Horse Health

Click here for lots of great information about horse health, injuries/soundness, and care.

Track Information

Suffolk Downs, East Boston, MA

Live Racing at Suffolk Downs generally runs from May/June through October/November

CANTER volunteers are available to escort prospective buyers at the track on Saturday mornings during the racing season, between 8:30 AM and 11 AM--as we are volunteers, we are not at the track at other times. (You can make an appointment directly with a trainer and need not be accompanied by CANTER!)

Even if you make an appointment with CANTER, you should STILL call the trainer/owner listed for the horse(s) you're interested in to ensure that a particular horse is still available.

Trainers, contact us if you have a horse to list. (Please Note: we can ONLY list horses coming directly from the racing industry - meaning horses that are racing now, or horses that are currently being used as racing broodmares or stallions. We cannot list horses that may have raced at one time but have since moved on to other careers.)

Shippers and Transportation Resources

AANDR Equine Transportation is a fantastic shipping company with the flexibility and experience for any transport need - from quarantine/veterinary situations, to show trips, to straightforward "point A to point B" pickups and dropoffs. We highly, highly recommend them. (New England and coast-to-coast transport available) 978-618-2068 or e-mail aandr.info@earthlink.net.

Sandbar Equine Transport is run by a knowledgeable and compassionate horsewoman and longtime CANTER supporter - her Suffolk Downs "alum" is now a young girl's barrel racer! Based in western upstate NY, Sandbar is set up for local, long-distance, and emergency hauls, and even offers trailer-loading training! 631-988-7343 or e-mail jackie@sandbarequinetransport.com.

Mike Sherr is based in upstate NY and has years of experience under his belt trucking to and from Suffolk! He comes to us with glowing referrals and has a special understanding of OTTBs. 518-956-2587

Eddie Kellett is a NY-based shipper who travels both regionally and long-distance, and has earned numerous kudos from CANTER buyers!

516-381-9020

Jaime Boudreau is based at Suffolk Downs, and is prompt, pleasant and reliable. (New England, Mid-Atlantic, all of East Coast!)

978-815-0489

Steve Lynch has been shipping horses for many years - he's professional, experienced, and able to cover trips throughout New England and beyond.

401-351-2006

**If you are looking to ship a horse from Suffolk Downs to a point between MA and Florida on the East Coast, Lorraine Horse Transport frequently has loads leaving the track, and you might be able to get a spot at a great rate: call 800-423-5935.**

Fahey Horse Transport was referred to us by a trainer who has used them to ship horses: 617-519-7280

Other shippers' contact information can be found at:

http://www.horsehauling.com/

http://www.easyhorseship.com/default.asp

http://www.equinesite.com/cgi/dirsearch.cgi?Category=Trailers+And+Transport

Retraining Resources

If you are interested in finding a trainer to work with your new ex-racer, you may want to check out:

United States Dressage Federation - this is the page where you can located certified trainers

United States Eventing Association - check here for information on local eventing professionals

Equinesite Directory of Area Trainers - lists a variety of training professionals in New England and NY

Purchasing Your Ex-Racer's Win Photo

If you horse has won a race in the past few years at Suffolk Downs, you may be able to purchase a copy of the horse's win photo(s) by contacting Suffolk track photographer Chip Bott.

(Not sure if you horse ever won a race? Look up his/her race record at www.brisnet.com or www.equineline.com.)

Chip will need the date and race number of any race your horse won, as well as the horse's name, in order to find a win photo.

Other Equine Rescues

CANTER New England is only able to assist in the placement of Thoroughbreds coming directly from the New England racing industry, as our financial and foster home resources permit.

While we cannot take on non-TBs, or former racehorses that have since been transitioned into other careers, we are always happy to help suggest other rescues and placement options for owners of horses in need; please contact us if you are in this situation, or otherwise know of a horse needing help.

KNOW OF A HORSE IN TROUBLE? If you know of a horse being neglected, abused, or otherwise in danger, please contact the local SPCA in your state.

The Massachusetts SPCA houses rescued horses at their Nevins Farm facility in Methuen, MA:

The MSPCA at Nevins Farm

400 Broadway (Route 28)

Methuen, Massachusetts 01844

Telephone: (978) 687-0056

http://www.nevinsfarm.org

Open Tuesday-Saturday, 11am - 4pm

HAVE A HORSE NEEDING PLACEMENT? You can contact other horse rescues by using the links below. If you know of a reputable rescue accepting horses, please e-mail us with details so that we can post this information for the benefit of those in need.

Contact information for horse rescues in New England and New York (as well as in other parts of the country) can be found at:

http://www.equinerescue.info/links.html

http://www.petfinder.org

http://worldanimalnet.org/new.asp

Online Communities for OTTB Lovers

Chronicle of the Horse Bulletin Board

ExRacers Bulletin Board

S.A.F.E. Horses

Find an OTTB

Veterinarians and Pre-Purchase Exams

For a complete list of the veterinarians practicing at Suffolk Downs, please call the Suffolk Downs main number - 617-567-3900 - and ask to be connected to the vets' office.

If you find a horse you would like to have vetted, be sure to ask the horse's trainer which track vet typically does his or her vet work. You will want to use a different track vet, to avoid a conflict of interest. You can then call the Suffolk Downs main number, ask to be connected to the vets' office, and speak with a track vet who can do the exam.

When you are speaking with a track vet to set up a pre-purchase, please be prepared to give the following information:

The horse's name

The trainer's name

The barn and stall number the horse is stabled in at the track (if you are buying long-distance, you can obtain this information from the trainer)

What discipline you intend to use the horse for, and how in-depth an exam you are requesting (this can range from a simple visual exam and flexion test, to full X-rays)

Your billing address/payment information

Some important things to note about pre-purchase exams on horses stabled at the track:

Not all vets practicing at the track are comfortable doing pre-purchase exams for CANTER buyers; please respect this.

Vets cannot typically do "same day" exams - they have their days booked, as do all vets in private practice, particularly on racing days. Please try to leave lead time to make an appointment: this will generally mean 2-3 days.

If you are coming in from a distance, or are buying the horse sight-unseen and having it shipped, please try to speak to a track vet well before you plan to ship the horse, so that you have sufficient time to arrange a pre-purchase vet exam, vaccinations, health certificate and so forth.

If you cannot get a track vet to do the exam for you, you may wish to visit Equinesite's List of New England Veterinarians; you might have some luck getting an off-track vet to do the exam for you.

Please be courteous: do not call the veterinarians outside of business hours to try and arrange vetting.