The U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) has introduced a new voluntary service called the Lifetime Care Contact feature, designed to provide a safety net for horses recorded with the federation. This free program allows breeders, former owners, riders, trainers, and others connected to a horse to sign up as contacts who will be notified if the horse ever requires urgent financial or physical assistance. The system uses microchips, USEF IDs, or recorded names to identify horses and connect them to their care contacts, with the goal of facilitating timely help for horses in need while protecting contact privacy through a secure, member-only login.
The initiative, inspired by similar programs from The Jockey Club and the U.S. Trotting Horse Association, aims to increase awareness and participation among USEF members and equine advocates. Members can easily sign up or search for horses via the USEF website dashboard, adding notes about their relationship to the horse. The program is intended to be simple and accessible, with plans for ongoing refinement. USEF encourages members to register as care contacts for horses they know, especially those they haven’t seen recently, to help ensure former show horses receive support in times of crisis.
