Dallas / Ft Worth Horse Trainer Helps Humane Society of North Texas

Horse Trainer Joe Weitekamp Lends Expertise to Make At-Risk Horses More Adoptable. End Quote

We are doing all we can, but donations and adoptions are both down, and the horse industry in Texas is in a crisis situation

Dallas, TX (1888PressRelease) November 01, 2011 - The down economy and skyrocketing hay prices caused by the Texas drought are exerting financial pressures on horse owners. Many horse owners cannot afford to feed their horses so horses are being abandoned in epidemic numbers. The lucky ones end up in horse rescues. With the influx of so many horses in need, horse rescue organizations are overcrowded and their budgets are stressed to the limit.

"The horse industry is in a desperate state," says Joe Weitekamp, owner of Weitekamp Horse Training in Venus, Texas. "Horses are a big part of my life so part of my philosophy in business is to give back to horses. As a professional horse trainer, the best way I can contribute is volunteering to work with horses in need to make them more adoptable. I evaluate the horses and try to fill in some of gaps in their training to make them more attractive to people looking to adopt."

"The number of neglected horses has grown to staggering amounts," says Sandy Grambort, Equine and Livestock Program Coordinator for the Humane Society of North Texas (HSNT), based in Fort Worth. "We used to take in 20 or 30 horses a year, now we take in that many nearly every month. We have never said "no" to a horse owner or a horse in need, but we are coming quickly to the point where our limited resources can no longer handle every request for help. We don't know of a horse rescue in Texas that is not already full, just when Texas horse owners need their help the most. Every horse adopted lets HSNT and other rescues help another horse."

"We are doing all we can, but donations and adoptions are both down, and the horse industry in Texas is in a crisis situation," Grambort continues. "We have recently turned to good trainers like Joe to evaluate our rescue horses, give them a little training time, and hopefully be able to offer potential adopters a horse that meets their needs. In a way, the current crisis is a benefit to anyone looking for their first horse or hoping to add another to their family herd. Unlike a "sale barn," HSNT and a few other Texas horse rescue groups are working hard to provide potential new owners with solid, dependable family horses who can become lifetime members of their new family."

"Many of the horses landing in rescues are victims of hard times," Weitekamp explains. "I've been surprised at the number of well-bred horses and nice riding horses I've seen ending up in rescues. It's not the horse's fault, it's the tough economy. I would encourage anyone thinking of getting a horse to consider adopting a rescue horse. "

About Joe Weitekamp

Joe Weitekamp grew up in Tucson Arizona and trained horses for Team Roping, Team Penning and trail riding. He then moved to Las Vegas where he trained horses professionally for many years. In 2011, Joe re-located his horse training business to the Dallas / Ft Worth Texas metro area. In addition to donating part of his time to helping horse rescues, Joe trains mustangs captured by the BLM for the Mustang Heritage Foundation's Extreme Mustang Makeover shows. Joe has been a finalist in every Makeover show he competed in and the mustangs he trained have been adopted into happy homes. Joe offers horse training, horsemanship clinics and riding lessons in the Dallas / Ft Worth Metroplex.

You can learn more about Joe Weitekamp at his web site at http://www.WeitekampHorseTraining.com or through his Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/WeitekampHorseTraining.

About The Humane Society of North Texas

The Humane Society of North Texas (http://www.hsnt.org) is a non-profit that is passionate about helping animals in need. Their mission is to act as an advocate on behalf of all animals and to ensure their legal, moral and ethical consideration and protection. They provide for the well-being of animals that are abandoned, injured, mistreated or otherwise in need. They promote an appreciation of animals and seek to instill respect for all living creatures. The HSNT has found loving adoptive homes for hundreds of thousands of abandoned and abused animals. The HSNT is located in Ft Worth, TX. See their website at http://www.hsnt.org for information on how to make donations or adopt an animal.

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