The Gilded Horse Partners with Kentucky Horse Council and Kentucky Equine Adoption Center

Some partnerships begin with a pitch deck and a conference call. This one started with a weekend in Kentucky, a handshake at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and a Sunday afternoon spent walking the pastures of a 72-acre rescue farm.

The Gilded Horse is proud to announce a philanthropic partnership with two Kentucky equine nonprofits: the Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) and the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center (KYEAC). 5% of The Gilded Horse net revenue will be directed to these two organizations, split equally, to support the horses and horse people across the Bluegrass who need it most.

This is a relationship rooted in shared values, mutual respect, and a deep love for the equestrian world that has shaped The Gilded Horse since its founding. KHC and KYEAC both chose to announce together, as one big family, and that framing reflects the truth of how the three organizations came together.

How the Partnership Started

The connection traces back to April 2026, when Cassie and Mitch Allen attended the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. There they met Sarah Coleman, Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Council. That same weekend, on Sunday, they drove out to Nicholasville to tour the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center's farm, meeting Executive Director Carrie Wood and her team in person.

Sarah and Carrie already knew each other. Both were quick to support the idea of a joint announcement rather than two separate campaigns. The "one big family" framing is not marketing language. It grew organically from that weekend and from the way all three organizations talk about this relationship.

Kentucky Horse Council: Protection Before Crisis Hits

The Kentucky Horse Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Lexington, dedicated to protecting Kentucky horses and building the equine community through education and leadership. Sarah Coleman has led the organization as Executive Director since October 2020, and the current KHC President is Jen Roytz.

KHC is the safety net for horses whose owners face hardship. The Save Our Horses Fund provides feed and hay assistance to owners in financial difficulty. The Euthanasia Assistance Program covers the cost of humane euthanasia for aged or unwanted horses when an owner cannot afford it. KHC also runs Large Animal Emergency Rescue Training and Livestock Investigation Training for first responders, issues real-time equine health alerts, and coordinates disaster response across the state.

It is a lean operation: one full-time staff member, part-time contractors, and a volunteer board. Funding comes partly through Kentucky Horse Council's horse-themed specialty license plate and partly through grants and industry supporters. The organization's weekly e-newsletter reaches close to 11,000 horse owners across the Commonwealth.

"We meet horse owners on their hardest days, when they can't afford feed or a vet bill and don't know where else to turn. A partner like The Gilded Horse means we get to say yes more often."

Sarah Coleman, Executive Director, Kentucky Horse Council

Kentucky Equine Adoption Center: Second Chances on 72 Acres

The Kentucky Equine Adoption Center is the largest all-breed equine rescue in the Commonwealth, located on a 72-acre farm in Nicholasville. Founded in 2006 by a group of Central Kentucky equine-industry professionals, KYEAC was renamed from Kentucky Equine Humane Center in 2018 to better reflect its mission: finding new homes for horses, not simply housing them.

Executive Director Carrie Wood, MBA, oversees a facility that houses 35 to 50 equines at any given time, including horses, minis, donkeys, and mules, all in active rehabilitation. KYEAC is explicitly not a sanctuary; every animal there is being prepared for a new home, from a dressage prospect to a pasture companion.

One of KYEAC's signature programs is Stable Foundations, an eight-week course that walks prospective adopters through horse care, handling, and budgeting before they take an animal home. The organization runs entirely on donations, grants, and fundraising, with no license-plate revenue or government funding behind it. That makes recurring support from brands like The Gilded Horse particularly meaningful.

"Every horse that arrives at KYEAC has a story, and every one deserves the opportunity to begin a new chapter. Our mission is to create second chances through compassionate care, thoughtful rehabilitation, and successful adoption. We're grateful to The Gilded Horse for joining us in that mission and helping more horses find the futures they deserve."

Carrie Wood, Executive Director, Kentucky Equine Adoption Center

Prevention and Second Chances: Why This Pairing Matters

KHC and KYEAC sit at opposite ends of the same challenge. KHC works to keep horses in their homes before a crisis hits: feed assistance, euthanasia support, disaster response, emergency rescue training. KYEAC is where horses land once staying home is no longer possible, and where they are rehabilitated and placed with new families.

Prevention on one end. Second chances on the other. Very few partnerships can credibly support that entire arc, and both organizations share decades of roots in the same Bluegrass horse world that The Gilded Horse draws its own story from.

There is also a practical alignment. Both organizations already show up at the same events the brand attends: the Kentucky Horse Park, gatherings near Keeneland, the K3DE. This partnership does not build a new event presence; it gives The Gilded Horse a clearer reason to be where it already shows up.

What the Partnership Looks Like

The Gilded Horse has committed 5% of net revenue, split equally between KHC and KYEAC, paid as a single annual contribution each December. The 2026 commitment is backdated to January 1, covering the full calendar year.

The relationship also includes cross-promotion and event participation. On July 25, Mitch Allen attended the Rood & Riddle Kentucky Grand Prix at the Kentucky Horse Park, where The Gilded Horse contributed a piece to the event's benefit auction supporting KYEAC. The official announcement goes live July 29 through a press release and email to The Gilded Horse community.

For those who want to support KHC and KYEAC directly, both organizations welcome individual donations. The Kentucky Horse Council accepts contributions through its donate page, and the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center accepts gifts at kyeac.org/donate.

Every piece of gilded horse jewelry purchased through thegildedhorse.com contributes directly to this commitment. That connection between a piece of equestrian jewelry and the organizations that care for real horses is what makes this partnership personal.