Update on our Transitions Thoroughbreds program - Looking forward to the remainder of 2014 and going into 2015, Transitions Thoroughbreds is continuing to work towards more modifications to the program. The following is basically where things are currently at and the direction we hope to head with this program. The farm renovations and upgrades are well underway and we will continue to work on what is remaining - weather permitting. These include - new board and electric fencing on all paddocks, new paddock gates, laying gravel on all pathways to paddocks and all gate areas as well as the entire yard areas and to the indoor arena, re-grading paddocks for better drainage, re-doing stall floors, in barn painting, fence painting, new jump fillers, poles, flower boxes, standards and gymnastics, new sand ring footing, new indoor arena footing, new stall partitions, wash rack, new hot water tank, rubber mats in aisleways, re-organizing tack room with lots of extra shelving for blanket and equipment storage, installation of water lines to water tubs, miscellaneous repairs in both barns, etc. All of this work that has and is being done is to create a highly conducive re-training centre and aftercare program for these horses. We also now have three available options for prospective adopters. These include - - track broke only horses for those experienced in re-starting thoroughbreds - currently re-started horses - and for those that may be interested in a track broke only horse but are uncertain about re-starting it themselves, we are also offering a training board package to re-start the horse of your choice. Our numbers have reduced considerably from the huge increase in the latter part of 2012 and early 2013 and we will continue to work towards placing more and more horses in suitable homes. However, for our harder to adopt horses such as horses that may be a little older, a little smaller or potentially limited in careers that may be too hard on them due to former wear and tear, we are working towards re-schooling those to be available for an on-farm lesson program that will cater to intermediate level riders and up. They will also still be available for adoption and in the meantime will have the opportunity to share their talents with individuals that may not be in a position to adopt a horse. All funds generated through this lesson program will go towards costs to support the horses in the program. This part of the program will be built up slowly as horses are re-schooled. Volunteer help is always more than welcome and very much appreciated. We do set aside particular days to work on a variety of projects. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us for more information on what is currently scheduled. We are also working towards being more and more pro-active in our efforts to help these horses in that we would like to step in and take on horses that need a place to go directly from the track or race farm which is what we have done in the past. We would like to be in a position to try and nip things in the bud - before these horses potentially head down the wrong road and end up in danger of going to slaughter. That is not to say that we would not take in horses that have the misfortune of ending up in the slaughter pipeline as we will always continue to do that if necessary; however, as mentioned, we really would like to get them before they end up in that type of situation, avoid the consequences of that and put that funding into these horses as opposed to a kill buyers hands after the fact. It has been a very, very long two year haul to get to this point after stepping up for over 50 additional horses in the latter part of 2012 and the early part of 2013; however, we are getting there and things are looking more promising as time goes on. The support from so many people for this program and these horses has been incredibly welcome and very much appreciated as it has made a tremendous difference in the lives of a lot of horses. With this support and a whole lot of very hard work and sacrifice, there are a lot of thoroughbreds that escaped that brutal end known as slaughter and they have every single person that stepped up - large and small - to thank for their lives and a chance for a successful second career. We will no doubt have to continue to ask for help in the future through our fundraising activities as we continue to work on developing this program to create the best possible scenarios to place these horses into appropriate new homes as this can be a rather costly undertaking. We can only hope that all those that have helped support these horses will continue to do so in the future as the program evolves. So, again, I thank each and every one of you people for helping give these horses this well deserved chance and heres looking forward to doing much, much more for these horses in the future. All in all, we believe we are headed in the right direction with our intentions for the future of this program and the horses in it and with your continued support, we are looking forward to being more and more of a positive influence for many more thoroughbreds in need in the future.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 17:18:12 +0000
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