Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society.

 

Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society (BEHS)

Preserving an American Tradition One Equine at a Time

Rescue. Rehabilitate. Retrain. Rehome.

Vision

Envisioning a world where no horse needs to be rescued.

Mission

To improve the lives of equines by educating and helping owners, assisting law enforcement agencies, rehabilitating abused and neglected equines, and placing them into safe, permanent homes.

That is a superlative vision to have and I wish it could be true some day in the near future. In the meantime, BEHS is doing an outstanding job of helping save abused and neglected horses, mules, and donkeys in Texas and Arkansas.

Neglected and starved Palamino horse upon arriving at BEHS.

 

The same Palamino restored back to full health by the loving people at BEHS! He was then adopted out to his loving forever home! Total success story! :)

History of BEHS

They have a remarkable and interesting history of continuous development of their organization for the full benefit of all of the equines who are so fortunate to come under the care of these devoted horse lovers.

• 2005: BEHS is formed as a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt non-profit organization.
• 2007: BEHS holds its first Bluebonnet Horse Expo which is their signature event! During this day-long event they bring together well-known equine professionals for demos and clinics. They also feature an art show, a saddle auction, tack sale, and many horse- related vendors, too!
• 2009: BEHS expanded the Expo to include the annual fall Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge.
• 2018: BEHS took in its 1,000^th equine!
• 2019: BEHS added the annual spring Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge and Adoption Event in north Texas to its annual calendar.
• 2020: BEHS had its 15^th anniversary on February 20^th, 2020, and they celebrated with its first annual Bluebonnet Birthday Bash!
• They have now taken in over 1,100 horses, donkeys, and mules, and continue to help more equines each day.

Dr. Jennifer Williams, PhD, is the Executive Director of BEHS. There are over 600 BEHS members across Texas and in other states. 

This is Zera and Dr. Jennifer Williams in 2017.  Zera was rescued by BEHS and brought back to full health. In this photo, Dr. Williams is riding her to discover what level of training Zera had learned previously. Zera went on to be adopted by her forever loving home! Yay!

BEHS continues to work with law enforcement agencies across the states of Texas and Arkansas to come to the aid of needy horses and to educate horse owners and rescuers worldwide on proper equine care, rescue techniques, and related subjects.

The Horses at BEHS

Every horse, donkey, or mule which has the good fortune to come under the care of the devoted people at BEHS is considered a very special equine and everyone does the best they can to help that equine heal and flourish so that they can be adopted into their forever loving home.

Boomerang upon arriving at BEHS after the previous owner surrendered this pinto horse.

 

Boomerang after fully regaining his health at BEHS! He was part of the Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge and then he was adopted! Fantastic! :)

Adoption of an Equine from BEHS

In order to adopt an equine from BEHS you must first become a member of BEHS. This can be accomplished with as little as a $25.00 payment as an individual member, or $50.00 for a family membership per year.

 Fostering of an Equine from BEHS

In order to foster an equine from BEHS you must first become a member of BEHS as described under the Adoption section above.

At BEHS, foster homes are the ‘heart of the organization.’ Foster homes help starved equines rehabilitate and/or help train equines who have become healthy enough to go into training.

BEHS has very strict and detailed requirements for fostering an equine that pertain to both the individual desiring to foster an equine, and the facility where the equine will be fostered. They require regular, detailed updates and status reports to ensure that the equine is making progress in its recovery back to health and with regard to its training if applicable. BEHS has trained Inspectors who make sure the horse is being taken care of properly while in a foster situation (and also those who have been adopted).

Foster homes must agree to show the equines they are helping to prospective adopters. If that equine is adopted, the foster home often opens their hearts up to foster another equine. They are super generous people who clearly love horses!

Even if you have never been around horses, BEHS can still help you foster an equine because they will arrange for a mentor to help you learn how to foster an equine. This can be a most rewarding and excellent way to learn about horses while making a huge positive change in the life of a rescued horse. Please consider this very special opportunity!

