Senior Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) veterinarian Dr Sophia Ramlal says the racing industry should formalise retirement options for horses when they have gone past their usefulness at the track.

After their racing careers are over, some of the best horses are retired to stud to breed the next generation.

But others, deemed to be of no value, are left to roam freely and oftentimes end up on roadways, thereby presenting a danger to human beings and themselves.

Noting that horses are versatile, highly intelligent and can adapt beyond the race track to live purposeful lives while engaged in other sporting or recreational activities, Ramlal said clear plans are required.

She told the Jamaica Observer that facilities should be put in place to manage the rehabilitation and re-homing of retired racehorses.

“Fillies [female horses] are usually easily re-homed because they go into the breeding shed, but the challenges usually persist around geldings that can’t really contribute to the breeding stock but may still have useful value to society,” she said.

“This is either through working with the police, traffic duties, and some horses are excellent therapy horses as well. Working with children, working with the disabled, and others find themselves in the tourism industry, while others find themselves in competitive arenas such as polo. The avenues are there, but we need to formalise how the process is handled,” the veterinarian explained.

Ramlal noted the JRC has a process of culling horses that have not earned a minimum of $160,000 for a 24-month period or those that the veterinarians deem unfit for competition.

“So we have a start to the process, but what we need to do is guide the process in terms of having these horses, once they are culled, be able to be re-homed and assessed for whatever it is that is in the best interest of the horse,” she said, adding that the cull list is released late December.

Managing director at the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (JSPCA) Pamela Lawson, while sharing Ramlal’s sentiments, is urging industry players, led by local horse racing promoters Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), to act proactively.

She is recommending the establishment of a facility where horses can be inspected, and if necessary, placed in the care of the JSPCA until a suitable arrangement can be found.

“I think that Supreme Ventures and the different organisations should come together and help us establish a reasonable-sized facility that can house these animals and then give us an opportunity to re-home them, so to speak.

“I have no problem assisting and helping. I would form a band of many women and men to take over that workload. Yes, I would be sending some to the police; yes, I would be sending some of them to the riding establishment, most definitely; and to polo… anywhere I can find to put them. If everybody can come together, then it can be sorted, and it will only improve things for the industry,” Lawson said.

Up to press time on Thursday, the Observer tried, without success, to contact SVREL Chairman Solomon Sharpe, who is said to be currently overseas.

Owner and trainer Michael Marlowe is appealing to people who have available land space and interest in horses to offer assistance.

“A lot of the guys are in the game to make money and claim horses, and when the horses are injured, they let them go,” he said.

“I thought about it myself, but I am so locked in training these horses right now. [But] if somebody has the time to spend with these old racehorses, trust me, that would be great,” Marlowe said.