Maryland’s Horse: The Iconic Thoroughbred, continued...
ing champions ending up in slaughterhouses. Compounding the PR nightmare, in the mid- dle of the 2012 Triple Crown season, the New York State’s Attorney fi led a civil suit against the T oroughbred Retirement Foundation, Inc. alleging that, in 2010, over 100 horses under the umbrella of TRF died from neglect. Meanwhile, in Maryland, our sterling rep- utation has been tarnished. Our fi rst-rate tracks have slid to second-rate as surrounding states, fl ush with slots monies, built state-of- the art tracks and off ered big, fat purses. Our Maryland-Bred Fund had been the gold stan- dard, but it is now pocket change compared to what other states off er. Not only did own- ers and trainers beat feet for greener pastures, so did some of our breeders. It is not easy for an industry fi lled with such tradition and such pride. Like fading southern belles clinging to a bygone way of life as they wander their empty plantations, refusing to acknowledge that the war is over and the world has moved on, some T oroughbred folk refuse to acknowledge that the horse world has irrevocably changed and it will never be what it once was. But not all are oblivious. Many are fi ghting
for the T oroughbred, but it is an uphill battle. An engrained hostility in Annapolis toward the racing industry, a hypocritical self-righteously pious opposition to the expansion of gambling
(slots), and industry infi ghting, crowned with stupid shenanigans after the legalization of slots, has had us running backwards on the far side while the other states were roaring down the stretch.
But ultimately, this a race that favors endur-
ance, with 300 hundred years of history, Mary- land knows how to run a long race. Even were Maryland racing to rebound, that
would not solve the public relations nightmare of the unwanted horse. In fact, a resurrected Mary- land T oroughbred breeding industry could compound the problem of the unwanted horse.
Restoring the Luster
Former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel once quipped, “Never let a good crisis go to waste!” If the modern Maryland T oroughbred in-
dustry is in crisis, well, not everyone is wan- dering around in a torn hoop skirt. Like Rhett Butler. Some are seizing the opportunity. Organizations such as T e Jockey Club and the
T oroughbred Owners and Breeders Association have become more active in supporting adoption and retirement options for T oroughbreds. T e terms “off -the-track-T oroughbred” and
“race-track reject” are increasingly being re- placed with the softer-sounding, more market- friendly phrase “retired race horse.”
A cheap or free OTTB is still often the fi rst horse owned by many people, but these days all too often the people acquiring them are neophytes, inexperienced. T ey acquire their former racehorses through a “friend of a friend who has a deal” (at which, the experienced horse people just roll their eyes, knowing full well that means someone is looking to unload the horse), or out of a good-hearted eff ort to “save” a horse from the meat market. Unlike 20, 30 or 50 years ago, in which ex-
perienced horse people were the ones picking up OTTBs, now it is the clueless father ac- cepting that free horse for his daughter, who has never ridden before, or the well-meaning middle-aged adult with no prior experience who decides to “save” a horse. T is is the mod- ern demographic of horse ownership, and un- fortunately these new owners, lacking the skill set to cope with a highly refi ned animal that is trained to do one thing and one thing only (run really fast) can quickly fi nd themselves overwhelmed, in a dangerous situation and/or resenting their horses. Some may even assume it is just a rogue horse and will send it off to a bottom auction. But this is where the Rhett Butlers hear op- portunity knocking.
Businesses, nonprofi ts, continued...
Preserve our traditions related to horses and horse sports in Maryland—
Join the Maryland Horse Breeders Assoc. S
Sham Felek Arabians Sunday, September 2, 2012 at 3 p.m.
elek Arabians Open House
Stallions • Horses for Sale (some under saddle) featuring Egyptian/domestic bloodlines Demonstrations • Shops • BBQ
136 Sylmar Road • Rising Sun, MD 21911 410-658-9911
www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580
ince 1929, the Maryland Horse Breeders Association (MHBA) has served as the leading horse industry advocate within the state of Maryland. The main purposes of the MHBA have always been to encourage, promote, protect and improve the horse breeding industry in Maryland. As a service organization, the MHBA provides industry information, educational opportunities and legislative representation to its members. While emphasis traditionally has been placed on the production of Thoroughbred race horses, the MHBA encourages all sports relating to the use of horses.
To find out more, visit us on the web at
marylandthoroughbred.com or call our offices at 410-252-2100
AUGUST 2012 | THE EQUIERY | 29
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