Horse foundation can’t outrun recession

A frigid wind blew across the winter-brown field as Kim Wilkins fished in her tattered jacket pocket for peppermint candy.

Three thoroughbred horses, their graceful necks arched over the wooden fence, watched with riveted interest. A moment later each was rewarded with a sweet treat and a pat and rub from their caretaker.

Although the morning temperature was well below freezing it wasn’t the cheek-pinching cold that concerned Wilkins. For the last several months she has been burdened with nagging worries brought about by the chilling consequences of the economic downturn.

As farm manager of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation’s program at Montpelier, she cares for 64 thoroughbred horses at the 200-acre facility. The animals are former racehorses that have been saved from lives of neglect, abuse or the killing floors of slaughterhouses.

Since Montpelier and TRF joined forces in 2003, Wilkins has found good homes for about 60 horses through the foundation’s adoption program. About 20 other horses are benefiting from its foster program, in which people with equine facilities provide feed and shelter for horses and receive help from TRF in veterinary and farrier costs.

But as the fierce wind of recession causes people to hunker down financially, the results are being felt at the farm.

“My adoption rate had been about 12 horses a year,” said Wilkins, who has been the TRF farm manager at Montpelier since it was established on James Madison’s 2,700-acre estate in Orange County. “But since the economy started going down, the adoptions have dried up and I’ve actually started getting horses back.

“When you adopt a horse from TRF, you can’t breed, race, give away or sell it, so the only option is to give it back to us. When it comes down to feeding the horse or feeding your children, the horse comes back to me.

“Unfortunately, the donations have also started to dry up. So we have more horses and fewer funds with which to feed them, so it’s starting to get really tight.”

Wilkins’ greatest need?

“Hay. I need a lot of round bales,” said Wilkins who served four years in the Army as an intelligence analyst. “Basically, with 64 horses, I go through 12 round bales a week.

“These guys eat, and when it gets cold like it has been lately, they really eat. Because of the drought we didn’t get any hay off our fields this past year, which is also making the price of hay go up amazingly.

“Fortunately, Henry Taylor donated a hundred round bales, which was a big help. Right now a square bale of grass hay at the co-op is almost $10, and a horse will eat almost a bale a day in the winter.”

TRF was founded in 1982 as a nonprofit organization. It is only through the generosity of public donors that it’s able to continue its work.

Sue Hart is the official fundraiser for TRF in Virginia, and in particular the

Montpelier site. She has been involved with horses most of her life, and became a TRF volunteer five years ago.

Hart was able to raise about $38,000 to benefit TRF at Montpelier in 2008 through events such as an art auction. At present the annual budget for the local facility is $164,000.

The money is used for things such as feed, vaccinations, property maintenance and farrier and veterinarian costs. Tightening purse strings mean that essentials such as feed are met first, and other needs simply have to wait.

“We don’t have the funds to buy fertilizer to keep the fields up like they need to be kept up,” Hart said after helping Wilkins move two horses from the barn into the field. “The last figures I arrived at to lime and fertilize the 200 acres here was more than $10,000.

“The fields need to be maintained annually, but we’ve never had the luxury of having the cash to do that. The economic downturn has also meant that a lot of horses, and not just racehorses, are getting dumped on the market.

“I’ve gotten several reports from friends of mine in the Charlottesville area telling of farmers waking up and finding strange horses have been dumped in their fields during the night.”

Wilkins told of recently talking with a friend who had attended a horse sale. She was told that of all the horses sold, only 22 percent made money, and the other sellers were just liquidating their stock and taking what they could get.

Diana Pilulski, executive director of TRF, said the dramatic increase in the price of hay has been particularly difficult for the organization. With more than 1,200 horses to feed at its 33 facilities, five of which are in Virginia, that’s a lot of hay.

“I just returned from one of the conferences being held throughout the United States currently, where the main topic of discussion is how do we preserve our equine communities and businesses?” Pilulski said from her office at TRF headquarters in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

“What was definitely an important point is the fact that there is an economy in these retired racehorses. We support farmers, hay growers, farriers, veterinarians, tack shops, supply and feed stores, as well as employ people.

“We currently have 272 horses being cared for in Virginia, which is the largest concentration of horses that we have in one state. Each year we pour $510,000 into the Virginia economy. By helping us maintain our farms in Virginia, donors are directly helping their own economy.”

A costly animal

Sadly, when times get tough, horses are often seen as a suddenly unaffordable luxury. Just their monthly grocery bill and housing costs can be expensive.

According to Wilkins, the local average cost to field board a horse at a nice stable will be $250 to $300 a month. Full board will be closer to $450, and if the horse needs shoes all the way around that will be a $100-plus outlay every four to six weeks.

As these figures show, it’s not the initial cost of the horse, but the upkeep, that potential owners need to consider. The cost of adopting a horse through TRF is between $500 and $2,500, but Wilkins said she usually asks between $500 and $1,000.

