By Brianna Siciliano
Do you have a deep admiration for horses? Are you seeking a horse for relaxing trail rides, a show ribbon winner, an athletic champion, or a fantastic new family member to make you smile? If so, you need to take some time to learn more about the Standardbred Retirement Foundation!
The Standardbred Retirement Foundation (SRF) is a non-profit, tax exempt organization that was created to rehabilitate, care for, and secure lifetime adoption of non-competitive racehorses, ensure proper care for the horses with follow-up, and combine the needs of youth at risk with horses in therapeutic equine programs to benefit both the youth and the horses. Through the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, there are ways to sponsor horses, foster horses, and adopt horses.
Horse sponsors are extremely important to this foundation. There over 112 kind-natured, loving horses who are permanently retired due to age or injury. These horses need caring hearts to help ensure that their lives will be lived comfortably and safely. Sponsors for these noble creatures will receive a biography of their sponsored horse, along with a photo, updates on the horse’s health, recognition on the foundation’s website, and in some cases be able to visit their sponsored horse (depending on location).
Being a foster family to a kind-natured horse means that you will be providing a temporary home for one of Standardbred Retirement Foundation’s horses while the horse is waiting to be adopted. Fostering is perfect for families who are looking to change the life of one––or more––of the horses. SRF is always looking for foster families!
Are you looking to adopt a horse? Standardbred Rehabilitation Foundation is a great foundation to adopt from. Adoption Coordinators are looking forward to speaking with you! Adoptive families are required to submit details about where the horse will be stabled at, whether the horse will living in a boarding facility, your home, or on your property that is not your home. The adoption application also requires pictures of the barn and/or run-in shed, the inside of the stall/shelter including flooring, hay, grain, grain containers, storage, fencing, and water that the horse will be using.
If you are interested in sponsoring, fostering, adopting, volunteering your time (for either administrative tasks and fundraising, riding horses, or grooming/barn/farm help), or donating money or supplies, visit SRF’s website, www.adoptahorse.org, or call 732-446-4422 for more information!