A LIFE OF LOVE

What happens to your animal if something happens to you?

Every year, countless animals are surrendered to shelters, or worse, because something has happened to the animal’s owner.  The good news is that it is easy to do some simple planning to protect your animal and guarantee that its future is never in jeopardy.  This book was written as a call-to-action to encourage animal owners everywhere to put a plan in place to protect their animals. It takes a clear, straightforward approach to give you the information you need to guarantee that your animal is protected.

The goal is to keep all of our beloved animals out of shelters and in loving homes.

EQUINE TRUSTS

“WHEN I DIE, THE HORSE GETS EVERYTHING!” – ANONYMOUS

Most horse owners will tell you their horse already gets everything.  After all, taking care of a horse is a consuming and expensive process. There’s the boarding, the food, the tack, the vet and farrier bills; the list goes on and on. And if you ride your horse competitively you are looking at multiplying that commitment by a minimum of 3-5 times. This all comes, of course, after you have purchased the horse itself, whose prices can range from a few thousand dollars up into the millions. Despite this financial and lifestyle commitment, most horse owners will tell you that it is well worth it, as their relationship with their horse is one of their greatest joys in life. There’s nothing else quite like being a horse person. I would know, I have been one all of my life.

The horse represents a major financial investment for many horse owners, and for the truly dedicated owners, it is one of their primary financial investments.  At the same time, the care, attention, and time devoted to your horse is akin to that devoted to a child. Given these factors, planning for your horse cannot just be an afterthought. Planning for your horse is essential, and your plan must protect these valuable assets and also provide detailed provisions for their uninterrupted and continued care.

Creating a revocable living trust for the continued care of your horse ensures their uninterrupted care if you are no longer able to care for it, and such equine trusts are strongly recommended for a number of different reasons. First and foremost, a horse is not a like a cat or dog in that a horse’s care can be quite burdensome and complex. Every horse owner has a very specific method of caring for their horse, and an equine trust allows the owner to create a detailed set of instructions that outline every aspect of the horse’s care. Equally important, with an equine trust these instructions are legally binding on the trustee and the horse’s guardian, so they cannot go against your wishes unless the trust authorizes them to do so.

Another important feature is that the equine trust establishes a team of trainers, veterinarians, farriers, stable managers, and others who will work together to ensure that the horse’s needs are satisfied. Having such a team in place is essential for the horse’s care to continue uninterrupted. The equine trust document not only names these parties, but also determines the role each of these individuals will play when it comes to the horse’s care. Furthermore, unlike other options available to horse owners, the equine trust guarantees that there are immediate funds available to provide for the horse’s care. The equine trust also requires that the these funds be used only pursuant to the trust instructions. Meaning these funds may only be used for the horse’s care and not for any other purpose.

Finally, the equine trust is also unique in that it is not just signed by the grantor, trustee, and trust protector, if any, but it is also signed by the horse’s guardian thereby creating a legally binding agreement with the guardian. Thus, the horse’s guardian cannot use his/her discretion when it comes to the care of the horse. Instead, the guardian must follow the trust document, and can only make decisions when authorized by the trust.

As a dedicated horse owner,  it is up to you to protect your horse’s future from any uncertainty.  Your horse relies on you to give it a happy and loving home, so do not put its future in jeopardy.  The unexpected always happens when you are least prepared, so take the steps to guarantee your horse will always be safe.  Contact me today to set-up a consultation to learn what you can do to protect your equine friend.