Recognize Abuse & Neglect
Speak Up for Horses, Inc. offers a training program on recognizing horse abuse and neglect. This program will provide animal control officers and law enforcement the tools needed to evaluate the condition of the horse and determine the action needed.
We also provide options and resources for the worst cases involving seizure. If your local animal control officers, law enforcement, judges, 
Judge Executive, magistrates, prosecutors or lawyers are interested in our training program, please We have found that although most of those working in animal law enforcement know a lot about dogs and cats, educational training for horse protection is limited in many communities, even in those with a large horse population.
For recent animal cruelty cases in Kentucky involving horses, visit our news blog.
Education Comes First
We love to talk about horses. We love to share our knowledge and experiences with groups and organizations interested in learning about horses.
Whatever the topic - How to buy a horse or What horse is the right one for you or Is your family ready for a horse or Why end horse slaughter or Know your State's horse welfare laws - we are interested in speaking to your group.
We believe we have a responsibility to leave a more compassionate and respectful legacy for future generations. The most powerful way we know of doing that through Speak Up For Horses is to teach our children about owner responsibility. The lessons about owning and caring for a horse apply to how we take care of our environment and how we treat our fellow human beings.
A large part of our education plan is the acquisition of a farm on which to build an equine education center. This center will be open to the community for horse clinics, 4H events, boy scout and girl scout outings, field trips for school children and church groups, intern opportunities for students eager for a career in horses, horse shows, seminars on care, training, and veterinary issues, farrier demonstrations, breed club meetings and exhibitions. The center will also be home for a limited number of horses for hands-on programs, and will provide a place for local law enforcement and humane officers to better care for horses seized in cruelty and neglect cases. We are currently searching for a farm or for undeveloped land in Northern Kentucky, Southern Ohio or Southeastern Indiana for our operation. If you know of property for sale, or if you know of property that could be donated for a tax deduction, please contact us.
So You Want To Own A Horse?
Owning a horse requires a substantial investment of money, time, hard work, and sincere dedication. The initial purchase price of a horse is just the beginning.
You must be willing and able to make a 100% commitment to your horse.
Many parts of horse ownership require hard physical labor: shoveling manure, toting bales, carrying water, training and riding. You will have to tend to feeding and grooming every day as well as buying feed, cleaning and repairing tack, maintaining facilities and much more. You have to meet with your farrier or your vet for their scheduled appointments and be available in emergency situations.
However, for all this hard work, you will be rewarded with the most wonderful relationship between you and your horse. You will make friends with other horse owners, who share the same love.
There are many local, regional, and national organizations which are designed for family participation. Groups are available for all types of horse involvement: trail riding, lessons and clinics, competitions of all levels and types, and groups for "back-yard horsemen" of many interests.
Since horses are herd animals, we highly recommend you keep your horse in the company of other horses, which may require you to board at a qualified facility.
To help you along in your decision and to provide some basics about responsible horse ownership, we have compiled a few links to resources and information below.
Guide To First Time Horse Ownership
Certified Natural Balance Hoof Trimmers we use for our horses:
Stephanie Ohlemacher will travel in Southern Indiana, Louisville, KY to Frankfort, KY and immediate areas
Phone: 812-969-3499
Shulah Greatwater
Northern Kentucky, southeast Ohio
859-466-6896
Equine Massage Therapy
T.L.C. Equine Massage
Northern Kentucky, southeast Ohio
859-823-0694
SaddleUp For Storytime
Can you imagine growing up not reading horse books like Black Beauty, My Friend Flicka, The Black Stallion, Misty, A Very Young Rider, and Smokey?
Lots of children do. Funding for the purchase of new books for both school and public libraries has decreased as technology funding has increased. Without even looking too far we have found local libraries with absolutely no horse books.
Speak Up For Horses wants to change that. We will donate both new and gently used horse books to under-funded libraries. We are starting with libraries in the Ohio-Indiana-Kentucky tristate, but we will not turn down any needy library brought to our attention. And while our focus is primarily younger school age readers, we will also donate horse books geared for older readers such as America's Last Wild Horses, Seabiscuit, Chosen by A Horse, and Nobody's Horses.
How can you help? Financial donations to Speak Up For Horses can be earmarked for the purchase of horse books simply by noting Bundles of Books on PayPal or on your check. You can also send us new and gently used books from your bookshelf, and books you find in a bookstore, or at a garage sale etc.
If you know of a library you would like to help, please with the library name and contact information including the address, phone number and the librarian's name. It is also helpful to know what horse books the library currently has on the shelf.
If you would like to nominate a specific horse book that made a difference in your love for horses, please . We are always looking for new suggestions. We are focusing on horse books which speak to responsible ownership and the unique importance of horses to people.
Sing and Alex
Sing and Alex, the charming story about a boy and a horse, the power of love, and believing in one's self. Your purchase of this book helps us raise money. Use PayPal and specify you want a donation sent to Speak Up For Horses. You will LOVE this book. Give it to the young children in your life or donate it back to us for our SaddleUp For StoryTime program.
