Racehorse Rehabilitation Centres

Sheikh Mohammed is not, of course, the only one involved in giving ex-racehorses a good life when they retire from the track. Caring owners and trainers have always done it, and many a retired racehorse has enjoyed a new lease of life in private hands in the hunting field or showring. Some went on to find new fame, even years ago - remember David Broom's great ex-racer-showjumper Philco, and Pat Smythe's Prince Hal even earlier on ?



Horsedealers - both high-class and , er, less-so - have always made a tidy profit buying racers out of training and quickly turning them round as hacks, hunters and jumpers, with variable success. ( It always depended on whether the buyer with the money also had the knowledge - some horses got lucky, some didn't.)



But over the past fifteen years or so, certainly here in the UK, there has been a growing public concern over the fate of racehorses, both on and off the track. Partly in response to this, the British Horseracing Board set up an official charity called Retraining of Racehorses - or ROR - to support and oversee welfare developments for former racehorses. ROR, based in London, acts as a contact and information centre, as well as making large contributions to the running of the four racehorse rehabilitation centres it officially supports.


Contact : http://www.ror.org.uk/ tel: 020 7152 0000



Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre (TRC)


This was the first of the four main centres, ( and the first in Europe), set up in 1991 by Carrie Humble, MBE ( awarded this honour by The Queen for her work with ex-racehorses.) TRC now has its own farm premises in Lancashire, where it can board 30 horses. There is always a waiting list ! It's founding philosophy is summed up in its brochure - " We breed them, we train them, we push them to their limits to provide us a sport - we owe them, either a decent life or a decent exit". And that's what TRC provides; as many horses as possible are rehomed, (always on loan, to approved homes, and remaining in TRC legal ownership.) Horses that cannot be rehomed, for physical or mental health reasons, are humanely euthanased.


Contact: http://www.thoroughbredrehabilitationcentre.co.uk/ tel: 01524 812649



Greatwood


The Greatwood centre was founded in Devon in 1992 by Michael and Helen Yeadon, and now operates from a farm in Marlborough, Wiltshire. It's motto is " The finishing line is only the beginning", and, like TRC, has a tremendous success record of rehabilitating and rehoming ( again, on loan) ex-racers.


Contact: http://www.racehorsesgreatwood.org/ tel: 01672 514535




Moorcroft


Based in Sussex and running on very similar lines to Greatwood and TRC, Moorcroft can cater for 28 horses at a time.


Contact: http://www.mrwc.org.uk/ tel: 01403 791916



Whilst not one of the original 'big three' ex-racer charities, Heros, based at Wantage in Oxfordshire, is also now recognised and supported by ROR. Begun by Grace Muir in the 1990's, the charity's name stands for Homing Ex-Racehorses Organisation Scheme. It's motto is " to pastures new", and it has successfully rehomed over 300 retired racehorses. Unlike TRC, Greatwood and Moorcroft, Heros does sell some of its horses, as well as placing others on loan, though of course the same careful matching process is required for horse and new homer.


Contact : http://www.heroscharity.org/ tel: 01488 638820



There are many more rehabilitation centres in the UK, of course, both privately run and charitable. ( Anyone know of any they can recommend ?)



Racehorse rehoming is now growing world-wide, too. I know of three organisations in USA:



CANTER (Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses)

This is a not-for-profit organisation, with affiliate branches throughout the US. It takes a special interest in rescuing ex-racers from slaughter, and has strong links with the on-line club, Ex Racers.com , with joint members working on shared rescue projects.



Contact : http://www.canterusa.org/



ReRun Inc

To help the adoption of retired thoroughbred racers.



Contact: http://www.rerun.org/



New Vocations

Racehorse adoption organisation.



Contact: http://www.horseadoption.com/



Anyone out there with any details of the work of these groups, or anything similar elsewhere in the world?