horse and confidence builder and that was the home he found. When the family had to move to Alaska, Cody came back to us and lived at Horse Haven Montana for three more years until he passed on. He was a gem and a wonderful horse!

Angel – Pony

True to her name, Angel is a little girl’s dream pony. An Appaloosa POA, Angel was donated to Horse Haven Montana to ensure that we would find her the best home for her needs and training. We’re happy to say, Angel is living the life of equine luxury and making a 9-year old New Mexico girl very happy. A match made in heaven, Angel and her new human pal named Tiger are getting to know each other on a beautiful ranch with other horses and gentle, slow trail rides, exactly what both the little girl and the little pony were looking for. Happy Trails!