The EQUUS Foundation has awarded over $200,000 in grants to qualified equine organizations this year, including a $1500 grant to Ride On St. Louis. Recipients of the awards, equine welfare organizations and/or equine-assisted activities and therapies centers, undergo a comprehensive verification and transparency process to earn the EQUUS Foundation "Guardian" designation. This year 129 Guardians in the United States received an award ranging between $500 and $5000. The grant is allocated towards horse care costs.
For Ride On St. Louis, this award allows for our annual equine dental cost. This expense ensures that our horses maintain a healthy mouth and teeth. Routine dental examinations and procedures include floating or rasping of sharp points or unevenness. Horses may ware their teeth down from normal grazing and feeding motions and often cause sharp edges or points. These points may cause pain when eating or using a bit, as well as interfere with normal chewing, which may negatively affect nutrition consumption/absorption and overall health.
Maintaining the health of our herd not only ensures our horses' comfort, but also provides the care they require to continue happily serving people in our community. Want to become a part of a Ride On St. Louis therapy horse's health and maintenance? Check out our adoption program at www.rideonstl.org/adopt