The horse rescue farm business, also called equine rescue and sanctuary, is an organization that transports and cares for abused and neglected horses seized by animal protection agencies. The essence of horse rescue farms is to ensure quality care and treatment of horses through intervention, education, and outreach.
They rehabilitate horses that come from animal control impoundments, train law enforcement professionals on how to handle cases of large animal abuse and neglect, and maintain their farm as an educational community center for volunteers and visitors.
NASS issued a report that shows that there are a total of 459,526 horse farms in the US, with an agricultural population of 2,847,289 horses.
There are more than 500 horse rescues in the United States and according to statistics compiled by the Right Horse Initiative, to boost successful equine adoptions and promote equine welfare, between 7,000 and 10,000 horses are adopted annually through an estimated 1,000 equine adoption organizations nationwide.
Steps on How to Start a Horse Rescue Farm Business
Table of Content
Conduct Market Research
The first step in the market research process for your Horse rescue farm business is to develop market-based research questions in line with your overall business goal and objective.
In this regard, you should source information that will help you maximize your business, information that will give you easy access to reliable marketing techniques and resources that will help you operate your Horse rescue farm business with less stress and of course, build the business to profitability.
a. Who is the Target Market for Horse Rescue Farm Business?
The target market for horse rescue farm business includes everyone in and around the location where your horse rescue farm is that can adopt a horse.
b. Is Horse Rescue Farm Business a Profitable Business?
No, the horse rescue farm business is not profitable because they are usually operated as non-profit organizations. Any profits gotten must be re-invested into the organization (the money raised through donations is used to buy, transport, feed, rehabilitate, and rehome the horses).
c. Are There Existing Niches in the Industry?
It is safe to say that there is no niche area in the horse rescue farm business.
d. Who are the Major Competitors?
- Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre
- Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR)
- Hidden Pond Farm Equine Rescue
- Bergen County Horse Rescue
- Rivers Edge Horse Rescue & Sanctuary
- Redwings Horse Sanctuary and Rescue
- Red Bucket Equine Rescue
- Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary
- Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue
- Thunder Mountain Farms Equine Rescue
- Rosemary Farm Sanctuary
- Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue
- Beech Brook Farm Equine Rescue
- Amaryllis Farm Equine Rescue, Inc.
- Beauty’s Haven Farm and Equine Rescue, Inc.
- Bluemont Sanctuary
- Day Dreams Farm Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation
- Ray of Light Farm Inc.
- Starry Skies Equine Rescue and Sanctuary
- River Edge Farm Horse Rescue, Inc.
- Rising Starr Horse Rescue.
e. Are There County or State Regulations or Zoning Laws for Horse Rescue Farm Business?
Yes, there are county or state regulations or zoning laws for horse rescue farm businesses. Whether you want to keep your horse on your residential property or run a commercial (profit or nonprofit) equine facility, you need to know what your county requires when it comes to zoning.
Zoning is not a function of the state but rather determined by your county government. Additionally, some counties may require additional permitting or licenses if you board horses other than your own on your property.
f. Is There a Franchise for Horse Rescue Farm Business?
No, there are no known franchise opportunities for horse rescue farm business.
g. What Do You Need to Start a Horse Rescue Farm Business?
- A Feasibility Report
- Business and Marketing Plans
- Supplies and Inventory.
- Licenses and Permits
- Big Facility
- EIN (Employer Identification Number)/Federal Tax ID Number.
- A Corporate Bank Account
- Employees
- Startup Capital and Community Support
Choose a Memorable Business Name
When looking to start a business, before you can begin to file the necessary documents with the constituted authorities or start your website, it is necessary that you come up with a name that you will be recognized with. It is essential that the name you come up with can easily be pronounced, is unique and easily memorable.
Some of the catchy business name ideas suitable for a horse rescue farm business are;
Creative Horse Rescue Farm Business Name ideas
- Silver Sky© Horse Rescue Farm, Inc.
- King of Boys® Horse Rescue Farm, Inc.
- All Lodge© Horse Rescue Farm, Inc.
- Gap Center® Horse Rescue Farm, Inc.
- The Bridge™ Horse Rescue Farm, Inc.
- Jefferson Memorial™ Horse Rescue Farm, Inc.
