• member recruitment
• continuation & possible expansion of our promotion efforts
• ideas and activities to attract & engage more Youth
• to continue the development of Board policies & procedures
• get the Stable Sheet going again along with doing a better job of communicating back to our membership
• develop advertising & sponsorship packages for MHAO members & for outside vendors
• the expansion of OMC to a Regional show for 2017.  BY THE WAY --2017 will be the 60th anniversary of a Regional Show in the Northwest.  Our goal is to make it wonderful!
• at least breaking even financially for the year
• increasing/protecting our cash reserves

In 2005, concerned for the Morgan horses that found themselves at risk of being sent to slaughter due to not finding forever homes, an email list was started to network to try to find homes for all of those horses. Many individuals came together to identify such horses and find their forever friend. The list grew dramatically, as did the number of horses needing rehoming. At that time, there was no way of knowing if they really were in permanent homes or if they found themselves in trouble further down the road. But it was a start.
Eventually, it became obvious that some organization was needed if this effort was to continue. Chris Pennington, then moderator of the email list, stepped up to the plate and asked who would be willing to be on a Board to achieve that goal. Several people stepped up and Forever Morgans Rescue, Inc., came into existence with Chris as Founding President. We continued rescuing Morgans and finding homes for them while being better able to keep track of them and moving forward in getting our 501(c)3 which we have had for some years now. In the last 11 years, almost 500 Morgans have been rescued, some direct from the kill pen, others at auction, others direct from Amish who we offer an alternative to selling at auction or to kill buyers, still others owner surrenders by owners who due to unforeseen life events such as illness, loss of job, or even death have been unable to keep their beloved horses but want to make sure that they are in good hands.
Forever Morgans does not have a brick and mortar facility. We are a rescue composed of a network of foster homes across the country, wherever we are needed, and more foster homes are always needed. We hear of Morgans at risk online, put out the call for foster or adoptive homes and donations, and pray that we will be able to rescue the horses counting on us.  Most critical is a place for them to land once rescued until we find their forever home.
Which brings us to today and where you come in. Due to the sadly increasing number of Morgans that find themselves in these situations, we need more resources to help them. Most critical, in addition to funds, are foster homes that can take these Morgans in and remind them that not all people will hurt or neglect them, that there are good people who will care for them and help rehab those in need of it, but most importantly to this breed born to love their human partners, someone who will love them and help them get ready for their forever homes.
Foster homes are the backbone of rescue.
These homes are needed all across the country so that we can expand our rescue network to reach those Morgans who have waited in vain for rescue because there is nowhere for them to go. Won't you join us in giving back to the breed that has given so much to us? Won't you stand together with us for the Morgan Horse?

For more detailed information on what it means to be a foster home for Forever Morgans, please visit our website at http://forevermorgans.org/foster.htm or email us at ForeverMorgans@hotmail.com.

The final rule would make several major changes to current HPA regulations with the goal of ending soring. The AHC is currently reviewing the details of the final rule to determine its impact on the horse industry. However, USDA seems to have made several modifications and clarifications to the final rule in accord with the comments submitted by the AHC and others.

Importantly, the USDA has made changes to the final rule that address horse industry concerns had regarding the proposed rule release last summer.  These changes include explicitly limited new prohibitions on pads, wedges, and action devices to "Tennessee Walking Horses and Racking Horses," and removal of all references to "related breeds that performs with an accentuated gait that raises concerns about soring." Additionally, USDA has adopted several proposals to make the rule less burdensome for smaller "flat shod" walking horse shows.  USDA also has clarified that certain reporting and record keeping requirements apply only to "Tennessee Walking Horse, Racking Horse shows."

According to the USDA under the final regulation—

•    APHIS will license, train, and oversee independent, third party inspectors, known as Horse Protection Inspectors (HPIs), and establish the licensing eligibility requirements to reduce conflicts of interest.

•    Beginning 30 days after the publication of the final rule, all action devices, except for certain boots, are prohibited on any Tennessee Walking Horse or racking horse at any horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction. All pads and wedges are prohibited on any Tennessee Walking Horse or racking horse at any horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction on or after January 1, 2018, unless such horse has been prescribed and is receiving therapeutic, veterinary treatment using pads or wedges.  This delayed implementation allows ample time to both gradually reduce the size of pads to minimize any potential physiological stress to the horses and prepare horses to compete in other classes.

•    Beginning January 1, 2018, management of HPA-covered events must, among other things, submit certain information records to APHIS, provide HPIs with access, space, and facilities to conduct inspections, and have a farrier physically present to assist HPIs at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions that allow Tennessee Walking Horses or racking horses to participate in therapeutic pads and wedges if more than 150 horses are entered, and have a farrier on call if 150 or fewer horses are entered.

The final rule has not been published in the Federal Register, but USDA has stated they plan to publish it in the next several days.