Bringing a horse into one’s life can be costly, but countless people feel it’s money well spent. Gerry Anderson adopted a TRF horse three years ago, and gladly goes without other things to keep it healthy and happy.

“Snap was locally bred and went to the racetrack, but he’s not a big speed guy,” said Anderson, who lives in Orange County and boards her horse near Cismont. “What he is is a really terrific guy, calm and quiet.

“If a person had never ridden a horse, I wouldn’t be afraid to put them on him. He’s easy to get along with, very people friendly and good with other horses.

“He’s great therapy for me, and cheaper than a shrink. Good horses like Snap always give us much more than we give them.”

People interested in adopting a TRF horse can download an application form online at http://www.trfinc.org.

“The one-page application is very simple,” Wilkins said. “It asks about who you are, and your experience with horses. It also asks what you are looking for in a horse so we can match you up with an animal you’ll be happy with.

“You will also need two references. We require one from a veterinarian and the other from an equine professional who is somebody who knows horses, knows you and thinks you would be a responsible horse owner.

“After that they come out and I show them around. I encourage people to come back if they live nearby and work with the animal a bit, play with it and make sure it’s what they want.”

The foundation also has a sponsorship program where an individual can help in the care of a specific horse. The horse remains on the farm, and through a small monthly contribution the sponsor helps defray the cost of caring for his or her personally selected animal.

The sponsorship program has three levels of sponsorship, $250, $500 and $1,000 per year. The sponsor receives a photo of the horse, its race record and a token of appreciation, as well as visiting and carrot-feeding rights on prearranged days.

At the $1,000 level a key chain fob with the horse’s name engraved on it is also presented to the sponsor. TRF recently introduced the foster program, which is designed for dedicated horse men and women who have equine facilities but can’t afford to fully support a horse.

Money running short

Although feed is Wilkins’ greatest worry this winter, there are plenty of other things to fret about. There’s the old horse van that is far from reliable, and the ongoing challenge of keeping fences in place.

“My fences are falling down again, and I can’t afford to go out and buy the lumber required to fix them,” Wilkins said. “I had a whole section collapse, but fortunately it’s between two fields and not an exterior fence.

“Any kind of donations like fencing, paint and that kind of thing will be greatly appreciated and donors can get a tax credit. I might need a new well, too. This past summer was pretty good, but we did run out of water a few times and that’s pretty scary.

“For the most part these horses are very easy keepers, and do just fine on good pasture and water. I have a couple of volunteers who come out and pull burrs, trim manes and generally help me with the horses. They’re a terrific help, and we certainly would welcome more volunteers.

Many people have the impression that thoroughbred horses are hot, high-strung animals that only the most experienced riders dare mount. Wilkins said this inaccuracy is often the result of people watching races like the Kentucky Derby and seeing racehorses bucking, rearing up and chafing at the bit.

“All horses can be hot and spooky, but the ones you see going to the track that are bouncy or whatever are super-fit babies,” said Wilkins, who worked at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington before taking on her current position.

“By the time I get them and they’ve been in the field for a while, they don’t do that. They’re very intelligent, sensitive animals that like people.

“And they’re easy to ride, because they are so sensitive. These are animals that are usually very happy to do what you want.”

Thoroughbred horses from the foundation are currently helping inmates at the James River Work Center in Goochland County learn a trade. The Montpelier facility was instrumental in getting the program started.

“Two years ago we went to the center and converted one of the old dairy barns there into a horse barn,” Hart said. “We then took six of our horses there, and started a program for the inmates where they learn how to be grooms.

“It’s called the Groom Elite Program, which is a national, certified program. It teaches the inmates how to work with animals so when they get out they have qualifications to get a job.

“The program has been very successful, and the Richmond horse people have been very supportive of it.”

As the three thoroughbred horses enjoyed their morning treat, Wilkins looked on and smiled. The horses’ large, well-fed bodies helped block the wind from their caretaker, and in turn she is totally committed to keeping the fierce winds of hard times from being felt by them.

“I love the way horses smell,” Wilkins said as she rubbed the head of one of her charges. “The first word I ever spoke was ‘Horsy.’

“I got my first pony when I was 3, and have always been infatuated with horses. I literally begged to get this job, and I love it.”

For a few seconds Wilkins grew silent, simply enjoying a few carefree moments with the animals she loves. Before heading off to address multiple chores she passed along one of the great truths about horses.

“You know, the thing is, horses are always happy to see you,” Wilkins said.

Those wishing to donate to TRF at Montpelier can make out checks to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and mail them to Sue Hart, 1602 Grove Road, Charlottesville, VA 22901. Those wishing to adopt, foster or sponsor a horse, or to volunteer to help at the farm, can contact Hart at 409-4102 or .