The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced Nov. 10th that Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue, Inc. has been accredited by their organization. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) accredits, inspects, and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retrain, retire, and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. Hope’s Legacy, located in Afton, is one of only 81 organizations accredited in North America, and one of four TAA-accredited organizations in Virginia.
“We are incredibly honored to be part of the TAA network,” said Maya Proulx, Executive Director of Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue. “This is a culmination of a year’s work, making sure we had all of the requirements in place. The entire process has made us a better organization overall.”
TAA-accredited organizations undergo a thorough application and inspection process prior to accreditation being awarded to ensure they meet the TAA’s Code of Standards. The Code of Standards covers five key areas: operations, education, horse health care management, facility standards and services, and adoption policies and protocols. Facility inspections are conducted at all facilities housing Thoroughbreds for each organization. Ongoing updates and re-inspections are required of all organizations as a condition of TAA accreditation.
Thoroughbreds are one of the most common breeds of horses Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue has taken in over their 12 year history. “People don’t often think about what happens to a racehorse after they leave the track,” said Ms. Proulx. “Rescue operations help retrain those horses as great trail horses, eventing and hunter/jumpers, or retired companion horses. The possibilities for these majestic animals are endless.”
In a press release, TAA President John Phillips said, “we are proud to have a total of 81 accredited organizations across North America representing the gold standard in Thoroughbred aftercare. As our list of organizations receiving TAA funding increases, we ask industry participants to continue to support the TAA as we in turn fund these amazing accredited aftercare organizations and their 170 facilities.”
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has accredited Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue through 2022. More information about the TAA can be found at https://www.thoroughbredaftercare.org.
