10/27/2026
🐎❤️ **A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO THE SHARON BERRY FOUNDATION!** ❤️🐎
We are so deeply touched and extremely grateful to have just received a meaningful and generous grant from the Sharon Berry Foundation.
This incredible gesture of generosity means so much to our organization, and more importantly, to the retired Thoroughbreds whose lives and futures depend on the care, compassion, and commitment of those who believe in giving them the second chances they deserve.
**Thoroughbred aftercare is about so much more than finding a horse a new home. It's about honoring everything these incredible athletes have given us and ensuring their lives beyond the racetrack are just as meaningful.**
Behind every retired racehorse is a unique story, and sometimes the journey toward recovery, retirement, or a second career is far more complicated, lengthy, and costly than anyone initially anticipates.
Some horses entering aftercare require extensive veterinary attention and specialized rehabilitation. This can include surgeries for bone chips and slab fractures, treatment for severe joint infections, or months and months of carefully managed recovery from significant soft-tissue injuries, such as deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) tears.
**What many people don't realize is that the full extent of an injury isn't always known when a horse first enters our program, and sometimes even the surrendering parties are unaware of the severity of an existing condition until advanced diagnostics or surgical intervention reveal the true extent of the damage.
We don't always know how long rehabilitation will take, what complications may arise, or ultimately how much it will cost.
But we do know that proper rehabilitation takes time, patience, resources, and an unwavering commitment to the horse's well-being.
**An OTTB doesn't have to be sound for an extensive riding or competitive career to have a valuable, meaningful, and fulfilling future!**
Not every retired racehorse will become a show jumper, dressage horse, or competitive eventer. Some may never be ridden again...and that's perfectly okay.
These remarkable animals have so much more to offer than just their athletic abilities.
🐴 **Companionship:** Becoming cherished family members, pasture companions, and trusted friends or babysitters to other horses.
🐴 **Broodmares:** For suitable mares, the opportunity to contribute to future generations through responsible breeding programs.
🐴 **Therapy and Equine-Assisted Programs:** Horses with the appropriate temperament, training, and physical capabilities can form extraordinary connections with people, offering comfort, confidence, and opportunities for personal growth.
🐴 **Pleasure and Recreational Riding:** Many can enjoy lighter riding careers, leisurely trails, and low-impact activities suited to their individual abilities.
🐴 **A Well-Deserved Retirement:** Sometimes their greatest next chapter is simply being a horse — grazing peacefully, enjoying the companionship of a herd, and receiving the love and care they deserve.
There's an old saying:
*“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a person.”*
Anyone who has experienced the quiet companionship of a horse understands just how much truth there is in those words.
Horses have an extraordinary ability to touch our lives, build our confidence, teach us patience, and offer comfort in ways that are sometimes difficult to put into words.
Even horses whose injuries prevent them from ever carrying a rider again can make an immeasurable difference in the lives of the people and animals around them.
❤️ THESE HORSES GAVE US THEIR ALL ON THE RACETRACK:
Their strength. Their courage. Their determination. Their heart.
They gave everything they had when they were asked to compete.
**That's why we do everything within our power to give back to them?**
To help them retire comfortably, provide a safe landing, and surround them with the love, compassion, dignity, and care they deserve...regardless of their age, injuries, physical limitations, or what their future may hold.
Whether they go on to another career, become treasured companions, help people through equine-assisted programs, or simply enjoy their remaining years in a peaceful pasture, every one of them deserves that commitment.
**Because their value doesn't end at the finish line, and neither should our responsibility to them.** ❤️
THIS is what responsible Thoroughbred aftercare is all about.
And **THIS is why the generosity of the Sharon Berry Foundation means so much to us!**
This kind of support helps us give horses the time, resources, and care they need without compromising their welfare or rushing their recovery.
Successful aftercare isn't measured by how quickly a horse is adopted or whether it returns to riding. It's measured by the quality of life we help that horse achieve.
To the **Sharon Berry Foundation**, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for believing in our mission, recognizing the importance of responsible Thoroughbred aftercare, and investing in the well-being and future of Alberta's retired racehorses.
Your kindness and generosity are deeply appreciated, and your support will make a meaningful difference for the horses who have given so much to an industry we all love.
❤️🐎 Because every thoroughbred deserves compassion, dignity, and a future beyond the finish line.
