Retired Racehorses

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Photo courtesy of TRF
Project Redirect: The Standardbred Retirement
Foundation’s Project Redirect gives youth who
are ordered to serve community service for
violating the law an opportunity to work as
volunteers at the SRF. “Through their required work,
troubled youngsters learn respect, responsibility
and companionship,” according to the SRF’s
documentation.
SRF/Rutgers University/New Jersey Department
of Juvenile Justice: The SRF also partners with the
New Jersey Department of Juvenile Justice System,
the state’s education department and Rutgers
University, where horses provided by the SRF teach
social skills required by youth prior to reentry to
society. New Jersey has constructed a three-stall
compound for horses and training facilities at the
Jamesburg Home for Boys and hired a U.S. Trotting
Association (USTA)-licensed trainer to lead the
program. The intention, with the partnership of
the USTA, is for the SRF Juvenile Justice Program to
serve as a national model.
According to the SRF, the program is popular with
participants, as it also can offer credit for school,
help fulfill community service requirements and
provide vocational training. However, no statistics
have been maintained on the program.
LOOKING FORWARD
Other facilities in New York have expressed interest
in developing programs similar to Wallkill. If
found advantageous to taxpayers and the retired
racehorse population, the correctional facility
model should be expanded.
As similar correctional facility programs are