Help retired racehorses, local horses, and your neighbors!

Safe Harbor Sanctuary was founded in late 2013 and became a 501(c)(3) organization in 2014.

Safe Harbor is a non-profit, all-volunteer network of foster farms in middle Tennessee and south-central Kentucky dedicated to transitioning retired Standardbred racehorses into new careers and forever homes. We are passionate about horses, educating our communities, and providing assistance to reduce occurrences of cruelty and neglect.

Where do my donated dollars go?

1) Horse care: All our horses, regardless of background, regardless of outcome, receive routine veterinary care (vaccinations, Coggins, wellness and dental checks); regular farrier care (every 4-6 weeks); deworming; supportive services (IE PEMF, chiropractic, medications); professional evaluations and training/retraining; and of course feed and hay.

Our horses come from a variety of backgrounds and are prioritized for intake as follows:

After the Track Standardbreds. Any Standardbred in need of a soft landing will be accepted to a foster farm or wait-listed and assisted based on an individual’s circumstances. It is our policy to prioritize and provide a place for retired racehorses and those in need of a career post-Amish life.
Law enforcement seizures and surrenders. This may include horses or livestock picked up running at large or horses or livestock seized due to their condition. We provide individual intake assessments, complete with photographs and veterinary documentation, and we hold animals through court proceedings, sometimes up to a year. Over the years, we have assisted with cases in Davidson, Giles, Macon, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby, Sumner, Wilson, and White Counties.
Horses in specific, sensitive circumstances that would not be ‘safe’ on the open market. These horses are accepted on a case-by-case basis, as determined by our board, and potentially with special arrangements between Safe Harbor and the owner to make assistance possible outside of traditional intake.

Some average costs per horse include:

Intake vetting, no extras (vaccinations, Coggins, dental) - $250-$300
Farrier/hoof trim - $60-$70 every 4-6 weeks
Feed, healthy horse - $80-$100/month
Feed, 'refeeding' starved horse - $350/month
Hay - $105/month

2) Auction Intercept Program: We are actively working in regional Amish communities to establish trust and build a foundation on which we will be the 'first call' when an off the track Standardbred needs an easier job than daily transportation. Many of these families do care about their animals and hold them at a greater value than sending them to auction - but their lifestyle dictates that they must have transportation, therefore they must replace older horses with younger or those that are 'burned out' with ones that are safe for the children. Right now, the first call is often the horse trader. The horse then goes to auction or is posted to Facebook with a 'bail and deadline' before auction, where he will bounce from state to state, sale to sale, risking injury, illness, and death. These retired racehorses deserve better. We want to get him FIRST, not LAST. Funds to purchase these horses at the same rate the traders are paying are the only way in which to do this. Only designated dollars are used for this purpose.

3) Charlie's Fund: Owner assistance program that covers up to $250 toward castration or euthanasia. Charlie's Fund was established to help owners with a compassionate answer for horses that may otherwise meet undesireable ends at auction or in the 'slaughter pipeline'.

4) Outreach and Equine Education: Throughout the year, we host "Horses 101," brownie group "I Love Horses" badge, Reading with Racehorses, and booths at community events. Educating owners - and those interested in owning - reduces the chances of neglect and helps individulas recognize it before it happens. Minor costs associated with these events are materials and handouts, insurance, and administrative.

Please visit safeharborhorses.org for additional information. Thank you for your support!

2026 Starting Line Campaign

Sponsor a Stall - Retrain a Racehorse