Taking a thoroughbred all the way from its racing career at the Finger Lakes Race Track, to a forever home. That’s the goal of Second Chance Thoroughbreds in Spencer, NY.
Started by a group of horse-loving friends who saw the need of these majestic athletes, Second Chance Thoroughbreds offers a change of pace, and a change in outlook, for the horses at the end of their racing career. By providing a soft landing at their retirement, the team is able to rehabilitate any injured horses, retrain the horses for a riding career suitable to their individual needs and abilities, and then work to ensure they each have a successful adoption. Each adoptive home is carefully vetted and matched to ensure a lifelong partnership – but if it doesn’t work out, Second Chance will take them back again.
Each year, some 20 to 25 horses will pass through the facilities in Spencer, but they do more than just recoup and find their new forever home. Second Chance Thoroughbreds offers riding and horsemanship programs in the summertime, as well as volunteer opportunities throughout the year. This connection to the local community is important in moving towards their goal of spreading the word about just how versatile, willing, and sensitive these Off-the-Track-Thoroughbred (OTTB) horses are.
One of their success stories, a retired racehorse named Cannot Stop, is reaching beyond the local community, with the help of his forever owner. He first survived the 2017 hurricane in Puerto Rico, then was shipped to Florida, and retired to Second Chance Thoroughbreds, where he was matched up with his forever owner. They are now participating in the Thoroughbred Makeover Retired Racehorse Project, and will compete in the event at the Lexington Horse Park in Kentucky in October of 2018.
Regardless of how Cannot Stop performs in Kentucky, the volunteers that staff Second Chance Thoroughbreds know that he, along with all the other horses that have come through their barns, are true winners. Their heart, athleticism, and desire to please are what drive the motto of the organization: Ride an OTTB Today!
