Retire & Rehome
Whichever way we ride or however we are associated with horses, we can all agree that horse welfare and rescue is extremely important. Learn about these caring places in our Rehome section, where money and time can be donated to help horses find, or remain, in their forever home.
Many charity events help fund the good work of equine rescue organizations. Parties and auctions to benefit rescue are included in the Calendar of Events for Retire & Rehome.
Have an old friend to retire? Find a place where your horse can live the life of leisure in our Retirement section.
Do we need to add an event or rescue? Please use the useful feedback link and let us know!
by Joel Turner, originally published in Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.
" I believe we all brought home from our African horseback safari a new appreciation for the courage, intelligence, stamina, and adaptability of the Thoroughbred horse and the suitability of retired racehorses for even this very unusual second career."
Bay, chestnut, and gray, all 14 of them stood in a straight line, ears forward, alert and ready to run. Some stood still, poised. Others fidgeted in place, shifting their weight impatiently and ready to bolt, all listening to the sounds in the early dawn. These horses were not staring down the stretch from the starting gate during a schooling session at the racetrack. They were listening to two lionesses and their pride circle and drag down a wildebeest about 100 yards from Gordie and Felicia Church’s Safaris Unlimited Masai Mara camp in the savannah near Narok in west central Kenya. Not far from the Tanzania border and the famous Serengeti Plain, these horses, many of them retired racehorses, were to be our mounts for our upcoming nine-day horseback safari. They stood tied to a picket line trusting the Masai guards, who had only bonfires, spears, and solar powered floodlights to protect all of us — horses and humans alike — from the predators circling our Olare Lamun encampment.
The preceding afternoon, a group of eight of us from Prospect, Kentucky had flown in from Nairobi, jetlagged and a little jarred and jostled by the chartered bush plane’s rough landing on the dirt runway at the Oleseki airstrip just inside the Naboisho Conservancy. Everyone in the group had owned and had ridden retired racehorses at one time or another, and we shared an appreciation for their ability to be retrained for second careers. Among us were event riders, foxhunters, former trainers and exercise riders, a saddle horse competitor, and a newly converted dressage rider. None of us were aware of just what these 14 horses would be asked to do in the next nine days. We would soon find out.
After “tea” in the English tradition on the afternoon of our arrival, we were assigned horses that would take us about 125 miles northwest, through the Ol Kinyei Conservancy and across the Mara North Conservancy to our final camp on the banks of the Mara River. Our first evening’s ride was, ostensibly, to be an opportunity to acquaint ourselves with the horses and for Gordie and Felicia to assess our strengths and weaknesses as riders.
We had all filled out detailed questionnaires about our riding experience, fitness levels, weight, and height. Gordie and Felicia provided us with a little background information about our mounts while still in the “Bush Bar,” a comfortable tent adjacent to the main dining tent. It was surprising to hear from Gordie and Felicia that among the horses we were to ride were 10 former race horses aged six to 20, including a couple of stakes-performing/stakes-producing broodmares, several former polo ponies, and a former event horse.
Read more: From Post to Picket Line: Retired African Racehorses on Safari
Holiday video raises awareness of horse rescue challenges.
Shoreview, Minn. [December 21, 2016] – Deeply caring for animals does not have a season for anyone who raises them – whether they do so for fun or a career. But, during this holiday season, Purina Animal Nutrition encourages all to think about the wishes of animals – and the expressed and unexpressed needs they have.
The emotional connection between animals and people inspire us, drive us, challenge us and reward us. In return, the inner passion, love, a sense of accomplishment and sense of purpose our animals bring can be the greatest reward of all.
Our team at Purina Animal Nutrition believes in the greatness in every animal. But before animals can reach their full potential, they need a good home which provides the right nutrition.
Unfortunately – as an example – thousands of horses across the United States are in need of new homes. This holiday season we ask you to help us raise awareness by sharing the story of Sam, a horse whose only wish is to find his person for Christmas. Thankfully, Sam’s wish comes true.
