What is happening to Off-theTrack-Thorouhbreds when they can no longer run?

In November we received a call from a member of the same group asking if we could help save three OTB's that were going to the Enumclaw auction the next day.  Because of their condition, they would certainly be bought by the kill buyer.  I went out to the barn were the horses had been hidden since before the October auction. The barn was old and dark and the horses were standing in a mixture of manure, urine and old hay.  There was no water.  How did they get there?  The answer is: They were taken by the trainer.

This is Packedhouse.  His halter was embedded in his head and had to be removed with a scapel in some places.  He was thin and had several weeping sores.  He was shaved to remove all the manure encrusted in his coat. His underbelly and hooves are still encrusted in manure.  Dr.DeWard gave him a body score of 3/9.

This big girl is Starryeyedprospect.  She is very thin and has a badly bowed tendon in her left leg.  This horse injured her leg in her stall and should have been on stall rest.  The trainer continued to work her every day until she bowed her tendon and could no longer run. Her body score is a 2/9

This is Faceofexcess.  She is very thin and covered with weeping sores from sleeping on top of her own urine and manure.  She has lost most of her muscle and appears depressed. Her body score is a 1/9

Before I continue with the story of the three horses above I want to say that there are a number of things that I don't like about the sport of racing.  the most offensive being breeders and trainers that do not take responsiblity for the care of their horses once they have been retired from racing.  These people give the industry a  bad name and make our work more expensive and difficult.

 They are, however,  the minority.

Many of the people involved in racing do take responsibility for finding homes for their horses.  In fact, the previous owner of Packed House contacted us and took him home to care for him and give him a forever home.   We have received support from previous owners and trainers who have stepped up and provided funding and contacts for rehming  and we do appreciate all of that they do.

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Serenity Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation is a Nonprofit  501 (c)3 dedicated to abused, abandoned and neglected, horses and to the prosecution of those who are cruel to animals.