Rob Hinkle, president and CEO of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) Oct. 27 issued an urgent plea to horse lovers and farm owners throughout the United States to participate in the Foster Care program.

Under that program, a pasture-sound horse presently residing at one of TRF’s 30 satellite farms will be moved to a nearby foster farm for board and daily care. The organization will reimburse the farm monthly for vet and farrier services, if requested, and TRF is seeking 100 farms to take between two and five horses for a minimum commitment of one year.

"The Foster Care plea is an emergency measure to help TRF meet the mounting costs of caring for our herd," said Hinkle in a release. "Like thousands of other non-profit organizations throughout the country, TRF has been adversely affected by the downturn in the economy. Drought and flood conditions have contributed to the rising costs and shortages of hay and feed, and we are coming into winter."

For these and other reasons, Hinkle said TRF needs both to increase donations and to reduce herd costs by immediately placing as many as 200 to 300 horses in foster care