An Appeal to Racehorse Owners
There are numerous establishments in the United States that are dedicated to the rehabilitation of racehorses and finding them new loving homes. Just because a thoroughbred has come to the end of his or her racing career, does not mean that there is no future for them, no matter what the injury. Rerun is a non-profit organization that is passionate about sending ex-racehorses on a new journey and career as hacking horses, trail horses, show jumpers and dressage horses. Recently a written appeal from the organization hopes to secure the futures of more racehorses.
Looking at the magnificent Zenyatta, now retired, many are amazed not only at the fact that she won nineteen of her twenty career starts, but that she has walked off the racecourse in sound health. There is no doubt that she will be off to a successful breeding career and then retirement in the lush green paddocks of a luxurious horse farm. But the reality is that many racehorses do not have such bright futures ahead of them once they are unable to race. And it is for this reason that organizations such as Rerun exist. They welcome horses with various injuries, rehabilitate them, and find them suitable homes. Horses that have suffered severe injuries and are not able to ridden anymore are usually placed as companion horses, while others go on to new successful careers in a variety of riding disciples.
Horses are able to recuperate from a number of injuries with proper care and rest, but many injuries, such as a horse having an ankle of bone-on-bone, are common, and means that there is not fluid or cartilage remaining in the joint of the horse. This is caused by owners trying to save costs and instead of treating the injury properly they inject cortisone into the injured area which enables the horse to run a race free of pain. Unfortunately, this causes irreparable damage.
Rerun’s appeal to all horse owners, in honor or Zenyatta’s wonderful career and good health, is to beg all owners to take proper care of injuries as it will allow associations such as Rerun to secure a better future for their horses. It is easier to find new homes for horses with recoverable injuries, and Rerun assures all horse owners that they will dedicate themselves to the adoption of their horses. Rerun chapters are located in New Jersey, New York and Kentucky, and operate solely on donations and public assistance. Many horses have been re-homed, and horse owners are kindly asked to take care of the lives they have in their hands, as they might be the horse someone has been waiting for after they have hung up their racing shoes.
