How wonderful!

It's easy to talk about the negative, so thank you for bringing up something so positive.

What a nice article.  When I started learning to ride the stable I went to had several retired racing thoroughbreds, most of which I eventually had the chance to ride.  Several of them were also sent out on trails and were lovely to ride- especially as they were in NYC, so they were sharing the trails with joggers, dog walkers and strollers!  I'm sure many retired racers could become great, safe trail horses, if just given a chance.

This is another great program; however, it's nothing new (like it seems to be) to retrain OTT TBs for other disciplines. They're all I ever rode in hunter/jumper and dressage (before the influx of the European warmbloods, which is all you see in the higher tier shows nowadays), because that's all we had except quarter horses, of course.  It's just that TBs are getting bumped more now for the warmbloods that are more "suited" to certain disciplines, especially dressage. However, there's nothing more beautiful than a TB conformation hunter in my book.  They're just great all-around horses that require good, patient retraining.

Great to hear that.  Just wish I could help out and be there.  Now, if only I could win the lottery...  

I am a pastelist artist specialing in Thoroughbreds. Who would I need to contact to donate prints of my artwork to help with future fundraisers at the center?

• Scot's reply:  Blood-Horse Publications is not affiliated with the Kentucky Horse Park or the Makers Mark Secretariat Center  You can find contact information at that organization's home page:  ThoroughbredAdoption.com.

How absolutely wonderful, horses are the best they help us in many ways from plowing fields to help for our trouble people , they should be treated with respect and love always , thenk you for the positive side for them...

Wonderful!

Very nice article. With it being at the Kentucky Horse Park, it gives exposure to the re-training of TB's to the general public, not just those already involved with horses.

What a wonderful blend of my favorite things: a ride at the Horse Park, retired race horses, and Maker's Mark.

How great! There is nothing better than an ottb,I have 2, they do everything, brave, bold with great work ethics.the trail riding course will be great.

Fantastic! TB's are adaptable to so many things. Not sure of now, but one time our local PD Dept. had only TB's in the stables.

New Orleans Lady, I'm right with you! My family jokes that the animals are the ones with the windfall if I ever win the Lotto!

A great addition to the Ky Horse Park!

This is great!  I have one OTTB who won 4 races, placed in 3 others and has been off the track a year and a half now.  He is a wonderful, all-round horse with a very mellow but forward personality that is really hard to find.  The barn I am at is pretty much all warmbloods and he is now as fancy or more fancy than just about all of them!  He attracts a crowd all the time with people asking what he is!  Wish I had more money and time for another one!

I never have understood the reticence of so many to retrain an OTTB. When you really take time to consider the time and effort put into training, the amount of time around other people and horses (and frequently other animals), OTTBs have excellent backgrounds for retraining to any discipline for which they are physically suited. My first horse was an OTTB, and he was as smart as they come. He was also so mellow that most that met him hard a hard time believing he was a hard-knocking racehorse at one time.