The MissionTo protect, care for and re-home Off-the-Track Thoroughbreds

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“If you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow man.”Saint Francis of Assisi

What happened to that racehorse ?

On average, only 60% of the 20,000+ Thoroughbreds foaled yearly, are destined for a career on the track; of which, even fewer ever make it to a race. Of that 60%, a mere 0.2% will go on to win a Grade I stakes race and be considered a winner. On average, two out of every three.

Thoroughbreds who come off the track, even those who are sound and healthy are euthanized, abandoned or shipped to slaughter. There’s an ongoing effort by mutliple organizations to stop our Thoroughbreds from being sold at auction.

There are dedicated horsemen and volunteers who give their time caring for, retraining and eventually placing these horses in a permanent home. The American Thoroughbred Association considers this a team effort with the one common goal; giving our Off-the-Track Thoroughbreds a second chance. -Statistics provided by the Jockey Club

Our program

  • HEALING

    Starting with quality hoof care, the health begins from the ground up. Any necessary rehab addresses any geometry changes and work to balance the horse.

  • RE-TRAINING

    Often these athletes were taught minimal cue’s and tasks. After all, most of these horses are trained to run before 3 so we take a “Start Over” approach beginning with strong foundational ground work and building patiently from there.

  • RE-PURPOSE

    Through our program we propose a variety of tasks of which the horse eventually picks the next job, sort of speaking. Some become great jumpers, some can move really well and others become the most devout companions a human can want. Each horse requires a new job and purpose to bring stability and a good brain.

  • VOLUNTEERING

    The effect of working alongside these majestic animals keeps our volunteers motivated. Helping a once track superstar hopeful, to a 2nd chance at fulfilling a healthy life, is more rewarding than can be described in words. We all depend on our committed volunteers and all that they give to achieve our common goal.

Giving a racehorse a second chance

About ATA

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