For the usual retiree, life after work consists of leisure and relaxation, but for NSW racehorses, retirement could soon involve starting a new career.
Retraining retired NSW racehorses for other careers will be compulsory in the next few years if Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys gets his way.
The state’s racing head is calling for the rehabilitation of all non-breeding NSW thoroughbreds, in a bid to end the slaughter of retired horses.
“They deserve a second chance in life,” V’landys told AAP at the official opening of a new training facility for retired racehorses at Canterbury Park racecourse on Friday.
“Unfortunately some do go to the knackeries and we want to avoid that.”
V’landys hopes a pilot training program, run by the NSW Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Trust (NSW TRT), will pave the way for the future of all retired racehorses.
The program retrains thoroughbreds for new career paths including the police force, show riding and leisure riding.
“Rather than lose life, they should have a second chance,” V’landys said.
About 8000 horses are born in NSW each year, with many racehorses retiring almost two decades before their average life span of 25 years.
The program currently rehabilitates around 100 horses in collaboration with St Heliers correctional Centre, where horses learn “basic social skills” and prisoners learn horsemanship to work with the retirees.
“It’s awesome,” NSW TRT training manager Scott Brodie told AAP.
“I can’t believe what a great result we get for the prisoners and for the horses.”
The retrained thoroughbreds are then on-sold, with a stocktake boasting horses such as eight-year-old Mr Clangtastic, who won nine races from 40 starts and took home close to $500,000 in prize money.
The veteran gelding will cost his prospective owner about $3500.
On Friday, the NSW TRT got a new undercover dressage arena thanks to an initiative headed by rugby league personality Paul Harragon.
