Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines

What Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines does

Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization founded in 1888 by Anne Waln-Ryerss in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and self-described as the country's oldest and East Coast's largest horse rescue and retirement sanctuary. The organization provides lifelong sanctuary to aged (20+ years), abused, and injured horses, with a strict policy that residents are never worked, sold at auction, or used for experiments. Operations are delivered from a single 1710 Ridge Road farm campus with state-of-the-art facilities and on-site veterinary care, managed by Farm Manager Cory Mowrer under a Board of Managers and Advisory Board.

The revenue model is a multi-stream non-profit construct rather than a product sale. Sources include individual donations (one-time and recurring, including a $500/year horse sponsorship, $50 pedicure, $75 dental, $100–$300 memory plates, and $3,000 stall endowments), a $10,000 one-time horse admittance fee plus a $250 non-refundable waiting-list application fee, gift shop retail sales, and event revenue from a calendar that includes the annual Run for the Horses (13th iteration, April 2025, 174 participants), Summer Camp for ages 5–15 ($275/week), Easter Egg Hunt ($5/child), Family Fun Day, and Holiday Open House. Off-site, the Magic of Ryerss Brunch & Gala is hosted at Radnor Hunt in Malvern, PA, with 15+ named major sponsors. Corporate underwriting from Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, VCC Healthcare, Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, and others underwrites specific events, while the Ryerss Legacy Society captures bequests and estate-planned gifts to the endowment fund. Free public farm visits and a multi-channel organic social presence (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn) drive awareness.

The technology footprint is minimal and commodity-grade: a Wix website maintained by Skigital, Mailchimp for email/SMS via the VIP program, and the Shift volunteer scheduling platform. There is no proprietary platform, no AI/ML capability, and no app. Strategic posture is defensive-stewardship — sustaining a 137-year mission through infrastructure renewal (currently a Main Barn renovation limiting operations to weekends July–September), donor base expansion via the Legacy Society, and deepening community engagement rather than geographic or vertical expansion.

Name

Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines

Legal name

Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines

Website

https://ryerssfarm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines, founded in 1888 in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, is the oldest U.S. non-profit providing lifelong sanctuary for aged, abused, and injured horses, funded by donations, sponsorships, events, gift shop sales, and planned giving.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equine Sanctuary Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (115210)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Equine Rehabilitation, Layup & Retirement Facilities (AFAEAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Equine Veterinary Services (AFAEANAC), Horse Boarding, Livery & Stable Operations (AFAEAGAG)

Keywords

• Equine sanctuary services
• Horse retirement care
• Animal welfare nonprofit
• Horse rescue services
• Community fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

Pottstown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations (Individual): One-time and recurring donations from individuals, solicited via the website, email, social media, and direct appeals. Donors can sponsor a resident horse ($500/year), donate a pedicure ($50), sponsor a dental visit ($75), donate a memory plate ($100-$300), or contribute to the stall endowment ($3,000) or general operations.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue from ticketed and sponsored events including the Run for the Horses (race registration $40-$45), Summer Camp (one-week session $275 with $100 deposit), Easter Egg Hunt (ticket $5 per child), and Family Fun Day (general admission free; food/activity tickets sold). Event sponsorships provide additional revenue.
3. Gift Shop Sales: On-site gift shop sells souvenirs and farm merchandise. Every purchase supports resident horse care. Also available via the website and events.
4. Horse Admission Fee: A one-time $10,000 admittance fee is charged when a horse is accepted into the farm, plus a $250 non-refundable waiting-list application fee. This is intended to offset the lifetime care cost of each resident.
5. Planned Giving / Legacy Society: Bequests, beneficiary designations, and other estate-planned gifts designated to the Ryerss Farm Endowment Fund via the Legacy Society. Provides long-term financial sustainability.
6. Sponsorships (Corporate): Corporate sponsors underwrite specific events (e.g., Run for the Horses, Family Fun Day) or provide in-kind goods/services. Sponsors receive logo placement, signage, and merchandise recognition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines provides lifelong sanctuary, pasture retirement, and care for aged (20+ years), abused, and injured horses, with on-site veterinary care at its Pottstown, Pennsylvania farm. It is supported by individual donations, corporate sponsorships, an on-site gift shop, summer camp, and signature fundraising events such as the annual Run for the Horses.

