LIFE AFTER RACING
Retired racehorses flourish in WA Offering first class facilities and talented retrainers, Racing and Wagering Western Australia is creating wonderful opportunities for the state’s retired racehorses. DR ANNA SMET explains.
W
ith the aim of providing the highest standards in animal welfare, Racing and
Wagering Western Australia (RWWA) is committed to ensuring quality care is available to racehorses through all stages of their lives. In September 2020, RWWA unveiled
Arial view of the 40-hectare Off the Track WA Estate at North Dandalup (All images courtesy Off the Track WA).
the Off the Track WA (OTTWA) Estate, a multi-purpose racehorse welfare facility in picturesque North Dandalup. The 40-hectare property includes three barns
LEFT: Happy to be in his new HorsePower Peel home, Rusty has settled in well.
for stabling, an Olympic sized fenced arena and a round yard, plus numerous other yards and grazing paddocks. The estate facilitates the retraining
My father, Allan Hall, trained Rusty out at his property in Narrogin. He was such a gentle boy and a special part of the family.
of retired racehorses through RWWA’s OTTWA Retraining Program, as well as ensuring care is available for any emergency welfare cases that might occur. On arrival, horses accepted into the program undergo an evaluation before being allocated to an off-site official retrainer. Retrainers participating in the program work to provide retired racehorses with the necessary skills and experience needed to transition
of breeds, training requirements, and experience levels of horses entering the program is well catered for The estate and retraining program not only form a central part of RWWA’s animal welfare commitment, but also allow for racing to continue to support organisations such as HorsePower Australia (formerly known as Riding for the Disabled). Through the newly launched program, Rusty Rockets, a Standardbred, left
from racing to their second career as
the re-education of off the track
pleasure or performance horses.
Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds
The current network of five retrainers,
– plays a critical role in the rehoming
Retraining Program, recently joining the
selected for their extensive experience
program. Due to the diverse background
HorsePower Peel team as a therapy
in training horses – particularly in
and skill sets they offer, the wide variety
horse to assist people with disabilities.
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his harness racing career behind and graduated from the OTTWA
