THE Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), which is represented at Middleham today, is a charity committed to helping a racehorse to have a life after racing if the horse is physically and mentally able to enjoy a second career.

Established, the aims of RoR are three-fold:

● To raise funds within racing to provide and maintain facilities for the reception, care, retraining and re-homing of former racehorses;

● To raise the profile of exracehorses within the wider equestrian world in order to promote their adaptability to other equestrian pursuits;

● To work towards achieving an equilibrium between the demand for ex-racehorses and the number of horses leaving racing that are suitable for a second career.

RoR currently supports four charities that are the safety net for former racehorses.

All four centres are clear in their objectives which are to re-school and re-home exracehorses.

These centres are the Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre, in Lancashire, Greatwood Retired Racehorses, near Marlborough, in Wiltshire, Moorcroft Racehorse Welfare Centre, in Sussex, and Heros, near Lambourn, in Oxfordshire.

The charity also has a list of commercial retrainers and consultants who loan or sell former racehorses and help prospective or present exracehorse owners.

One of the main objectives of the charity is to promote former racehorses in other equine sports. Following on from the successful show series where there are now 50 qualifiers for the two RoR show series, the charity is building up series and championships in all disciplines to highlight the adaptability of former racehorses.

This year, there will be an eventing championship, as well as a polo championship for ex-racehorses that have retrained successfully to other disciplines, as well as prizes in showing, dressage, endurance, show jumping, polocrosse and horseball.

Another objective of the charity is to educate, and RoR runs clinics throughout the year for ex-racehorse owners to help them retrain and care for their horses.

As well as clinics, there are parades of former racehorses that are enjoying second careers at racecourses and other venues, to encourage owners and trainers to find their horses lives after racing, as well as to show the general public what these horses can achieve.

For more information, visit the website ror.org.uk