≈Nonprofit Seeks $80,000 Over Three Years, with $20,000 Already Committed≈
LEXINGTON, KY — (April 15, 2026) — Brooke USA Foundation proudly announces the launch of its Native American Equine Welfare Initiative, a transformative program designed to improve the health, mobility, and longevity of horses on Northern Plains reservations while building sustainable local expertise in equine care. The initiative aims to raise $80,000 over the next three years, with $20,000 already committed by generous donors.
This groundbreaking effort will deliver essential farrier services, expand access to veterinary care, and provide reservation youth with career training opportunities that foster economic independence and community resilience. Native American communities face some of the highest poverty rates in the United States, with one in four individuals living below the federal poverty line. On Northern Plains reservations such as Standing Rock—where 34.3% of families live in poverty—horses remain essential for transportation, livelihood, and cultural identity. Yet most of the more than 30,000 horses in the project area lack access to routine veterinary and farrier care.
Environmental conditions in the Northern Plains further complicate equine welfare. Rapid hoof growth caused by nutrient-rich grasses and moist ground conditions often leads to overgrowth, cracking, deformities, laminitis, and chronic lameness. Without routine care, these treatable conditions can permanently compromise a horse’s health and mobility.
The initiative also addresses broader social challenges. Youth suicide on Northern Plains reservations is the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 10-20, occurring at a rate 2.5 times higher than the national average. Providing meaningful, income-generating opportunities—such as farrier training—can help strengthen self-esteem, economic stability, and community well-being.
Horses hold profound cultural, spiritual, and economic significance for Northern Plains tribes. They provide transportation in rural areas, support ranching and subsistence activities, and play a central role in community ceremonies that preserve tradition and cultural pride. Healthy horses are essential to community life, yet limited transportation, high unemployment, and scarce veterinary services leave both people and animals vulnerable. For example, the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation spans approximately 2.3 million acres and is home to more than 16,000 tribal members, many of whom rely on horses for mobility and daily activities. Horses are also increasingly recognized for their therapeutic value in addressing trauma, mental health challenges, and youth disengagement, meaning that supporting equine welfare benefits both the animals and the people who depend on them.
To implement this initiative, Brooke USA has partnered with Rural Veterinary Experience Teaching and Service (RVETS), a nationally respected organization with established relationships in the project regions. Together, they will deliver essential hoof care and veterinary services to underserved communities, train reservation youth to become certified farriers with mentorship and advanced study opportunities, integrate equine care education into tribal college vocational programs, and build sustainable, community-led equine care capacity within three years. Grant funding will support the purchase of full sets of professional farrier tools, which program participants will retain to establish their careers. Funds will also compensate trainees at a rate of $25 per treatment, with horse owners contributing an additional $25, enabling trainees to earn $50 per horse treated.
“Brooke USA believes that healthy animals and thriving communities go hand in hand,” said Emily Marquez, Chief Executive Officer of Brooke USA Foundation. “This initiative honors the deep cultural connection between Native American communities and their horses while creating meaningful economic opportunities that will have a lasting impact for generations to come.”
Brooke USA seeks $60,000 in additional funding over the next three years to meet its $80,000 campaign goal. These funds will expand access to care, especially in rural areas, by training new farriers living on the Reservations, equip trainees with professional tools, and ensure the long-term sustainability of equine welfare programs in Native American communities by raising the profile of animal health studies within Sitting Bull College.
Brooke USA Foundation is dedicated to significantly improving the welfare of working horses, donkeys, and mules and the people they serve in the developing world and within vulnerable communities in the United States. Through partnerships, advocacy, and funding, Brooke USA supports programs that alleviate suffering, promote sustainable solutions, and empower communities.
For more information or to support the Native American Equine Welfare Initiative, please visit www.BrookeUSA.org/native-american.
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About Brooke USA: The mission of Brooke USA is to significantly improve the health, welfare and productivity of working horses, donkeys and mules and the people who depend on them for survival worldwide. We are committed to sustainable economic development by reducing poverty, increasing food security, ensuring access to water, providing a means to education, and raising basic standards of living through improved equine health and welfare. We accomplish this by raising funds and responsibly directing them to the areas of greatest need. www.BrookeUSA.org.
Media Contacts:
Emily Dulin
305-505-6170
Emily.Dulin@BrookeUSA.org
Kendall Bierer
561-309-9873
Kendall.Bierer@BrookeUSA.org