LEXINGTON, KY — Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced today that the 2026 accreditation application is now available and can be accessed online at thoroughbredaftercare.org/accreditation.

Nonprofit Thoroughbred aftercare organizations that are interested in applying for accreditation during the 2026-2027 term must submit the completed application by April 1, 2026, at 6 PM EDT. All organizations that were accredited in 2023 or any new organizations need to apply for accreditation this year. Other organizations that were accredited in 2025 need not apply as their current accreditation extends through 2026.

Accreditation status is determined after a complete and thorough review of the organization’s operations, education, horse health care management, facility standards and services, and adoption policies and protocols. Organizations that pass the initial application review will be subject to an onsite inspection of all facilities housing Thoroughbreds.

Any organization interested in applying for Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accreditation must fulfill the following five minimum requirements:

1. Organization must have current status as a 501(c)(3) federal not-for-profit (U.S.) or must be a registered charity within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada).
2. Organization must have been in operation for at least three years. Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will confirm operation information, including with the secretary of state or provincial business registry.
3. At time of application, organization must either (1) currently exclusively own and provide care for a minimum of 5 registered Thoroughbreds, or (2) currently exclusively own and provide care for at least 3-4 registered Thoroughbreds AND must have exclusively owned and provided care for at least 10 registered Thoroughbreds over the previous 12 months. Registered Thoroughbreds leased by the organization or owned by third parties at the same facility should not be included.
4. Organization must have a written euthanasia policy consistent with the American Association of Equine Practitioners.
5. Organization, or a principal of the organization or individual directly related to the organization, shall not have any current legal proceedings pending against them which adversely impact the aftercare operations, the organization’s standards of care, or the 501(c)(3) status of the organization.

Accredited Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance organizations are eligible to receive financial grants to further support the care of their Thoroughbreds. The amount awarded in 2025 to Thoroughbred aftercare organizations was $4.7 million, totaling $40.74 million since inception of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance in 2012.

“Becoming accredited with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance provides guidelines and standards to organizations and gives them the opportunity to obtain formal recognition in the Thoroughbred industry,” said Janice Towles, Director of Accreditation & Grants, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “We hope that new partners will be added to our family of accredited organizations and we look forward to assisting our current groups in their purpose to retrain, retire and rehome Thoroughbreds.”

For more information on the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accreditation process, please visit thoroughbredaftercare.org.