Approved Boarding Facilities

BEHS has a list of approved barns in the state of Texas where a person can board their adopted equine or fostered equine.

Adoption Incentives

1) The North American Mustang Association and Registry - Fee Waiver Offer

The North American Mustang Association and Registry (NAMAR) will waive the first registration fee for the first Mustang adopted from Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society each month. The adopter of each additional horse adopted each month from BEHS will receive a $10 discount off the registration price. The mustangs must be registered within 30 days of adoption. This offer is for a limited time only, so adopt your forever friend today. For more information about NAMAR please go to the website www.namarmustangs.com and/or visit us on Facebook.

2) Three Wishes Travelling Natural Horsemanship Training Offer

Lindsay Scofield of Three Wishes Traveling Natural Horsemanship is extending a generous training offer to members of Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society as well as adopters:

• 50% off the first month of training for new adopters with their adopted equine.
• 30% off the first month of training for any BEHS member
• 10% off EVERY month of training for foster families

 To learn more about Lindsay Scofield and Three Wishes Traveling Natural Horsemanship, visit healthwithhorsehelp.com. Anyone who adopts a horse is eligible. Those interested in receiving a training coupon should email the rescue.

3) BEHS Incentives

Have you thought about adopting but don't have time to ride and train another horse? Do you have a lonely horse at home who longs for equine companionship? Bluebonnet has several companion-only equines available for adoption. These horses, donkeys and mules cannot be ridden for various reasons - but they still have plenty of love to give and deserve a loving home. BEHS is waiving the fee on all horses, donkeys and mules listed under Companion Only/Non-Riding Pets section to help these guys find a loving home.

Their goal is to place their horses, donkeys and mules into great, loving forever homes. To help make that possible, they offer several adoption incentives throughout the year. You may take advantage of one adoption incentive.

Multiple Adoptions from BEHS

After you adopt your first equine, BEHS will take $50 off the adoption fee of each additional equine you adopt. (This is void if you have returned previous adopted horses).

By visiting the BEHS website, bluebonnetequine.org, you can see the horses they currently have available (as well as past horses) for adoption, those that are in a Training Challenge, Newly Arrived Horses, Horses in Rehabilitation, Horses in the Nursery, Adopted Horses, and Rainbow Bridge Horses (horses who were in their care but who have passed away).

How To Help BEHS Save The Suffering Horses!

Besides fostering and adopting an equine(s), you can make a tremendous difference by donating money to BEHS. You can do this in three ways:

• Become a member of BEHS

Anyone, anywhere in the world can become a member of BEHS! By doing so, you are making it known that you care about the well-being of equines and join many others who are demanding better equine care not just in Texas, but worldwide. Annual memberships begin at just $25.00.  Other benefits of becoming a member of BEHS include participating in online classes and being a part of members-only email and Facebook groups.

• Make a monthly donation to BEHS

Miracles happen for these horses by the generous contributions of monthly donors. Your generosity helps feed formerly hungry horses and helps restore them to health so that they can find their forever loving homes. Even just $10/month can make a significant difference in the lives of these deserving horses.

• Make a donation to BEHS

 Any amount goes toward helping formerly needy horses receive the rehabilitation and retraining that they need which then helps them find their forever loving home.  All donations are tax-deductible and are used to provide needed food, farrier work, and veterinary care to horses who are in a Bluebonnet foster home.

• Honor or Memorialize a Loved One with a Donation

 You can honor a family member, friend, or pet who has passed away by donating to BEHS. All donations go to providing for the needs of a formerly unwanted or neglected horse. The family of the memorialized honoree will receive a beautiful card featuring one of the BEHS rescued horses to inform them that a donation in their honor has been made to BEHS.

• Become a Legacy Donor

When you make a bequest to BEHS in your will, you join the Bluebonnet Legacy Donors. This enables BEHS to provide for the rescue, rehabilitation, retraining, and rehoming of horses for many years to come. You can either make a bequest to the general fund which helps with the immediate expenses of BEHS, or you can make a bequest to the BEHS endowment fund. Endowment fund bequests protect the future of the rescue and will allow you to positively impact the lives of horses for generations.

