Despite being heavily involved in racehorse retraining we did not ever have the intention of assisting in their rehoming.  However in 2012 we were approached by the Veterinary Administrator of the Centre for Racehorse Studies [CRS] based at the British Racing School [BRS] in Newmarket, with regards to homing two geldings from the unit which another rehoming organisation had refused to take due to less than favourable veterinary reports. As Equine Management and Training is very much involved in rehabilitation after injury and the correction of  biomechanical issues, we agreed to take the said geldings, assess and rehome them.  Thereafter we gained BHA approval and subsequently we now rehome all the CRS horses and indeed some BRS horses. 

Following the Retraining of Racehorses Charity [RoR] Strategic Review in 2015 one of the subsequent implementations was the appointment of Paul Jepson as Welfare Consultant who, following recommendation from the Charity’s CEO, Di Arbuthnot, asked us to work with RoR taking, assessing and re-homing horses which had fallen under the RoR’s vulnerable horse/welfare scheme.  As private owners also began to approach us with regards the rehoming of their horses we decided that it was time to promote our rehoming as an officially recognised and approved entity so in January 2016 “Rehoming Racehorses – A Life After Racing” came into being.  Whether we seek charitable status in due course for the rehoming programme is a matter for consideration at a later date; it would be helpful in some respects but not others.

Ex-racehorses have gained huge popularity in the equestrian world but we believe this to be primarily so because they remain cheap or indeed free to acquire.  As RoR has grown particularly in the last few years the racing industry now looks to the charity to generate homes for horses leaving training so it [RoR] has had no alternative but to promote these horses as being suitable for everyone. And to assist with this strategy it has created all manner of competitions at every level across the disciplines and linked itself with the other equestrian bodies giving generous prizes and all-manner of other goodies to encourage ownership of these horses.  

However this does not actually ensure a horse finds itself in the right hands as the ex-racehorse is not for everyone; a significant part of the work of Equine Management and Training is to resolve issues that have arisen during retraining; every day we receive emails and telephone calls asking for help and advice because something has gone wrong.  

Whilst it is accepted that owners do ultimately have the responsibility to ensure their horses are found good homes, with many owners not having any equestrian knowledge, this can prove difficult despite best intentions, and made even more difficult for horses that are carrying an injury or those that need more specialist retraining to help them transition from racehorse to riding horse because they have a less than straightforward temperament.  Such owners look to their trainers to help and whilst there are those who have very good rehoming programmes there are also those who are happy to give a horse away to the first person who comes along. 

Realistically though trainers cannot, or rather should not be expected to undertake a rehoming service; with both owners and trainers being in the game to have runners yet being aware of their responsibilities with regards to a horse’s welfare, what is the answer?    

Understandably they look to rehoming organisations and individuals who offer retraining and rehoming services. Unfortunately alongside the growth in popularity of the ex-racehorse has also grown the number of people who profess to be “racehorse retrainers” but in reality most have suddenly come into the game as they see there is money to be made.  Everyone of course has to make a living but too many are happy to sell horses on without care or consideration as to where these horses are ending up – their environment, the experience or capability of a person to cope with and look after the horse properly and how long before the horse gets sold on again?  The only real safeguard is rehoming via a charitable organisation which home horses on a loan basis – and people such as ourselves who run rehoming programmes in the same way as charity centres.   

The real appeal of “Rehoming Racehorses - A Life After Racing” does seem to be:

• the fact that horses are not sold; it is most definitely not a commercial enterprise
• we know exactly where every horse is for the duration of its life
• that we do not rehome to completely unknown people.  

In January 2019 we gained Accreditation from RoR in association with the BHA, for our rehoming programme. We feel very privileged as we are one of just 10 rehoming operations across the UK to have such Accreditation.

Please note that Rehoming Racehorses - A Life After Racing is NOT a charity nor is it a registered Not-for-Profit organisation; it a a programme we have established in order to secure the best possible homes for ex-racehorses that are passed into our care.  

To read about our intake and rehoming procedures please refer to "Do you have a horse to rehome" and "Rehoming a horse from us".