Sound Equine Options was founded in 2009 by Columbia Equine Hospital’s veterinarian, Dr. Scott Hansen, and practice manager and veterinary technician, Kim Mosiman, to assist the growing number of area horse owners who could no longer afford to properly care for their animals.

Since 2009, Sound Equine Options has grown into a licensed rescue focusing on ending the cycle of abuse, neglect, abandonment and suffering for local horses. Sound Equine Options assists with law enforcement cases, often in partnership with Oregon Humane Society. We currently have working relationships with law enforcement agencies in Multnomah, Clackamas, Columbia, Marion, and Wasco counties in Oregon, and Clark and Klickitat counties in Washington.

By caring for abused, neglected and abandoned horses, Sound Equine Options fills a great need not met by local or state governments, which often lack the resources needed to address the increasing numbers of unwanted horses.

In Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington, as in the rest of the country, the number of unwanted horses and horses not receiving basic care exceeds the resources available to accommodate them.

Although there are currently no accurate figures on how many of unwanted horses there are, our research and work with regional animal control officers tell us the numbers are on the rise. People who suddenly find themselves financially or physically unable to care for their horses—usually due to foreclosure, job loss, illness, death or divorce—have very few options for surrendering them, which all too often results in neglect or abandonment.

Although Oregon leads the nation in animal welfare legislation, it lacks the resources to address the increasing numbers of unwanted horses in our area. Unlike cats and dogs, horses don’t have a publicly provided safety net. While no one knows exactly how many unwanted horses there are, we know it greatly exceeds the resources currently available to accommodate them. By caring for abused, neglected and abandoned horses in our area, SEO fills a great need not met by local or state government or other area nonprofits.

Putting an end to the downward spiral of horse-trading, auction dumping and neglect is a top priority for us, and it informs everything we do. The best way to make sure a horse does not find itself back in a bad situation is to give it the care and training it needs to be a reliable partner and find a good home. Sound Equine Options’ emphasis on high quality natural horsemanship training sets it apart.

Rehab

Once a horse is taken into our program, it is frequently sent to a veterinary facility for triage. This gives us the opportunity to have the horse medically evaluated and monitored. We can also then determine the horse’s personality to better match the appropriate foster home to the individual horse.

Most horses need to go into a foster home for a few months to gain weight and recover from mental and physical effects of their previous environment. In the foster home they receive quality nutrition, and are dewormed and vaccinated several times. Often a horse takes 3 – 4 months to recover enough before they can start into a training & exercise program. Our foster horse program is the heart of SEO.

Training

Proper training is a life insurance policy for the horses we rescue. Good training makes our horses much more desirable and reliable partners, which leads to more successful adoptions. Some of the horses that come to us have never been handled by a human.

To help ensure stronger matches with potential adopters, SEO has provided training for all adoptable horses since 2011. Training included ground manners, desensitizing, and whenever possible, riding.

Once a horse is healthy enough, it is sent to a Natural Horsemanship style trainer who will usually put invest at least 30 days of ground training with the horse to build both its trust and confidence. We believe it is crucial to get these horses to a point where they are well behaved and ready to be ridden. Usually a horse has 60 days under saddle before we feel it is ready for adoption.

Natural Horsemanship focuses on creating a bond of respect and communication between people and horses. It builds a horse’s confidence and is the fairest way to communicate with your horse. The result is a solid partnership and connection between horse and rider.

Adoption

Properly rehabbed and trained rescue horses are as good, if not better, than those available for sale through private sellers.

Sound Equine Options’ horses are offered for adoption to pre-approved adopters that complete our application process and site visit inspection. Adopters must also demonstrate that they have the skills, knowledge and resources needed to properly care for the horse, which must include regular veterinary care, farrier care, and proper feeding. Adopters must agree not to sell or rehome the horse without prior approval of Sound Equine Options. All new homes are also inspected.

The adoption fees for our horses vary depending on the age and ability of the horse and the amount of training the horse received. Adoption fees also take the kill buyer market into account, as well as the level of resources required to properly care for a horse. The purchase price of any horse is usually the cheapest part of owning a horse.

We are proud that our adoption return rate is very low, and we attribute this largely to the training protocols we have in place. Having happy adopters also helps spread the word about our remarkable rescue horses and increases the number of people coming to adopt our horses.

Owner Assistance Programs

When funding allows, Sound Equine Options also provides temporary assistance to struggling horse owners, such as temporary feed assistance and emergency veterinary care, including gelding and low- or no-cost euthanasia. When supplies allow, SEO also provides donated blankets and other supplies to horse owners who are otherwise able to provide their horses with a basic standard of care that includes proper nutrition, veterinary care, and shelter.

Awards

Oregon Veterinary Medical Associations 2018 Veterinary Service Award

Sound Equine Options – Kim Mosiman, Executive Director

Nominated by: Dr. Bob Franklin

The Veterinary Service Award recognizes an individual, group or organization that has promoted the veterinary profession and/or the well-being of animals.

This past summer, as a raging wildfire swept through parts of the Columbia River Gorge, Sound Equine Options began alerting its network of partners about immediate and pending evacuations of animals in the area. There was no time to waste, and the nonprofit needed people ready to step into action to gather and haul endangered animals from peril to safety in barns, stables, local fairgrounds – essentially any place where horses, cows, sheep, goats and other livestock could be housed safely. In all, Sound Equine Options, Multnomah County Animal Services, and many other disaster preparedness partners rescued more than 500 animals.

Sound Equine Options was founded in 2009 by Columbia Equine Hospital’s owner, Dr. Scott Hansen, and practice manager and technician, Kim Mosiman, to assist the growing number of area horse owners who no longer could afford to properly care for their animals. Sound Equine Options has grown into a licensed rescue that focuses on ending the cycle of abandonment, neglect, abuse and suffering of horses in the region. The nonprofit assists with neglect and abuse cases, often coordinating efforts with the Oregon Humane Society. They also have broader outreach and working relationships with law enforcement agencies in Oregon and Washington.

Oregon Humane Society 2018 Diamond Collar Hero Award

The Diamond Collar Hero Awards recognize and honor animals who have acted to save a human or animal life in peril, performed services within the community with undying loyalty, or overcome incredible odds in order to survive. Award winners can also be humans who have had a positive impact on the lives of animals, exhibiting courage and compassion in the pursuit of animals’ well being.

American Red Cross 2018 Community Hero Award

Community Hero: Kim Mosiman

During the September 2017 Eagle Creek wildfire in the Columbia River Gorge, Kim Mosiman mobilized her vast network of animal owners and volunteers to coordinate a rescue effort for hundreds of livestock, horses and other large animals in the path of the massive wildfire. Mosiman managed the rescue effort nonstop for several days, making phone calls, dispatching trailer drivers and identifying safe locations for the evacuated animals to stay. Mosiman, along with several other property owners across the state, provided shelter and food to animals that were evacuated from the fire path for more than a week, until fire evacuation levels were reduced. Thanks to Mosiman’s efforts, more than 500 animals were saved from the Eagle Creek Fire’s fast-moving and deadly flames.