In 2026, US Equestrian unveiled a new feature called Lifetime Care Contacts, allowing a USEF member to add themselves to a horse’s digital USEF record signifying that if the horse should someday be in need of financial assistance or a home, they would like to be contacted.
The goal of the feature is to help connect horses in need with people who are able and willing to help them. We recognize that breeders, owners, athletes, and grooms care deeply for the horses who have touched their lives and want to be there for them if they were to fall on hard times in the future. The feature was created at the request of members and is voluntary and free to use. We encourage our members to utilize it to make the safety net as robust as possible.
Below are a few frequently asked questions about the feature.
How do I add myself as a horse’s Lifetime Care Contact?
First, you will need to be a US Equestrian member or have a free fan account. The service is free to use, but you must be logged in to access our horse search feature.
While you’re logged in, locate the Lifetime Care tile in your My USEF Dashboard. From there, you will be able to search for horses and add your information to their USEF record. The contact information you entered when you became a USEF member or fan should auto-populate in this form, though you can edit it to include whatever phone number or email addresses you prefer to use for this purpose. This is the information that will be provided to a requestor if the horse is in need of assistance.
You may apply to be a Lifetime Care Contact for multiple horses, and horses may have multiple Lifetime Care Contacts attached to their USEF record.
Please note, you must be 18 or older to add yourself as a horse’s Lifetime Care Contact.
Does adding myself as a Lifetime Care Contact mean the owner is required to sell or give me a horse?
No. Use of this feature by members, owners, and rescue workers is voluntary. We have no ability to require someone to use it when selling, placing, or assisting a horse, and we do not oversee communications between parties who do use it. Our hope is that it will be a resource for those working in equine rescue settings.
I have a horse in my possession who needs help. How do I see if they have a Lifetime Care Contact?
First, you will need to be a US Equestrian member or have a free fan account. The service is free to use, but you must be logged in as a member to search our horse database.
Once you have a membership or free fan account, click the My USEF Dashboard button on our homepage. On the Dashboard menu, you will find a tile for Lifetime Care. This will take you to a screen where you can search for a horse or pony using their recorded name or their microchip number (among other parameters). When you find the horse you’re looking for, click the Select button next to their name. You’ll get a window with a button allowing you to request Lifetime Care Contact information to be sent to you for that horse. This process should be automated and you should receive an email in a few minutes telling you whether the horse has a Lifetime Care Contact list, and including the list of all names and contact information if so.
Please note, you must be 18 or older to request a horse’s Lifetime Care Contact list.