Thoroughbred Aftercare Programme

Gamebird

Gamebird

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For those that missed the news, The Howden Way (big supporters/backers of eventing) yesterday launched a new initiative called 'The Thoroughbred Aftercare Programme', with stated aims:

"The Thoroughbred Aftercare Programme (TAP) helps transition ex-racehorses into new careers post racing, offering step-by-step guidance with their retraining. TAP provides expert advice via a range of online resources and videos on everything from daily routines, training, and re-schooling with input from vets, trainers, and elite event riders.

It also offers subsidised regional training throughout the year, delivered by qualified coaches, to support ex-racehorses' successfully transition into new roles, whether for pleasure riding or other disciplines."

I think this is an interesting move. As someone who has owned many TBs/ex-racehorses over the years and is a bit of a cheerleader for the breed, I am thrilled to see anyone prepared to do anything to champion them and improve the understanding and skills of those owning and riding them. We have to do better for ex-racehorses, and schemes like this can only help.

However I am slightly ambivalent as we already have a very valuable organisation doing exactly this, and I worry that having two groups doing the same thing will dilute the approach. RoR offer all of this, including subsidised clinics with BE and BD-accredited coaches, but uptake, certainly in my area, is low, and tends to be confined to lower level competitors. RoR also have a pivotal role to play with their registration process which helps to monitor where horses go once leaving racing, improving traceability and accountability. Their Vulnerable Horse scheme has also saved many racehorses that have ended up in bad places, through ignorance or neglect. I do worry that if people divert to the new programme that these schemes may lose funding and/or traction.

I will be interested to see how it plays out and will always welcome cheap(er) training. Hopefully having two schemes will increase interest rather that dilute it, but the TAP does seem very familiar in its aims!
 
I agree with you Gamebird that I think it is an interesting concept but do wonder how it will have an impact on the ROR offer.

My TB is now long retired but I remember trying to do some ROR clinics 15 years ago and they were regularly cancelled as there wasn't enough interest.

Nowadays, I also wonder what percentage end up in competitive amateurs hands? Around me, there certainly seems a lot on local livery yards who do not compete/have transport (which is absolutely fine but the ones I know would not have any interest in clinics etc) compared to those who event/compete. I know a number of people who have bought them over the last few years as they were 'cheap' compared to other horses with the impact of increasing horse costs following covid. Again, no judgement at all but those people who I know would not have any interest (or knowledge of!) the ROR/BE training.

This time round I will be honest and admit I did avoid TBs and went for an irish horse instead for eventing! I love a TB but my old boy had a number of soundness issues over the years and I struggled to keep him settled in a suitable routine being on livery.

But still an interesting idea and anything that can help the future careers and prospects of thoroughbreds.
 
I haven’t really looked at it as mine is now in the veteran category and we do very little by way of training. When I first got going with him, we used riding club and had a fairly active ROR region for showing training, which was really useful. That wasn’t my actual ROR region, but the adjacent one and the one I am in and with the boundaries that changed offer very little. I wonder whether ROR are going to look more at the basic training for those who don’t want to compete but need help with the early stages of transition and then those who are looking to compete and move on source the training elsewhere.

Hopefully it will be well sorted and it sounds positive. I don’t particularly like the title though, and when I first saw it, I thought it was American not UK. All power though to people who are supporting developing retraining.
 
I agree with the above points. There is already an over saturated clinic market and generally the people that attend these are not those that really need the help. Most of the issues with ex-racer welfare is when they fall into less experienced 'hobby' homes that don’t cater well for their management needs. Most of these homes are not going to be accessing clinics with top trainers, it's simply not where the need is.
 
As above really - I have not always been impressed with RoR but it has improved of late. I'm not sure an alternative competing option will add much and will instead dilute. And the problem area with thoroughbreds isn't usually people with transport who can access training - it's those stuck at home with limited access to support.
 
I’ve been musing this and I don’t want to sound negative because ultimately any funding put into ex-racehorses has to be admired.

Having thought about where money would be best placed, I have to say it would surely be in really assessing horses coming off the track for potential new disciplines and then screening and supporting new homes with the inevitable rehab hurdles. Try and avoid them getting into complete numpty hands.
 
ihatework said:
I’ve been musing this and I don’t want to sound negative because ultimately any funding put into ex-racehorses has to be admired.

Having thought about where money would be best placed, I have to say it would surely be in really assessing horses coming off the track for potential new disciplines and then screening and supporting new homes with the inevitable rehab hurdles. Try and avoid them getting into complete numpty hands.
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I think that assessing them for future careers is one of the work areas for the new strategy and that makes a lot of sense.
 
ihatework said:
I’ve been musing this and I don’t want to sound negative because ultimately any funding put into ex-racehorses has to be admired.

Having thought about where money would be best placed, I have to say it would surely be in really assessing horses coming off the track for potential new disciplines and then screening and supporting new homes with the inevitable rehab hurdles. Try and avoid them getting into complete numpty hands.
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Something like the HEROS programme perhaps 🤔
 
I'm interested in the new scheme. I've looked at the RoR clinics in my area but haven't been tempted to book on any of them. There is a very limited choice of trainers (only one locally) and if that trainer is not your cup of tea, you have to travel miles for another. The camps seem very popular but expensive and not my bag anyway.
I'd be keen for different/better trainers if that what the new scheme is offering.
The assessing for future careers is definitely much needed and also something I'd find interesting to be involved with.
 
Good luck to them I say, the amount of race horses coming off the track you would have thought there would be enough room for two organisations 🤷
 
ihatework said:
I’ve been musing this and I don’t want to sound negative because ultimately any funding put into ex-racehorses has to be admired.

Having thought about where money would be best placed, I have to say it would surely be in really assessing horses coming off the track for potential new disciplines and then screening and supporting new homes with the inevitable rehab hurdles. Try and avoid them getting into complete numpty hands.
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This is why I really support BTRC because they are assessed by their vet before being rehabbed as necessary, and then matched to a suitable adoptee, following their ridden assessment.
 
Honestly I'd probably spend the money on some mobile TB experienced rider/coaches who could go out to people with issues and assess and address in the horse's home setting. That and solving the problem of sensible rehoming policies (and where BTRC goes wrong is by loaning not selling where appropriate in my view - because lots of more experienced homes won't be so keen to invest time into a horse that isn't theirs)
 
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