Instructions
Try Canter USA first. They have farms and trainers in a handful of states across the country (Illinois, California, New York, mid-Atlantic and Pennsylvania, to name a few). Through Canter, there are Canter-listed horses for adoption and trainer-listed horses for adoption. You can find trainers on these lists who can steer you to the type of horse you are looking for; many times the horses listed are still at the track, and it's best to find a horse that has been off the track awhile and had a rest. The trainers have knowledge of what's in your area can match you up with the type of personality or riding style you are looking for. You can adopt these horses in most cases with cash and without any adoption contract. Sometimes you can talk to a trainer, take your trailer to the track and take home a horse in the same day (although this is slightly insane).
Check out the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. They have horses in different areas of the country, although not as far as the West Coast. These thoroughbred rescues sometimes require a contract stating that you will contact the foundation if you sell the horse.
Try the Thoroughbred Adoption Network. This is a national nonprofit that lists horses with reasonable adoption fees, and some of the horses have been trained off-track for a new riding discipline like trail, dressage or jumping.
Take a look at Rerun Inc. and New Vocations. Rerun Inc. is the biggest contact for East Coast thoroughbreds (New York, New Jersey, some Maryland and Kentucky horses as well). New Vocations is a great Midwest operation, located in Ohio, with horses in Ohio and Michigan with low adoption fees.
Meet your horse before adopting. When you go to adopt, have a vet check done to assure soundness in the animal. See if you and the horse are compatible. This is a large animal, requiring space, time and attention to thrive. Even though the adoption price is fairly cheap, make sure you're ready for the commitment of owning a thoroughbred. Many off-track thoroughbreds need retraining and patience. They've been taught to run very fast in a circle and hang out in a stall 22 hours the rest of the day. This could make anyone crazy. Get to know your horse before thinking of bringing him home!
How to Adopt a Thoroughbred
The thoroughbred racing industry is called the "sport of kings." This is because only kings could afford to raise and train thoroughbred racehorses. Thoroughbreds are run at the young ages of 2 and 3 years old, and then tossed aside as soon as their bodies start giving way to injuries on their delicate young bones and tendons. There are always other, healthier horses to run, and these racing thoroughbreds are dispensable. Here comes lucky you, the horse-lover looking for a tall, saddle-broken horse to adopt, and one with the courageous heart and gentle spirit that is known to exist in the thoroughbred breed. If you're looking for that special thoroughbred, and you're willing to adopt an ex-racehorse, you will have many to choose from all over the United States.