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For the Love of Horses
The Daily Commerical - March, 2004 - Living SectionBy JODIE MUNRO OıBRIEN
Daily Commercial Staff Writer
Group helps horses go from racing to relaxingAs Whiz Bang put her ears back and chased the dog out of her pasture her owner chastised her. Stop that, Tina Bombardo said. Sometimes Whiz Bang did not mind Caesar the Dalmatian in her pasture, other times she chased him away. Bombardo, of Fruitland Park has raised 9-year-old Whiz Bang, a Standardbred horse, since the horse was born. Whiz Bang was one of the lucky ones. Tina Bombardo smiles at her horse Whiz Bang while combing her tail during a recent outing at Lake Panasofkee Standardbred horses are used for harness racing. Those who do not make it in that industry often end up in slaughterhouses. Luckier ones are sent up north or are sold to the Amish. Even luckier Standardbreds end up in the foster care of people like Bombardo and Debra Sweger. Whiz Bang raced when she was younger, but was not fast enough so became Bombardoıs pleasure riding horse. Debra Sweger, of Brooksville is the president of the Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization of Florida, Inc. Bombardo is the treasurer. The Florida branch of the organization was established in 1997. A 501 (c3) non-profit organization, volunteers transition harness racing horses to pleasure riding horses. They try to educate the public to consider the horses for pleasure use after their racing careers are over. The Standardbred is an American breed with roots dating back 200 years. Theyıre the ones you see pulling the sulkies in a race, Sweger said. A lot of times they are too slow or they come down with a minor injury. Only 20 percent make it as harness racers, about 80 percent have nowhere to go, she said. As a business investment, harness racers only keep the horses who are fast. Sweger described the breed as the best kept secret. They have had all professional training, so they have manners. When they come to us, they have not been saddle trained.
Bombardo said many people have not heard of the Standardbred horse. Theyıre not just for racing, she said. A lot of people have a misconception that they canıt be ridden. Weıre trying to educate people that theyıre great trail horses. Their endurance is so good, Bombardo said. Once a standardbred comes off the harness track and into the care of the SPHO, they are put out to pasture for three to four weeks to decompress. Why not let them have a vacation before they go back to school? Bombardo said. It gives them time to just be a horse. Most of them have lived in stalls when they werenıt on the track. Volunteers with the organization train the horses to be saddle horses. That way people can have a horse who can pull a cart and one they can ride. During training, the volunteers also teach the horses basic leg yields and turns. Some horses make better pleasure buggy horses, others love the trail, Bombardo said. We prefer they go to people who like to trail ride. This is trail riding country. She said volunteers often take the horses riding near Ocala and in the Withlacoochee forest. Bombardo said the horses need to be retrained when they retire from racing. In racing they have to stay in a trot or a gait.
They have to know it is okay to canter and they wonıt be in trouble, she said. Bombardo said the Standardbreds could also be used for dressage, barrel racing, as hunter-jumpers or in roadster classes, where they pull a four wheel cart while high stepping for shows. The horses are trained for about 30 days before placing them for sale. We sell them for $1,200 and up, Sweger said. They are worth it. Theyıre not broken down, theyıre not worthless. They have pedigrees. She said 50 percent of the time the organization purchases the horses from trainers. The others are donated to the organization, from places like the Southern Oaks Training Center in Sorrento and the Peavyhouse Stables in Plant City. Most of them are between three and seven years old. We just want them to have a good home, Sweger said. Weıre looking to incorporate them into a family. They would also be good for endurance and competitive trail riding. Bombardo said the Standardbreds are not as high strung as thoroughbreds. Although not an adoption group, the SPHO obtains their proceeds from donations and the sale of the horses. The Florida organization has about 40 members in the organization. They currently have four horses for sale and are trying to find more property so they can take in more horses. Bombardo said there are many horses who do not make it as harness racers. We canıt save all of the horses, but we try to take as many as we can, she said. For information about the organization or the horses, contact Sweger at (352) 796-4842 or email dsweger@juno.com or Bombardo at (352) 728-3256. |
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