About
We're On A MissionThousands of beautiful, healthy thoroughbreds need new homes every year when their racing careers are over.
Horseracing is a truly thrilling sport, the “Sport of Kings.” There are hundreds of racetracks across the country, with many located right here in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic region. Fans come for the excitement, the glamour, the beauty, ….and the horses.
The horses are the centerpiece of the sport, with their glossy coats, pricked ears, flaring nostrils, and keen, intelligent eyes. Every day, thousands of thoroughbreds answer the bugler’s call. They go and run with all they have and more. But there is usually only one winner in any given race.
What about the others? Many go on to run other races on other days. Some end up winning. Some end up on breeding farms. Others just aren’t fast enough to be competitive and eventually move on to lesser tracks to try again.
From here, the story gets a little gray. There are thousands of horses that just can’t make it on any track- they are too slow, or laid back, or sore to pay their way. We would like to think that these horses all end up in good homes, as pleasure or sport horses, or just “best friends.”
In the past, all too many ended up at regional livestock auctions, where they were bought by dealers and sent to slaughterhouses in Canada & Mexico. We founded MidAtlantic Horse Rescue in 2002 to address this issue, buying hundreds of thoroughbreds at auctions and feedlots, and then retraining them and placing them in safe and suitable homes.
Since that time, the industry has come to realize the importance of second careers for these amazing horses. Aftercare is a big part of the conversation, and area racetracks have focused on getting horses into accredited programs like MAHR who then transition them into new homes.
MidAtlantic Horse Rescue is a Federal 501(c)3 non profit organization. We buy slaughter bound ex-racehorses and transition thoroughbreds off the track. After quarantine and careful evaluation, we adopt them into good homes as pleasure and sport horses.
About us…..
Beverly Strauss and Ginny Suarez are lifelong horsewomen. Graduate A and B Pony Clubbers. Both have had extensive experience in eventing, dressage, showing, foxhunting, and racing. In addition to running MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, Bev trains a small private racing stable at Delaware Park with her husband Tom, and Ginny is a former trainer. For forty years they have bought thoroughbreds at livestock auctions, evaluating them, and starting them in new careers.
We started MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, Inc., in 2002, to get more thoroughbreds out of the kill pens and into loving homes. While we still help thoroughbreds out of bad situations, most of our horses now come directly from race connections who want their ex-racers to have successful new careers. Just because horses are no longer competitive on the racetrack does not mean they aren’t useful or productive. These young horses have so much to offer. We make sure the match between horse and adopter is safe and suitable- we ensure our adopters and horses have compatible goals, temperaments, and abilities. We do transfer ownership because we want our adoption partners to be committed to their horses, but we do have an adoption contract and a lifetime return policy.
Since our inception, we have saved over 2600 horses.
We started by saving three horses and then pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps. Experience, integrity, and a lot of hard work has helped us grow. We are fully accredited and nationally recognized for our efforts-BUT our invaluable work continues. YOU can help– by donating, adopting, or just spreading the word–we need your support more than ever to give off track thoroughbreds a “happily ever after!”
Meet our team
Patty Clemens, President
BS in Economics, LaSalle University. 50+ years experience with horses- eventing, foxhunting, showing, training, lessons, etc. Patty and her family own adopted horses Master Manipulator (Moose), Defense Article (Artie), and Battle Tested (Battle).
Beverly Strauss, Co-founder & Executive Director
BA in Biology, University of Virginia; MBA Rutgers Graduate School of Management; Graduate A, US Pony Club. 50+ years experience with horses-eventing, racing, foxhunting, showing, training, lessons, etc. Owns multiple thoroughbreds of all ages. Licensed racehorse trainer.
Virginia Cole, Co-founder & Board Member
Equine Studies, Harcum College. Graduate B, US Pony Club. Founder and Executive Director of Paws for Life, Inc. 50+ years experience with horses-eventing, racing, foxhunting, showing, training, etc. Owns multiple thoroughbreds of all ages. Currently eventing and foxhunting MAHR grads Sargent Parker and Roziere.
Lynne Pennypacker, Treasurer
BS Agriculture with English minor, Penn State University. 50+ years experience with horses – showing (breeding, young hunters, jumpers), foxhunting, grooming and braiding professionally and, more recently, eventing, . Currently training and showing adopted horses Apolodordedemasco (Marco) and Bonaparte JR (Reese).
Yvonne Reynolds, Secretary
Business Manager, Woodstock Farm 40+ years.
Owen Lusby, Farm Manager
50+ years experience with horses- racing, breeding, etc.
Morgan Hayden, Theresa Kempczynski, Andie Culler, Sally Shirley, Dr. Liz Schatz, Jacqui Sharp, Jess Caraballo, Justine Howell, Dr. Lauren Klutchka, Heather Carlson, Kyle Dougherty, Joanna Ellis, Kaylee Ellis
Dr Bernie Smith DVM
Equine Vetcare, Fair Hill Training Center
Tom Strauss
AFA Certified Farrier, 45+ years experience
Josh LaRue, Farrier
Kyle Hayden, equine dentist
Dr. Bonnie Kibbie, Equine chiropractor
Friends of Twilight
our loyal supporters
Doris S Wear Memorial Garden
We have a memorial garden where people can bury their horses after being cremated. For more information about the Doris S Wear Memorial Garden, please contact us using the form on the contact page.
MidAtlantic Horse Rescue is a Federal 501(c)3 non profit organization. We buy slaughter bound ex-racehorses and transition thoroughbreds off the track. After quarantine and careful evaluation, we adopt them into good homes as pleasure and sport horses.