Hidden Acres Rescue for Thoroughbreds (HART) has participated in the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover since 2015. Our first year we partnered with the South Florida SPCA to acquire, Kenny’s Z (Zee), an OTTB who was seized in a neglect case with five other horses in South Florida.
Zee competed in dressage and eventing with Skyler Norris, who was 13 years old at the time. Zee and Skyler finished the eventing with the top junior score. Zee has since been a great horse with several riders competing in lower level eventing.
In 2016 Skyler and Suzanna both trained horses for the event. Unfortunately, Skyler’s Makeover Project horse, Jo Jo’s Comet, acquired an abscess that kept him from competing. However, through his development to compete at the makeover, Jo Jo acquired the skills he needed to find a loving home and is competing in the jumper ring.
Suzanna’s Makeover Project horse, Wise Dames (Fergie), competed successfully in dressage and eventing. A previous HART volunteer who had moved to Texas had followed her progress and was so impressed with her, she came to Florida to adopt her shortly thereafter. She is currently competing in dressage with her new adoring mom.
In 2017, Skyler competed Reign It In, and Suzanna trained and competed Ratnik, and began training Slava. Slava was adopted prior to the event and her new owner, Nisa Simon, was given the opportunity to compete in the event.
All three horses did very well at the event. Ratnik, aka Comrade, met his new mom at the RRP Makeover and now lives a spoiled life in St. Louis, MO as an event horse. Slava is enjoying the good life still boarded at HART and doing eventing.
Reign is currently being leased to one of HART’s students who was having confidence issues. Reign’s calm demeanor has allowed her leaser to regain her confidence and they competed at their first event in July 2018!
After 2018’s projects HART will have competed eight horses in the Makeover. We have currently raised almost $30,000 for HART through adoption of these well-trained horses and expect another $15,000 to $25,000 more upon completing adoptions.
Partnering with the Retired Racehorse Project has allowed HART to promote the trainability of the OTTBs, engage and connect with other individuals and organizations dedicated to helping these horses, opened up marketing opportunities to increase awareness to the public, and helped us raise much needed money to continue our program.
That brings us to 2018! HART is so proud of our two projects heading to the Kentucky Horse Park with us October 4-7-2018! Click or tap below for more information.