Adopt-A-Horse Program

Friends of Lockwood Park need your help! Remember those fun-filled days you or someone you know enjoyed as a youngster visiting the Rockford Park District’s Lockwood Park Trailside Equestrian Centre and Children’s Farm? Perhaps it was a school field trip or a weekend visit with your parents when you romped around the playground, fed the ducks, toured the petting zoo, or rode a pony.

Children today may not get that opportunity without your help.

As a result of the failed referendum in April, 2003, the Rockford Park District is seeking ways improve its financial situation. One of the recommendations is to eliminate the horseback riding programs at Lockwood Park and sell the horses.

Lockwood Park is one of the most unique and valued assets in the quality of life we enjoy in our community. The programs at Lockwood Park are too important to let slip away and we need your help.

The cost to feed and care for the horses is approximately $30,000. Through Lockwood Park’s “Adopt a Horse” program, you can make a donation that will provide a horse with the vital care he needs, including food, shelter and veterinary care. Your assistance will be directed to the care of the horses and to help fund programming for children and adults. And good news, your donation is tax deductible!

For your sponsorship, you will receive not only the satisfaction of helping a horse, but also a thank you gift according to your sponsorship level. Be sure to tell your friends, co-workers and family members – horses may have more than one sponsor.

Give children a chance to experience what so many of us had when we were younger – an opportunity to learn, have fun and make memories at Lockwood Park.

Levels of Participation

Within the various levels of support you will receive the following benefits:

PEGASUS $3,000 or more
Includes a picture of your “adopted” horse, a sign recognizing your donation on the arena fence, one time use of Shelter #1 (8 hours max.), pony rides (4 hours max.), one year free advertising on the Friends of Lockwood website, and recognition on the donor wall.

MUSTANG $1,000-2,999
Includes a picture of your “adopted” horse, one time use of Shelter #1 (4 hours max.), and recognition on the donor wall.

PALOMINO $500-999
Includes a picture of your “adopted” horse, a free one-hour hayride (25 people max.), and recognition on the donor wall.

ARABIAN $250-499
Includes a picture of your “adopted” horse, ten free tickets for weekend public hayrides, and recognition on the donor wall.

THOROUGHBRED $100-249
Includes a picture of your “adopted” horse, five free tickets to Haunted Hayride, and recognition on the donor wall.

APPALOOSA $50-99
Includes a picture of your “adopted” horse, one time use of Shelter #1 (4 hours max.), and recognition on the donor wall.

SHETLAND PONY $25-49
Includes a picture of your “adopted” horse, two free weekend pony rides, and recognition on the donor wall.

To print out a donation form, please download our form, print it out and send it in. For your convenience, the form is in Microsoft Word format.