Privacy Policy
Western Horse Connection is built around trust. This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and the choices available to you.
The short version
We collect information you choose to give us when you contact Western Horse Connection or request help finding a horse, along with limited technical information needed to operate the website. We use that information to respond to you, evaluate and provide services, operate and protect the website, and maintain appropriate business records. We do not sell your personal information for monetary consideration.
1 Scope
This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through westernhorseconnection.com, communications with Western Horse Connection, and online forms or services operated by Western Horse Connection.
In this policy, “Western Horse Connection,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to the Western Horse Connection business and website. “You” refers to a visitor, prospective client, client, seller, horse owner, or other person who interacts with us.
This policy does not govern websites, services, marketplaces, social-media platforms, payment providers, veterinarians, transporters, trainers, sellers, or other third parties that we do not control.
2 Information We Collect
The information we collect depends on how you interact with Western Horse Connection. We aim to collect only information reasonably necessary for the services you request.
| Category | Examples | Why We May Collect It |
|---|---|---|
| Contact information | Name, email address, phone number, city and state | To communicate with you and respond to requests |
| Horse-search information | Rider experience, intended use, horse preferences, budget range, timing, goals, and deal breakers | To understand what kind of horse may be an appropriate match |
| Communications | Messages, emails, notes from calls, questions, feedback, and information you voluntarily provide | To provide services, maintain continuity, and document client requests |
| Horse or listing information | Horse details, listing links, seller information, photographs or videos you provide, and related notes | To research, evaluate, compare, or discuss horses and listings |
| Technical information | IP address, browser type, device information, referring pages, approximate location derived from IP, and server logs | To operate, secure, troubleshoot, and improve the website |
Information you choose not to provide
You may choose not to provide personal information. However, some information is necessary for us to respond to an inquiry or evaluate whether we can assist with a horse search.
Please do not submit highly sensitive information through our general website forms. Do not send Social Security numbers, bank-account credentials, full payment-card numbers, medical records, diagnoses, or similar sensitive information unless we specifically request it through an appropriate secure process.
3 How We Use Information
We may use personal information to:
- Respond to questions, inquiries, and horse-search requests.
- Schedule and conduct rider conversations or other consultations.
- Understand rider experience, goals, preferences, budget, and timing.
- Research, identify, compare, or evaluate possible horses or listings.
- Communicate about potential matches, services, logistics, and follow-up.
- Maintain appropriate client, inquiry, and business records.
- Protect the security and integrity of the website and our systems.
- Detect, prevent, or investigate fraud, abuse, security incidents, or unlawful activity.
- Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests.
- Improve our website, forms, services, and business processes.
We will not use personal information for a materially different purpose without taking appropriate steps to provide notice or obtain consent when required by applicable law.
4 Cookies & Technical Data
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies that are necessary for basic site operation, security, login functionality, preferences, spam prevention, and other technical functions. Our hosting provider and website software may also generate server and security logs.
If Western Horse Connection later enables analytics, advertising pixels, retargeting, or other technologies that materially change how visitor data is collected or used, we will update this policy and provide additional notices or choices when required.
Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. Disabling some cookies may affect how portions of the website function.
5 How We Share Information
We do not disclose personal information simply because someone asks for it. We may share information when reasonably necessary for the purposes described below.
Service providers
We may provide information to companies that help us operate the website or business, such as website hosting, email, security, backup, form-processing, scheduling, database, technical-support, or similar providers. These providers may process information on our behalf or as necessary to provide their services.
Horse-search and transaction professionals
If you ask us to assist with a horse search, inspection, purchase, transportation, veterinary examination, training arrangement, or related service, we may share information with a seller, trainer, veterinarian, transporter, boarding facility, insurer, or other professional when reasonably necessary and appropriate to carry out your request.
Legal and safety reasons
We may disclose information when we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to comply with law, legal process, court order, or governmental request; protect our rights or property; investigate fraud or security concerns; or protect the safety of people or animals.
Business changes
If Western Horse Connection is reorganized, merged, sold, transferred, or involved in another business transaction, relevant information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to applicable law.
6 Sale & Targeted Advertising
Western Horse Connection does not sell personal information for monetary consideration.
At the time of this policy, we do not describe our website as using personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising or targeted advertising. If our advertising practices change in a way that is treated as a “sale,” “sharing,” or targeted advertising under applicable privacy law, we will update this policy and provide any required opt-out mechanism.
7 Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including providing requested services, maintaining business and transaction records, resolving disputes, protecting against fraud or security issues, and meeting legal, tax, accounting, insurance, or other legitimate obligations.
Retention periods vary according to the type of information and the reason it was collected. When information is no longer reasonably needed, we may delete, destroy, de-identify, or anonymize it, subject to applicable legal requirements.
8 Data Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include secure website connections, access controls, account security, software updates, backups, and security practices appropriate to the nature of the information.
No website, email system, database, or method of internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You should use care when deciding what information to send electronically.
9 Your Choices & Privacy Rights
You may contact us to ask questions about the personal information we maintain about you or to request that we update or delete information you previously provided, subject to legal, contractual, security, recordkeeping, and other legitimate exceptions.
Depending on where you live and whether a particular privacy law applies to Western Horse Connection, you may have additional rights, which can include the right to:
- Confirm whether we process personal information about you.
- Access certain personal information we maintain about you.
- Correct inaccurate personal information.
- Request deletion of certain personal information.
- Obtain a portable copy of certain information.
- Opt out of certain sales, sharing, targeted advertising, or profiling where applicable.
- Appeal certain decisions concerning a privacy request where applicable.
- Exercise applicable privacy rights without unlawful discrimination or retaliation.
We may need to verify your identity before completing a request. We will use information provided for verification only as reasonably necessary to process the request and protect personal information from unauthorized disclosure.
10 Children & Minors
Western Horse Connection’s website and services are intended for adults and are not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly ask children under 13 to submit personal information directly through the website.
A parent or legal guardian may contact us about a horse intended for a child or teenager. In that situation, the parent or guardian should submit the inquiry and should provide only information reasonably necessary for the horse search or requested service.
If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information directly to us without appropriate parental involvement, please contact us so we can review and address the situation.
11 Third-Party Links & Services
Our website or communications may link to horse-sale listings, marketplaces, social-media pages, transportation providers, veterinarians, trainers, boarding facilities, insurers, or other third-party websites and services.
Western Horse Connection does not control the privacy practices, security, content, or terms of third-party services. You should review the privacy policies and terms of any third party before providing personal information to them.
12 Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may revise this Privacy Policy as our website, services, technology, vendors, or legal obligations change. When we make changes, we will post the revised policy on this page and update the “Last updated” date above.
If a change materially affects how we use information already collected, we will provide additional notice or seek consent when required by applicable law.
13 Contact Us
If you have a question about this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or personal information you have provided to Western Horse Connection, please contact us.
Western Horse Connection
Privacy questions and requests:
privacy@westernhorseconnection.com
Website: westernhorseconnection.com