Thoroughbred Retirement Network of Louisiana - 2.0

09/21/2024

Hi everyone - we are trying to find a home/sanctuary for a 13-yr-old blind mare in good health. Transport is already taken care of…

Please share -

Thank you!

09/21/2024

Congratulations to Lincoln Case and Hunter’s Bluff on the adoption of Wildcat Nat! What a great match! This beautiful girl certainly landed in a very soft (and caring) spot! We’re looking forward to receiving updates!

09/21/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/s9y2NohJj2iq8ikC/?

09/19/2024

…and References too!

True story 😂
credits: Pinterest

09/12/2024

Pretty Peggy Fu, Wind Zee, Sylvie and Boston Belle enjoying the sun on a breezy afternoon after hosting Hurricane Francine last night. By the looks of today, one could never guess the events that transpired over the past 24 hours. What a difference a day makes. Although there were some pretty gnarly wind gusts, for us, it was primarily a rain event. The rain started 2 days ago - and it didn’t stop. The ground is completely and deeply saturated. When this happens, the moisture is unrelenting and seeps into everything, including the bedding in the stalls. They’re matted, but the humidity here has a way of clinging on to anything that can absorb it - saddle pads too - they just don’t dry.

The power at the farm went off at about 2:30 a.m. and came back on for a while this morning, only to shut back down and stay off. As of this evening, it’s still off.

Very special THANKS to The RACE Fund and Pin Oak Stud for sending extra support to us at a much needed time!

Tomorrow is another day!

09/12/2024

09/10/2024

We are reaching out for donations - we are taking care of more horses than we usually have. Please consider making a donation on our website:

www.TRNLHorses.com

1 bag of feed - $25
1 bale of hay - $12

We go through 200+ lbs. of feed a day and 6 bales of hay.

Every donation helps!

OTTBs, Re-training, rescuing, retiring, rehabilitating and rehoming off-track Thoroughbreds, Thoroughbred rescue, OTTB rescue, rescuing off-track Thoroughbreds

09/06/2024

09/06/2024

This is something I can’t understand. How can people say they’re horse lovers and stand by and watch the industry self-implode? How can people sleep at night knowing well and good that the horses they breed will end up in feedlots? Last night, I was scanning through the spreadsheets of the thoroughbred foals born each year in Louisiana and found a number of them that have stood in our barn or are currently standing in our barn that were saved from going to slaughter. Shame on these folks. They’re great at producing thoroughbreds only so that they can kill them too?

This is certainly a hypothetical question as we all know the answer, but it also highly hypocritical to jump in that winners’ circle when the horse wins, then fail to step up when these horses need you the most - at the end of their careers. And yes, it’s been going on for years but it never has been and never will be the right thing to do.

If you are going to participate in a sport, do it wholeheartedly. Do it honorably. Do what’s in the best interest of the horse.

For years, we’ve stood by quietly and “waited” patiently for the industry to step up. It hasn’t happened. Silence is another form of acceptance. I put this out there, knowing we risk losing our accreditation. So be it. “Aftercare” means “aftercare” regardless of where; regardless of the condition of the animal; true horsemen do the RIGHT thing by their horses. By only addressing the positives in racing, we will fall short of actually improving it (and I have no personal stake in it). Self-reflection, self-improvement and the acknowledgment of one’s weaknesses are the path to moving forward. By presenting with a consistent face that is smiling, you neglect to tell the whole story. You aren’t fooling anyone.

In a post not long ago, I spoke up about the fact that Louisiana lags far behind other states in terms of aftercare. It is a fact. I received a call from the Director of TAA - the one and only call I’ve ever received from her - instructing me to retract the post. I did not.

I have stood alone in this state for many years. It is like existing on an island. I live in an equestrian community but the majority choose denial. Thoroughbreds are either undervalued, completely exploited or ignored for their worth. Even among some veterinarians, thoroughbreds are denounced. What our organization does is entirely undervalued. We don’t just take in the ripest of the horses, we will help any of them if we can possibly do so. Horses with the “not so bright future,” those needing rehab, etc. This includes making the difficult decision to humanely euthanize when all other options are not best.

It has been a long and lonely road maintaining TRNL, but I am extremely PROUD of the work I’ve done - because for the horses that have passed through my little farm, it has made all the difference in the world for them. My island is, in fact, a sanctuary.

09/05/2024

09/05/2024

Wedding Slippers - her feet had been very neglected. Before (right) and after (left) proper hoof care.

09/05/2024

Pretty Peggy Fu and Wind Zee getting their teeth done with Dr. Patrick Cleveland from Hancock Animal Clinic.

