Our Story
Gaited Advocate Intervention Team, Inc. is a MD registered Tax Exempt, Non-Stock Corporation. 501c3 approved.
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO:
Who is GAIT RRR - Gaited Advocate Intervention Team, Inc. - Rehab, Retrain, Ride... ??
We are a team of gaited horse enthusiasts who have been working for years doing rehabilitation for at-risk gaited horses in addition to training, riding and showing gaited horses in traditional and non-traditional gaited disciplines. All of our team members are SOUND horse advocates and only train flat-shod horses.
We have team members located across the country, however our focus area is the Mid-Atlantic and So. California. While we focus in these two regions, we have resources around the country as well. This national presence allows us to work with a HUGE network of folks.
Our team originally met through our work as sound horse advocates trying to stop soring in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry. A few of us active in that facet of the industry found that we needed to do more than work on the humane issues facing the TWH as it pertains to soring. We decided to expand that work and focus on gaited horses that are at risk of going to slaughter or suffering in the hands of uneducated owners or unhealthy environments.
We are a 501c3 non profit Corporation but not a traditional rescue. We do not have a central location where we house large numbers of horses for rehab and rehoming like some traditional rescues. Gaited Advocate Intervention Team, Inc. is a registered corporation in the state of Maryland and have a federal EIN number 81-3550579. Our officers of record are Denise Parsons, of Boyds, Maryland and Lyn Montgomery of Fallbrook, California. Articles of Incorporation for a Tax-Exempt Nonstock Corporation were filed in the state of Maryland in 2016. We would be happy to send copies of those Articles as well as our Bi-Laws to anyone that requests to see them - please message us for those files.
We are NOT interested in debate about the pros and cons of how these at-risk horses are purchased. We ARE about the HORSE not an agenda - a SAVE is a SAVE regardless of where that horse is acquired from. If you do not agree with this philosophy, we understand your opinion and welcome you here, however, we are not interested in debating this issue. We are here to help HORSES not debate politics or the rights and wrongs of purchasing from various sources.
WHAT WE DO:
Since our team is a diverse group of people from around the country, we can DO a lot! Each member of our team members is a very experienced horse owner and all of them contribute in different ways. We have team members with skills in graphic arts, legal issues, business professionals, trainers and more. All with a common background in horses. With this background, we are able to help the HORSE in many different ways.
1. First and foremost, we NETWORK. This is where we can make the biggest impact. No single person can ever save them all, but networking allows us to join together with thousands of people to save many more than any one person can. We watch national groups and lists, these include broker programs (kill buyers that offer resale), sale sites in areas of the country where many horses are at risk, many gaited and non-gaited social media sites, CraigsList, etc. We find horses that we feel we can help and we post these horses out to various social media sites and through personal networks that we have established via our sister page Gaited Rescue Team, Sharing and Caring here on Facebook. We then attempt to find good homes for these horses that are at risk.
2. We work with RESCUES... Many of our team members work directly with with established non-profit rescues throughout the country that may not have a network for the gaited horse and help them to network for horses they have in their program or have found at-risk. This work includes offering evaluation rides and videos for horses that they have in their programs as well as networking these horses to try and match riders looking for a horse with horses already in rescue programs. We have also taken several gaited horses from more traditional rescues as a “Rescue to Rescue” transfer as many traditional rescues simply don’t have the network or resources to home gaited horses in their rescue.
3. We are a REHAB/RETRAIN/RIDE team... We directly rescue at risk horses. These horses come from a variety of sources including from private owners that are in trouble and need to place horses, private owners that are selling below meat pricing, auction purchases and direct broker purchases.
Those horses that are brought into our programs for rehab and retrain are then placed to private homes (well below the cost of the actual purchase/rehab) with contracts to protect the horses in the future. Each horse is carefully evaluated for their skill and training level, those needing retraining are then worked with that they will have the skills to be a great riding partner and homes are then carefully screened to make sure each horse is a match for their new owner. Each of us stand behind any horse that we place so that they are not at risk of ending back into an unsafe situation. Funds obtained from placing any of these at-risk horses are then put back into helping future horses.
4. We are happy to SHARE ADVICE... Because of the vast collective knowledge that this group has both in the training and in rehabbing horses, many of us actively post in sites giving advice to those who have or would like to save an at-risk horse. This helps many transition the new horse from being at-risk to being a healthy, happy and productive member of the equine family.
5. We are a COLLECTIVE RESOURCE... We advise folks on how they might be able to be involved in helping an At-Risk horse. There are many that would like to be involved but have no idea where to start. We help folks by offering suggestions for resources like quarantine and transport. We help by offering advice on the risks and rewards involved in helping at-risk horses. We help to facilitate the purchase or adoption of an at risk horse.
6. We are MATCH MAKERS... Many of our team members have become a go-to source for folks looking for that special horse. We maintain a list of "find me a horse" folks. People that want something specific and are good homes for horses. Many don't know where to start looking - we keep an eye out for quality horses from reliable sources and become match-makers for the rider looking for a horse and the horse looking for their new home.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Like and visit this page. Watch for our SOS stories - horses in immediate need and SHARE, SHARE, SHARE.
Be INSPIRED, if you have the skills to take on an at-risk horse, please contact us and we can help you make those steps towards making your first save.
Let us HELP you - if you are looking for the perfect new riding partner, message us and let us know where you are and what you're looking for. A rescue horse is NOT a cheap horse, but they are a worthy horse. Let us help you find your perfect riding companion.
CONTRIBUTE FUNDS to help horses in need. You can direct funds to help a specific horse, or you can send funds for a general pool. Every week we see horses that are in need. Funds can be made available to our team members for private rescues, or sent on to non-profit rescues to help them pull at-risk horses.
OFFER HELP - can you offer inexpensive hauling, offer short-term quality quarantine care, or have other skills that you can offer to the team. We would love to hear from you. Please message us with your ideas.
IN CLOSING
Our team looks forward to working with you. As we begin to work together, you will be introduced to individual team members who will help guide you through any processes in which you would like to become involved. You will get to know that team member so that you can build trust with us and we can, together, give another great horse the HAPPY ENDING that they deserve.
*** Denise Parsons, President, Gaited Advocate Intervention Team, Inc.
