Just in case you missed it in a past announcement, we wanted to make sure that you saw our beautifully created Annual Report for the 2008-2009 fiscal year.  This report is loaded with lots of information and statistics about horses in the program, where our money comes from and more importantly, how the money is spent.  Many thanks to the fabulous volunteers Emily Farmer and Stephanie Lefebvre who put this report together.

FFI is pleased to welcome two new geldings to the program.  These horses are Sunny Thoughts and Friendly Neighbor.  Both geldings were donated by the Wyss family of central Indiana.  In addition, both geldings are exracers, retired from racing in 2007 and appear to be sound for all purposes.  In addition, both geldings are very friendly with calm, quiet temperaments. 

Friends of Ferdinand is very pleased to formally announce the adoption of Moro Rapidoe, aka Roxie by Rachel B. of Ohio.  Roxie retired from racing in October 2009 and was donated to Friends of Ferdinand, Inc.  From the beginning, "Roxie was a nice, quiet mare who was a very pleasant addition to the barn," says Amy Latka, Roxie's foster home.

The horses and the humans of Friends of Ferdinand would like to thank all the foster homes for their enthusiastic participation in our efforts to help racehorses find their way to new homes when their racing careers have ended.

What do these foster homes do?
Well, they receive our orphaned horses and give them a loving home while they wait for just the right person to come along and give them a permanent home. They start by making sure that the horses are in good health, from the tips of their ears to the bottoms of their hooves. They pay attention to the weight of the horse and the shine of their coat. They start on a worming rotation and ensure that vaccinations are up to date. They schedule with the farrier and watch to see if the horse is comfortable barefoot, or needs shoes.