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THE organisation that led the way in racehorse rehabilitation in Britain is urging the country's riders to give older horses a chance.

The former racehorses aged under 10 that the Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre prepare for new lives are more easy to rehome.

But the charity, which stables 30 horses at a time and always has a long waiting list, is continually "bed blocked" by teenage horses.

The TRC's founder, Carrie Humble, said: "We are not prepared to kill these horses. They are useful and they do deserve a life. They certainly don't warrant humane destruction, but they do slow down the re-homing process. The TRC is not a retirement home, but nor are we an abbatoir."

TRC yard director Julie Robinson added: "What is frustrating is that these are the very horses that rarely come back to us once we find them new homes. A 15- year-old mare with few miles on the clock and no leg trouble is a far better prospect than a five-year-old with a tendon injury. People just need to give them a chance. The 'ready-to-go' list is beginning to be groundhog material, with the same names cropping up every month."

The TRC, among whose patrons are Frankie Dettori and Sir Peter O'Sullevan, has rehomed more than 200 horses. Some take weeks or months to prepare for their new lives; others take years. And because the horses remain in the ownership of the TRC even after they are found loan homes, if it doesn't work out, they are returned to the Centre be rehomed once more.

The TRC is based at Whinney Hill, a 230-acre former dairy farm at Halton, north of Lancaster. Its running costs are around £400,000 a year, the majority of which comes in the form of donations from the general public. The TRC also receives a grant from Retraining of Racehorses, the racing industry organisation.

Richard Witt, chairman of the board, writing in the TRC's spring newsletter, said: "We are very grateful to everyone who supports us. As well as raising funds for our running costs we are still fund-raising for capital projects, the most important being the vet building so that we can carry out more procedures here."

For further information: Nicky McDonald, at the Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre, on 01524 812649

10:45am Wednesday 27th August 2008

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