Old Friends began as a retirement facility for post-career racing Thoroughbreds. According to the Old Friends web site, once the news of Ferdinand's death in a Japanese slaughterhouse became public, "the plan became to bring at risk racehorses--those whose racing and breeding careers had come to an end--to Old Friends, provide them with the dignified retirement they deserve, and open the space to the public. By promoting these one-time celebrated horses through a campaign of education and tourism, we realized we could draw attention to all retired Thoroughbreds and all equines in need."

Old Friends recently purchased and moved to 52-acre Dream Chase Farm in Scott County, KY and welcomed its first Hall of Fame horse, Precisionist.

More on the story:
http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=33924
and
http://www.wiretowire.net/show.php?id=69

Visit this unique organization at the Old Friends website:
http://www.oldfriendsequine.org

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Hosted by the Maker's Mark Secretariat Center, a Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Facility at the Kentucky Horse Park, The Thoroughbred Adoption Network is a national search engine for Thoroughbreds available for adoption.

Participating adoption organizations include Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue, Bright Futures Farm, CANTER, The Exceller Fund, Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program, the Horse Protection League, MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, ReRun and Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation.

Each organization has its own adoption criteria. Once horses of interest are found through the network, the potential adopter should visit the websites of the participating adoption programs to view their procedures. Links are provided on the network's web site.

Thoroughbred Adoption Network:
http://www.thoroughbredadoption.com/home.aspx

Thoroughbred Charities of America Approves $1.75 Million in Grants for 2006

"At it's annual board meeting on May 13, 2006, Thoroughbred Charities of America (“TCA”) approved grants of $1,750,000 to 136 non-profits, representing equine rescue/retraining, backstretch/jockey, research, education scholarships and therapeutic riding facilities in 35 states."

Press Release Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Read more at
http://www.thoroughbredcharities.org/TCA2006grantapproval.htm