New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program has launched a pilot program to rehab, retrain and rehome retired Standardbred broodmares thanks to a $30,000 grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (ASPCA).
The “Matrons of Honor” project focuses on mares 21 years of age and younger that are no longer suitable for breeding due to barrenness or lack of commercial appeal, an underserved group of horses at risk of winding up in bad situations. New Vocations and trainer Amanda Munson are now accepting qualified mares at Mill Creek Equestrian, just north of Dayton, Ohio.
“New Vocations continues to make great strides in improving equine welfare across the country,” said Dr. Emily Weiss, vice president of Equine Welfare for the ASPCA. “Retired broodmares are capable and deserving, and we are proud to support New Vocations’ innovative programming to effectively, humanely and efficiently rehabilitate and rehome them.”
“I greatly appreciate that the ASPCA sees the need and is willing to help New Vocations retrain and place these mares in new careers,” said Dot Morgan, executive director of New Vocations. “Breaking the mares to ride and placing them in qualified homes gives them a value added boost as a pleasure horse. Virtually all of these mares trained or raced so developing riding skills is not difficult, but it takes time. That means time in the arena and out on trails, and time being boarded until someone offers them a home. The ASPCA grant allows New Vocations to give them that time.”
For information on donating a retired racehorse or broodmare, contact Winnie Nemeth at [email protected] or 734-320-7918.
(With files from New Vocations)