Oklahoma’s Horse and Hound, Kentucky’s New Vocations Awarded Toro and Exmark Mower Usage for 2019

Horse and Hound received a Toro mower to use this season.

Equine Equipment, together with its industry partners Toro and Exmark, is pleased to announce two donations of mowers for the 2019 season as part of its “For the Good Program” to help Thoroughbred aftercare facilities. Equine Equipment is planning several more similar donations to show its appreciation for the industry’s support and to give back to the retired racehorses that make the industry possible.

The Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma has graciously designated the Horse and Hound Rescue Foundation in Guthrie, Oklahoma, for the use of a Toro commercial mower.

“With the great work Nelda and Larry Kettles do, we wanted to help them with a mower donation,” said Steve Andersen, founder of Equine Equipment. “We know that aftercare facilities don’t want to spend their limited funds on mower repair and maintenance, so providing a quality mower from Toro should relieve all of that worry.”

Danielle Barber, executive director of the TRAO, knows Horse and Hounds to be a well-run and devoted organization, so helping them made great sense.

“We urge the Oklahoma horse industry to support facilities like Horse and Hound,” said Barber. “They repurpose our industry’s athletes and provide care for every resident at Horse and Hound. Getting this worthy facility a premium mower from Toro is the least we can do.”

“I am still amazed at the giving spirit people show to Horse and Hound, and when Dani Barber told us about the use of this mower, especially a Toro mower, we were amazed that such a big company could care so much to help a facility like ours,” said Nelda, who with her husband, Larry, helps find new homes for off-track Thoroughbreds, as well as dogs. “We are touched and thank everyone involved. The local dealer will help us with some service appointments, and Equine Equipment is donating things like filter and oil we need for routine maintenance. This is amazing, and we are so delighted. Larry knows his equipment and is excited as well.”

Horse and Hound is on property owned by the Kettles, who have been breeding and raising Thoroughbreds for over 30 years. The couple’s love for the animals really shows as you pull through their gate, and they donate their time, land, barn, facilities, and even house to the rescue of these animals.

To learn more about Horse and Hound visit, www.horseandhoundrescue.com.

The second donation of the use of an Exmark zero-turn commercial mower went to New Vocations at Mereworth Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

New Vocations’ mission is simple: To stand in the gap for noncompetitive, often injured, racehorses providing a peaceful environment and skilled hands to assist in their development as pleasure mounts. New Vocations strives to place these horses in experienced, loving homes that will continue their education so each has a skill and therefore, a future.

“Exmark is pleased to help supply New Vocations with a premium Exmark this season,” stated John Cloutier, senior marketing manager with Exmark. “They do good work and are dedicated professionals in finding second careers for our equine athletes.”

“When we launched our partnership with Exmark, we knew it would be heartily embraced by the entire horse world,” said Steve Andersen. “With thousands of farms enjoying these incredible mowers at dealer cost, we wanted to find a way to give back to the industry that has been so good to many. New Vocations fits the bill due to their program excellence. This represents just one of many mower donations on tap for the 2019 season.”

“This mower will help us greatly reduce our mowing time, and we are thankful companies such as Equine Equipment and Exmark see us as worthy to receive this gift,” said Anna Ford, New Vocations’ Thoroughbred Program Director. “We have limited budgets and anytime someone donates a mower like this it helps us with other things we are always in need of.”

To find out more about New Vocations, go to www.horseadoptions.com.