The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Safety and Integrity Alliance announced in 2009 that it had formed a special subcommittee focusing on the aftercare of retired Thoroughbreds.

The goal of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance Subcommittee on Aftercare is to work towards a national solution to issues surrounding retired Thoroughbred racehorses, including enhancement of aftercare funding and improvement of compliance and best-practice standards for racetracks and other industry participants.

Creating a model

“Our aim is to bring together the many outstanding leaders who do so much on behalf of our retired equine athletes,” said Mike Ziegler, the first executive director of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance. “Through cohesiveness and cooperation among all parties, we think we can create a model that can make it easier for racetracks, owners and others to provide retired Thoroughbreds with a happy and productive life after their racetrack days are over.”

Information on the Alliance, including the Alliance Code of Standards, can be found at www.NTRAalliance.com.

The committee members and links in this blog post represent only a few of the organizations working hard to help racehorses find new jobs and new homes after their racing careers are over. Organizations can be found in most areas of the United States.