How do I apply for a BTRC horse?
To apply for a BTRC horse you first must complete the application form. You can access this here. Following submission of your application form and video our Equine Co-Ordinator, Holly, will email to confirm receipt.
Is there a cost to loaning a BTRC horse?
Yes, we ask for a one off donation of £800 before the horse leaves BTRC and to help support our ongoing work we all loaners must become a Friend of BTRC for a monthly donation of £15. If you loan a companion horse from BTRC we would only require the monthly £15 donation.
Do you loan horses all over the UK?
Yes, your location doesn’t matter to us if you are the perfect match for one of our horses. We have many BTRC horses out on loan all over the UK from down in Cornwall up to the Scottish Highlands. Of course you will need to be able to visit the Centre in Lancashire a few times in order to meet your potential match.
How do I find out information about the horses you have available?
We don’t ‘advertise’ our horses on the website as each horse requires a different type of home. From your application we chose a horse suitable to your requirements and at this stage we will contact you with more information about the horse. You can view images of our horses at the Centre here and more photos and videos are available on our Facebook page.
What factors could affect the success of my application?
There are 3 main factors that affect the success of an application; firstly when potential loaners ask ‘too much’ of a horse straight out of retraining such as wanting to do competitions and also hack alone on busy roads etc. Secondly, if you state you are a nervous rider or you are looking for a horse to help ‘build confidence’ then we must consider whether a Thoroughbred straight out of racing is the most suitable partner for you. Lastly, the volume of applications – we do have a few horses that are produced to a local show level but as we can have up to 50 applications for each horse rehomed the demand for our horses overwhelms the supply.
At what level does my riding need to be at before applying for a BTRC horse?
All loaners need to be able to competently walk, trot and canter with a balanced seat and independent hands. Please keep in mind when applying, most of our horses require the loaner to continue their education and development once they leave the BTRC. The video you send alongside your application is really useful in order for us to assess your level of riding and helps us to make potential matches.
Will there be a suitable horse available for me?
If there is a suitable horse available that matches your requirements Holly will call you to discuss your potential match. If we do not have a suitable horse available at the time, your application will be held on file until a match becomes available.
How do you know my home will be suitable?
Before any horse leaves BTRC we require two references and one of our Field Officers will conduct a pre-homing check to the yard. Once we are happy with the outcome of both of these stages the horse can then leave BTRC.
If my circumstances change can I return the horse to BTRC?
Yes, as BTRC remain owners of the horse we always ensure we have room for returnees. Of course, we work hard to ensure this doesn’t happen often and that our horses find forever homes but we are aware that unforeseen circumstances can occur. We require 4-6 weeks notice before the horse can be returned and loaners are responsible for transporting the horse back to BTRC along with providing a negative Strangles ELISA test result.
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