Fostering | New Start Stbds

Fostering A Standardbred

Interested in becoming a Foster Home?

Fostering an equine through our horse rescue program is a pivotal part of our mission.

As a foster, you'll provide temporary care, love, and support to a horse in need. The process involves an initial assessment to match you with a suitable equine based on your experience, space, and available resources. Once matched, we provide guidance, support, and necessary supplies to ensure the well-being of the fostered horse.

Fostering offers a crucial bridge between rescue and permanent adoption, allowing horses to experience a loving home environment while they await their forever home. It's a rewarding experience that directly contributes to the rehabilitation and eventual placement of these incredible animals.

Our foster program runs on a number of different styles that cater to the needs of each horse, each foster home and the situation that the horse may be coming from. Please note if you are interested in becoming a foster home, the more funds we pay each month towards foster care, the less horses we can help. So if you are able to cover part or all costs mentioned below, you are eligible for a tax receipt in return for the amount you cover.

SHORT-TERM FOSTER CARE: Up to 3 months in length. Horses in short-term care are actively being prepared for adoption. Foster homes are expected to work with the horse 1–2 times per week on groundwork and under-saddle basics, while providing daily care, feed, shelter, and turnout. Foster homes may be reimbursed for hay, grain, supplements, and farrier costs—up to $300/month. Veterinary care is covered.

LONG-TERM FOSTER CARE: Up to 12 months in length. Long-term foster homes offer stability and consistent care while a horse awaits adoption or transfer to a training program. These homes provide shelter, feed, turnout, and companionship. Foster homes may be reimbursed for hay, grain, supplements, and farrier—up to $300/month. Veterinary care is covered.

SPECIALIZED FOSTER CARE: For horses with complex needs—whether recovering from injury, requiring stall rest, or exhibiting challenging behaviours—specialized fosters are equipped to manage unique cases with patience and expertise. These homes are essential for rehabilitation and transitional care. Reimbursement available up to $500/month for hay, grain, supplements, and farrier. Veterinary care is covered.

END OF LIFE FOSTER CARE: For the extraordinary souls willing to carry a horse gently to the finish line. End-of-life fosters open their hearts and homes to horses with terminal conditions, advanced age, or chronic health concerns that prevent rehoming. Whether it's a handful of days, weeks, or precious months, these homes offer dignity, comfort, and peace in a horse’s final chapter—before a supported, humane euthanasia when the time is right. Reimbursement up to $150/month for hay, grain, supplements, and farrier. Veterinary care is fully covered, including end-of-life expenses.

RETIREMENT ADOPTION: Retirement Adoptions offer lifelong placement for unrideable horses—those who may be aged, injured, or living with chronic conditions, but who still deserve a safe, loving home. These horses are adopted as permanent companions and are not expected to return to work. To support adopters in providing a quality retirement, New Start covers annual veterinary costs, prescription medications, and pre-approved specialized care expenses. This option is ideal for individuals seeking to offer a peaceful, purpose-driven retirement to a horse whose best days are no longer measured in miles—but in moments of quiet comfort and lasting care.

Please note: Our program is unable to offer long-term companion fosters for horses who are not actively available for adoption, as we rely entirely on donations to cover monthly foster expenses—and this support can be unpredictable. Retirement Adoption bridges that gap, allowing kind-hearted individuals to give a horse a peaceful retirement with some continued financial assistance from us, while ensuring our foster slots remain open for horses still seeking adoptive homes.

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FOSTER TO ADOPT

Our foster-to-adopt situation for a horse is an arrangement where someone temporarily fosters a horse with the intention of potentially adopting them in the future. Our foster-to-adopt opportunities are 3 months in length (although the home can decide yes or no before that 3 months is up!)

This approach allows someone to assess whether the horse is a good fit for their home and lifestyle, while also giving the horse time to adjust to its new environment. During the fostering period, the foster family provides care, love, and support to the horse, and they work closely with us to monitor the horse's well-being and behaviour. If the answer is "yes" to the situation, then the home would sign the adoption agreement and take on full responsibility of the horse. If the answer is "no", then the foster would be reimbursed the costs spent on the horse during the foster period, and the horse would either be picked up by the program, or would go under a regular foster contract until they are rehomed.

Foster-to-adopt means that you do not pay an adoption fee up front, but you are responsibility for the daily care costs of the horse. Anything that is covered by the organization during the foster to adopt period, is then made into a reduced adoption fee, if the home chooses to adopt. Homes are asked to keep their receipts of what they spend during the trial time, if the home is not a good fit, then reimbursement of those costs (hay, feed, shavings, supplements, farrier, vet) would be reimbursed.

To avoid a home potentially doing this just for a couple months with a horse and getting their money back - homes are only allowed to use our foster to adopt program once within a 365 day period. We don't want to be unnecessarily bouncing horses around!