The VISTA - Horse Sanctuary in West Chester Feeling Effects of the Pandemic

The following article is published at The Vista

Thoroughbreds Gallop Across the Lyman's 65 acre farm

TRRAC – Thoroughbred Retirement, Rehabilitation, and Careers – in West Chester is one of the many rescues and rehabilitation facilities in the Philadelphia area that are struggling amidst the coronavirus pandemic, writes Erin McCarthy for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

TRRAC is a nonprofit run by Nina and Charles Lyman. The pair rehabilitates retired thoroughbred racehorses on their 65-acre farm.

“We’re not doing terrible, but things have certainly slowed down,” said Nina Lyman. “We’ve been getting an influx of horses.”

She said that adoptions have become less frequent, as it is no longer easy for people to visit the farm and see the horses in person. Thus, the Lymans have been offering video appointments, in lieu of visits, to potential adopters.

Most people, however, want to see a horse in person before they decide on whether they are willing to adopt.

And now that horse racing has been halted, the rehabilitation facility has also seen its funding slow down for the horses’ medical and surgical care.

The donations the nonprofit receives have also fallen by almost half.

Read more about TRRAC in The Philadelphia Inquirer here.