NEW ORLEANS, La. (WGNO)- Have you always wanted a horse of your own? Well, this Mardi Gras is your chance to have one.
Twist reporter, Peyton LoCicero tells us about a unique way to take home a horse after carnival season.
These are the regal creatures that lead the parades every year. They’re known as the Mardi Gras Horses and you can adopt one.
“This is the fourth year. We started in 2017 and every year for Mardi Gras, there is a need for extra horses to be in all of the parades,” explained Rachel Goyette, Mardi Gras Horse Adoption Manager.
All of the horses that Cascade Stables puts in the adoption program are ones that have been previously discarded by their family or abuse. With the help of the Humane Society, the horses are rehabilitated and transformed into a loving, trained animal that will be adopted out.
Not just anyone can take home one of these horses. You have to go through an application process, plus you have to meet a couple of requirements before taking home it home.
“We need to know what kind of property you have or if you rent a space from a barn, that’s okay too. We have to have a reference of that barn too, to make sure they have space for you to rent. We also check vet references, farrier references,” said Goyette. “We would like to get as many personal references from you to get to know as much about you to know how much you really love animals.”
55 horses have found a loving home, since the program started in 2017.
“It’s so great to see a discarded animal to get the best lottery of a home.”