by Charlene Sharpe, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Charlene Sharpe

Berlin, MD — Twenty years and hundreds of horses later, Maryland based rescue Horse Lovers United is still going strong.

“We’ve helped hundreds of horses have a new life after racing,” HLU president Lorraine Truitt said.

Nevertheless, the non-profit group struggles to meet the needs of horses on the Delmarva Peninsula. Truitt is hoping horsemen will do what they can to help by participating in Thursday’s (August 23) Night at the Races 20th anniversary dinner at the Ocean Downs clubhouse. For $30, attendees can enjoy dinner with the group, meet a local author and help present a blanket to one of the night’s race winners.

The guest of honor will be P.J. O’Dwyer, who will be there signing copies of her book Relentless. The book is a romance revolving around murder and horse rescue, Truitt said, adding that if horse enthusiasts didn’t have a copy they’d want to pick one up.

Charlene Sharpe photo

Horses in Lorraine Truitt’s backyard illustrate what HLU wants for all horses.

Truitt says that while Horse Lovers United’s needs continue to outweigh its resources, it has reached a milestone by lasting 20 years. She started the group in the 1990s to keep horses from going to slaughter. Today, members of the group work tirelessly to help horses find new homes after their racing careers are over. While HLU helps all breeds of horses, 90 percent of those it works with are Standardbreds, Truitt said.

The group works to gain exposure for the breed by participating in local horse expos and for many years organized an evening at Ocean Downs that showcased the versatility of the breed by having riders lead each race’s post parade with retired Standardbreds.

According to its website, HLU has placed more than 120 horses in new homes and has assisted in the placements of more than 700 horses through networking with other groups. Volunteers have helped retired racehorses go on to successful careers in dressage, trail riding, driving and a variety of other disciplines.

While the group has done a lot in its first two decades, Truitt is realistic about the group’s current struggles.

“Our resources are not able to meet the needs,” she said.

The only way that will happen is with continued community support.