Lessons

The Maryland Equine Transition Service (METS) is a statewide equine safety net initiative of the Maryland Horse Council that provides safe alternatives for horses needing homes by helping owners identify and select the best transition options for their horses. METS is a mobile service, meaning we don’t have a farm facility and we never take ownership of the horses we assist. Horses in need of transition come in every shape, size, breed, color, age, training level, and temperament. METS provides individualized services for these horses, including equine assessment, marketing assistance, end-of-life support, and facilitating the transition of horses to new homes. The program is unique because it works with a wide network of industry organizations and professionals to source the best options – from retraining to retirement – for these horses because no horse in Maryland should ever be at-risk of entering the slaughter pipeline. Many obstacles to placing horses in new homes can be removed when the industry works together to create a network of options for horses, to educate owners about these options, to assist owners when needed, and to select options that are based on the horse’s individual needs. With new national initiatives such as The Right Horse Initiative, the effort to provide options for “horses in transition” is on the rise. Maryland has taken the step to create and share resources to help both owners and horses as they transition into different stages of life.