LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Secretariat Center is a nonprofit facility in the Kentucky Horse Park that takes in retired racing horses and rehabilitates them to prepare the horses for a new home.

What You Need To Know

  •  The Secretariat Center has been operating since 2004 and takes in retired race horses to rehabilitate them and then adopt them out

  •  Trainers at the facility focus on finding what the horses like to do and work to find a home that is suitable for the them

  •  The center currently has 16 horses, which is more than what it's used to. There are usually about three to five staff members at the facility to work with the horses

  • Training includes doing groundwork, riding the horses and guiding them through obstacle courses

The 22-acre facility has been operating since 2004 and prides itself on getting to know the horses to find the perfect ‘career’ for them that will ultimately land them in the most suitable home.

“It’s always a good day,” said Lois Daughtridge, an equine facilitator at the center. “Every day is always different and even on the bad days, the bad days don’t hurt that bad.”

The center adopts out about 50 horses a year and currently has 16 in its care, which is more than what it normally has. To meet the needs of all the horses, there are usually three to five staff members on site working with them. Trainers practice groundwork, ride the horses and guide them through obstacle courses.

“Our goal really is to just find out what that horse wants to do and put them in a home that they can do that and have a happy, successful career,” said Shelley Mann, the center’s executive director.

Once a career is determined for the horse, the next step is finding a suitable family and there is a process to ensure that the horses end up in a good home.

The Secretariat Center has fundraising events to raise money and its next one will be in October.

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