America's Favorite Equestrian is an interactive fundraising effort presented jointly in partnership by The EQUUS Foundation and The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) to raise funds to advance the equestrian sport on an annual basis.
Using mobile texting, people can vote to select America's Favorite Equestrians and support The EQUUS Foundation with a $5 gift. 100% of all donations are used to support charitable causes. A minimum of $10,000 in "sport welfare" grants will be awarded, with an additional $5,000 grant awarded to the equestrian discipline generating the most votes.
"It is our goal to bring recognition to all the equestrian disciplines and breeds, and to inspire all equestrians to support our overall efforts on behalf of horses.You have to start somewhere, and for our founders, the background was the hunter-jumper community. We hope this program will generate excitement and involvement for horse lovers everywhere," said Lynn Coakley, President of The EQUUS Foundation.
The EQUUS Foundation is dedicated to securing homes and useful lives for all horses - competitively, recreationally and therapeutically - and to educating the public on the important role horses have in our everyday lives.
The Foundation supports programs that use the horse to benefit the public, like therapeutic riding and equine-assisted activities, programs that promote horse welfare including rescue, rehabilitation, adoption, and retirements, and programs that promote the equestrian sport.
In the short time since the Foundation's establishment, over $1.5 million in grants has been awarded to horse and equestrian charities across the United States.
The EQUUS Foundation also established a national Humanitarian Award in association with the United States Equestrian Federation in 2009, which is presented annually at the Pegasus Awards Dinner during the USEF Annual Meeting to spotlight the selfless dedication one individual or a group of individuals has made to making the quality of life of our equine partners paramount.