- Paul© Horse Rescue Farm, Inc.
- Good Days® Horse Rescue Farm, Inc.
- Lugard Lodge© Horse Rescue Farm, Inc.
- Hyden Abode© Horse Rescue Farm, Inc.
- Golden Castle© Horse Sanctuary and Rescue
- Cow Boys® Horse Sanctuary and Rescue, Inc.
- Eden© Horse Sanctuary and Rescue, Inc.
- Royal Courts® Farm Equine Rescue
- Green Tower™ Farm Equine Rescue, LLC
- Hero Now™ Farm Equine Rescue, LLC
- Fresh Brooks© Horse Rescue Farm, Inc.
- The Sanctuary® Horse Rescue Farm, Inc.
- Texas Shelter© Horse Rescue Farm, Inc.
- Jeff Johnson© Horse Sanctuary and Rescue, Inc.
Register Your Business
a. What Type of Business Structure is Best for Horse Rescue Farm Business?
When starting a horse rescue farm business, the best choice for legal structure is to form a nonprofit corporation at the state level and apply for a 501(c)(3) tax exemption at the federal level.
Please note that on the state level, you can file a nonprofit LLC for your horse rescue farm business. Technically, you can apply for an exemption with an LLC, but you would need to be an LLC taxed as a corporation; then, you ask the federal government to treat your horse rescue farm business as a nonprofit or tax-exempt organization.
Interestingly, in the United States of America, several states allow a nonprofit LLC, including California, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, and Tennessee. Texas allows the formation of an LLC with a nonprofit purpose. In Delaware, the LLC Act permits the organization of an LLC for not-for-profit purposes.
b. Steps to Form an LLC
- Choose a Name for Your LLC.
- File Articles of Organization.
- Choose a registered agent.
- Decide on member vs. manager management.
- Create an LLC operating agreement.
- Comply with other tax and regulatory requirements.
- File annual reports.
c. What Type of License is Needed to Open a Horse Rescue Farm Business?
- General Business License
- Health and Safety Permit
- Class A license
- Zonal Permits (Applicable in some cities)
- Signage Permit
- Operational State Facility Inspections
d. What Type of Certification is Needed to Open a Horse Rescue Farm Business?
You don’t need any special certifications to launch your horse rescue farm business in the United States of America.
e. What Documents are Needed to Open a Horse Rescue Farm Business?
- DBA
- EIN
- Business and liability insurance
- Federal Tax Payer’s ID
- State Permit and Building Approval
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Business License
- Business Plan
- Employment Agreement (offer letters)
- Operating Agreement for LLCs
- Insurance Policy
- Online Terms of Use
- Online Privacy Policy Document
- Contract Document
- Company Bylaws
- Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
f. Do You Need a Trademark, Copyright, or Patent?
If you are considering starting a horse rescue farm business, usually you may not have any need to file for intellectual property protection or trademark. This is because the nature of the business makes it possible for you to successfully run it without having any cause to challenge anybody in court for illegally making use of your company’s intellectual properties.
Cost Analysis and Budgeting
a. How Much Does It Cost to Start a Horse Rescue Farm Business?
You would need an estimate of $150,000 or more to successfully set up a horse rescue farm business in the United States of America. Please note that this amount includes the salaries of all the staff for the first three months of operation.
b. What are the Costs Involved in Starting a Horse Rescue Farm Business
- The Total Fee for Registering the Business in the United States of America – $750.
- Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits – $1,500.
- Marketing expenses as well as flyer printing (2,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of – $3,580.
- The cost of hiring a Consultant – is $2,500.
- Insurance (general liability, workers’ compensation, and animal insurance) coverage at a total premium – of $3,400.
- The cost for leasing a standard and secured facility for 3 years – is $80,000
- The cost for facility remodeling – is $20,000.
- Other start-up expenses like phone and utility deposits ($2,500).
- Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $40,000
- The cost for Start-up inventory (stocking with horse feed, disinfectant, washing supplies, medications for the horses et al) – $15,000
- Storage hardware (bins, rack, shelves,) – $3,720
- The cost for the purchase of a truck for transporting horses – is $40,000.
- The cost of launching a website – is $700
- Miscellaneous – $10,000
c. What Factors Determine the Cost of Opening a Horse Rescue Farm Business?
