OFF THE RECORD #55

More Than Just a Racehorse
The WCET’s Role in Transforming Retired Athletes

Beyond the glitz of the racetrack lies a lesser-seen chapter of a racehorse’s journey—retirement. Just as a person faces new realities after stepping away from a lifelong career, so too do these equine athletes when their racing days are over.

The Western Cape Equine Trust’s rehoming programme offers a lifeline by finding new homes and new purposes for off-the-track thoroughbreds. This is a journey that demands time, expertise, and resources—plenty of them. From reschooling to meet the needs of new owners to managing injuries, every retired racehorse has a number of needs.

The WCET differs from its peers in that its focus is specifically on rehoming former track racers, rather than stabling and caring for large numbers of rejected, abused horses and donkeys.  WCET Chairman, Ken Truter, noted that they have been raising funds to help improve the lives of retired runners since the late 1990s, when the late Aubrey Jacobs launched the venture. Truter said: “We were initially based at Philippi, but we relocated to more suitable facilities at Sivalé Stables in Klapmuts, near Paarl. We have established a comprehensive re-homing procedure, designed to match each horse with the right new owner to ensure a smooth transition from racehorse to riding horse.”

Above: Newton Phillips 'horse listener'

The programme is managed by veteran horseman Newton Phillips and a number of volunteers, including creative marketing professional, Brittany Penebre. They devote up to six mornings a week to the task, as a labour of love. The most recent track star to be rehomed was multiple Grade 1 winner Trip Of Fortune (Trippi), who has moved to a livery yard near George in the Southern Cape and is now owned by a 16-year-old girl and her family. Brittany said: “We do comprehensive vetting of premises to ensure that our horses will adapt to their new environments. We also ensure that new owners are the right match for their chosen horses. There must be a synergy and we ask them to spend time at Sivalé Stables with us to build a relationship with the horse. On occasion, we’ve had to turn people away due to unsuitability.”

Above: Trip Of Fortune with his new owners, Mareli and Anushka Olivier

In the case of Trip Of Fortune, the rehoming procedure was quick and relatively easy. He is a relaxed and gentlemanly gelding who didn’t require much training before he was moved his new home, and his new owner was a perfect fit. Trip Of Fortune was an exception, however. At any given time, the WCET have 10-12 horses in their care, and most need extensive re-training and injury care before they can be moved on. This process can take up to six weeks or more, and the expertise of Newton Phillips is drawn upon.

Newton, a former breeder of Arabian horses, is a popular and highly respected figure in the Cape’s horse circles. He is sometimes referred to as a ‘horse whisperer’ or behavioural therapist but prefers the title, ‘horse listener’. Newton is known to have a unique affinity with equines, a rare gift.

Retired thoroughbreds arrive at Sivalé Stables having been conditioned and trained for the purpose of racing and Newton commented: “It’s natural to assume that a well-behaved racehorse will automatically be a well-behaved riding horse, but in reality that is not always the case.  Thoroughbreds coming off the track have to be carefully reschooled. The process can take up to six weeks.”

Above: Newton works with new arrival, Rio Querari

The horses start by doing groundwork. Their temperaments are assessed before they are schooled under saddle with a gentle, holistic approach. When the team is satisfied that a horse is ready for re-homing, it is advertised through various channels to a large database of horse lovers, and via social media.

Newton honed his methods during a spell at the SPCA and has successfully re-trained over 250 former racehorses. He said that it is his job to change the horse’s mind set. “I have to get them accustomed to new habits, so they will be suited to a wide range of owners. Racehorses know how to go, they don’t always know how to stop. They also lack flexibility when it comes to ‘bending’, the ability to turn the head and neck to make a turn.”

Newton starts from scratch and revealed: “We don’t use a bit, but a halter. We teach them to walk, trot and canter, and to stop on command. It is essential that they are quiet and well-behaved before they can go to new owners. It's not about how you react when a horse misbehaves, but about what you do beforehand to prevent it. By teaching horses proper behaviour, we avoid incidents before they happen.

Injuries, more than anything else, can delay the process and incur extra costs. Newton said: “We have our prospects inspected by veterinarians before they come to us. During their re-schooling, they undergo a transition from racing to riding, which involves learning to stop, bend, and use different muscles. This shift requires careful management and occasional additional support, such as thorough veterinary checks and procedures when needed, contributing to unforeseen expenses.”

There’s a perception that the WCET has an abundance of funds, but the reality is that, like the horse care units in Gauteng, KZN, and Gqeberha, they are equally reliant on donations for their survival. Ken Truter commented: “We have a number of generous, regular donors, we are extremely grateful for that, but every other cent donated to us is welcome. We won’t exist without support from the public. We charge a fee of R15,000 per horse to their new owners, because in attaching a value to the transaction we believe we reach individuals who are more caring. We are a Public Benefit Organisation, and we run the WCET like a serious business. What sets us apart is our strict application process, and that we perform annual inspections of the horses to monitor their progress.

“We are at all times aware of the location and the well-being of our rehomed horses. They can be moved or sold on but we must be informed so that we can do our inspections of the new premises before approval. New owners are subject to the same re-homing procedures.”

Above: Trip Of Fortune getting acquainted with Anushka

Brittany Penebre added: “We know what works and what doesn’t work for our horses, so they are sent to new homes with our blessing and the confidence that they will be loved and well looked after. We love what we do, it is rewarding, but we’d like to see more consistent volunteers. We are happy to have Dr. Jill Warner, a racehorse owner, who has sent us her former top sprinter Rio Querari. She helps whenever possible, normally visits us once a week.”

The Western Cape Equine Trust will be hosting a Charity Fundraiser at Kenilworth on Saturday, 7 December. If you wish to contribute, or for more information, go to www.wcet.org