• Donate Appreciated Stocks

Please contact BEHS for more information.

 

How To Donate To BEHS

1. By credit card on the BEHS website at: https://www.bluebonnetequine.org/donate/

2. By check to: 

Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society.

P.O. Box 632

College Station, Texas 77841-0632

 

Volunteer at BEHS

Volunteers are always welcome at BEHS! There are many ways to help the needy horses, donkeys, and mules heal so that they can find their forever loving homes. All volunteers must first become members of BEHS. There are many ways to volunteer including:

• Fostering an equine.
• Trailering the fostered horses to the vet, or to an event, etc.
• Become an Abuse and Neglect Investigator.
• Become an Inspector who checks out potential adoption/foster homes and who also checks on adopted horses.
• Help out with BEHS fundraising as this organization runs off donations. The more money raised, the more equines saved.
• Become a Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society Leader and help actually run this great organization. Also, you can volunteer to be on the BEHS Board of Directors whose focus is maintaining the values and integrity over the long term.

 

News And Events

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE FALL 2021 BLUEBONNET RESCUE HORSE TRAINING CHALLENGE!!!

BEHS is now accepting applications for the Fall 2021 Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge!  The Challenge is a competition in which professional trainers start a Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society rescue horse under saddle or restart a horse with behavioral problems while amateurs/non-pros either work with a horse who has already been started under saddle or work with a horse in hand.  This year’s Challenge will have up to $10,000 in prize money and will take place in Taylor, Texas.  Horse pick-up is June 1-15 and the competition is on October 16.   You can apply to compete at http://www.bluebonnethorseexpo.com/blog/challenge/apply-to-compete/

NOTE: There is now an application for new competitors and a separate application for returning competitors.

 

Resources provided by BEHS

1). Low-Cost Euthanasia Program

The Rainbow Bridge Project was created by BEHS to help owners who need financial help to end the suffering of their beloved equines. Examples of when BEHS may assist in the euthanasia expenses for equines are when the animal has a chronic painful condition such as chronic lameness, or other disease, for which there is no significant help available, yet the owner cannot afford to euthanize and bury or otherwise dispose of the equine, thus the animal continues to suffer in pain. In this type of circumstance, BEHS may be able to help offset some of the cost of euthanasia.

 Also, if there is an equine with dangerous behavioral problems, BEHS will consider assisting with the euthanasia expenses for these equines on a case-by-case basis.

 However, if BEHS feels that they might be able to successfully treat the equine, they may offer to take the animal into their rehabilitation and rehoming program rather than pay for euthanasia.

 2). Gelding Assistance Program

BEHS created the Cuter when Neutered Program (low cost gelding services) to help prevent indiscriminate breeding of stallions, donkey jacks, and colts which leads to equine overpopulation problems. Ungelded horses, donkeys, and mules can be difficult to handle, house, and rehome if needed, so it is really a great program to address these issues.

3). Horse Assistance Program

BEHS has allocated funds to help horse owners be able to feed their horses during times of financial hardship. They are mainly focused on Texas residents at this time. When the money has all been allocated BEHS will be holding all applications until more funds are available.

Concluding Thoughts by Cate Cummings

As you can see Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society is a very well organized and very well run equine rescue serving the states of Texas and Arkansas. They have an extensive network of volunteers, foster homes, and wonderful events all focused on the goal of ending the suffering of starving, abused, and neglected horses. Their ultimate goal is to bring these animals back to glowing health and find the right forever loving home for these deserving equines.

Please consider becoming a member of BEHS and getting involved with this great group of devoted horse lovers who would love to get to know you and help you make a difference for the equines in need. As Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society says you will be helping preserve "an American Tradition, one Equine at a Time", and perhaps you will be most fortunate and meet and adopt your very own forever equine friend.

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