Unbridled Sanctuary Receives AAEP’s A. Gary Lavin Equine Welfare Award 

Unbridled Sanctuary, a nonprofit equine rescue and protection facility that provides rehabilitation, retraining, selective rehoming and, often, a permanent home to the equids in its care, is the recent of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) 2025 A. Gary Lavin Equine Welfare Award.  

The A. Gary Lavin Equine Welfare Award recognizes a non-veterinary organization or individual that has demonstrated exceptional compassion or developed and enforced rules and guidelines for the welfare of horses. The award is named in honor of the late A. Gary Lavin, VMD, an influential and widely respected equine veterinarian who served as AAEP president in 1994. Unbridled Sanctuary founder and CEO Susan Kayne accepted the award Dec. 9 during the President’s Luncheon at the AAEP’s 71st Annual Convention in Denver, Colo.  

Established in 2004 as Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation, the rescue later opened its doors to all equids and changed its name to Unbridled Sanctuary. Located in Greenville, N.Y., Unbridled Sanctuary cares for approximately 60 residents at any given time through the generous support of its volunteers and donors. The nonprofit provides high-quality care from routine veterinary procedures to colic surgeries and beyond.  

“On entering the barn there is always a sense of joy, harmony, dedication and a mission…everyone working together for the health and welfare of the horse,” said nominator Dr. Stephen O’Grady. “Never a thought of anything preemptive, just a set of guidelines used to care for the horses in a gentle, efficient manner.” 

Unbridled Sanctuary’s efforts extend beyond its facility and the equids in its care to include advocacy, education and legislative initiatives to improve equine welfare. Through the sanctuary, Kayne has spearheaded legislative changes in New York to ensure greater protection for equids; presented frequently at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics at the University of Oxford; and developed the “Stable Classroom” curriculum, through which students use the stories of rescued equines to cultivate empathy and compassion. 

For more information about Unbridled Sanctuary, visit https://www.susankayne.com/unbridled.html.  

About AAEP  

The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse. Currently, AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its over 9,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research, and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry.