Learning The Ex-Racehorse's Fate: Purdue Comes To The MMSC

In early May, The Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center hosted a group of 19 undergraduates from Purdue University of West Lafayette, Indiana. The group, led by equine management professor Dr. Mark Russell, took a tour of the facility and learned about the training and management of ex-racehorses.

The students were part of the Purdue Horse Industry Tour, held annually at the beginning of summer break as an elective educational experience for undergraduates interested in pursuing careers in the horse industry. Each year, the tour goes to different areas of the country and has previously included Ocala, Florida and Fort Worth, Texas. This year it focused on the Thoroughbred industry in Lexington and Louisville, touring vet clinics, training centers, nutrition labs and breeding farms, giving students a broad overview of the life cycle of a Thoroughbred.

The Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center was a stop designed to give students an idea of what happens to the majority of racehorses when they come off the track. The big gray gelding King De provided a case in point—his dramatic story of rescue from a slaughter truck gave the students with an unfortunately classic example of the fate of unsuccessful racehorses. Many were surprised to learn that 37,500 Thoroughbreds were foaled last year alone, yet only about 15% are retired into breeding careers, and were interested in how the TRF and other rescue agencies give the remaining horses second careers. The day was so successful that it inspired several students to inquire about volunteering or working at the Center in the future!