LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Horses run in the Derby as three-year-olds, and for most thoroughbreds who wind up racing, their competing days are over not long after that age.
They still have a lot of life ahead of them. If they're not breeding, that's where rehabilitation and retraining programs come in.
Thoroughbred racehorses have a bright future after their racing days are over, thanks to the efforts of the New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program in Lexington. This program has been instrumental in helping retired racehorses find their new calling.
"We rehabilitate them, retrain them, and find them a good home," says Dot Morgan, Executive Director for New Vocations.
They've been doing this in some capacity for over 30 years. They started operating at Mereworth Farm in Lexington in 2015.
"Most of the industry knows about us, and fortunately, they have embraced what we do," Morgan says. "We are supported by many of the farms and the major trainers. So, the farms in the Lexington area certainly support us. The trainers all over the country support us."
They're helping thoroughbreds prepare for new careers and equip them with the skills they need to survive for the rest of their lives.
"This is our outdoor arena. It was the first thing we built here on the farm," Morgan says. "You can take a thoroughbred that's never seen a jump and take them to a ring like we have out here that have jumps in them. And they'll just jump the jumps, just like a kid. They just love to jump."
Morgan reveals that they often receive injured horses, which they skillfully train for a variety of post-racing careers. These include dressage, trail riding, polo, and even becoming mounted patrol horses, highlighting the versatility of thoroughbreds.
"There's just not really much that a thoroughbred can't do," she says.
Morgan says they have about 30 horses in training and 20 in rehabilitation at the Mereworth Farm facilities in Lexington.
Once a horse is retrained, she says it usually takes 2-3 months before it finds a new home. The adoption application process is stringent.
"Not everybody can adopt a thoroughbred that thinks they want a thoroughbred," Morgan says. "It's kind of like, you can't put your 16 year old in a Corvette. We'll get like 1,500 applications a year. So we have a full-time processor that makes the calls and checks the references and the farms."
New Vocations follows up on all the horses adopted for months after leaving the farm, ensuring the horses are doing well. Their mission is what Morgan is so passionate about.
"I just feel so blessed and so inspired to see that it's grown into what it is," she says.
And knowing these horses can continue to live healthy and happy lives.
There's also a sanctuary at New Vocations for horses that won't necessarily be adoptable.
Many farms and programs work similarly to those of New Vocations.
New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program is one of over 80 organizations across North America accredited by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
