Thoroughbred Makeover candidate Sconce and Isabella Parillo.
When non-profit organizations work together, there can be great outcomes for both horses and kids. Work To Ride is taking on a horse from PTK Racing’s partner Pastured Place, a non-profit retirement and rehoming organization for former racehorses, to take part in the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover competition this fall.
PTK LLC is a family owned stable dedicated to responsible racing and breeding of Thoroughbred horses. They try to make sure that every horse that goes through their stables has a home when their racing days are done. To accomplish that they have partnered with the non-profit organization Pastured Place. Older horses and those that need specialized care, who may face a long-term retirement, may go to Six M Farm in West River, MD. Horses that have potential for a second career may go to Meadow Spring Farm in Oxford, PA.
This spring, Ali Rawle from Meadow Spring Farm contacted Lezlie Hiner, founder of Work to Ride, about a horse that could be a good candidate for the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover.
Work to Ride is a non-profit organization that empowers Philadelphia youth through horsemanship, equine sports and education programs. Through riding and horse care the city children experience educational, social and cultural experiences that are otherwise unavailable.
“This racing family is dedicated to taking care of their horses when they are done racing. They board out over 120 horses. Some of them are pasture pets, some of them Ali gets so they can be rehomed,” said Hiner.
Hiner was hesitant at first to take on a horse at this time. Work to Ride is boarding its horses outside its home base of Chamounix Equestrian Center while renovations are underway. One of the boarding locations is Northwestern Stables in Philadelphia. What made the offer too good to refuse is that Pastured Place is supporting the horse and covering all expenses connected with taking part in the Thoroughbred Makeover at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY October 9-14.
“I’m excited about this. They pay all the bills for people like us who can’t really afford right now to pay for board and all the incidental expenses. They pay to get you to the Retired Racehorse Project in Kentucky,” Hiner said.
The horse, a 5-year-old mare named Sconce, is by Animal Kingdom. She only raced a few times, with her best finish a third place that netted earnings of just $3,000. After she left the track, she was turned out for about a year and a half, only coming to Northwestern about a month ago.
Horses entered in the makeover must have been raced within a designated time frame. There are divisions for trainers who are professionals, amateurs, juniors and team entries. Because they will be at Northwestern Stable the entry will be a team entry between 17-year-old Work to Ride student Marc Anthony Harley and Northwestern Stable’s 13-year-old rider Isabella “Bella” Parillo.
Marc Anthony has been with Work to Ride about seven years, starting with pony racing, then doing some jumping, but now focusing on polo. He will be competing in the polo division and Bella in the hunter or jumper section. Because it is a team entry, the riders will each have to ride in classes within both divisions on the same horse.
“Because it’s a team thing they have to do both,” Hiner said. “Marc Anthony will do the flat work of the hunter jumper competition. Bella has actually been taking some polo lessons so she will probably do some of the polo flat work, not the stick and ball or the game. They want different team members to show they can do both disciplines.”
Hiner explains that Marc Anthony is riding Sconce three days a week, and Bella is riding her three days a week as well. “Because she’s been off for so long, we’re bringing her back very slowly. We’re doing trail rides with her, teaching the basics, and she’s hopped over fences a little bit,” she said. “We’ll probably start playing polo with her this summer. There’s a lot of training that goes into polo. There’s a lot of basics, teaching them to work off their hind end and there’s a lot of lateral movement that she’s going to learn.”
Hiner is very pleased with the mare. “She just loves people to death, she just loves attention, she has a lot of common sense, she doesn’t do anything wrong. She’s just a good girl.”
Hiner and the riders are excited to take part in the Thoroughbred Makeover. “They are so stoked. They are beyond excited about this. It’s a huge thing,” Hiner said.
Work to Ride is also partnering with sponsors Buckeye Nutrition, Tack Butter, and Ariat, which is furnishing boots.
For more information visit the Pastured Place website. at pasturedplace.org. For information about Work to Ride, visit worktoride.net. Information about the Retired Racehorse Project and Thoroughbred Makeover can be found at therrp.org.