LIFE AFTER RACING: STORIES FROM ACROSS THE SPORT
Renowned for their versatility, agility and intelligence, racehorses go on to succeed in a variety of second careers. We catch up with those now thriving in polo, jousting, horseball and eventing.
While the majority of Thoroughbreds in Britain are bred with the intention of racing, some show little aptitude or enthusiasm for the sport. For RoR Horse of the Year 2025, Master Wickham known as ‘Darsi’, his lack of ability on the track has since been eclipsed by widespread success across multiple disciplines of showing, dressage and eventing.
Renowned for their speed, agility, bravery and confidence, it’s no surprise that The Knights of Middle England, a professional team of stunt riders known for high-octane, action-packed historic shows, have placed Thoroughbreds at the heart of their team. Hear from founders Karl and Kelly Ude-Martinez, on why former racehorses excel in the unique world of mounted performance.
Since the early days of Horseball in the UK, the Thoroughbreds has been the breed of choice for competitors seeking an advantage on the field. We caught up with Great Britain's Horseball Captain Ben Barry and meet former racehorses Steve and Bates who now compete at the highest level of the sport.
Great Britain Polo Player Jack Richardson has retrained over 80 Thoroughbreds to compete in polo on the world stage. He explains why Thoroughbreds are highly sought after as equine athletes in the prestigious sport.
Want to see more stories like this? Take a look at the success stories page on Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) website. RoR is British racing’s official aftercare partner created to help retired racehorses find new purpose and loving homes. RoR offers retraining and rehoming support, welfare programmes, and runs a national multi-discipline competition series which allows horses and riders to thrive at all levels.