Together we can help the wish come true for horses across the U.S. and all other animals deserving the human nurturing they need to live their greatness. At the same time, millions of farmers, families and children are caring for these special animals. It is our challenge to recognize, support and encourage this bond and commitment.
To support horse rescues or to find a horse available for adoption, visit our partner, A Home for Every Horse, at ahomeforeveryhorse.com or go here.
Read more: Christmas: A Time to Remember the Year ’Round Wishes of Animals
by Patricia N. Saffran
To find out how the German army treated horses in Holland during WWII, I contacted renown Dutch horseman Harry de Leyer who lived through the German occupation on his family’s farm in Sint-Oedenrode. He spoke to me at length over the phone and then said, “Come visit.” Mr. de Leyer is the subject of several books and a recent film for having bought an Amish farm horse off a truck bound for slaughter. He named him Snowman. The pair went on to show jumping fame by beating far more expensive horses and winning many major competitions.
We arrived in Virginia and drove up to Mr. de Leyer’s farm. Two Jack Russell terriers and a small Saint Bernard gave us a rousing welcome. The farm manager greeted us and said, “It’s not necessary to have barn cats with a fast Jack Russell around. One of them chases after mice.” He showed us his three resident retired prize winning Thoroughbreds in stalls and explained the empty stalls, “Harry’s health isn’t terrific and he spends much of his time in the house now. Besides my horses here, Harry has his own retired Thoroughbred who is shy and likes to be in his own pasture.” We were led to the farmhouse and introduced to Mr. de Leyer, who was sitting in his living room surrounded by a huge number of trophies, ribbons, memorabilia, and photos all over the walls of his many triumphs with Snowman and other jumpers. The latest trophy, Mr. de Leyer told us, was from the documentary about him, Harry and Snowman, by director/producer Ron Davis, which had won a prize at the Equus Film Festival in NYC last November.
Read more: Harry & Snowman, Harry de Leyer’s View of Horses During WWII
Desi's Forever Home (Bring your tissues!)
Nineteen years later, one horse owner’s story begins again with a second adopted Quarter Horse from the Purina Animal Nutrition Center.
Every horse owner has had that one special horse, the one that has changed it all. For many, their iconic horse entered their lives after giving to others. This second career is possible through horse adoption.
“By adopting, people give horses a second career or a second chapter,” says Mike Jerina, equine research manager at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center in Gray Summit, Mo. “We are proud to be a part of this adoption story.”
Jerina says the Quarter Horses bred at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center spend their first few years helping millions of other horses by participating in feeding trials. Research specific to equine nutrition has been conducted for more than 87 years. Some of the horses stay on the 1,200-acre farm, while some go onto their forever homes across the country.
Award-winning photographer Carol Walker beautifully portrayed a band of wild Appaloosas in her wonderful book Galloping to Freedom: Saving the Adobe Town Appaloosas. The Bureau of Land Management maintains and manages wild horses and burros in "heard management areas" or HMAs. Adobe Town, located in south central Wyoming near the Colorado border, is one of those HMAs.
Carol Walker brings to life a band of horses, led by an Appaloosa stallion dubbed "Bronze Warrior" who is the patriarch of a colorful array of mares and foals. These Adobe Town horses were rounded up and separated - some family members sent to Colorado and others to Nevada. Their courage, playfulness, curiosity…and even fear is remarkably captured by Ms. Walker. Reading this book, we feel immersed in the heritage of the wild mustangs, and empathize with the complexity of providing them a dignified future.
Read more: Galloping to Freedom: Saving the Adobe Town Appaloosas
For as little as $15, you can help horses!
stores.ebay.com/The-ReRun-Shop
The Moneigh fundraiser program began over 10 years ago by ReRun Thoroughbred Adoption. After the Finish Line has partnered with ReRun to raise funds for both charities. The Moneighs have become known as the official horse paintings of the Thoroughbred racing industry, in part because the name “Moneigh®” is trademarked. Paintings have been created by more than 200 Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont, and Breeders’ Cup racers and winners, Stakes raced horses, and the most popular stallions and broodmares in the country.