09/04/2024

https://pinoakstud.com/shop/

All proceeds from the shop go to an accredited Thoroughbred aftercare charity. The featured charity for quarter 3 is Thoroughbred Retirement Network of Louisiana. Horses in the program come from racetrack donations, kill pens, animal control cases, etc. TRNL is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating,...

09/04/2024

Summertime on a Louisiana horse farm…

Check water buckets…fill water buckets…check water troughs…fill water troughs…
check water buckets…scrub water buckets…fill water buckets…check water troughs…scrub water troughs…fill water troughs…check water buckets…fill water buckets…change sweaty shirt…check water troughs…fill water troughs…check water buckets…scrub water buckets…fill water buckets…check water troughs…scrub water troughs…fill water troughs…change shirt soaked from rain…check water buckets…check water troughs…change shirt even if it’s dry…you forgot it was dry…check water buckets…scrub water buckets…fill water buckets…check water troughs…scrub water troughs…fill water troughs…check them all again…rinse and repeat…

Damn it…I left the water running!

09/04/2024

I was recently asked (in a good way), “Why do you do what you do? Isn’t what you do hard and hard work? Why thoroughbreds? Aren’t they crazy? Isn’t it expensive?”

My responses: Why yes, it is hard work. It’s a hell of a lot of work. More than most people ever want to put in. Why thoroughbreds? Well…

1. Heart. Thoroughbreds are all heart. It makes them who they are. Damn - look at their primary job!

2. Work ethic. Thoroughbreds don’t say “no.” They inherently know how to dig in when things get tough.

3. Commitment. Thoroughbreds are all in every day. They show up. They give 150% even when they aren’t 100%.

4. Intelligence. There is absolutely nothing crazy about a thoroughbred. They are incredibly intelligent and intuitive. You can practically have conversations with them. You just have to listen. Perhaps you are the one who’s crazy.

5. Connection. They truly seek connection with people. They want to know that they’re doing a good job. Feedback is important to them.

6. Nobility. Can you name a more noble breed?

7. Athleticism. No need to elaborate.

8. Beauty. This one too.

9. Pride. Thoroughbreds pride themselves on doing a good job and “being all that.”

10. Versatility. From a thoroughbred’s perspective, “…so you want me to jump that ditch at top speed, cut around the corner, negotiate a water obstacle, and then do a half pass? No problem!”

I’ve owned and ridden many breeds, including Warmblood, Morgans, Clydesdales, Arabians, Quarter horses, you name it. I love them all - truly. But thoroughbreds are special. They have always had my back, so I’m gonna have theirs.

As far as expensive. Yes - they are very expensive; but I’m not leaving this planet with anything that’s not already attached to me, so - that’s your answer.

Cindy D’Atrio

09/03/2024

We hear this story pretty often, and we are always disappointed, as it comes down to humans misunderstanding horses.

Horses end up paying the price.

It goes like this:
Person meet horse.
Person likes horse in the setting they are trying the horse out in.
Person bring new horse home, full of hope.
3 days later, person suspects horse was misrepresented.
Horses is confused.
Person says seller, rescue or trainer misrepresented the horse.
Horse begins to learn new bad habits or revert.
Person is more sure horse was misrepresented.
Horse continues to deteriorate
Person sells or gives horses away.

— Person does this again and again —

To be fair to the horses this happens to, how often do those having this thought process pause to consider:

“Aren’t people different based on their environment?”

You (or your child) are a particular way with your best friends, your family, at school, in the work place, while traveling, with a new group, in front of an audience, when you first move to a new area. . .

Each setting has a different set of factors, and the more familiar you become with each, the more you set in your mind the way you will behave in each. As the players in the settings change, so might how you behave, to a degree.

Horses are no different in this way.

Further, think of how grandparents, aunts, uncles or sitters may comment how your children are much easier (or harder) with them than they are when you have them on outings.

It is the nature of creatures to adapt to a setting, and this takes time, and various factors may shake things up as time goes on.

When we first meet a horse we think we want to bring into our lives, we choose to do so from a setting that isn’t identical to our personal one. The horse knows his current barn, routine, herd-mates and person, he doesn’t know the newvone. He knows what is expected, allowed and not allowed where he was. His behavior there has AS MUCH to do with the people and environment, in some cases, as it does his nature and training.

In your barn (or pasture) virtually Everything is unfamiliar. Additionally there may be multiple people bringing excitement to the barn over the new horse and for some horses this translates into a lot of pressure.

So when you bring a new horse home, understand that there is always a bit of a clean slate, and this can be a mixed bag, and how you proceed from the moment has everything to do with your success with that horse.

Please don’t blame the trainer, the seller or the horse. You are the new owner, the rider, the guide for the horse now, and you can make the transition work if you’re dedicated, patient and understanding of the fact that it's going to take time.

Horses aren’t cars – they are partners.