Rehoming racehorses and driving demand

Scroll through social media or talk to trainers at the track, and it becomes apparent that it’s becoming increasingly harder to find thoroughbreds suitable homes once they have concluded their racing careers.
The problem is not unique to New Zealand, or even thoroughbreds, with the equestrian market in general struggling and the difficulty of rehoming thoroughbreds well-publicised on international forums.
“We need to front-foot the issue and do all we can to ensure thoroughbreds get the chance to have a purposeful and happy life after racing,” NZTR Head of Welfare and Sustainability Justine Sclater said. “The 1% Fund was established to support the welfare of thoroughbreds and at the moment rehoming challenges are one of the threats to the sustainability of our industry.”
The 1% Fund, channelled from prizemoney payouts, holds $908,000 for the 2023/24 season and is used to support NZTR Acknowledged Retrainers, second career sponsorship, the New Zealand Horse Ambulance Trust, communication and education, research, traceability and the MPI, SPCA and rescue groups.
This season the largest single allocation of $250,000 has gone towards supporting the NZTR Acknowledged Retrainers network, closely followed by $200,000 allocated to supporting second career sponsorship.
“We are very transparent about where the fund goes,” Sclater said. “Each quarter we put out a report that accounts for every dollar spent and outlines why we allocate the fund to particular areas.”
As part of the initiative to support thoroughbreds in their lives after racing, two riding clinics will be held next month with NZTR part funding as well as providing a rebate for those riding horses purchased through an NZTR Acknowledged Retrainer.
Lisa Wilson, an NZTR Acknowledged Retrainer and organiser of the South Island clinic, firmly believes that by supporting thoroughbreds and their riders to succeed, more people will see the versatility of the breed and it will break down some of the stereotypes that prevent equestrians from purchasing thoroughbreds.
“I think it is important to make sure the matches between horse and rider are still working and to continue to develop their skills,” she explained. “There is a bit of a taboo around thoroughbreds and what they are like, but actually they are wonderful sport horses and if we can change people’s mindset on that it will drive the demand for them.”
Wilson believes it is important to include riders of all levels, reflected in the choice of instructors.
“The response was pretty humbling and we were booked out in the first couple of days,” she said. “Anyone, regardless of riding level, could come along and we have three instructors, one of which focuses on ground work and liberty.
“A lot of people who buy thoroughbreds are wanting them as hacks and pleasure horses and I wanted to capture as much of that market as possible, not just the competitive riders.”
Wilson said many rehomers were facing challenges with the current market for thoroughbreds slowing down, which she noted is more than just the expected lull heading into winter. The solution is not straightforward, with current cost of living pressures reducing the amount people have to spend on essentials, let alone hobbies such as horses.
Wilson has come to the conclusion that as an NZTR Acknowledged Retrainer, she has a role to play in driving the market back to a sustainable level.
“We have to lead from the front as Acknowledged Retrainers and work as a collective to show that these horses have value,” she said. “People think thoroughbreds are $500-$1,000 horses, while they don’t blink at spending $8,000 on an unbroken sport horse, but every horse that comes through the gates gets their feet done, a dental if needed and maybe a massage. So that is $600 there before we even start riding.
“We need to somehow set the market, stick to our guns and keep working to prove the value of thoroughbreds and all the things that they can do.”
Matamata trainer Pam Gerard takes as much pride in seeing her horses thrive in their lives after racing as when they win on the track, and makes every effort to ensure they get that opportunity.
“You take animals on for a lifetime, not a short time,” she said. “It is a duty of care and your responsibility to make sure a horse has the best life it can. I think there are great opportunities out there for horses to have a really good life after racing.”
Gerard said her owners share her sentiments and want to know what will happen to their horse when it retires from racing.
“I think that is just the type of owners we have,” Gerard explained. They really care about their horses, they come to the stable often, they have a connection with their horses and want to see the best for them too.
“Most of our horses do a bit of dressage and schooling as part of their training and I regularly have people asking for horses from our stable because of that.
“I’m very particular and I always try to do the best by them. I certainly wouldn’t let a horse go out the gate without knowing what was going to happen to it.
“For example, On The Rocks went to Jo Stevens in Cambridge and is doing really well. She does a bit of everything with him and he won the Best Performed Thoroughbred prize at this year's Battle of the Breeds competition.”
Sclater concedes the answer to rehoming challenges is no one stop solution and the answer is an industry wide responsibility.
“The reality is there are more thoroughbreds than there are appropriate homes available, which has been amplified by the effects of the cost of living crisis.” Sclater said. “We need to get the balance of the supply and demand equation right.
“Hopefully, by continuing to promote how well thoroughbreds do in a variety of careers after racing and by supporting riders to succeed once they have made that choice to purchase a thoroughbred, we can drive the demand and people will see the value in having a thoroughbred as their sport horse of choice.”