Second-Career Boost For Racehorses Across The World

Second-Career Boost For Racehorses Across The World

- Amy Mathieson

INITIATIVES aimed at boosting second careers and aftercare for former racehorses have experienced a global boost, with several new schemes under way.

At its general assembly (18-21 November), the FEI announced the new FEI Solidarity Retraining of Racehorses programme, set up with the aim of developing equestrian sports in regions where access to sport horses is limited.

The project aims to give the “necessary tools to retrain racehorses for equestrian sport”. It will also provide advice on stable management and train coaches to produce horses to elementary level dressage, 110cm in showjumping and one-star eventing.

“Equestrian sport, in many ‘grassroots’ FEI member national federations, continues to be a niche sport, as accessibility to sport horses remains the main constraint to its development,” an FEI spokesman told H&H.

“Racing is more accessible and more often practised in these countries. Former racehorses are sometimes used in equestrian sports after retiring from racing, but without proper retraining.

“To address this concern, FEI Solidarity is developing a programme with the aim to educate riders and coaches to use proper techniques to retrain racehorses as sport horses.”

The programme will start next year in south-east Asia.