This Sunday the first conference dedicated to the retraining and rehoming of racehorses after their race careers have ended, was held during the last day of the 2017 Salon du Cheval in Paris.
Organised by the Au-Delà Des Pistes charity and entitled “From one career to another, the thoroughbred adapts to all”, this conference outlined the systems in place to ensure the welfare of thoroughbreds both during and after their race careers.
Following several presentations, an animated and enthusiastic round table discussion ensued with a panel of professionals involved in thoroughbred horse welfare. Maud Delacroix moderated the discussion from the equine communications agency, Turfcom. Those involved included:
- Dr Paul-Marie Gadot: chief veterinary officer of France Galop
- Franck Le Mestre: Manager of Maisons-Laffitte racecourse
- Dr Richard Corde and Bertrand Neveux : President and Treasurer of the Ligue Française pour la Protection du Cheval
- Constance Popineau: Manager of the French Breeders Association
- Nemone Routh: Racing Manager of the Aga Khan Studs
- Sylvain Martin: Owner and Manager of the market leader in racehorse retraining, Ecurie Seconde Chance
- Julie Degand: Manager of Development and Accreditation for Au-Delà Des Pistes
The interactions both from the auditorium and within the panel made this first conference an interesting first step to discussing the question of the racehorse’s future following their race career. The welfare of racehorses is today an undeniable subject that is of primary interest to both equestrian riders and professionals within the racing industry.