There is Such a Thing as a Free Horse: Ask Ohio Winner!

(JEFFERSON, OHIO) AUGUST 20 – Mike Shadle of Jefferson, Ohio, is the winner of the twelfth free horse from HorseCity.com. Recently, HorseCity.com was named by Forbes.com as the best equestrian Web site and by American Horse Publications as its best electronic publication.

The competition to win the free horse was stiff. Each month over 38,000 users of HorseCity.com register more than 700,000 times to win. The computer selects the winner at random, and that winner then undergoes a suitability screening process.

Shadle, 42, won American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA)-registered "Tarus All Around," a six-year-old mare who will be the winner's trail and pleasure mount. Shadle, who is a supervisor for the Ashtabula County Engineer, estimates that he entered the HorseCity.com contest "some 40 times. I tried to do it once a day, and never thought I would win. It's like a dream, really, like people play the lottery just for the thrill of it. And now my family – including two older sons -- has a 'new little girl. ' "

Ryan Dohrn, HorseCity.com General Manager, affirms that "Once again, a great horse has gone to a great home. This contest is one way to make our readers' dreams come true. We always award a quality horse registered with either the AQHA or APHA (American Paint Horse Association)."

He noted that HorseCity's screening procedures for awarding the animals are very stringent, in the best interest of the horse.

"Winners must have an affidavit of eligibility notarized, and we can take the horse back at any time if any information has been falsified. We send a licensed veterinarian to the owner's facility to determine that person's capacity to care for the horse as we would expect. Our own horse hauler delivers the horse and makes the final analysis as to the prospective owner's fitness. We reserve the right to revoke the prize should we see fit to do so."

Free Horse entry rules are easily accessed on the Web site. Visitors to the site may register as many times as they would like for each month's giveaway.

HorseCity.com offers free information on training, veterinary care, stable management, tack, competitions and events, plus its Horse TV allows riders to watch actual lessons from the top professionals in the industry. The site includes free resources for the general horse enthusiast, or for riders in the disciplines of hunter/jumper, endurance, dressage, eventing, roping, cutting, barrel racing, pleasure and more.

HorseCity.com is a subsidiary of Morris Communications Group and a division of Morris Digital Works, and is headquartered in Augusta, Georgia.