Program Would Benefit Race Horses and Prisoners

BY JENNIFER A. BOWEN - News-Democrat

A new Illinois resolution is making its way through the legislature that would help retired Illinois race horses get a new lease on life after their racing days are over.

House Resolution 309 unanimously passed an Illinois House committee last Wednesday. The resolution, if it becomes law, would establish a Thoroughbred horse groomer training program for inmates at the Vandalia Correctional Center at no cost to taxpayers. The resolution was presented to committee by Rep. Ron Stephens, a Highland Republican, and Lanny Brooks, executive director of the Illinois Horseman's Benevolent and Protective Association Inc.

House members are expected to hear the resolution this week. Approval would only give official encouragement to the Illinois Department of Corrections to consider implementing the program. Stephens said he has heard positive response to the resolution by officials at the Illinois Department of Corrections.

"It's a win, win, win idea," Stephens said. "The horses win. The inmates win because it gives them the chance to learn something they can use when they get out. The recidivism rate of the inmates where the program is in effect in eight other states is in the single digits. The third winners are the taxpayers because it won't cost them a dime. The veterinary care, farrier, feed and equipment is paid for by the Illinois Horseman's Benevolent and Protective Association. The only thing the state provides is the labor."

The Vandalia Correctional Center is a facility that has more than 1,300 acres with barns and fences and was once used as an active farm by the state. The land is no longer farmed, Stephens said.

Inmates would go through a program and earn a groomsman certification.

"You can't just take a racehorse and adopt them out to a small family farm," Stephens said. "They are used to racing. They are not suddenly good riding horses because they are done racing, they need to be trained for that. The groomsmen learn how to care for the physical needs of the horse and train them to be able to live without being a danger to the people caring for them. If you don't give these racehorses a chance to live with a family, then they are going to be euthanized."

The new program would set up a nonprofit organization, Racehorse Alternative Choice Environment, and would benefit prisoners and give retired racehorses a chance at a new career. The Illinois Horseman's Benevolent and Protective Association, Inc. would foot the bill for the program.

New York, Florida, Nevada, Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia, Texas, and Kentucky already have similar programs that match retired Thoroughbreds up with inmates. Once the program is up and running, trainers who are caught sending horses to slaughter would lose stalls at the Fairmount Racetrack.

"I hope we will be able to meet the needs of these horses," Stephens said. "They are beautiful animals and they deserve to live out their lives in peace. It gives them the chance to be adopted to a family for recreational use."

Contact reporter Jennifer Bowen at jbowen@bnd.com or 239-2667.