Lexington, KY—April 19, 2023—This year, the Equine Network, Practical Horseman, Horses for Mental Health and Zoetis Equine are coming together to combine beautiful equestrian art, a worthy cause and a milestone anniversary on the best weekend all year.
In honor of Practical Horseman’s 50th anniversary, Equine Network has commissioned eight saddles to be custom painted by artists to be auctioned off at the 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. All proceeds will go to charity, with a portion donated to the Seen Through Horses Campaign. Taking place during the month of May, the campaign, with help from several sponsors including Zoetis, helps support and empower programs incorporating horses for mental health.
Each painted saddle will feature a different theme and the signature of a Kentucky Three-Day Event winner or competitor. Riders featured in the saddles’ artwork are Will Coleman, Boyd Martin, Tamie Smith, Lauren Nicholson, Phillip Dutton, Buck Davidson, Liz Halliday-Sharp and Doug Payne.
Saddles will be placed with specific vendors spread throughout the horse park during the Kentucky Three-Day Event, making it easy for event-goers to find and bid on their favorites. Each saddle will have a sign with a QR code that will provide information about the saddle, rider, artist and a link to the online auction.
Winners of the auction will be announced on Sunday at the conclusion of the event and saddles can either be picked up or shipped to the winner.
The money generated by the painted saddle auction will be split evenly three ways after expenses, with equal portions going to the University of Kentucky Children’s Hospital, Charity of Choice and the Seen Through Horses campaign.
For more information about the painted saddle auction, contact Dan Buttrick (dbuttrick@equinenetwork.com).
About Zoetis
As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is driven by a singular purpose: to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. After innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat animal illness for more than 70 years, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for animals worldwide – from veterinarians and pet owners to livestock farmers and ranchers. The company’s leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. A Fortune 500 company, Zoetis generated revenue of $8.1 billion in 2022 with approximately 13,800 employees. For more information, visit www.Zoetis.com.
The Zoetis Equine division is committed to providing horse care you can count on. Our team includes numerous equine veterinarians and other experts who are inspired daily by the opportunity and profound responsibility to support horses, the owners who love them and the equine veterinarians and other care team members who safeguard their well-being. Whether at the clinic or in the field, Zoetis is always by your side with a comprehensive, innovative portfolio of equine products and services at every step of a horse’s care and throughout the journey of a horse’s life. Visit ZoetisEquine.com to learn more.
About Seen Through Horses
Seen Through Horses is a peer-to-peer campaign composed of individuals, nonprofits, mental health professionals, influencers, and businesses to increase awareness, public engagement, and raise funds to improve access to programs incorporating horses for mental health and personal growth. Horses can make a much-needed difference for the mental health challenges so many in our world face. Seen Through Horses aims to convene a community, empower nonprofits, and share stories of transformation to illustrate the positive impacts of incorporating horses into mental health services and programs.
The campaign is composed of mental health and equine professionals who have dedicated their lives to supporting both horses and humans. Seen Through Horses Campaign is made possible by our Premier Sponsor, Zoetis, and executive produced by Horses for Mental Health, Equine Network and Arenas for Change (ARCH). In addition to our Premier Sponsor and Producers, Premier Partners supporting the campaign also include, the American Horse Council, American Psychological Association’s Section on Human Animal Interaction (APA HAI), Black in the Saddle, EQUUS Films & Arts, Horses & Humans Research Foundation, Institute for Human-Animal Connection, PATH International, Polyvagal Equine Institute, Natural Lifemanship, Temple Grandin Equine Center (CSU), and The HERD Institute.
As we galvanize the equine and mental health sectors around one message, espoused at the same time, we encourage you to choose a nonprofit organization to support from May 1-31, 2023 by visiting www.horsesformentalhealth.org/campaign.
