Question for Horse Owners

[badcompany]

When you buy a young horse at auction but it doesn't make to the races for one reason or another, what do you do with the horse?

Thanks in advance.

[slewis]

Try and find it a home....quickly....and it ain't easy.

Several years ago we had a colt that had tons of problems and was never going to make it to the starting gate. I was at a cocktail party in Connectitcut and some wealthy woman told me she was looking to buy a pleasure horse.

I told her I'd give her this one..... the next week she goes out and has her husband buy a REALLY expensive trailer for the horse and she drives it down to Belmont to pick up her new "pet".

Six months later, she emails me pictures of the her riding the colt galloping on her private beach in the Bahamas! I'm like, Holy Sh-t, this SOB never had to race, never had any stress that racehorses deal with and is living the life of luxury!!

I emailed her back and asked "maybe you'd like to adopt me too"?

[tbwinner]

If it's a filly, try to breed it if there is a respectable pedigree.

If it's a colt/gelding, try to find it a good home (hopefully one like slewis did!).

[DeanT]

Classic story Slewis!

Bad Co, a friend of mine had one if his no-makers donated as a police horse.

Newark NJ has something like 20 horses in the police mounted unit and I think 18 are racehorses.

Sargeant York, who was the riderless horse at Ronald Reagan's funeral was a retired horse who only had a couple starts. He was a harness horse from New Jersey. There are several others in the military like that.

The average time for me to find a home has been about five months. Lotsa bills if you live in the city!

[bigmack]

Originally Posted by slewis

I emailed her back and asked "maybe you'd like to adopt me too"?

You know the rules; you have be housebroken first.

Chilled wine is held by the stem.

[slewis]

Originally Posted by bigmack

You know the rules; you have be housebroken first.

Chilled wine is held by the stem.

True..... When I saw the pic of this colt galloping on the beach, I think I pee'd my pants a little.

[bigmack]

Originally Posted by slewis

True..... When I saw the pic of this colt galloping on the beach, I think I pee'd my pants a little.

No great loss. The Bahamas are muggy & buggy.

[Actor]

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I hope I am) but I think that at the end of their careers most race horses become dog food.

[tucker6]

Originally Posted by Actor

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I hope I am) but I think that at the end of their careers most race horses become dog food.

A quote from one site:

Most horsemeat produced by slaughterhouses is exported to European and Asian countries for human consumption. Due to consumer concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or 'mad cow disease'), the consumption of horsemeat in Europe is increasing. However, an often overlooked demand for horsemeat comes from zoos. Large carnivores, such as lions and tigers, require a lot of high-quality protein in their diets. Although their nutritional requirements can be met with other types of meat, horsemeat has more protein, less fat, less cholesterol, less sodium, and more iron than the same amount of high-quality beef. A number of zoos have stopped feeding horsemeat to their large carnivores due to consumer pressure, but there are still zoos in the United States that purchase horsemeat to provide nutrition for their animals.

[JBmadera]

when we got out of the business we donated all our horses to the local university - they have a very well know equine program. best of all my wife can continue to go down and see our mares, and their babies....it's kinda like we went from being parents of being grandparents - it's still fun but no cost!

[onefast99]

Originally Posted by badcompany

When you buy a young horse at auction but it doesn't make to the races for one reason or another, what do you do with the horse?

Thanks in advance.

Several of ours that never made it as race horses are now jumpers or show horses. We keep in touch with two of the new owners and every once in a while I get an email containing a picture from an equestrian event that they were part of.

[Driver8]

We've given a couple of ours to the local FFA and 4-H club. You might look there.

[LRL Racing]

I have been very fortunate in that we have never had trouble with moving a horse who has finished their racing career. My trainer is very good at finding homes for many plus I only buy fillies so there has always been an opportunity to sell them as a broodmare or give them away for a potential broodmare. The main concept is make it quick if their value isn't there!
Now colts, geldings are a different story.....which is why I don't buy em!
Residual value in the fillies/mares is the way to go.

[bane]

Fox Hunting..

[sonnyp]

amish...working the fields and pulling buggies.