Acknowledged Retrainers are selected by NZTR based on their skills and experience and have a track record of successfully retraining and rehoming Thoroughbreds for a wide range of equestrian pursuits. They are supported by a range of initiatives funded by the 1% welfare levy on stakes money.
This month the spotlight is on Acknowledged Retrainer Lisa Wilson.
Q & A
Name: Lisa Wilson
Business name: Pinoaks Park
Location: North Canterbury
Number of thoroughbreds retrained and rehomed during the past 12 months:
100 (at time of interview)
Number of staff:
We have Freya who does some riding and Libby who also helps out and does the muck out and feed run.
Explain your process when a thoroughbred first arrives at your facility:
I like getting them straight out of work so they are in a good working condition. Then we can get a good feel for them but there is a time and place depending on their condition for them to have a spell before they come to us. Unless they sell quickly to an experienced person I like to get them out and about as well to see how they handle different environments.
What do you love most about thoroughbreds as a breed?
Their versatility. They are very intelligent and have a big heart and try really hard no matter what discipline you ask them to do.
How do you make sure a thoroughbred is going to a suitable home?
We have got a list of reference checks we do. If it is sight unseen I like to see photos and videos of the person riding as well as references. We try and do a bit of everything with the horses before they go, they go to the forest, to the local pony club and pop a few show jumps, lots of different things so we can find what they are best suited to.
Do you have a favourite thoroughbred that has come through your retraining programme?
El Tirador (Shocking x Pamela Place). The first time we took him on a cross country outing he took it all in his stride and you just knew you were sitting on a good horse. He sold to Rebecca Sharplin who is an eventer down here but her daughter who is a teenager actually pinched him. They just recently joined our pony club (Kaiapoi Pony Club) so I get to see him and they recently just did their first 95cm event and he just flew around. He has definitely gone to the right people to get him going places.
Do you have a preferred sire line or stable that you source your thoroughbreds from?
I quite like the Zacintos but I have worked for Inglewood Stud for years so might be biased. They seem to be making pretty good jumpers which is exciting.
What is one thing you wish people knew about rehoming thoroughbreds?
The amount of money that goes into getting them ready to rehome. It costs about $300 a week to have them here and some are here for six to eight weeks getting all those life experiences that set them up to succeed in their next careers. I’d love it if trainers thought a bit more about the transition into their second careers. They are athletes so even something like getting bodywork done, which a lot of trainers do, can make a difference.
What is the biggest challenge of being a retrainer of thoroughbreds?
The lack of value placed on thoroughbreds. People think thoroughbreds are $500-$1000 horses, while they don’t blink at spending $8,000 on an unbroken sport horse. Every horse that comes through our gates gets their feet done, a dental if needed and maybe a massage. So that is $600 there before we even start riding.
We have to lead from the front as Acknowledged Retrainers and work as a collective to show that these horses have value. We need to somehow set the market, stick to our guns and keep working to prove the value of thoroughbreds and all the things that they can do.
What do you like most about being a NZTR acknowledged retrainer?
It is really rewarding working with lots of different horses. I’ve worked in the thoroughbred industry since I was 14 and it is nice to see the horses on the other side and be able to place them where they can go on to enjoy their lives.