Maryland is horse country and is particularly known for the
sport of kings, horse racing and the state is the home pf the second jewel in
racing's Triple Crown, the Preakness.
But
what happens to racehorses once they retire from racing? The best are selected
for breeding, some are sold off, but many are euthanized. Some are sold for
slaughter, since race tracks will ban owners from racing if they are found to
have sold Thoroughbreds for slaughter.
All
Thoroughbreds are tattooed on the inside of the upper lip. Concerned groups
monitor auctions and large sales for horses with such tattoos and can find out
the horse's entire history within minutes from that number.
That
still leaves a lot of horses, most still young, that are put down simply
because they don't make money running for their owners anymore. Steuart Pittman, of
Dodon Farm in Davidsonville, helped create the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP)
to offer a different solution for these horses – retraining for a new career.
Thoroughbreds
are exceptionally good at running fast. But they are also bred to be
intelligent, easily handled and trained by many people, and to have calm
temperaments. That makes them great for all sorts of equestrian sports, such as
riding and trail horses, as polo ponies, and for jumping, dressage and
three-day eventing (a combination of show jumping, dressage, and a timed run
over a course of jumps, water hazards and other obstacles).
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