IFAR: Why The Term ‘Retraining’ May Not Be Best For OTTBs

The International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) kicked off its 2021 virtual conference on Tuesday with a panel of international racing leaders discussing the importance of Thoroughbred aftercare to the health of the sport.

Irish trainer Jessica Harrington, American trainers Graham and Anita Motion, Aga Khan Stud racing manager Nemone Routh and former British eventing team coach Yogi Breisner gathered to offer their thoughts on the state of aftercare and its interaction with other equestrian sports.

A few key takeaways:

  • Breisner, who has worked with many former racehorses, believes a language shift is in order when discussing off-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs). Often, the process of transitioning a horse from the track to another discipline is framed as “retraining,” but Breisner points out that conveys an implication that the horse's earlier training was somehow wrong.”Actually most racehorses I've taken don't need much true retraining,” he said. “They've already learned a lot.”
  • Routh said that aftercare in France, where the Aga Khan Stud is based, now receives financial support from France Galop, racing's regulatory body there. Previously it had been dependent on charitable donations, but Routh said after a certain point that was no longer sustainable. France Galop now encourages people to share their stories of their OTTBs as part of its tactic to market racing.
  • Also in France, racing connections are expected to pay for a horse's castration and transport to an accredited rehoming center. That can be a tough pill to swallow, especially for owners who are also discovering the horse that once had value as a racing animal may be retiring with very little market value. Routh suggests owners who set aside as modest a sum as two weeks' training fees could be enough to make sure the owner doesn't feel surprised by those retirement costs later.
  • Harrington believes education is key for new owners, especially those who join in as part of a large syndicate where they are able to approach racehorse ownership with no equine background or racing experience. Many don't even know a horse can live another 20 to 25 years after its racing retirement, let alone that they will need to find a new vocation for that time. “I think people don't think about it,” she said. “I think it's ignorance rather than willfully saying, 'I'm not going to look after my horse.”
  • Motion believes part of the key to making aftercare sustainable — particularly in the United States, where it's still so reliant on charitable giving — is to think twice about whether a horse needs to go to a retirement organization, where they will be on the organization's books for many years. Motion believes that many horses are suitable for some kind of active job where they might be useful as privately-owned animals, and that retirement sanctuaries are often asked to shoulder the burden of horses who could find vocations elsewhere.
  • Breisner said there could be more exchange between the racing and sport horse world as far as the education of riders. As stable help has become more difficult to find in Britain, Breisner said he sometimes has racing staff who ask to spend time training with him to improve their overall horsemanship, which benefits the racehorses they'll work with on and off the track. Likewise, he suggested that the many international racing schools that train jockeys and exercise riders could also include education on the basics of transitioning OTTBs off track. Riders who have the skills to be versatile will benefit the horses they work with.

The next IFAR virtual session will focus on aftercare for racing administrators and regulators and will take place April 13 at 8 a.m. Eastern. Registration is free and is available here.

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IFAR Forum Kicks Off April 6

Registration remains open for the fifth International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR), to be held virtually in a series of live webinars each Tuesday, beginning Apr. 6 through Apr. 27. Each session begins at 12 p.m. GMT (8 a.m. Eastern time) and lasts approximately one hour.

“With nearly 300 registrants already, we are excited by the enthusiasm demonstrated by the Thoroughbred industry for what will truly be a global event,” said Di Arbuthnot, chair of IFAR. “Between educating on aftercare best practices, offering case studies on aftercare programs in various jurisdictions, and showcasing the versatility of racehorses in second careers, the four sessions that compose the 2021 IFAR will be 'must-see' viewing for all who are impacted by the Thoroughbred.”

The opening session, entitled “Aftercare-Racing's Responsibility,” will provide an update on IFAR's activities from Arbuthnot and feature perspectives from Yogi Breisner MBE, equestrian coach (U.K.); Irish trainer Jessica Harrington; Graham and Anita Motion, the owners of Herringswell Stable; and Nemone Routh, racing office manager for the Aga Khan Studs. The discussion will be moderated by international racing broadcaster Nick Luck.

The schedule of upcoming webinars, including speakers, moderators, topics, biographical information and the link to register may be found here. All sessions are free of charge, but do require registration.

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Topics/Speakers Announced For IFAR

The 2021 lineup of topics and speakers for the fifth International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) was announced on Wednesday. The series will be held through four virtual sessions on Apr. 6, Apr. 13, Apr. 20 and Apr. 27 with each webinar beginning at 12 p.m. GMT. Registration is required, but each session is free. The 2021 IFAR lineup is as follows:

Apr. 6: Aftercare in 2021

Moderator: Nick Luck (U.K.)

