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IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • WINTER/SPRING 2022
HORSES
Virginia Thoroughbred Project Comes to the Aid of Retired Racehorses By J. Harris Anderson, Managing Editor
Crystal Wever, VTP Farm Manager, hails from a horse racing family. She’s posed here with her personal OTTB, Vero Beach, who’s been successfully retrained as a pleasure and trail riding horse. VTP photo The 39 retired Thoroughbreds currently in the VTP’s care enjoy ample acreage for grazing and relaxation at the spacious Montpelier facility. VTP photo
Open Sesame, aka Sam, a 25-year-old Kentucky-bred, ranks as the highest earner among the VTP herd with winnings of $346,178. After retiring from the track, he trained as a jumper but arthritis brought an end to that career as well. VTP photo
There has always been a need to repurpose or rehome retired Thoroughbreds. But making the transition can pose a challenge. How does someone not connected to the racing community find a suitable prospect for a different discipline such as showing, eventing, or pleasure riding? Perhaps harder still is finding a safe, reliable retirement option for the horse that, due to age or physical limitations, just needs to be turned out and cared for. Fortunately, there’s an organization dedicated to providing those services—the Virginia Thoroughbred Project, where the objective is to set the gold standard for the aftercare of the Thoroughbred horse in Virginia. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the VTP is located on the historic grounds of James Madison’s Montpelier. Many of the 39 horses currently in VTP’s care had their racing careers cut short by injury while others were simply not fit for the demanding sport. VTP ensures these magnificent animals live out a life of tranquility for as long as comfortably possible. Part of the mission of the VTP is to assess the possibility of the rehabilitation and adoption of some horses for whom a second career might be possible. These horses are usually ones that have come to the VTP as younger individuals with no seriously limiting injuries. They’re evaluated and trained by professional staff and considered for use as a pleasure horse, dressage, jumper, or eventing prospect. In the near future, the services will include options for those that are not suitable for retraining to be offered for adoption or fostering as companion animals. The operation began in 2003 as one of many farms managed by a large, national rescue for offthe-track-Thoroughbreds (OTTBs). In December of 2019 the Montpelier-based facility became an independent entity, renamed the Virginia Thoroughbred Project, dedicated specifically to the care of Thoroughbred horses in the Old Dominion.
In November 2021, the VTP received accreditation from the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) based in Kentucky, a national organization affiliated with The Jockey Club that sets the standard for the highest level of acceptable care of Thoroughbred horses in the country. TAA accredited organizations undergo a rigorous application and inspection process prior to accreditation to ensure they meet the Code of Standards, which covers five key areas: operations, education, horse healthcare management, facility standards and services, and adoption policies and protocols. Facility inspections are conducted at all facilities housing Thoroughbreds for each organization. Ongoing updates and re-inspections are required as a condition of accreditation. Currently, the VTP’s 39 retired Thoroughbred horses live on 150 beautiful rolling acres at James Madison’s Montpelier near Orange, Virginia. All of these horses are retirees, well past their expiration date for serious equine endeavors. All are well cared for and checked daily by professional equine farm manager, Crystal Wever. Regular veterinary, farrier, and dental care are provided whenever necessary. We asked Crystal what led her to take on this duty at the VTP. “VTP’s mission is one that I hold near and dear. Thoroughbred horse racing has been a family business for as long as I can remember. I worked as an exercise rider for several years but decided to hang up my tack to become a radiologic technician. After five years practicing, I longed to work with horses again in some capacity. I saw a job opening for farm manager and couldn’t resist! Horses have quite literally been my life. I owe so much to them; not only from a financial standpoint but to all the seemingly small ways that they constantly enrich my life. It’s so rewarding to be able to finally repay these amazing animals that have given me so much over the course of my life.”