ADOPT A CHALLENGE HORSE

What horses are available at Heart of the Horse Safe Horse Auction?

•  See all adoptable horses for this event HERE. There will also be a catalog in the Heart of the Horse Expo program that will be for sale at the event.
• Only HoH Challenge horses will be adopted (to approved homes) through bidding during the live HoH Safe Horse Auction at 6:00 pm on Saturday, May 17.  (There will be a limited number of ponies/miniature horses that are competing in the MS Horses Youth Pony Challenge offered in a separate Safe Horse Auction at 5:00 pm)
• Horses that are not in the Challenge, but are listed on the Heart of the Horse Expo & Trainers Challenge website as Diamond Horses, will have set adoption fees posted and may be adopted prior to or during the HoH event, at the discretion of their trainers and Mississippi Horses. (Horses competing in the HoH Trainers Challenge cannot be adopted prior to the HoH Safe Horse Auction.)
• Follow the 120 day training process of the Challenge horses on the Heart of the Horse Trainers Challenge Facebook page. You can find further information on other horses available at the event through Facebook search by entering #MHR(horse name) or #hohteam(horsename)

Who can adopt?

•  Most of these horses have received 120 days of training or less. Regardless of the high quality of that training, the Challenge horses are still considered “green”. That means the adopter should be at least a solid intermediate rider or an advanced beginner with a plan to work with their horse under a trainer’s direction . Some horses will not be suitable for adopters without substantial prior experience, and will be listed as such. Most Challenge trainers are offering continued training for both horse and rider after the adoption; you should inquire when you meet. There are no rank beginner horses in the HoH Safe Horse Auction. .The lowest skill level that will be approved to bid is advanced beginner working with a trainer. 

How do I qualify to bid?

•  To bid on Challenge horses, you must be approved for adoption by MS Horses. If you have not already been approved, go HERE to find out more about the process and fill out their online application before May 7th. Since it can take up to 10 business days to be approved, you are encouraged to apply early. If you have issues submitting the online form, please send a message to us HERE
• If your adoption application has been approved in 2025, you should receive an email with a self evaluation survey of your skill level. (If you were approved prior to 2025,  you may request that evaluation form HERE.) 
•  If you are approved for adoption and have returned the Adoption Bidding Information Packet, you should make an appointment to visit the trainer and horse you are interested in prior to the auction to determine if you would be a good match for that horse. 
• Only those who have met with the trainer and have been approved will qualify to be a Primary Bidder.  If you do not have the opportunity to visit the horse you are interested in, you might still have the opportunity to bid as a Secondary Bidder. See the Adoption Bidding Packet for more information.
• Once you have completed and returned the online Adoption Bidding Information Packet, an official Bidder Number will be prepared for you. This Bidder Number will be available for you or your proxy to pick up in the Show Office on the day of the Auction. The back of your Bidder Number will list all the horses you are approved to bid on. Approval doesn’t require you to bid; it just gives you the option to do so.

How do I bid?

•  When you receive your Adoption Bidding Packet, read the information carefully, sign and return it. Your signature indicates that you understand the rules of the auction and adoption policies, and agree to abide by them. You will not be assigned a bidder number until this signed form is received.
• You may bid in person at the live HoH Safe Horse Auction that begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 17th.
• You do not have to be present to bid. You can do so via phone with a proxy assigned to you.  
• You may only bid on the horses listed as “approved” on the back of your Bidder Number that will be issued to you on the day of the Safe Horse Auction.

 How much should I expect to pay?

•   $1,500 is the opening bid for Pro division horses. Amateur division horses start at $1,200. The minimum opening bid on ponies is $800. Final adoption fees will vary due to the bidding process. Some of the horses and ponies will have a RESERVE set above the minimum bid. 
• The amount of reserve will vary, but in no instance will the reserve amount be higher than $4,000. Bidding may carry those horses above the reserve amount. The catalog will note the horses with a reserve in place. 
• There will be horses available that are not entered in the competition, and have set adoption fees posted. These horses can be adopted at any time before or during the Heart of the Horse Expo on May 17th. These horses will not be part of the HoH Safe Horse Auction bidding.
• The value of training alone for the horses being offered is between $3-4,000 per horse. They are current on vaccinations, Coggins, farrier and most have recent dental work.

If I win the bid, how and when do I pay?

• Payment is due immediately after the conclusion of the HoH Safe Horse Auction, and no later than 8:30 p.m.
• Horses can have their adoption fees paid via cash, check, PayPal or Square. Credit Cards can be used, but only with a 3% fee charge added. Adoption contract will be signed at the time of payment.

When do I take possession of the horse?

• Please be sure you have transport arrangements made before bidding. Your trailers must be suitable and safe.
• The horse becomes your responsibility as soon as you sign the adoption contract. Be prepared to transport no later than noon on Sunday, May 18.
• Many trainers will transport horses back for A FEE. Please talk to them ahead of time about this.

How does adoption work?

•  All horses go on adoption agreements through Mississippi Horses unless the catalog identifies a different rescue is responsible for the adoption agreement. It is a contractual agreement that offers benefits such as access to continuing training, assistance with re-homing your horse through the MHR website and adoption events.
• Adopted horses can not be bred,. They also can't be given away or sold without going through the MS Horse Rescue application process and adoption contract.  
• If you need to rehome your horse, you may adopt it to another party for a fee - provided that the individual goes through the same approval process that you went through, and agrees to sign the same MS Horses Adoption Contract that you signed. (In this case, any fees you charge will be yours to keep.) 
• If you change your mind or can’t keep the horse, and do not want to find another suitable adopter, you MUST return the horse to MS Horses. In this case, the adoption fee is eligible to be used as a tax deductible donation to MS Horses, a 501c3 non-profit.