Blessed Are The (Retired) Broodmares

 


Another cold snap, even if this one isn't as cold as the one in December, it's plenty cold with a windchill of about -30 degrees. As we enjoy another tough winter day, it's a good time to reflect on the needs in the Thoroughbred horse industry. The adoptable OTTBs are doing well industry wide. They are finding homes quickly off of the track. The marketing of the RRP Makeover has done a lot to promote OTTBs, as has the massive social media following. We have noticed a decline in horses donated into our organization, as most are selling directly from the track. This is a mixed blessing. It is great for OTTBs as a whole, but it does have a significant impact on the income for our nonprofit. With fewer adoptable horses, we have to rely far more on grants and private donations.

The other shift we have seen is that retired broodmares are becoming noticed. Some of these mares have career options as riding horses. The RRP's broodmare division in the Makeover will help promote these mares. The mares that are not rideable, however, are still struggling to find a spot in life. These are the mares that are too old, not commercially successful broodmares, unsound, or unable to breed. We can lump the geldings that are not able to be ridden in the same category.

In just the past month, we have had three older mares added to CRR for retirement. Two of the mares ended up at the kill lot in Oklahoma, skinny and sick. The third mare's owner fell into hard times and CRR is the best, if not the only, option for the mare.

We are lucky to have the space for these types of horses, but the funding requirement for retirees is large. It is requiring a quick shift and creative thinking on our part to take care of these horses. We love the retired broodmares and the geldings. These guys deserve the break in their luck.

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