TRF Among 37 Accredited by TAA

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, the nation’s oldest and largest equine sanctuary which provides homes to hundreds of equine retirees and adopts out dozens more per year to suitable second careers, was one of the 37 aftercare organizations which have earned accreditation from the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance in 2015.

The TRF was one of the 16 which earned accreditation for the first time, while 21 were re-accredited. This increases the Alliance’s total to 56 accredited aftercare organizations using more than 180 facilities across the United States and Canada.

“We are delighted that we have been accredited,” said the TRF’s Chairman of the Board Lenny Hale. “We will work hard with the TAA to continue what we have been doing for 32 years, which is to care for the welfare of the retired Thoroughbred. This will enable us to continue to care for the horses in our herd, grow our successful Second Chances program currently at nine correctional facilities and promote the good work of the thoroughbred industry for taking responsibility for its horses.”

TAA President Jimmy Bell praised the organizations which earned accreditation. “These organizations have gone through a rigorous accreditation process and have met or exceeded our Code of Standards. Our donors should feel confident that their investments in the TAA are going to organizations that provide the best care possible to our retired equine athletes.”

To earn accreditation, organizations are evaluated upon their submitted application covering five key areas: operations, education, horse health care management, facility standards and services, and adoption policies and protocols. In addition to an extensive application review, all organizations are subject to site inspections of all facilities housing their horses. Accreditation is effective for two years, after which organizations must reapply for accreditation. Accredited aftercare organizations are eligible to receive grants from the TAA to support their operations.

The 37 organizations accredited this year are After The Homestretch – Arizona; Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue; Beyond The Roses Equine Rescue & Retirement; Brook Hill Retirement Center for Horses, Inc.; CANTER California; CANTER Colorado; CANTER Kentucky; CANTER Ohio; Days End Farm Horse Rescue; Equine Encore Foundation; Equine Rescue of Aiken; Florida Thoroughbred Retirement and Adoptive Care Program; Glen Ellen Vocational Academy, Inc. (GEVA); Horse Power Sanctuaries dba Redwings Horse Sanctuary; Humanity for Horses; Kentucky Equine Humane Center; LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers (LOPE); LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society; Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue; Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center; MidAtlantic Horse Rescue Inc.; Mitchell Farm Equine Retirement, Inc.; Neigh Savers Foundation, Inc.; New Stride Thoroughbred Adoption Society; New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program; Old Friends; ReRun, Inc.; South Florida S.P.C.A.; South Jersey Thoroughbred Rescue; Southern California Thoroughbred Rescue; The Exceller Fund, Inc.; Thoroughbred Placement Resources, Inc.; Thoroughbred Rehab Center; Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation; Thoroughbred Retirement of Tampa, Inc.; TROTT (Training Racehorse Off the Track); United Pegasus Foundation.

Based in Lexington, Kentucky, the non-profit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding.