ANOTHER RAGS TO RICHES STORY

Because of You!

Exaggerator wins the Preakness with Kent Desormeaux up.  His track pony is Charolais, by Holy Bull.  Rescued by Thoroughbred Placement Resources, Inc. and rehomed with outrider, Lisa Mcklveen.

In 2009, Kimberly Clark was still galloping and training racehorses but she had also been formally rehoming retired racehorses for a over a year.  “I was asked if I was interested in buying a couple horses that were turned out at a nearby farm.  The racing forms and breeding of the horses looked good to me, so I agreed to go take a look.” said Clark.

She was not prepared for what she would see.  Charolais and another horse, Grandpa Cat were in a small field languishing.  It was clear that it was just a matter of time before they died.  Their body conditions were later assessed by a veterinarian at 1 which is the lowest on the Henneke Scale.

“He was so dehydrated that as I reached out to touch his body, the hair came off in my hand.”

“Charolais walked right up to me.  He was so dehydrated that when I reached out to touch his body, the hair came off on my hand.  At the time, although I was finding homes for retired racehorse, TPR didn’t formally exist. This was an event that would prompt me to move forward and formalize my work to help retired racehorses.”

The first time Outrider, Lisa Mclveen saw Charles, she said, “That’s my next pony horse!”  There was an instant connection between the two of them.  It wasn’t long before Clark was checking to see if she was serious about that.

“Charles”  takes his job very seriously!

Clark learned that Charles didn’t really like to be turned out for long.  It seemed he was saying, “I like the stall where I have shelter, hay, water and feed.”  She would turn him out, he would roll, nibble on a few mouthfuls of grass and than come stand at the gate waiting to come back in.  She thought of Lisa and her words.  The rest is history.

It wasn’t easy for Lisa.  She had to gain Charles’ trust but she is an amazing horsewoman and was able to give him the training and handling he needed to become a successful partner in her work.  He loves his life with her.  And so he went for starving to ponying the winner of the Preakness, because of donors like you!  This is what matching the right horse to the right person achieves and it is a major goal of Thoroughbred Placement Resources, Inc.  It is a goal we could not meet if it were not for the support of our donors, without your support.

OUR NEW ADVISORY BOARD

Tad Coffin is an Olympic gold medalist and the inventor of ground breaking saddle technology.  He is a constant source of information on how to help horses perform better. 

Al Gold operates a very successful racing stable in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Milton P. Higgins, III has been a racehorse owner and breeder of quality Thoroughbred racehorses. 

Alicia Nicole is a Wounded Warrior, beauty queen, and Harvard student.  She supports TPR’s Hero Horses program. 

Edgar Prado was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2008.  He rode Barbaro to win the Kentucky Derby in 2006. 

For more information on our Advisory Board, go to http://www.goodhorse.org/about-us/our-board-of-directors/

ACADEMY OF MUSIC

TPR will be featured in this year’s 160th Philadelphia’s Academy of Music Concert and Ball   Program.  This annual event, attracts the ‘who’s who of Philadelphia’ and some of the area’s most philanthropic attendees. 

We Thank Lisa and Phil Buckingham of Gladwyne, PA for their generous support.

As a committee member of Philadelphia’s Academy of Music Concert and Ball, Lisa chose Thoroughbred Placement Resources, as their charitable organization of choice for 2017.  

We are honored by the continuing support we have received from the Buckinghams.

Click Here to find out more about this wonderful event.

ALL HOPE WAS LOST

 

Reggie, registered name Roaring Point  raced 23 times with 3 wins, 2 seconds and 3 thirds , then retired to a show career.

Standing in a field with pus pouring of his leg, Reggie waited……… 

He had done everything she had asked of him, as her riding horse.  His owner wasn’t willing to have the life saving surgery that Reggie needed.  With this surgery his prognosis was excellent.  Without it, humane euthanasia would be the only other option.  Reggie had no choice in the matter.  His fate was left to others, but he kept hanging on.

His owner contacted TPR stating that she “Just couldn’t go through it.” — the surgery.  I asked her to forward his xrays to Spurlock Equine.  Without hesitation the Drs. Spurlock agreed to perform the life saving surgery Reggie, registered name, Roaring Point needed, at cost.  Reggie would finally get the help he so desperately needed. 

Because of the donors who support the work of TPR, Reggie is now a successful show horse who has a loving  family to support him.

After the surgery, Reggie was rested and rehabilitated at Leighton Farm, the home of Thoroughbred Placement Resources, Inc.  He then entered our very successful training program with a goal to give him the basic training every horse needs and then to identify what he would be in the next phase of his life.  We found that he had a talent for jumping consistently and made the decision to pursue a home for him as a Hunter/Equitation horse.  It has paid off!  Reggie is a Champion Green Hunter under the direction of Beth DeStanley.  Her husband is having his own success with Reggie as an Adult Amateur as well.  He’s become a super horse. “Just last weekend Reggie was Series Reserve Champion in the TWA show series Adult Amateur division at Warrenton. He is also leading the standings or in the top 5 in the Sandstone Farm series and the DC series in the divisions we show him in. “  Without the support of our wonderful donors, his would not have happened for Reggie.

A special thanks to our Partners….

the Heartbeat of TPR!

photo by Katherine Turnbull Photography

Especially in this season of thanksgiving, we celebrate YOU, our partners in our work on behalf of these horses!  Whether you share your financial support, your time and expertise, adopt our horses, or support us in other ways, we simply could not do this without you.  Without you, these horses could not transition to a healthy and happy life.  Just this year, with your support,  Garret was given the time to heal from a fracture, Terry’s Dancer was able to move  from unwanted problem horse to super star because we were able to accept her into the very successful TPR retraining program.

TPR accepts as many horses in need of serious medical rehabilitation as we can. However, as heartbreaking as it is, we must turn away horses we could otherwise help, because we only have the resources to provide high quality care and training for a few high-needs horses at a time. 

Once our horses are fully rehabilitated and retrained, we carefully match them with enthusiastic new owners – and watch the love between them blossom. 

Although adoption or sales fees will help support our work, sales are but a drop in the bucket compared with the daily costs of rehabilitation, retraining, and support. 

Leighton Farm continues to donate use of its land, facilities, and its expert retraining for all horses.  Kimberly Godwin Clark donates all of her riding and training as well as administrative skills.  Reggie’s surgery was generously provided at cost by Spurlock Equine.  Volunteers donated hundreds of hours, with an all-time high this year for our Hero Horses program for Wounded Warriors. 

And of course we could not do any of this without our donors, small and large.  We are grateful for the ongoing support from our grantors, businesses, professional organizations, and individuals, and cannot say thanks enough for your faith in us!  We are so excited about the year ahead and are working on ways to care for more horses who can use our help!

All of this would not be possible without the efforts of many people.  Mainly though, it is you… your generosity… your kind heart… it is YOU that allows TPR to do its work. We thank you, but even more importantly, it is the horses who owe you their lives and their future. It is for them that you have become a vital part of our team! 

Our Donors…  the Heartbeat of TPR!

“You give these horses hope and the gift of a happy future.”