In late June, the small northern Idaho community near Coeur d’Alene was shaken by a tragic incident that claimed the lives of two firefighters and left another injured. In the days that followed, Champions Retreat, a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organization in Hayden, Idaho, offered a quiet gesture of support to those most affected: an invitation for local first responders and their families to spend time with the retired racehorses that call the farm home.
Tag: aftercare
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Success Story: Love at First Sight for Junior and Mary
Mary’s love for horses began in childhood, where she spent her time riding and showing horses in 4-H. The idea of owning a horse again stayed with her as she grew older. As an adult, she took up riding lessons during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying, “With the extra free time, I figured it was the perfect time and started my search.”
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Success Story: Whats in It for Me Finds What He Needed Most
Whats in It for Me, a 2017 gray gelding, had nine starts and earned $11,007 before retiring from racing in 2021. He arrived at Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga in September of that year, but something wasn’t quite right. After sustaining a sesamoid fracture on the track, he had spent nearly a year on stall rest at the organization. “Erin Sisk, co-founder of Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, asked me to come and look at Grey [Whats in It for Me] because he didn't fit their program. He didn't seem happy,” said Anna Hollander.
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Success Story: Pep Talking’s Big Personality and Bigger Heart
When Al Gillen set out to adopt another horse from MidAtlantic Horse Rescue in 2022, he had a clear vision: something smaller, older, and ready to settle into a quieter life alongside his senior horse, Stardust. What he found instead was Pep Talking: a big-bodied, 6-year-old Thoroughbred with a bold personality and plenty to say. Gillen had known Beverly Strauss of MidAtlantic Horse Rescue for nearly 20 years and trusted the process completely.
