Stolen Horse International and Social Media

A force for change: How Stolen Horse International reshaped horse recovery in 2025

Twenty-eight years after its inception, Stolen Horse International, Inc., or NetPosse.com, remains the gold standard for recovering missing horses. A single, heartbreaking incident in 1997—the theft of founder Debi Metcalfe's mare, Idaho—sparked a revolution in how owners search for their lost animals. Today, in 2025, NetPosse's innovative strategies, extensive volunteer network, and powerful educational initiatives continue to be instrumental in reuniting horses with their owners.

A digital-age posse: The NetPosse Alert network

In the mid-90s, when Metcalfe and her family were searching for Idaho, they used the internet to contact everyone they could find. This act of emailing horse-related websites laid the groundwork for what is now the NetPosse Alert system—an equine-equivalent of an Amber Alert. The NetPosse Alert is a digital flyer that quickly spreads information about a missing horse to a wide network of volunteers, social media followers, and news outlets.

Here's how the NetPosse Alert transforms horse recovery in 2025:

• Rapid dissemination: When a horse goes missing, time is of the essence. A NetPosse Alert can be shared across multiple platforms, from their indexed website to social media, ensuring the horse's details reach the public quickly.
• Enhanced online visibility: Unlike a typical social media post, a NetPosse Alert's details are indexed by search engines like Google. This means that a horse's information can be found years later, increasing the chances of recovery in the long run. One horse was even found 11 years after going missing thanks to a NetPosse Alert.
• Community branding: NetPosse helps owners "brand" their alerts with a recognizable logo, making flyers and online posts more memorable. This branding helps train the public to recognize and remember information about a missing horse, increasing the likelihood that a lead will be generated.

Debi Metcalfe's educational mission

Beyond the alerts, Debi Metcalfe and Stolen Horse International have spent decades educating the equine community on prevention and recovery. Metcalfe, a dedicated speaker and author, shares her hard-earned knowledge at horse expos, conferences, and through various media appearances.

Key educational contributions include:

• Preventative measures: Metcalfe's work emphasizes proactive steps, teaching owners how to identify, secure, and document their horses properly. Her sold-out book, Horse Theft, Been There—Done That, has become a key resource for prevention education.
• Comprehensive identification: NetPosse provides owners with a vital tool called NetPosse ID, an all-breed registry for horses, dogs, and other animals. This helps owners keep track of photos, Coggins tests, and microchip information, all of which are critical for proving ownership.
• Disaster preparedness: The organization's mission has expanded to include disaster response. Recognizing that horses can go missing during natural events like hurricanes and wildfires, NetPosse has implemented a disaster recovery database to help reunite animals with their families.

A lasting legacy

What began as one family's desperate search has evolved into a global network powered by the simple, yet profound, idea of "people helping people". The influence of Stolen Horse International and Debi Metcalfe is evident in the numerous recovery stories, heightened public awareness of horse theft, and the implementation of enhanced security measures by horse owners worldwide.

In 2025, NetPosse is more than just a missing horse database; it's a testament to the power of community and a beacon of hope for horse owners everywhere. By equipping owners with tools, knowledge, and support, Stolen Horse International ensures that the search for a missing horse is no longer a solitary, impossible task.