More than 168 of Kentucky’s horses of various breeds have been provided with shelter and other humane assistance this year thanks to the Kentucky Equine Humane Center (KyEHC).

The KyEHC is a first-of-its-kind facility, established with the specific goal of providing owners with a humane option when they need to give up their horses. Horses receive protection from abuse, neglect, and slaughter.

The Center is located on a tranquil 72-acre horse farm just outside of Lexington, KY, it serves as a safe refuge for at-risk horses of all breeds and disciplines. No horse in a precarious situation has or will ever be turned away.

This month the KyEHC, which is funded entirely by donations, celebrated its one year anniversary. It has already offered refuge to more than 168 horses (60% Thoroughbreds), and adopted 83 horses into caring homes.

Staci Hancock, president and founder of the KyEHC noted, “The horse industry in Kentucky is waking up to the need to protect our valued equine and is stepping up to meet their responsibility. With their help, I’m very proud to say that in less than one year’s time, the Kentucky Equine Humane Center has eliminated the excuse for anyone in the state of Kentucky to neglect a horse or send a horse to slaughter. Any owner who can no longer care for his horses can call us and be ensured that their animals will receive humane treatment.”

In less than one year, the KyEHC has fulfilled their mission of accepting every horse that has needed shelter (more than 168 to date); adopted 83 horses into caring homes; leased a 72-acre farm; hired three salaried employees; organized volunteers who have donated more than 4,200 hours; developed corporate partners who have provided services, equipment and supplies; developed a website; launched the John Deere and National Thoroughbred Racing Association Advantage KyEHC All Breed Charity Horse Show; and received more than $100,000 in grants.

Hancock concluded, “Our one-year anniversary is a great time to acknowledge the tremendous assistance we have received from a lot of notable entities in the horse business, without whom we could never have come so far so fast.”* She continued, “Each partner, donor, volunteer and board member can take satisfaction in knowing they have saved the lives of these horses and given them a second chance.”

The KyEHC has received significant support from Alltech, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Breeders’ Cup, Dean Dorton and Ford, Griffin Industries, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Humane Society of the United States, Impact Graphics, Jerry Parks Insurance Group, John Deere, KBC International, Keeneland Foundation, Kentucky Horse Park, Kentucky Horseshoeing School, Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, L. V. Harkness, NTRA Advantage, Neogen, Preston Osborne, QX.net, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, Sallee Horse Vans, Stephen Hillenmeyer Landscape Services, Stoll Keenon Ogden, The Bell Group, The Jockey Club, The Thoroughbreds, Thoroughbred Club of America, Thoroughbred Farm Manager’s Club, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky .