TRF Second Chances Juvenile Program at CSI-Ocala

TRF Second Chances Juvenile Program at CSI-Ocala


Meet the Team: Watch the Recording of our Virtual Launch Event


Meet the Horses!


Public – Private Partnership: TRF + Florida DJJ

“The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice is excited to partner with the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation to offer this unique vocational training to our youth,” said Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Acting Secretary Josie Tamayo.

“The equine program provides an opportunity to gain hands-on training while receiving the benefits of animal assisted therapy. This additional therapeutic service is offered as part of our youth’s specialized treatment plan and will allow them to further grow and build upon their skills to ensure a successful transition back into their home communities.”

About the Program

Building on more than 35 years of experience “Saving Horses and Saving Lives” in partnership with Correctional Facilities across the United States, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) will introduce its first-ever partnership with a Department of Juvenile Justice program with a virtual “launch event” on February 23rd.   Presented as a live-streaming event on YouTube, the TRF and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice  will introduce the new TRF Second Chances Juvenile Program at CSI-Ocala to a national audience. 

The launch event will feature remarks from the Acting Secretary of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Josie Tamayo, and include a tour of the new equine program facility constructed at the Center for Success and Independence (CSI), a juvenile residential commitment program operated by Youth Opportunity Investments in Ocala, Florida.  The online audience will meet the TRF retired racehorses participating and the equine program instructor, learn about the skills-based and therapeutic curriculum and hear success stories of graduates who have completed the program in recent months.

  • Launch Event: February 23, 2021
  • 5 Horses
  • Serving young men (ages 12-18)
  • 10 Acres
  • Location: Ocala, FL
  • Adjacent to TRF Second Chances Farm at Lowell Correctional Institution


Public Sector Partner: Florida Department of Juvenile Justice

Florida Department of Juvenile Justice

TRF Second Chances Juvenile Program in the News