Product overview

Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines is a non-profit horse retirement and rescue organization offering a unified sanctuary service. The core offering is lifelong retirement care for aged (20+ years), abused, or injured horses. The organization supports its mission through a portfolio of related services: horse sponsorship and targeted healthcare donations (pedicures, dental visits); commemorative programs (memory plates, stall endowments); the Legacy Society planned giving program; an on-site gift shop; free farm tours and visitor programs; a volunteer program; and seasonal events including the annual Run for the Horses fundraiser, Summer Camp for children, Easter Egg Hunt, and Holiday Open House. Donors can also contribute via Amazon and Chewy wish lists for essential supplies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ryerss Legacy Society: A planned giving program that includes members and friends of Ryerss Farm who have designated a gift to the Ryerss Farm Endowment Fund in their estate plans.

Products and services

• Horse Retirement & Sanctuary Care
• Horse Sponsorship Program
• Equine Healthcare Donations
• Memory & Memorial Programs
• Ryerss Legacy Society
• Gift Shop
• Summer Camp Program
• Run for the Horses
• Easter Egg Hunt
• Annual Holiday Open House
• Farm Tours & Visits

Quantifiable outcome

• 174 participants at the 13th Annual Run for the Horses (April 2025)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Birthday Buddies, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 April 2025Provided the Easter Bunny character for the farm's Easter Egg Hunt event (April 2025). In-kind service donation enhancing family event programming.
• Philly Pretzel FactoryminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 April 2025Provided soft pretzels for the post-race party at the 13th Annual Run for the Horses (April 2025). In-kind food donation that enhances the event experience for attendees.
• Stable 12 Brewing CompanyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 April 2025Provided locally brewed beer for the post-race party at the 13th Annual Run for the Horses (April 2025). In-kind donation enhancing the event's appeal to adult attendees.
• Radnor HuntminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 October 2024Event venue host for the Magic of Ryerss Brunch & Gala (October 2024) in Malvern, PA. Provides physical space for the annual fundraising event.
• Thorncroft Equestrian CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2024Donated a therapy horse (Josey, a dark bay Dutch Warmblood gelding) to Ryerss Farm upon his retirement from service. Josey previously served as a therapy horse at Thorncroft, where he was a barn favorite. The relationship reflects a handoff of a retired therapy horse to permanent sanctuary.
• Family Fun Day Food VendorsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 June 2024Food vendors for the annual Family Fun Day (June 2024) include Epicurean Garage, Petrucci's Ice Cream & Water Ice Truck, and Buns on the Go. These vendors provide food and beverage offerings at the free community event.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• Equine Welfare Alliance: National advocacy coalition focused on equine welfare policy and the horse-processing issue. Complementary rather than competitive; relevant as ecosystem player influencing the regulatory and donor-perception environment for equine sanctuaries.
• CANTER (Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses): National non-profit network that transitions retired Thoroughbred racehorses to second careers and ultimately to retirement or adoption homes. Functions as an upstream referral pipeline and ecosystem partner to permanent sanctuaries such as Ryerss.
• American Horse Defense Fund: National non-profit advocating against horse slaughter and supporting equine rescue efforts. Adjacent mission and shared donor base, providing policy and grant support that influences the operating environment for sanctuaries like Ryerss.
• Equine Advocates: National equine-protection non-profit providing rescue grants and advocacy support. Acts as a funder and policy ally rather than a direct service competitor, sharing the equine-welfare donor and volunteer ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Days End Farm Horse Rescue: Maryland-based non-profit horse rescue and rehabilitation facility. Direct competitor for Mid-Atlantic donors and volunteers; comparable intake, rehab, and adoption-referral services.
• Old Friends Equine Retirement: Kentucky-based non-profit providing lifetime sanctuary for retired racehorses and other aged equines. Closest direct peer — same mission of permanent retirement care, public visitation model, and donation/sponsorship/memorial revenue stack.
• New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program: National non-profit that rehabs and rehomes retired Thoroughbreds. Comparable non-profit equine-retirement mission, similar mix of donations, adoption fees, and corporate sponsorship, but focused on placement rather than permanent residency.
• ReRun Horse Rescue: Northeast-based (originally NY/NJ) non-profit horse rescue, rehab, and adoption organization. Direct peer in geography and to Ryerss's Mid-Atlantic donor market, with overlapping donor and volunteer pools.
• Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue: Non-profit dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming draft horses. Comparable sanctuary model with similar donation, sponsorship, and corporate-partnership funding mix.

Broad incumbents

• Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): Large national animal-welfare organization with an active equine protection program and rescue-fund grants. Operates an adjacent mission at vastly greater scale, indirectly competing for the same equine-welfare donor dollars and corporate sponsorship dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ryerssfarm
• Facebookfacebook.com/ryerss.farm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rhyss-farm
• Instagraminstagram.com/ryerss_farm
• TikToktiktok.com/@ryerssfarm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines