Beyond the Homestretch: What Saving Racehorses Taught Me

The issue of horse rescue has become a popular topic of discussion among racing fans and animal activists alike. Thoroughbreds no longer able to compete on the racetrack risk being sold to be slaughtered. The problem lies in retraining horses for calmer duties, going against selective breeding and training for competitive spirit. Lynn Reardon shows how difficult this task can be, but more importantly, how rewarding it is when successful. Horse lovers and racing fans will all enjoy reading about Reardon's adventures in horse rescue. It is hoped that her book will inspire others worldwide to follow in her footsteps.

After the high-profile slaughters of champions Ferdinand and Exceller, horse racing fans and animal activists have fought to prevent this from continuing, whether a horse is a champion or not. Despite being outlawed in America, these horses are still bought at auction by kill buyers and shipped to Canada or Mexico where horse slaughter is still legal, with the meat then exported to Europe for consumption. However, racehorses are too competitive to be dropped into calmer work such as trail riding or polo, without being patiently retrained for these tasks. In her latest book, Lynn Reardon, the founder and executive director of the Austin, Texas-based LOPE (LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers) shows how difficult this task can be, but more importantly, how rewarding it is when successful.

Rather than tell her story in chronological order, Reardon opted to dedicate each chapter to her experiences retraining and adopting out one or two specific horses. Each has his or her own "personality" which Reardon had to take into account and make adjustments for while retraining, and ultimately when it came time to recommend a horse to someone wanting to adopt. She explains what kinds of characteristics the adopters are looking for; clearly the needs of a polo player are different from someone whose child needs a horse for trail riding, and she must determine which would be the best route for her ex-racers to go. Many horses come to her with various medical ailments which require expensive veterinary care before they can be adopted out. She notes that she cannot ride any horse too often or else the horse develops too close of a bond to her, making adoption more difficult. The reader will learn about Zuper, retired from racing at age 9, who Reardon "hired" as assistant ranch manager; Sally, the "prom queen"; and Sugarfoot, who was slow on the racetrack but once retired, was so gentle she was a perfect match for a developmentally challenged young woman to ride.

She also brings into the story the many interesting human characters, including trainers, owners, veterinarians, cowboys, polo players, and of course those who adopted her horses (successfully or not). Horsemen are an entertaining group, as their outlook on life in general often differs from the general population, and Reardon seeks to highlight this fact through her interactions with them. With few exceptions she only uses their first names in the story to protect their identities.

The noble animals who keep us entertained in person and on television, and give us a source of results on which to bet our money on, deserve a comfortable retirement after risking their lives for our enjoyment. This is an enjoyable read about racehorses and the people who give them a second chance after they have become too slow, too old, or too injured for the track.