Program Spotlight: Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue

Horses in one of Akindale's pastures (Photos courtesy of Akindale). 

In the final years of his life John Hettinger took a major step in his fight to end horse slaughter by starting Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue in 2006.

Today, Akindale is one of the most recognizable names in Thoroughbred retirement and aftercare. The Pawling, N.Y. facility has saved more than 100 horses directly from auction houses where they were at risk for being sold to kill buyers while also placing horses donated to the program from other sources into new homes.

While most retired racehorses come to the program with finding a new home the goal, Akindale evaluates each horse to see if being adopted out would be the right move for the horse.

“Based on that evaluation, [we] decide who to put in the retraining program and who should be permanent retiree,” said Erin Pfister, Akindale’s rescue and retirement manager. “We do have some permanent residents that are famous like Evening Attire, his brother Tacticianor, Callmetony, Hotstufanthensome, Greeley's Legacy, and Stud Muffin.”

Akindale made the news last year when it helped, along with a group of donors, get multiple stakes winner gelding Stud Muffin off the track after a career that spanned 59 starts over seven years. These days, Stud Muffin is in Akindale’s retraining program but has a home for life at the farm. 

“Stud Muffin is in our retraining program but never to be adopted out,” Pfister said. “We were chosen to do the Retired Racehorse Training Project Thoroughbred Makeover this year, and we chose Stud Muffin as our horse. We wanted to show that even a horse that has been at the track a long time and won a lot of money can have a career after racing.”

Stud Muffin isn’t the only success story from the farm as it has had many horses go on to show in their new careers, including Mina, a Greeley’s Galaxy mare competing at the Preliminary level of eventing. Since Akindale started seven years ago, Pfister says that it has seen a rise in the number of horses the program adopts out and in the popularity of the Thoroughbred breed with the advent of Thoroughbred-only events.

Akindale’s strongest point is its adoption program, with horses coming directly from owners, auctions, and from the New York Racing Association’s “Take the Lead” program. Take the Lead places horses with both Akindale and other retirement facilities that work with the association. A trainer or owner must fill out an application for the horse to get into the program, and once the animal is accepted it is placed with one of the programs. Each of the horses comes with a check that helps cover the cost of the retired racehorse until it is adopted out.

People interested in adopting a horse from Akindale must fill out an application before the search begins. After Akindale checks the potential adopter’s references and examines the application, it then finds which horses might fit what the adopter is seeking.

“[After finding horses that fit the adopter’s criteria] we set up a time for the potential adopter to come and have a look at our horses,” Pfister said. “Usually after an application is in, it take less than a week for us to check references and read over the application and set up a time to come have a look. There are restrictions on what can be done with our horses [after they are adopted]. We have a no resale agreement, no breeding agreement and no lesson-horse agreement. “
Any person can fill out an application to adopt a horse from Akindale as the program has no restrictions on age or other factors for adopters. Akindale‘s main goal is to find each horse a permanent home, so the organization welcomes anyone serious about potentially adopting one of its horses.

For those who are looking to buy a horse straight from the track, Pfister recommends that every prospective horse be thoroughly evaluated. She also pointed out the importance of patience once a person buys a horse off the track.
“Thoroughbreds are wonderful horses. They take time to let down after racing and patience is the key. If you are a novice don't be afraid to ask for help from someone who is experienced with OTTBs. On the Retired Racehorse Training Project website there is a list of trainers from all over the country [who can help],” she said.

People who want to gain more experience with off-the-track Thoroughbreds before adopting or buying one can volunteer at many different aftercare facilities, including Akindale.

Akindale also welcomes visitors, allowing fans to tour the program’s facilities and meet the horses it has in the program. Fans can follow the program on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or go to their website.

For those interested in donating to the program, use the donate button on the program’s website or the “contact us” form. Potential volunteers can contact Akindale through the program’s “contact us” form as well.

If you know of a Thoroughbred Aftercare program that you think should be covered in America’s Best Racing’s Aftercare Program Spotlight, email Melissa Bauer-Herzog (mbauer-herzog@jockeyclub.com) with the program’s name and website.