The Maryland Equine Transition Service (METS), which in one year is already being cited as a leader in equine welfare, has signed on to become the presenting sponsor at the 2019 Maryland Horse Forum. The Forum is being held Thursday, August 8, 2019 from 8 AM – 6 PM at the Towson-MD campus of Goucher College, known for its nationally recognized intercollegiate riding program. The Forum began in 2004 and has been reconvened every five years, bringing together as many as 350 horse folks in a one day session to assess the current status of the industry and discuss topics that are instrumental in moving it forward.

Nearly 800 members of the Maryland horse community responded to a survey prior to the Forum and indicated that equine welfare is the number one topic that they want discussed at the Forum. “So it seemed only natural that this new program, which we want as many people to know about as possible, have a major presence at the Forum,” said Neil Agate, president of the Maryland Horse Council. METS is a program of the Horse Council and is funded through a generous grant by the WaterShed Animal Fund’s Right Horse Initiative.

The  METS program provides horse owners with an equine safety net that provides safe alternatives for horses of any breed that need homes by helping owners identify and select the best transition options for their horses. In its first year, METS has evaluated nearly 100 horses and placed over 30 of them in new homes. METS is creating a virtual network of resources within Maryland that can assist horse owners in the often tough task of transitioning their horse (or horses) to a new home. In doing so METS is working with the other great programs in Maryland such as Beyond the Wire, Thoroughbred AfterCare Alliance, CANTER Maryland, the Maryland Fund For Horses, Standardbred Retirement Foundation and up to 40 licensed equine rescues that help address this issue.

In addition to METS, there are 27 other organizations and companies from a cross section of the industry helping to sponsor the Forum, which is free and open to the public. To register go to www.MarylandHorseForum.com

Below is the complete list of Forum sponsors:

Presenting: Maryland Equine Transition Service (METS)

Platinum: Goucher College, Maryland Horse Breeders’ Association, Maryland Horse Council, Maryland Horse Industry Board, The Equiery, University of Maryland Equine Studies

Gold: Cloverleaf Standardbred Owners Association, Maryland Jockey Club, Maryland Million, Maryland Sports Commission, Maryland State Board of Veterinary Examiners, Maryland State Fair, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, Rosecroft Raceway

Silver: Equine Equipment, Law Offices of Kathleen Tabor, Esq./Maryland Equine Law, Maryland Farm Bureau, Temple Gwathmey Steeplechase Foundation

Bronze: Green Horse Enterprises, Grow & Fortify, Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, Maryland Horse Trials/Loch Moy Farm, Maryland Saddlery, Maryland Standardbred Breeders Association, Mid Atlantic Farm Credit, Ocean Downs, Rural Maryland Council.

For more information, contact Ross Peddicord, Exec. Dir., Maryland Horse Industry Board ross.peddicord@maryland.gov, ph: 410-841-5798