Panelists:

  • IFAR Chair Di Arbuthnot
  • trainer Jessica Harrington (Ire)
  • eventer Tik Maynard (U.S.)
  • Herringswell Stable's Graham and Anita Motion (U.S.)
  • Aga Khan Studs Racing Office Manager Nemone Routh (Fr)

Apr. 13: Aftercare for Racing Administrators and Regulators

Moderator: Caroline Searcy (Aus)

Panelists:

  • Martin Burns: General Manager, Welfare & Sustainability, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing
  • Simon Cooper: Director, Weatherbys, General Stud Book (U.K.)
  • Anna Smet: Manager, Animal Welfare, Racing and Wagering Western Australia

Apr. 20: Global Insights on Aftercare (Aftercare Providers, Equine Charities)

Moderator: Donna Brothers (U.S.)

Panelists:

  • Stacie Clark: Operations Consultant, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (U.S.)
  • John Osborne: Director of Equine Welfare and Bloodstock, Horse Racing Ireland
  • Ignacio Pavlovsky: Veterinarian, Owner, and Breeder (Arg)
  • Lisa Coffey: Founder and Director, Racing Hearts Equine Assisted Therapy (Aus)
  • Kristin Werner: Senior Counsel, The Jockey Club (U.S.); Administrator, Thoroughbred Incentive Program

Apr. 27: Aftercare for Racing Industry Participants: Owners, Breeders, and Trainers

Moderator: Francesca Cumani (U.K.)

Panelists:

  • Mark Fisher: Kotare Bioethics Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand
  • Eliot Forbes: Chief Executive Officer, AniMark Ltd. (Aus) member, IFAR Steering Committee
  • Tom Reilly: Chief Executive Officer, Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Aushorse
  • Christopher Riggs: Director, Equine Welfare Research Foundation; Chief Advisor, Veterinary Science, The Hong Kong Jockey Club

“By hosting this year's IFAR virtually, we are able to include participation from a greater range of aftercare advocates, experts, and regulators from around the world,” said Arbuthnot. “Each session that we have planned will offer listeners the opportunity to learn from our speakers, engage with them through a live Q&A, and share the best practices they have learned with their native racing jurisdictions.”

For more information on the upcoming virtual forums, please visit www.internationalracehorseaftercare.com.

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Tune In: Schedule Released For Virtual IFAR Conference Next Month

The International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) announced today its lineup of topics and speakers for its fifth conference, which will be held as a series of four virtual sessions on 6, 13, 20, and 27 April. Each webinar will begin at 12 p.m. GMT and last approximately an hour.

The 2021 IFAR will kick off on 6 April with “Aftercare in 2021,” a session that will provide an update on IFAR's activities from Chair Di Arbuthnot and feature perspectives from Jessica Harrington, trainer (IRE); Tik Maynard, eventer (U.S.); Graham and Anita Motion, owners, Herringswell Stable (U.S.); and Nemone Routh, racing office manager, Aga Khan Studs (FR). The discussion will be moderated by international racing broadcaster Nick Luck (U.K.).

“By hosting this year's IFAR virtually, we are able to include participation from a greater range of aftercare advocates, experts, and regulators from around the world,” said Arbuthnot. “Each session that we have planned will offer listeners the opportunity to learn from our speakers, engage with them through a live Q&A, and share the best practices they have learned with their native racing jurisdictions.”

The remaining schedule of topics and speakers can be found below:

 

13 April, 2021: Aftercare for Racing Administrators and Regulators

Moderator: Caroline Searcy (AUS)

Panelists:

–       Martin Burns: General Manager, Welfare & Sustainability, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing

–       Simon Cooper: Director, Weatherbys, General Stud Book (U.K.)

–       Dr. Anna Smet: Manager, Animal Welfare, Racing and Wagering Western Australia

 

20 April, 2021: Global Insights on Aftercare (Aftercare Providers, Equine Charities)

Moderator: Donna Brothers (U.S.)

–       Stacie Clark: Operations Consultant, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (U.S.)

–       John Osborne: Director of Equine Welfare and Bloodstock, Horse Racing Ireland

–       Dr. Ignacio Pavlovsky: Veterinarian, Owner, and Breeder (ARG)

–       Lisa Coffey: Founder and Director, Racing Hearts Equine Assisted Therapy (AUS)

–       Kristin Werner: Senior Counsel, The Jockey Club (U.S.); Administrator, Thoroughbred Incentive Program

 

27 April, 2021: Aftercare for Racing Industry Participants: Owners, Breeders, and Trainers

Moderator: Francesca Cumani (U.K.)

–       Mark Fisher: Kotare Bioethics Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand

–       Dr. Eliot Forbes: Chief Executive Officer, AniMark Ltd. (AUS); member, IFAR Steering Committee

–       Tom Reilly: Chief Executive Officer, Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Aushorse

–       Dr. Christopher Riggs: Director, Equine Welfare Research Foundation; Chief Advisor, Veterinary Science, The Hong Kong Jockey Club

 

All sessions are free, but registration is required. For more information about the conference and to register, please visit internationalracehorseaftercare.com/virtual-ifar/. Recordings of each session will be made available on the IFAR website.

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