- The size of the horse rescue farm business
- The choice of location
- The required licenses and permits
- The type of facility
- The additional services offerings
- The cost for branding, promotion, and marketing of the horse rescue farm business
- The cost of furnishing and equipping the horse rescue farm business
- The cost of insurance
- The cost of registering the business
- Source of your supplies and ongoing expenses
- Cost of recruiting and training your staff
- The cost for the purchase and customizing of uniforms
- The cost of the grand opening of the horse rescue farm business
d. Do You Need to Build a Facility? If YES, How Much Will It Cost?
You may need to build a facility if you have the resources but it is not compulsory because you have the option of long-leasing a property. On average, it will cost you over one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) to construct a horse rescue farm facility.
e. What are the Ongoing Expenses of a Horse Rescue Farm Business?
- Supplies and inventory (stocking with horse feed (hay and grain), disinfectant, washing supplies, vet medications for horses et al)
- Utility bills (internet, phone bills, signage and sewage et al)
- Worker’s salaries
f. What is the Average Salary of your Staff?
- Head of Horse Rescue Farm (President) – $45,000 Per Annum
- Farm Manager (Administrator) – $36,034 Per Annum
- Vet Doctor – $35,660 Per Annum
- Equine Care Practitioners – $32,878 Per Annum
- Fundraiser – $32,500 Per Annum and based on target
- Account Officer – $30,000 Per Annum
- Cleaners – $22,000 Per Annum
g. How Do You Get Funding to Start a Horse Rescue Farm Business?
- Raising money from personal savings and sale of personal stocks and properties
- Raising money from investors and business partners
- Applying for a loan from your bank/banks
- Source for soft loans from your family members and friends.
Write a Business Plan
a. Executive Summary
Texas Shelter© Horse Rescue Farm, Inc. is a standard and licensed horse rescue farm that will be located in Dallas, Texas in a neatly renovated and secured facility; a facility that is specifically equipped with the needed accommodation facilities and gadgets to give comfort and security to rescued horses.
b. Service
- Housing and care for abused and neglected horses seized by animal protection agencies
- Horse adoption programs
- Excursion facility.
c. Mission Statement
Our mission is to establish a first-class horse rescue farm that will play a meaningful role in solving horse mistreatment, through rescue, intervention, education, and community outreach. To train and make available horses for adoption.
Vision Statement
Our vision is to become the number one choice when it comes to horse rescue in the whole of Dallas, Texas, and also to be amongst the top 3 horse rescue farms in the United States of America within the next 10 years.
d. Goals and Objectives
The goals and objectives of our horse rescue farm business are to ensure quality care and treatment of horses through intervention, education, and outreach.
e. Organizational Structure
- Head of Horse Rescue Farm (President)
- Farm Manager (Administrator)
- Vet Doctor
- Equine Care Practitioner
- Fundraiser
- Account Officer
- Cleaners
Marketing Plan
a. SWOT Analysis
Strength:
- A well-secured and spacious facility
- Well-experienced and certified employees
- A robust partnership with key stakeholders in our city
- Capacity to attract funding and reliable volunteers.
Weakness:
- Starting as a new business (stakeholders may still be reluctant to donate their monies to us).
- Lack of capacity for now to attract government support and funding
- Lack of budgeting for robust publicity
Opportunities:
Enough abused and strayed horses in the city where we will be opening our horse rescue farm business.
Threat:
- The arrival of horse rescue farms in our location
- Lack of support from stakeholders and the government
- Unfavorable government policy and legalization.
b. How Do Horse Rescue Farm Business Make Money?
Horse rescue farms make money from;
- Fees generated from horse adoptions
- Fees generated from visitors on excursions to the facility
- Contributions to partners and donors
- Grants from government agencies and charity organizations
- Community support.
c. Payment Options
- Payment via bank transfer
- Payment with cash
- Payment via credit cards/Point of Sale Machines (POS Machines)
- Payment via online bank transfer
- Payment via check
- Payment via mobile money transfer
- Payment via bank draft
d. Sales & Advertising Strategies
- Introduce your horse rescue farm business by sending introductory letters alongside your brochure to animal control impoundments, animal protection agencies, and key stakeholders in and around your city.
