RETIRED, BUT NOT OVER THE HILL JUST YET

Ben Hastie looks at life after racing for stars of the track

- Ben Hastie

Everyone who has an interest in horse racing, whether that's as a punter having a bet, those who work in the industry or those who just love the excitement of our great sport all have favourites on the track.

The horse that you follow every time they run, the one you bet on because for some reason you feel a connection, the horse that you take into your heart regardless of their ability or how successful they are on the track.

We all have our favourites.

Do you ever wonder when racehorses finish their careers on the track what they do next? There are many reasons why racehorses are retired from racing - age, injury, loss of form over a long period and, more so on the Flat, for breeding the next generation.

Mares in both National Hunt and Flat racing can have a career after racing as broodmares. Male horses on the Flat can go on to be stallions as nearly all Flat male racehorses 'entire' they still have all the bits needed to reproduce.