By Marcella Peyre-Ferry
Contributing Writer

The Thoroughbred racing industry is big business  in the state of Maryland and nationwide. At the center of it all are the horses. But what happens to those equine athletes when they retire?

It might be an injury that takes them out of the running, or perhaps they are not as fast as the others, or maybe age has ended their career. The future is not necessarily a bright one for a retired racehorse unless organizations like After The Races step in to help.

The mission statement for After The Races is to rehabilitate and re-home retiring Thoroughbred racehorses by finding them suitable, long-term homes while promoting the versatility and usefulness of the breed beyond Thoroughbred racing.

The non-profit After The Races goes about this mission in cooperation with race track-based organizations such as Beyond the Wire. These programs connect horses that are about to be retired with off-track resources. 

After The Races was founded 14 years ago by Bonnie McRae, who had worked in the Thoroughbred racing industry for ten years, and at one point managed a racing barn.

“I’ve had my feet in the racing industry quite a bit. This sounded like something I could do,” Bonnie said. “The need was so great when I started this. We’ve re-homed 960 horses since 2011. Having started horses for the track and having ridden racehorses, I feel equipped to give them a safe transition, and being able to restart these guys off the track is something I enjoy.”

Horses typically come directly to After The Races from racetracks in Maryland as well as surrounding states, but racing connections from any state can choose to retire horses through After the Races. Bonnie said that over half of the horses that come to her have been retired due to injuries. 

The only requirement for a horse to become a part of the program is that they must have raced or had race training. “We do always have a wait list,” Bonnie said.

Intake involves a veterinary exam to ensure that horses with injuries will be able to recover and to plan a course of treatment. For the unfortunate few that have catastrophic injuries that are beyond helping, there is a peaceful end to their suffering.

Some horses that come to After The Races with no physical problems are ready to go to new homes in a matter of days. Others may need additional time, care, and training. 

“Mostly I try to keep a balance of rehab horses and sound horses,” Bonnie said. “We will take post-operative horses if they need specialized care after surgery. As long as we believe that a horse can get to a walk trot level of soundness, we will continue with their rehab.”

The average stay for a horse at After The Races is just 58 days. Bonnie makes sure that in that time the horses receive basic training that will help them succeed in whatever field they enter next.

“We try not to put horses in a box. I want every horse to have a safe home,” Bonnie said. “We start every horse with a foundation in basic dressage. They can go in any direction after that.”

One success story is that of South Fleet who came through After The Races in 2012 and found a home working as a police horse in Philadelphia. With his calm temperament and dependable nature, it was a perfect career for the big Thoroughbred. Known on the force as Captain, he and his officers worked in the city for 12 years, including solo details patrolling the Veterans Stadium area during Philadelphia Eagles football games. At 17 years old, Captain retired once again and returned to After The Races, where he was placed with a lucky new owner who sends frequent updates and should be able to enjoy him for many more years.

Anyone interested in adopting a horse begins by submitting an application and providing references. Bonnie explained that they ask open-ended questions to help get to know the person better.

Generally, Bonnie does not place horses with first-time horse owners, unless they have a well-established background with horses. In those cases, it also helps if the new owner will be working with a trainer who can help build the horse-rider relationship. 

The ideal adopter is a horse-person who has had experience with green horses or Thoroughbreds. It is also important that the horse will be going to a safe environment where there are other horses for company. 

“We don’t believe in doing pasture pet homes for lame horses,” Bonnie said. “Using terms like 'pasture sound' to describe a horse too lame or uncomfortable to be ridden doesn’t make them sound.”

The future career for the horse can be anything from the show ring to trail rides to ranch work. After The Races has placed horses in 48 states, Canada and the Bahamas.

Some of the horses have physical limitations, such as an injury history that dictates that they should not be used for jumping. Rider limitations may also influence matching a horse and rider, with some people in need of a larger or smaller horse based on their size and fitness.

If a match does not work out for any reason, the horse can be returned to After The Races, and a new partner can be found. “We like to set the horse up for success,” Bonnie said. “With the effort we spend to make a good match, our retention rate is very high.”

Helping with the work at After The Races are 30 to 40 active volunteers. No previous experience with horses is needed, since there are jobs of all kinds that need to be done. 

One of those volunteers is Jeff Chapman, who has been giving his time to After The Races for five-and-a-half years. 

“When I retired, I decided I wanted to volunteer somewhere, preferably with animals,” Jeff said. 

Jeff had no previous experience with horses but he now helps with morning feedings and horse care. He also mows, runs the tractor, fixes fences and helps with many of the maintenance jobs that go with every stable. 

“I’ve learned a lot about the bond between people and horses. It’s just amazing to me.  The horse community is very large and really dedicated to these horses,” Jeff said. “Horses are amazing. I never knew how good their personalities are.”

Funding to support the work of After The Races comes in part from horse adoption fees, which average about $1,700 per animal. Funding assistance is also provided by racetrack programs like Beyond The Wire, where owners and trainers pay a small fee into a fund every time a horse races. Beyond that, After The Races depends on donations and volunteers.

After The Races has operated from rented farms until March of this year when they moved to their permanent home on Appleton Road in Elkton. The 20-acre site is expected to have capacity for 24 horses. To reach that goal requires the replacement of deteriorating buildings with a new structure. Fundraising for that project is currently underway, with a gala planned for September at Martins West in the Baltimore area. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Tickets for that event can be purchased on the organization’s website.

After The Races is accredited with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance run by the Jockey Club and is is an official adoption partner with ASPCA Right Horse, the equine arm of The ASPCA.

For more information, to donate, or to volunteer, check out the website at AfterTheRaces.org. You can also check out After The Races on social media where you can watch a horse’s progress beginning with the “unboxing video” of their arrival at the farm.