Equine care grant program plans a second year of giving

Zoetis and the Equine Network Foundation have announced the continuation of the Long Live the Horse Care Grant, a program is designed to help rescue organizations fund medical care that directly improves horse health and welfare. In partnership with a Home for Every Horse, the grant program renews vital veterinary care support for equine rescues and organizations that provide critical care for horses in need, according to Zoetis.

This partnership is truly a win-win for the horses impacted, the equine veterinary community and the shared aspiration of providing a home for every horse,” Jen Blanchard, head of marketing for the Zoetis US equine division, said in a news release. “At Zoetis, we believe in supporting all horses at every stage of their journey, and it’s a privilege to partner with another organization that cares as deeply about horses as we do.”

In its first year, the Long Live the Horse Care Grant offered grants ranging from $1000 to $4500. The program received 101 applications and distributed a total of $19,131 to 10 recipients nationwide. These grants went directly to the organizations and veterinarians working to provide critical support for these horses and helped ensure the sustainability of their work.

Recipients of the 2025 Long Live the Horse Care Grant included Horse and Hound Rescue Foundation in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Horse and Hound takes in off-track thoroughbreds, provides them with necessary medical care and training, and helps them get adopted. Through the grant, Horse and Hound Rescue Foundation was able to provide Sharp Rocket, a horse with a spine condition that prevented him from being ridden, with corrective surgery. Sharp Rocket had a successful rehabilitation and has since been placed in a home, and is pursuing his new career as a dressage horse.

Zorro’s Crossing, a horse sanctuary that rescues, rehabilitates and adopts horses in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, was another 2025 grant recipient. Their namesake, a retired hippotherapy horse named Zorro, was provided with corrective shoeing, special therapeutic boots and continued physical therapy sessions through the grant.

“We’re so proud of the impact that the Long Live the Horse Care Grant made on horses’ lives and well-being in 2025, and we’re excited to continue the program alongside the Equine Network Foundation,” Blanchard said in the release. “It’s also tremendous to be able to support the equine veterinarians who provide their care, often at a reduced cost, for these horses that find themselves in rescue.”

The 2026 Long Live the Horse Care Grant program aims to provide $19,000 in awards. Individual grants will range from $1,000 to $4,500. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis through December 31, 2026, with recipients chosen by committee based on need in the hopes that horses can live long, healthy lives. Eligible applicants must be current members in good standing with A Home for Every Horse and the United Horse Coalition, according to Zoetis.

The program partnership is administered through A Home for Every Horse, the flagship program of the Equine Network Foundation, which helps rescue organizations find forever homes for adoptable horses. Zoetis provides support as part of its ongoing commitment to advance care for horses and the equine industry.

“With more than 200,000 horses in rescues across the country at any given time, there’s no question that many need extensive and expensive veterinary care,” Melissa Kitchen, president of the Equine Network Foundation, said in the release. “Thanks to Zoetis and the Long Live the Horse Care Grant, we are able to help offset that cost for some of the rescues in need. A Home for Every Horse couldn’t provide resources to the community we serve without the help of partners like Zoetis. We are beyond grateful!”

With a mission to advance the welfare and well-being of equids and the equestrian community through impactful initiatives and fierce advocacy, the Equine Network Foundation provides support in the form of grants and services to both rescues and other sectors of the horse industry. In 2025, the Equine Network Foundation awarded more than $65,000 through three grants, including Long Live the Horse Care Grants, to organizations across the United States.

Reference

Zoetis and Equine Network Foundation continue Long Live the Horse Care Grant for second year. News release. Zoetis. April 13, 2026. Accessed April 17, 2026. https://www.zoetisus.com/news-and-media/zoetis-and-equine-network-foundation-continue-long-live/