OTTB: Livada

It was a tough ending to the filly’s career since she had started her racing life at Woodbine Racetrack with seven straight purse shares. She won her maiden for $11,500 claiming in June of 2012 before her legs began to give out.

Livada was picked up by Alexis Kacho-Sinke and taken to her Second Start Thoroughbreds, a non-profit, horse listing and relocation program near Fort Erie, ON. The filly’s crumbly knees and pool of bone chips in her joints meant that Kacho-Sinke was not going to have a lot of luck selling the filly to a new home, so she was listed for free.

“I had her listed for quite some time, but no suitable rehab home presented itself,” says Kacho-Sinke, who founded Second Start in July 2010 with her cousin Kim Sinodinos.

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Enter Alison Thompson, owner of Saltwins Farm in Campbellville, ON, an off-track thoroughbred rehabilitation farm that also doubles as a riding therapy farm for troubled young people.

“When she got here, she was sore and skinny,” says Thompson. “She was also very bitter, she would lunge at your face. The vet says she was not going to be able to walk much but that she just needed rest.”

Thompson gave Livada, affectionately known as Bella Moose, the time she needed, slowly nursing the filly along and approaching her with kindness. One year later, Livada has filled out and is a loving and integral part of her stable.

Livada is one of numerous retired racehorses who have been rescued from probable death by Second Start and Thompson. Now, it’s the horses that are doing their own saving.

Thompson says her young riders, who volunteer their time to help with the retired racehorses “were the ones that needed rescuing, too.” The young people who ride the horses at Thompson’s farm have battled physical issues, autism and depression.

“The horses that come through here are usually discarded through injury and I work with Second Start to try to help,” says Thompson. “The kids that come through come through word of mouth and they use the horses for touch therapy, self accomplishment by doing chores and taking care of a horse’s needs.”

Livada has made several human friends at her new home.

“The day we first put a saddle on her to carry a little rider, I almost cried for the horse and the young girl,” says Thompson. “She carried her tail high with a spring in her step.”

Kacho-Sinke, whose business has found homes for over 450 former racehorses, is amazed at the progress Livada has made. “I was very concerned that she may never come sound, but Alison wanted to give her a chance.”

A horse lover since childhood, Kacho-Sinke developed an interest in horse racing as an adult.

“I loved racing, but was disappointed in how few options there were for retiring racehorses in Fort Erie,” she says. “I decided to try to start an enhanced listing service at Fort Erie, so Kim and I walked the backside and explained what we were trying to do to the trainers and owners. The horsepeople gave us a chance and now we work at matching the horses to the right home.”

With the help of Thompson, Kacho-Sinke has found the perfect home for Livada.