Howdy Folks,
Since its
founding by Lynn Reardon in 2003, LOPE has helped transition over 800 Texas
ex-racehorses of all breeds into new careers through its adoption ranch
facility, website listing service and urgent-placement emails. They have
personally taken in over 140 ex-racehorses, rehabilitated and healed them
sending them on to loving homes and careers.
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| 2 fillies at LOPE ready for new adventures |
Lynn did not grow
up with horses. In fact she was an adult before she ever began riding. She
visited a racetrack in Maryland near her home at the time of day while horses
were being exercised on the track. She instantly fell in love with racehorses'
heart and athleticism. Soon she began to volunteer at a local racehorse
adoption group near DC (CANTOR Mid-Atlantic). She loved what they did there to
help the ex-racehorse and learned much. When she moved to Texas she sought out
a similar program to volunteer with and finding none, she started LOPE.
Originally, Lynn
started LOPE just as an online listing service (a sort of “Craigslist” for
ex-racehorses) in 2003. They had so many race trainers approach them who wanted
to donate horses directly to LOPE that they decided to open an adoption ranch
in 2004. "My primary motivation was simply that I admired and respected
racehorses – and was amazed that I could actually be helpful to them once their
careers were over. It was my idea of the best job ever!" Lynn said.
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| LOPE horses "relaxing" |
Lynn points out,
it is important to understand that rehabbing an ex-racehorse is a bit different
than others. While letting them learn to be, "horses" and relax in
pastures with other horses is the first important step, something they will
often find strange, since in their first career they would most likely have
been stalled except for work out or race time. It must be done gradually,
starting with small turnouts. "Some racehorses are so excited about being
turned out in an open area that they run madly about, dashing into whatever
obstacles are in their way. Though that is fairly rare, we like to be
conservative and limit their space at first. So they might start in a small
corral, then work their way up into a larger paddock and then be turned out in
the fields. We also have a couple of retired horses that act as den mothers to
the new arrivals." Explained Lynn.
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| Lynn and Santo |
When they've had
adequate "Vacation Time" their rehabbing under saddle can begin.
While ex-racehorses come with basic skills and talents such as trailer loading,
in other areas it might require going back to the basics. "Sometimes they
might have been rushed a little at the track – so they might have gaps in their
foundation. We like to find these gaps and help the horses learn a fuller
picture about those basics. It’s kind of like kindergarten." Lynn said.
"Too often, people will try to work with an ex-racehorse right off the
track – and that can often backfire a little. They typically need that
transition between their racing lifestyle and their new job training program –
it really helps them to relax and be super receptive to new training."
"Any horses
in rehab who are recovering from injuries and aren’t being ridden yet, are
groomed regularly, checked daily, to make sure their injuries are healing on
schedule, and handled on the ground so they continue building skills."
Lynn said.
LOPE's adoption
process is desigined to ensure each horse and its new partner are a proper
match and requires a detail approval questionnaire with information about their
riding and horse care experience, their plans for the horse and their facility.
"We also require current vet and farrier references, as well as references
from a trainer or instructor (if applicable) and we check those references
carefully." Lynn said.
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| Learning new fun stuff at LOPE |
LOPE horses have
gone on to do trail/pleasure riding, dressage, western playdays, eventing,
hunter/jumper, ranch work, polo and therapeutic riding. LOPE has also adopted
horses out to be pets or companion horses ... Dressage, hunter/jumper, eventing
and playday riding, all usually involve some type of competition."Though
our horses tend to be placed with homes that are more interested in friendly,
family type competition than Olympic level events," Lynn explained.
LOPE has many
other wonderful programs to help ex-racehorses and the people who love them, or
want to learn to love them such as, Public Education and Outreach Programs,
volunteer programs and LOPE plans more exciting ways to promote the valuable
and wonderful ex-racehorse … Please visit their website to learn much more http://www.lopetx.org/ .
Thank you Lynn
Rearden and everybody at LOPE for spreading the word and giving so many
ex-racehorses new careers!
Gitty Up,
Dutch Henry
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