The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) is a national effort funded by the Paul Mellon Foundation. This non-profit was founded in 2002 and their mission is to save off-the-track Thoroughbreds from tortuous slaughterhouses. During the Obama administration, the end of equine slaughter was passed in the United States. Good, right? Wrong! Instead, horses are now shipped to Canada and Mexico at an increased rate of 30%.
TRF has multiple farms all over the country. Their efforts are two-fold: they provide a safe place for horses to live out their lives, and train inmates to become farriers.
At these retirement farms, horses are looked after by both paid staff and loving volunteers. I was able to volunteer at a farm in Virginia based at James Madison’s Montpelier, and it was a wonderful experience. They have a retirement herd of over 45 horses and a handful of adoptable ones. Very few horses come to the program that are considered adoptable, mainly due to injuries or personality habits obtained from their days at the track. However, the retired horses can still use our help! If you do not have the finances or ability to adopt one, you can still sponsor a retiree. When sponsoring a retiree, you can visit them, groom them, and you will get updates from the volunteer staff. Your money will go to the feed, vaccines, and veterinary care for your adopted equine.
Also, TRF helps both horses and inmates in a variety of ways. In part, it gives horses a safe retirement environment; at the same time, the horses act as a catalyst for therapy, learning, and rehabilitation for the inmates. They are taught how to interact with these animals while learning the trade of becoming a farrier. By doing so, the inmates are rehabilitated in many ways to re-enter society with the means of being able to support themselves as well as become an upstanding citizen in the community.
If you are looking for ways to get involved, we encourage you to visit the facilities, volunteer, and most importantly give some money! All donations are tax-deductible and there are also ways to give major gifts as well as planned giving efforts. The main office in Saratoga can help organize these gifts as well as your own financial advisor.