Pennsylvania horse racing aftercare

Like most sports, horse racing is a young man’s — or, in this case, horse’s — game. So, once a horse’s days at the track are over, what happens? In Pennsylvania, owners, trainers and lawmakers care very deeply about retired racehorses and have made it a priority to give them the best life possible through a number of exceptional programs.

Every retiring horse’s situation is different. Like athletes, some may suffer an injury, others age out of the sport, and a few become so successful that they become more valuable as studs or broodmares. No matter the situation, there’s always one common thread to aftercare: humane, loving attention  meaning that slaughterhouses are absolutely not an option. Pennsylvania Thoroughbred tracks have a no-tolerance policy in this regard. Any individual who is caught sending a horse to slaughter is immediately banned from all horse racing activities for life.

There are quite a few Pennsylvania aftercare programs for Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses that pride themselves on being at the top in the nation in providing a home and purpose for these magnificent animals. Pennsylvania is dedicated to giving every retired racehorse a fulfilling second career in barrel racing, hunting, dressage, leisure and so on.

Turning for Home

Based out of Parx Racing®, Turning for Home is a nonprofit adoption program that The Jockey Club has touted as a national example for on-track retirement facilities at year-round racecourses. Over the years, Turning for Home has provided nearly 2,800 horses with a safe retirement. Turning for Home is operated by the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association.

www.turningforhome.org

New Start

Created in 2013 by the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, New Start’s mission is to work with participating foster farms to find qualified homes for horses that have been retired from racing at Penn National Race Course.

http://www.newstartforhorses.com

New Vocations

New Vocations’ Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, facility acts as a rescue and rehabilitation program for retired Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses. The end goal is to find every horse a loving home, where he or she can peacefully live out a post-racing life.

http://www.horseadoption.com

Standardbred Transition Alliance

The Standardbred Transition Alliance (STA) is a non-profit organization with federal 501(c)(3) status whose mission is to accredit, inspect and award grants to approved organizations that acquire, rehabilitate, train and re-home Standardbreds.

https://www.standardbredtransition.org/

 

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