Watsonville ranch rehabilitates former racehorses

Gina Kindscher, owner of Morning Sun Ranch in Watsonville, has cared for horses her entire life. What sets her work apart is the type of horse she takes in. “We take the broken ones in here. We see what they’re like after they’ve been in the competitive world, mentally and physically,” said Kindscher.

Kindscher brings in racehorses, like the ones that have made headlines, in recent months. Santa Anita Race Track lost another thoroughbred, last Sunday. Champion, “Arms Runner,” is the 23rd horse to die racing there, since Decemeber.

“There’s been six on the grass. There’s been seven on the dirt, during racing. The rest of them were on the training, at all different areas, all different places, different legs, right, in front. We can’t find any one common denominator,” said Tim Ritvo, a representative for Santa Anita Park.

For Kindscher, the deaths have hit close to home. She said she sees the, often times, harsh effects racing has on these animals. “A racehorse, when they first come off the track, is just very high strung. We try to dial into what’s wrong. Is the horse in pain? Does he have ulcers? Does his back hurt? Did he just not have a proper start in life?,” said Kindscher.

Kindscher digs for the answers to those questions, every day. She believes the scarring could be a result of years of intense training. “I think were in a day-in-age where fast isn’t fast enough. They’re pushing them really hard, much younger. The stakes are really high for some of these races, so perhaps they’re pushing past some of the safety margins that have been set,” said Kindscher.

Protestors pushed a similar fear in Los Angeles, Saturday and Sunday. They’ve called for an end to a sport they say causes more harm than good.