- Advertise on the internet on blogs and forums, and also on social media like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn to get your message across
- Create a basic website for your horse rescue farm business to give your horse rescue farm an online presence
- Directly market your horse rescue farm to attract donations
- Join local chambers of commerce and industry to market your horse rescue farm business and attract donations
- Advertise the horse rescue farm business in community-based newspapers, local TV and radio stations
- List your business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
- Encourage the use of word-of-mouth marketing (referrals)
Financial Projection
a. How Much Should You Charge for your Service?
It is important to note that the horse rescue farm business is free of charge since the organization is run as a nonprofit.
b. How Much Profit Do Horse Rescue Farm Business Owners Make a Year?
Operating the horse rescue farm as a non-profit organization requires that no profits be pocketed by the owners or board of directors. Any profits must be re-invested into the organization.
c. What Factors Determine the Amount Generated?
- The capacity of the horse rescue farm business as it relates to attracting funds
- The location of the horse rescue farm business is covering
- The management style of the horse rescue farm business
- The business approach of the horse rescue farm business
- The advertising and marketing strategies adopted by the horse rescue facility
- The number of years the horse rescue farm business facility is in operation
d. What is the Profit Margin of a Horse Rescue Farm Business Product/Service?
Horse rescue farms are not designed to make profits.
e. What is the Sales Forecast?
Below is the sales forecast for a horse rescue farm. It is based on the location of the business and other factors as it relates to such startups in the United States;
- First Fiscal Year (FY1): $240,000
- Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $380,000
- Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $420,000
Set Up your Shop/Office
a. How Do You Choose a Perfect Location for Horse Rescue Farm Business?
- The demography of the location especially as it relates to the number of strayed and abused horses
- The demand for the services of horse rescue farms in the location
- The capacity of the residents to donate to the success of a horse rescue farm
- Accessibility of the location
- The number of Horse rescue farms and other facilities that also offer horse rescue in the location
- The local laws and regulations in the community/state
- Traffic, parking and security et al
b. What State and City are Best to Open a Horse Rescue Farm Business?
- Ocala, Florida
- San Francisco, California
- Dallas, Texas
- Springfield, Missouri
- Lexington, Kentucky
- Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Mansfield, Ohio
- Greensboro, North Carolina
- Lena, Mississippi
- Overland Park, Kansas
c. What Equipment is Needed to Operate a Horse Rescue Farm Business?
- Vet first aid box
- Truck
- Wheelbarrow
- Stable broom
- Pitchfork
- Manure fork.
- Fire extinguisher.
- Spare lightbulbs.
- Extension cord.
- A secure, dry container or box to store hay/feed/tack/supplies.
Hire Employees
When it comes to hiring employees for a standard Horse rescue farm business, you should make plans to hire a competent Head of Horse rescue farm business (President), Farm Manager (Administrator), Vet Doctor, Equine Care Practitioner, Fundraiser, Account Officer, and Cleaners.
Launch the Business Proper
In recent times, no horse rescue farm business facility opens its door for business without first organizing an opening party to officially launch the business. You can choose to do a soft opening if you are operating on a low budget or you can go for a grand opening party.
The bottom line is that with a proper launching of the Horse rescue farm business, you will officially inform people in your city that your Horse rescue farm is open for business.
a. What Makes a Horse Rescue Farm Business Successful?
- Ability to attract grants and funding from the government of your city or state or even the federal government
- Disciplined and dedicated workforce
- The heart to care for abused and strayed horses
- Good facility and ambiance
- A good relationship with stakeholders
- Good rehabilitation techniques and programs.
b. What Happens During a Typical Day at a Horse Rescue Farm Business?
- The facility is open for the day
- The facility is cleaned and prepared for the day’s activities
- Quality care and treatment are given to the horses
- Administrative work
- The facility is closed for the day.
c. What Skills and Experience Do You Need to Build a Horse Rescue Farm Business?
- Good managerial and human development skills
- Visionary Leadership skills
- Team-building & Interpersonal skills.
- Excellent communication and social skills.
- Organizational skills.
- Good problem-solving ability.
- Experience in handling and caring for horses
- Experience in the horse rescue and shelter industry
- Experience in working in an animal sanctuary and related business environment.