CANTER Mid Atlantic accepts donations of thoroughbreds coming directly from the racetrack it covers including: Charles Town, Mountaineer, Laurel, Pimlico, Bowie Training Center, Fair Hill Training Center and Delaware Park.

Donations of horses are taken on a case-by-case basis, as funding and space allows.  CANTER does not operate a retirement facility, so at this time we are unable to take horses who will not be able to transition to a second (riding) career.

If you are interested in donating your racehorse to CANTER, please read over this page and contact our director at allie@canterusa.org

CANTER happily provides care, rehabilitation, retraining and rehoming for horses donated to our program.  Because CANTER is a Non-Profit with limited funding, we have developed guidelines for donating horses.  Due to the nature of much of our funding, CANTER may have track-specific guidelines in place for the donation of thoroughbreds.

CANTER does not own a facility and pays per-day fees on each horse in our care.

CANTER is not a retirement home for racehorses.  We are a rehoming service whose goal is to place as many retiring racehorses into new homes as possible, therefore we are unable to take horses into our program who are permanently lame and/or unrideable.  CANTER will work with owners of injured animals to place them appropriately.

General Guidelines for donating thoroughbreds retiring sound from racing:

• A current Coggins must accompany the horse.
• Past Performance information must accompany the horse.
• The Jockey Club Papers must accompany the horse and be released to CANTER.
• Vet records and x-rays must be released to CANTER, and a form put in place with attending track veterinarians that enables the horses’ care to be discussed.
• Horses must be racing (or recently trained) at a track covered by the CANTER Mid Atlantic listing program--Charles Town, Mountaineer, Laurel, Pimlico, Penn National or Delaware Park.
• Horses must come directly from a racing program.  Horses who have transitioned to new careers or who have been away from the track for more than one year do not qualify for donation.
• CANTER is unable to take Stallions at this time due to insurance restrictions at the layup facilities we use.  Horses may be gelded at the owners expense and donated afterwards (if previously arranged with CANTER).
• Due to an extremely difficult time finding layup and permanent homes for cribbers, we can only take them in extremely limited cases.
• Horses must be sound for turnout and eventual riding.
• CANTER cannot take unusually aggressive horses.

General Guidelines for donating injured thoroughbreds

CANTER has over the years taken in many injured thoroughbreds.  Because of the great expense in rehabilitating injured thoroughbreds, CANTER Mid Atlantic has developed guidelines for donating catastrophically injured horses (in addition to the guidelines above) in order to keep the organization financially sound and able to fulfill our mission.

On average, a catastrophically injured horse costs CANTER between $2500 and $8000 to bring back to full health.  Because of this, we will ask for donations appropriate to the injury for horses who are catastrophically injured.  For more detailed breakdown on costs associated with rehabilitating injured horses, please email CANTER. Please note that the costs below will cover surgical procedures and layup costs only, not the cost of daily feed/bedding/farrier/vet/retraining once healed.

Bone Chips in joint -- $3000 to $5000

Slab fracture in knees -- $5000

Bowed Tendon – 2500$

Sesamoid Fracture -- $5000 depending on type

Suspensory Tear – 3500$

Cannon bone fracture – 3000$

Condylar Fracture (surgically repaired) – 5000$

CANTER Mid Atlantic followes guidelines set forth by the AAEP for euthanasia of horses who are catastrophically injured and not expected to be riding sound.  For more information on our Euthanasia policy, please contact CANTER.