HAPI Trails Barn Raising

Want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money for Hapi Trails - Horse Adoption Program Inc (HAPI Trails Horse Rescue), and any donation will help make impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.

More information about Hapi Trails - Horse Adoption Program Inc (HAPI Trails Horse Rescue): HAPI Trails (Horse Adoption Program Inc.), is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, established in2009 to ensure a safe haven for abandoned, abused and neglected horses.

MISSION: To facilitate the rescue, rehabilitation, permanent placement of abused, abandoned and neglected equines. To promote equine awareness and to foster community compassion for responsible equine guardianship.

VISION: That ethical treatment of equines is mainstream, not an afterthought. Every equine is safe and cared for.

VALUES: HAPI Trails will bring to bear every resource at our disposal to heal and rehabilitate each equine that enters our facility. HAPI Trails will model compassion, speak out against animal abuse and promote responsible equine guardianship! We will l be messengers regarding equine issues.

GOAL: $120,000. In 2018 we received a $40,000 Grant from the CHC Foundation of Idaho Falls. This grant has blasted us towards the achievable goal of building a barn for these incredible animals! Reaching this fundraising goal, would greatly expand our capacity particularly for high risk horses, those that are medically compromised and need specific care and protection from the elements. HAPI Trails seeks your support towards Phase 2 of the creation of a facility for our rescue horses. The Teton Saddleback Vistas Home Owners Association (TSVHA) is providing 16.75 acres via a long-term lease where we can build basic infrastructures which will greatly increase our capacity to save horses and increase community collaborations.

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:
Rescue: We work closely with local law enforcement agencies, humane societies, and individuals in the emergency placement of animals in distress. Our rescue team is knowledgeable in rescue protocols, safe hauling and seizure assistance. During a rescue we work side by side with the Sheriff’s offices, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to ensure equines are removed safely.

Rehabilitation: We deploy every means available to us to rehabilitate every equine that enters out facility.

Adoption/Permanent Placement: We seek out solid forever homes for each and every equine in our care. We advocate on their behalf and offer long term shelter for them while they await their permanent home.

Foster/Temporary Placement: Our Foster Program allows us to take in more horses that space may allow during a given time period. The Foster Program helps qualified horses receive more hands-on care and helps members of our community become more involved with our horses. Most Foster Horses are companion animals and have a lower expectation for adoption.

Sponsorship/Financial Assistance: Sponsorship within the HAPI Trails programing can be customizable to each Sponsors wishes. These may include, but are not limited to: Financial assistance for a specific horse, financial assistance of marketing for the over all organization or for a specific horse, financial assistance for an event or clinic, In-Kind assistance or donation for the goal of raising fund for the organization or a specific horse.

Advocacy: We speak up for those who can’t. We work closely with local veterinarians to diagnose and treat suspected animal abuse. We support responsible equine ownership and breeding and work to educate others about being responsible with their equine.

Sanctuary: We hope to again offer refuge to equines that are ill or elderly. We believe every horse deserves to live out their life in dignity and in a kind, humane environment. When it is time for them to cross the rainbow bridge, they are surround by friends and sent on with love and compassion.



OUR HORSES:
Until June of 2017, HAPI Trails remained at capacity with no more than 15 horses in our program. This included horses in Foster care, maintaining the maximum number of horses that could be cared for at the HAPI Trails home and keeping within the funding perimeters.

After June of 2017 and the move to Teton Saddlbeback Vistas, HAPI Trails can increase the number of horses in our care to 25. This limit is based on the space available, the number of horses we can provide proper care for, and the funds available.

As an organization we have set strict limits on the number of horses we can care for. This allows us to care for each one individually, providing food, shelter, farrier services, vet care, training and if needed, massage, dental, special feed and any other special needs for those horses. It is our goal, not to exceed the number of horses we can properly care for, thus avoiding jeopardizing our organization and the horses in our care.

As part of our secondary activity we assist horse owners with the care of their horses. We have assisted in placing horses, outside of our program, into new homes. Our owner assistance has also provided any needed hay, veterinarian care, farrier care, or temporary housing for their horses and transport for their horses.

