Retired Racehorse Training Project, a charitable organization whose mission is to "build the bridges to second careers and increase demand for Thoroughbreds," announced the week of April 21 that its name will shrink while its work expands.
The organization has adopted the trade name Retired Racehorse Project and launched a new website to serve racing owners, service providers, horse shoppers, and off-track Thoroughbred owners. It is also producing a state-by-state "Retired Racehorse Resource Directory."
"When we chose a name in 2010 our work was limited to educating riding people about training Thoroughbreds off the track," organization founder and president Steuart Pittman said in a release. "We still believe that effective training is the key to moving these horses into second careers, but the popularity of last year's Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium at Pimlico showed our board that we must do more to connect the racing side, the riding side, and all the good people who do this work."
The new RRP website includes a resource directory with entry portals for racing owners, horse shoppers, OTTB owners, and service providers. For each group the site presents how-to articles, resources, and geographically mapped placement organizations, racetracks, farms, trainers, agents, and online horse listings. During the next six weeks RRP will accept additions to the database, and later in the summer 10,000 copies will be printed for distribution through racetracks and equestrian venues nationwide.
"This resource directory will offer placement and sale options to thousands of racing owners who might otherwise lack the connections to find the best options for their retiring horses," Dan Rosenberg, president of Thoroughbred Charities of America, said in a statement. "Retired Racehorse Project's approach to facilitating placement of Thoroughbreds after racing is effective, efficient, and respectful of Thoroughbred horses as versatile and valuable mounts for multiple riding disciplines."
