Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I am a young or returning to riding or a nervous rider looking for a new horse, do you have anything suitable?
A: We would not have anything suitable for nervous, young, or beginner riders, however if you are an adult returning to riding we may have something suitable depending on your level of experience and confidence. These horses are young, inexperienced and require confidence and patience from their riders and handlers. They are learning and so need someone who knows what they are doing to ensure their learning continues in the right way.
We generally won’t sell a horse to a new owner under the age of 18. However, we can sell to experienced parents.
Prospective owners need to understand that these horses have harnessed the flight response for racing. For a horse to be safe to ride, those instincts must be softened, and the horse needs to understand the owner’s commands. A new, young, nervous rider is not always able to provide that confidence so unfortunately the horse gets confused.
Q: I have a retired standardbred horse in my paddock that needs a new home, can you take it?
A: Possibly but we will first ask you a few questions about the horse like:
When did it retire?
What is the horse’s brand/race name, and history?
Are you the owner and do you have the right to transfer ownership?
Does the horse have any behavioural issues?
When was the last time it received feet, teeth, worm, and lice treatment?
Are you prepared to transport or assist with the cost of transporting the horse?
Are you prepared to donate to the Trust to cover the costs of primary care and retraining?
If we can help you with the horse we will arrange transfer papers and will discuss the transportation options available to get the horse into the Trust’s care.
Q: Where does the money that people give actually go?
A: We are a registered NZ Charity with the Charities Commission. This means that our financial records are audited. We have set ourselves up this way to ensure transparency with the costs of retraining and rehoming standardbred horses sustainably. We are a non-profit organisation.
The Trust relies on donations, grants, and sponsorships to raise money for its operating costs. These are all forecast and budgeted by the Trust’s Treasurer
Q: Why do you ask for donations to retrain the horses when some rehomers do it all voluntarily?
A: The cost to restart and train a horse, get it back to prime health and ready to be ridden and sold to a new home is on average $2,000 to $2,500. Some horses can be trained quicker, and don’t need medical treatment or transport and some horses take longer. The selling price of a standardbred for rehoming from the Trust is on average $1,100. The donations cover the costs associated and ensure the horse is happy, healthy, and ready to be rehomed.
The Trust was set up to support the rehomers already doing this great work. Your donations go to the costs of restarting the horses and ensure they are in peak condition for their new homes.
Q: How does the Trust work?
A: The Trust supports the standardbred racing industry by:
Assessing newly retired standardbreds and determining if they are suitable for entry into our retraining programme.
Trust takes ownership of the horse, ensures the horse’s primary care requirements are met, and provides retraining under saddle, then sells the horse from our facility in Canterbury.
In all cases, the horse is the beneficiary of great care, attention, and an opportunity to have a life after racing.
Q: What’s the catch?
A: We don’t think that there is one. The horses get supported, retrained, rehomed, and the industry has a channel to move these horses through after their racing career.