Our primary focus has been on horses with an abuse or neglect history. But we also care for horses that have been abandoned, seized by State Law Enforcement, horses whose owners have passed away or are no longer physically able to care for them. We take Government owned horses and Mules - Forest Service or National Park Service retired.

We take some horses who owners loose their housing or become incarcerated, this is on a case-by-case bases. We can no longer take the average retired equine due to lack of space and the number of request. We encourage owners to be responsible for their elder equine and we offer assistance in humane euthanasia.



RESCUE & REHABILITATION RANCH - CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
2018 was a year of learning, health and healing. Because of our new facility we had the ability show what horses can do for humans and what humans can do for horses. By bringing people to our horses in a learning capacity through clinics, we helped to highlight the horses in our program and provide opportunities for people to look beyond the standard ‘use’ of horses. Also with the learning clinics, we we able to show that horses don’t have to be ‘thrown away,’ We had a clinic per month starting in May and ran through October.

2019 is already lining up to be another stellar year for HAPI Trails and our community. More clinics, competitions and hands-on activities for people and horses. Ranch roping, mulemanship, Extreme Cowboy Challenges and more!

At the new facility, our goal is to provide more healing and happiness for our horses and members of our community. By promoting our EAP program, providing more clinics, more volunteer opportunities with our horses, coupled with the outdoors, art and mentoring, we are finding new ways to promote community involvement with horses. The clinics and workshops are unique opportunities that will help HAPI Trails raise funds for our adoption program and awareness for the many abilities of horses.

Along with our clinics, EAP and other programs we will again host our HAPI GALLOP Fundraising Gala with ‘Farm to Table’ style dinner for our donors, in the midst of our horses, with good food and live music!



OUR PROGRAMS
Adoption Program: The overall Adoption Program averages with about 75% of our horses being adopted - of course our goal is for every horse to be adopted at some point, but we have had a few ‘long-timers’ who are still waiting for their forever homes.

Foster Program: Our Foster Program has been a saving grace. Once we got to a point where we had the funding to care for more horses, we still did not have the space. But the Foster Care Program allowed us to take in more horses. Today our foster care program focuses on those horses that need special care or additional attention. These horses are the less adoptable horses that are elderly or have long-standing health issues. We have some amazing people in this community willing to open their homes to our horses, either indefinitely or seasonally, either way it helps tremendously!

Horse Sponsorship Program: The Horse Sponsorship Program helps with some of our horses financial needs. Many individuals seize the opportunity pay for a horses needs, especially when they may not have the ability to take in a horse. Two such instances have actually turned in to full adoptions - the sponsors find a way to make it happen.

Volunteer Program: As well as increasing services for our horses, we are growing in our ability to provide for and enhance our communities involvement. Volunteers are not only being asked to help with our many fund raising events, but also provide hands on care when they can. Since moving to our new location in June 2017, our volunteer outreach has tripled in size and we now offer monthly volunteer orientations and daily engagement with our horses. They are welcome to visit, feed, groom and care for our horses on their schedule, allowing for an almost steady flow of interaction for our horses.

4-H Horses for the Horseless: Beginning in 2018, HAPI Trails partnered with the local 4-H Program and became a 4-H Leader, providing new opportunities for kids in our community that don’t have access horses. We had “classroom” time where participants learned about the anatomy, care, understanding and training of horses. We also offered hands-on time with our rescued horses where the participants groomed, lead and trained the horses. Aspects that we focused on for the kids where: Safety, Intent, Confidence, Respect and Leadership.

Equine Assisted Therapy Program: In 2015 we received a Grant from the Community Foundation of Teton Valley for $2,500. This Grant was used for our Executive Director, Julie Martin and our Board Chair, Jen Carter, to study and receive our Certification from the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association. This is not a Therapeutic Riding program. This is an Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Learning program. Jen has a Master’s Degree in Counseling and a graduate certification in substance abuse counseling. Along with the EAGALA certification Jen, has completed intensive training in various other Behavior Disorder Therapy. We re-certify every two years.