from the Standardbred Retirement Foundation

Millstone Twp., NJ — The United States Trotting Association’s Support Our Standardbreds program assisted the Standardbred Retirement Foundation recently in the expense of the seizure of two adopted horses.

The first seizure was for Kokorama. The SPCA of Delaware helped SRF when the adopter stopped complying with his agreement to produce a semi-annual veterinary follow-up form.

“This was Kokorama’s third home since he came into our program in 2009. Much time and money goes into protecting these horses,” notes Paula Campbell, SRF’s president. “Leaving a horse out there puts not only the horse at risk but defeats the purpose, it reflects poorly on racing, and doesn’t serve what our supporters’ intentions are.”

SRF knows that without an implemented follow-up system for life, the risk of a horse to neglect, abuse, and being sold to slaughter is great.

The second horse seized was with the assistance of the SPCA of New Jersey and the case is still under investigation. The follow-up form from the veterinarian of the adopter of Here Taz, a 13-year-old gelding, indicated non-compliance.

SRF’s staff did a home visit with a trailer and found deplorable conditions and many emaciated animals. Here Taz stood struggling to get a chance at a bite of hay from the round bale that was surrounded by more than 15 animals including pigs, goats, miniature horses, lactating mares and their foals, and a bull. Here Taz was walked through three fields of knee-deep manure and urine to the trailer.

“Even with a very time intense screening system, this happens,” says Judy Bokman, SRF’s executive director. “Saving these two horses is a result of SRF’s mandatory follow-up program which clearly indicates the need for it.”

Statistics show that adopted horses go through four homes in their lifetime due to circumstances such as financial hardship, divorce, loss of interest and many other reasons. No one knows what happened in these two homes to cause this neglect, but the help of the USTA’s SOS program to provide financial assistance to horses whose care has fallen to a criminal level and who are subject to legal intervention because of that was very helpful. The remaining expenses for the rescue and rehabilitation for these two horses comes from the support of SRF’s donors.

SRF is the only Standardbred program that implements follow-up for life and fully supports 130 retirees no longer attractive to adopters due to age or injury. Where would a horse like Rubbernecker be, a 30-year-old Standardbred, if SRF was not there? He lost his adopted home of 12 years just after his 29th birthday.