Our Story

Our story began in 2010 when the president of the Iowa Horseman’s Benevolent & Protective Association and the director of racing for Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino recognized a need for Thoroughbred aftercare in Iowa. As their conversations took shape, they incorporated additional members to the team — notable race horse owners, members of the Iowa Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, and other individuals from the Des Moines equestrian community. Our charter incorporates a member from each of these organizations to ensure that our board represents the best interests of Iowa racing and the aftercare of Iowa Thoroughbreds.

All The Love, pictured below, was the first horse through our program in 2011. Since that time we have worked to grow our organization, taking in anywhere from 20–30 horses per year. We proudly worked to achieve accreditation with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance in 2019 and have maintained our status ever since.

A bay horse standing on green grass, wearing a halter, with a background of trees and a wooden fence under a sunny sky.

All The Love

Our Mission

“To ensure a safe, temporary, home for injured or noncompetitive Thoroughbred racehorses with uncertain futures coming from Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino; we provide a peaceful environment and experienced care for each horse’s individual recuperative needs with adequate time to transition from the racetrack environment. Once appropriate, facilitating horses into training, with the goal to prepare them for future careers and homes.”

Every horse admitted into the HART program must be in accordance with the qualities set forth in our eligibility guidelines. Specifically, they must have had their last race or work at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and be deemed by a veterinarian that they should no longer race; or be an Iowa-bred and be stabled at Prairie Meadows and meeting the same conditions set forth by a veterinarian as unsuitable for racing.

Meet Our Board of Directors

  • A smiling woman with blonde hair wearing a blue collared shirt, standing indoors near a window.

    Stephanie White, DVM

    President

  • Smiling woman wearing blue scrubs against a plain light background.

    Theresa Humphreys, DVM

    Vice President

  • A woman smiling while standing beside a chestnut horse with a white stripe on its face, outdoors surrounded by fallen autumn leaves.

    Elizabeth Gibson

    Secretary

  • A woman with glasses, curly hair tied in a bun, wearing a yellow T-shirt, smiling and holding a chestnut horse with a white blaze on its face inside a barn.

    Michelle McShane

    Treasurer

  • A woman sitting outdoors on a wooden surface, holding a black and white-tan fluffy dog, with trees in the background.

    Brandi Fett

    Director

Our Farms

  • Logo with a silhouette of a horse inside a circle, with the words 'TERRA GAIT STABLES' in green text beneath.

    Terra Gait Stables

    Dallas Center, IA

  • Logo for Clover Hill Farm, with a green shamrock and a yellow sun behind it, and the text 'Clover Hill Farm,' 'Est. 2020' on a teal background.

    Clover Hill Farm

    St. Mary’s, IA

  • Logo for Kruidenier Second Chance Ranch, an animal rescue organization in Iowa, featuring a stylized white horse silhouette on a purple background with paint splatter design.

    Second Chance Ranch

    Des Moines, IA