Standardbred "Full Circle" Re-Homing Plan

In November of 2010, the US Trotting Association (USTA), registry for Standardbred horses, instituted a program designed to provide a safety net for Standardbreds who are no longer commercially viable and are no longer wanted by their current owners.

The program, “Full Circle,” is modeled after a similar program started by the American Quarter Horse Association. Anyone who has formerly owned, bred, trained, driven or simply had an interest in a horse can, at no cost or obligation, record their name and contact information in that horse’s USTA data file and enroll them in Full Circle.

If that horse should lose commercial value and a future owner no longer wants the horse, that owner, or in your case, that a rescue or adoption group, has the option to call the USTA (877-800-8782 x 3) to see if the horse is enrolled in Full Circle.

If so, a USTA representative will contact the person or persons who provided their contact information and inform them that a horse enrolled by them is in need. The USTA representative will provide the enrolling individual with the contact information for the person with custody of the horse, or in your case, the organization that has custody of the horse.

Those two individuals then make contact and make whatever arrangement they like regarding the horse in question. The USTA will urge due diligence by the party that enrolled the horse in Full Circle and provided their contact information. However, we have no stake or involvement in the outcome.

The types of action that may be taken between the enrolling person and the custodian of the horse may include but not be limited to: taking the horse back, facilitating placement with another individual or adoption program, providing some form of assistance, cash or in kind, to train the horse for pleasure use, provide veterinary or rehabilitation assistance.

The aim of the program is to facilitate assistance for a horse that needs it with an individual who wants to provide it. We are pleased that over 1,000 horses have already been enrolled and that number is growing each day.

As the database of enrolled horses grows, I believe that checking a horse’s status with Full Circle will yield options that are beneficial to the horse and your program. Horses may be diverted to a past connection that very much wants to care for the horse, but was unaware of their status. Those who cannot care for a horse may wish to provide a donation or other service to help with their care until adoption can be arranged.

Horses enrolled in Full Circle will soon be sporting a logo in our database indicating that they are enrolled and thus, there may be options for the horse beyond your facility. I urge you to add “Check Full Circle Status” to your intake process to see if there are additional possibilities for the horse. You will soon be able to email us at fullcircle@ustrotting.com to let us know that you have the horse and we will contact the person who enrolled the horse.

For now, however, please call our customer service department at 877-800-8782 extension 3 to ask if a horse is enrolled. If you do not know the horse’s registered name, but believe they are a Standardbred, please have their tattoo or freeze brand (5 digits, right side of neck under the mane) ready, along with markings, so that we can positively identify the horse.

I also attach a flyer about our “SOS” (Support Our Standardbreds) program, for Standardbreds that have been seized or otherwise taken in to custody by some legal authority, such as an animal control or humane officer. If we can identify that horse as a registered Standardbred, we can provide assistance for their care. If you have such a horse or know of one, I am the contact at 732-780-3700 or ellen.harvey@ustrotting.com. If you do not know the horse’s registered name, have their tattoo or freeze brand (5 digits under the mane on the right side) available, along with their markings.

Thank you for the work you do to help “our” horses. I know that there is much to be done for their welfare and we believe Full Circle provides an important piece of the puzzle.

Yours truly,

Ellen Harvey
732-780-3700