Cream Ridge, NJ — COVID-19 is causing the Standardbred Retirement Foundation to cancel, not postpone, three of its most important fundraisers. It is also being slammed by the need for Americans to quarantine, keeping adopters away during the busiest time of the year for finding homes.

More than 400 trotters and pacers are under the SRF’s expense and care. What this means is that there will be no funds to feed every one of its horses. This is an emergency situation.

SRF desperately needs to reduce its expenses and the number of horses now. It has already reduced staffing by 80 percent. This extremely productive, 31-year-old organization does not receive any regular funds from any source; its support comes primarily from people who care about this beautiful and majestic animal that has given so much.

The following is needed as the first effort to be able to keep all 403 horses fed and to avoid drastic action:

1. SRF is asking for Standardbred farms, and breeders with pasture, to take in one horse or more. It can be permanent or temporary.
2. It seeks pleasure farm owners who have room to help by either providing a home, foster home, or pasture. Please can you squeeze one in for any period of time?
3. Use of farms with grassy pasture for horses to graze and help with the cost of feeding.
4. Foster homes are such a huge help. SRF has everything set up on the website for those who can help with foster homes. This is the perfect time to be a foster, the weather is good, and you can quarantine at your your own farm.
5. Horse sponsorship, this will keep a horse with SRF fed during this crisis; it can be in any amount for any period of time.
6. Tax-deductible donations will make it possible to get through this crisis, feed the horses and provide emergency care, if needed.
7. More than 200 Standardbreds are living out their lives with SRF, many had sizable earnings in the past, have lost their adopted homes, and are now considered too old to live a life under saddle in a new home. SRF is requesting all racing owners and breeders whose horses the non-profit is helping to help SRF now by sponsoring their horse, even if it was years ago that their horse came into the program. Make a donation so care can continue.
8. To get this accomplished, SRF asks all to share its needs and encourage others to help.

Some horses just need a patch of grass, feed and general care, others require a little extra TLC. Some are on the rebound from emaciated conditions and need more attention, some are already riding, others need a little training. Their ages range from three to older, are mares and geldings, and are located in about 12 different states. They all have good brains, and great manners. Here is a link to a list of the horses in need, horses are being added until the list is complete.

These are desperate times that could never have been predicted. Every one of these horses is in imminent danger of SRF having to take other measures to get this manageable and must count on good people to reach out to help. On average, the cost per day just to feed the herd is approximately $4,000.

The link below provides information on adoption, fostering, sponsoring, and how to make a tax-deductible donation to help these horses. Please email to offer help, calls are being taken at 609.738.3255, but responses may be slow so please be patient.

To adopt, foster, sponsor, or make a tax-deductible donation please go to AdoptaHorse.org. For questions please email SRFhorsesandkids@gmail.com, or call 609.738.3255.