Trail and Lesson Horse Retirement Fund

The Stables at Frederica is proud of the care our trail and lesson horses receive under our stewardship. We have assembled an outstanding team of professionals to support these animals, including veterinarians, diagnosticians, chiropractors, dentists, and farriers. Our horses provide allow us to bring the joy and wonder of horseback riding to thousands of people year after and year, and ensuring their health and happiness is the least we can do in payment.

Their needs, both environmental and health, do not stop once they are no longer actively working in our programs. The top care they receive does mean that our horses are able and happy to work into their elder years, but many times we do need to make the decision to retire our horses for various reasons. The most common reason for retirement is failing health, whether musculoskeletal, respiratory, or neurological. This means the veterinary bills continue for years after our horses no longer actively create income. We have cultivated an amazing network of retirement farms and individuals that will look after these wonderful animals, but we count on donations to provide the necessary funds.

Costs of retiring any horse, including lesson and trail horses, are surprisingly high, which is why unfortunately most working horses in the equine industry do not get the luxury of retirement. Many lesson horses, once they are no longer useful to riding schools, are sold to another school and passed from place to place until they cross the rainbow bridge. Even more unfortunate are those horses that once lameness and old age prevents them from teaching lessons are sold to unsuspecting buyers, and at worst end up in kill lots.

Our horses spend every single day gifting our students and guests their patience, affection, and teachings. Our trail horses quietly and safely give guests amazing memories and experiences on the beaches and marshes. Our riding school horses impart life lessons each day to their riders, leaving legacies of compassion and workmanship. We appreciate any help from those that feel gratitude and love for these wonderful horses to help us secure their retirements through donations of any amount. Our horses deserve their twilight years to be peaceful and happy, and with your help we can give them that.