The Brooke, an international equine charity that has been assisting working equids and their owners in developing countries for nearly 80 years, will open a base in the United States.

Headquartered in London, England, the Brooke has selected Lexington, Ky., as the location for its base in the United States. Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cornwall, wife of Britain’s heir to the throne, Prince Charles, serves as the organization’s president.

"The purpose of the American Friends of the Brooke will be to support the world-wide programs of the Brooke in alleviating the suffering of working equines, thus improving the lives of the families who need them," said Petra Ingram, CEO of the Brooke. "Americans have a close affinity with horses and are exceedingly generous to the poor, so we believe this will be an excellent partnership."

She continued, "We considered a number of cities for our U.S. office: Washington, D.C., Palm Beach, New York, Los Angeles, and others. But in the end, it was the ‘Horse Capital of the World,’ Lexington, Ky., that we chose