The HRV Hero Program is designed to assist industry participants and owners in rehoming their racehorse once their career on the track has ended. Horses are required to have a minimum six (6) week spell prior to entering the program.
Hero can not accept stallions or colts or any horses under three (3) or over twelve (12) years of age. Hero cannot accept horses that have previously been rehomed.
Hero Horses are subject to a pre-screening check by a HRV appointed veterinarian, horses must be of sound mind and body prior to entering the program.
- Ensure your horse is cleared by your stable veterinarian for a ridden career. Obtain your horse’s veterinary history from your stable veterinarian and ask them to email it to hero@hrv.org.au
- Ensure that your horse has a body condition score of 2.5. Horses with body condition scores below this will not be accepted into the program.
- Ensure that your horse has had its teeth floated within the last 12 months, its feet are trimmed and balanced and its vaccinations for tetanus and strangles are up to date.
- Ensure your horse has no active wounds, eye or skin conditions or injuries evident. If your horse is suffering any problem at this time talk to Hero about pushing the assessment process back until the problem is resolved.
- Ensure your horse is not lame or sore in the back. Lame or sore horses will not be admitted into the Hero program.
- Ensure your horse is comfortable with a stranger examining it and it can be led calmly at trot over a 40 meter path. Horses that cannot be examined fully, including a trot up for lameness, will not be admitted to the Hero program.
All horses must have their status updated to retired from racing prior to entering the Hero program.
