Standardbreds are one of the best-kept secrets in the horse world. They're robust, rugged, sensible, level-headed, sound, and capable of a wide variety of jobs. You'll find them working as police horses, blazing the trails, doing therapeutic riding work, competing in combined driving events, jumping, and performing dressage tests, just to name a few of their talents.
Shown in these photos is the latest group of adoptable Standardbreds from New Jersey's Horse Rescue United. Volunteers at the rescue teach the horses about being ridden and expose them to a variety of environments under saddle; horses learn about the trails and the beach and are trained to cross water, ride in groups, and become all-around riding horses.
Lovely Lucille (above) earned over $300,000 on the track, and had less than an hour under saddle at the time when we did this photo shoot. She handled it all in style.
Horse Rescue United's founder Anouk Busch was born in the Netherlands, where she had Olympic aspirations. When her talented jumper Black Minx had health problems and was unable to compete, her focus switched to an unlikely direction: Standardbred harness racing. She immigrated to the United States in 1997, got her trainer's license, and opened a stable in New Jersey. Her impressive stats speak for her competence as a trainer; however, more impressive is the work she has done to ensure that Standardbreds are placed in good homes when their racing careers are over.
HRU trains Standardbreds for their new lives and careers utilizing a troupe of volunteers who ensure that the former harness racers learn what they need to know to fit into a new life. For more information, visit
www.horserescueunited.org.
Horses and
Hope 2014 Calendar
Horse Rescue United is one of the many organizations featured in my 2014 Horses and
Hope calendar. With the help of
Gina Keesling of HoofPrints, the 2012 and 2013 Horses and Hope calendars
featured stories and photos of hundreds of horses. Thanks to the
support of horse lovers everywhere, it raised thousands of dollars for One Horse At A
Time, helping hundreds of horses in need directly, and untold others
indirectly through increased public awareness. Now that we have two calendars'
worth of experience to draw upon, the 2014 version promises to be even more
exciting, even more creative, and as always, inspirational and positive.
And from now until November 18, 2013, "like" the
Horses and Hope Calendar page on Facebook, and you're automatically entered in a random drawing to win a FREE 2014 calendar!
- Sarah Andrew
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