The Maryland Equine Transition Service is truly the first of its kind. It is a statewide initiative, developed and supported by the equine industry, to ensure that safe alternatives for horses needing transition are available and accessible to all owners who need the service.
The Maryland Horse Council (MHC) was the first horse council in the United States to support the S.A.F.E. Act, proposed federal legislation to prohibit shipping horses to Canada and Mexico to be slaughtered. In doing so, the MHC recognized the corresponding need to create safe alternatives for horses that, for many reasons, may end up at risk.
In June 2017, members of the MHC met with representatives from The Right Horse Initiative to discuss a potential partnership. In August 2017, about a dozen industry professionals met to brainstorm possibilities. It was at this meeting that the concept for METS was born.
The Right Horse Initiative awarded the MHC a generous three-year grant to pilot test the program in early 2018. METS is making history and is a win-win-win for horses, owners, and the equine industry.