When watching a horse race like the Kentucky Derby or Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, many fans wonder what happens to the horses that either didn’t make it to the top of the sport or are no longer able to race. The racing industry has extensive equine aftercare programs in place to help retired racehorses find second careers and retirement homes. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, a nonprofit organization, oversees the accreditation of these programs, ensuring a high level of respect and care for racehorses transitioning from the track. With 83 accredited organizations at 175 facilities across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, the thoroughbred aftercare industry is one of the biggest in all of equine welfare.
However, some people might wonder what a retired racehorse can do. That’s where the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium comes in. Since 2013, the Thoroughbred Makeover has given recently retired racehorses and their new trainers the chance to show off what they’re capable of. This year’s Makeover took place on Oct. 8-11 in Lexington, Kentucky, at the iconic Kentucky Horse Park.
Trainers could choose to show their eligible thoroughbred in one or two of the following disciplines: barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, eventing, field hunter, polo, ranch work, show hunter, show jumper and freestyle. An eligible thoroughbred either raced or had a published work on or before July 1, 2023, and did not start training for their second career before December 1, 2024. The Makeover also recently opened up the competition to retired broodmares, so long as they had a foal or were covered within the past two breeding seasons.
With such a wide variety of disciplines to choose from, competitors are able to showcase just what the thoroughbred breed—and, more specifically, retired racehorses—are capable of accomplishing. Raising awareness for these incredible horses in such a way not only helps even more horses find active homes after their racing careers are done, but it also encourages more racing connections to play a role in the post-racing life of their equine athletes.
“The 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover marked the 10th anniversary of the event in its current location in central Kentucky, the cradle of the thoroughbred industry, and it definitely felt like a celebratory year: not only did we have more former connections of competing horses attending the event to cheer their horses on than ever before, but we also held our new championship format which allowed more horses to compete for expanded prize money,” Retired Racehorse Project Managing Director Kristen Kovatch Bentley told The Wood Word via email.
“To date, the Thoroughbred Makeover has directly impacted over 5,500 horses, and serves to inspire more equestrians to get involved with the breed. Thanks to the work of the Retired Racehorse Project to produce this event on a national scale, the Thoroughbred Makeover places a significant spotlight on the trainability, versatility and athleticism of the thoroughbred breed,” Kovatch Bentley continued.
If you would like to learn more about the Thoroughbred Makeover and racehorse aftercare, you can visit the Retired Racehorse Project’s website at www.therrp.org and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance website at https://www.thoroughbredaftercare.org.
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