Upon taking possession of a horse, an adoption contract must be signed and the adoptee must agree that the horse is never raced again.

During the 12 month adoption period, all costs for the up-keep of the horse (including vet bills, farriery, worming etc) are the responsibility of the adoptee.

The adoptee is required to provide a three month update, which includes sending photos of the horse, and to have two well-being checks (one at six months and one at 12 months) performed by a vet. These checks, to ensure the wellbeing of the horse, are at the cost of the adoptee.

If, for any reason during this time, the horse is found to be unsuitable, or the adoptee’s circumstances change, it is simply a matter of the adoptee contacting the SAQ Horse Welfare Officer to organise putting the horse back through the Rehoming Program for re-adoption.

At completion of the Lease Period, if all parties are satisfied, full ownership of the horse will then be transferred to the adoptee.

Please Note: as horses are donated by owners/trainers, the SAQ has made a decision that horses are NOT to be raced again or used for commercial purposes such as riding schools etc.

44Adoptees are required to join the SAQ for a minimum period of two years. Click here to view the SAQ membership options.

Before information about horses will be released, an application for adoption must be completed and submitted with the correct fees:

• SAQ membership fees and
• horse placement fees of;
  • $125 for an unstarted under saddle, Standardbred; or
  • $400 for a started under saddle/retrained Standardbred.

Once an adoptee takes delivery of a horse, they are responsible for its care and upkeep. This includes the services performed by a veterinarian such as vaccinations and dental care.

Two well-being, veterinary checks will be required at six months and twelve months of the adoption period. These checks are compulsory and are at the expense of the adoptee.

The SAQ are the legal owners of the horse for the time of the adoption period. Therefore if for any reason an adoptee no longer wishes to continue with the adoption of their horse, the horse must be returned to the SAQ.

The horse may not be given away or sold during the adoption period.

At the completion of the adoption, if all program conditions have been met, the adoptee may apply for the ownership of the horse to be transferred to them.

Standardbreds are being offered through the SAQ to GOOD HOMES. Most of the horses offered have not been broken to saddle, but are very easy to re-educate by anyone with some experience, commonsense and lots of patience. The temperament of the breed in general makes the Standardbred suitable for almost any use, and they are easily handled by a sensible beginner.

The horses are retired from, or are unsuitable for Harness Racing for many reasons; some are just not fast enough, others may have minor injuries. Your intended use will influence the type of horse that is suitable. Many minor injuries, which prevent a horse from racing, do not re-occur in the less stressful situations of retirement homes.