1. What does RESET stand for?
Racehorse, Evaluation, Support, Education and Transition.
2. What is the RESET Program?
The RESET Program has been introduced to underpin Racing Victoria’s (RV) post-racing framework to provide every thoroughbred that leaves the racing industry with the best possible opportunity of a second career.
It’s focus is to support horses that have good prospects of a second career outside of racing but have not been successful in transitioning via RV Acknowledged Retrainers or other rehoming pathways due to perceived low market value and low likelihood of a return on time and cost expended.
3. What will horses in the RESET Program be afforded?
Horses accepted into the RESET Program will undergo retraining funded by Racing Victoria’s Equine Welfare Fund with the goal of responsible rehoming at the conclusion of the program, thereby improving welfare outcomes for graduates.
4. What is the criteria for entry into the RESET Program?
To be eligible for entry into the RESET Program, a horse must, at a minimum, satisfy the following criteria:
- be a thoroughbred horse identified via microchip and/or brand/s;
- be bred in Victoria, raced in Victoria or have been domiciled in Victoria for the six months prior to the date the horse is nominated for entry into the RESET Program;
- have had minimum of two genuine attempts to rehome the horse prior to entry into the Program. One of these attempts must be via the RV Acknowledged Retrainer network for at least 10 business days, Horse Placement form;
- have had an RV Vet Assessment Form completed; and
- the horse has been assessed as appropriate for the program by RV’s Equine Welfare team, or other person/s as authorised by RV General Manager – Equine Welfare.
Notwithstanding any of the above, the decision as to whether a horse is accepted into the Program shall be at the absolute discretion of RV. A horse that fulfills the above minimum criteria is not guaranteed entry to the Program.
5. Who can nominate a horse for the RESET Program?
To nominate a horse for the Program, a person must be either the Registered Owner or Managing Owner of the Nominee Horse (as per RV records); or provide a receipt of purchase and/or Statutory Declaration documenting ownership of the Nominee Horse.
6. How can someone nominate their horse for the RESET Program?
To nominate a horse for the RESET Program the appropriate person (as per point 5) must request a nomination form from RV’s Equine Welfare team via email: equinewelfare@racingvictoria.net.au.
7. How many horses will take part in the RESET Program?
Due to the relative unknowns in relation to the number of horses that will make use of this program, and the costs and timeframes attached to rehoming a variety of different horses, RV plans to run an initial pilot program for 30 horses.
8. Who will be retraining the horses?
RV has identified a number of RV Acknowledged Retrainers to take part in the RESET Program. Based on the success of the pilot program, this pool of retrainers may expand.
9. What is the expected time frame to retrain each horse?
It is anticipated that the median timeframe for each horse’s retraining is three months. is committed to funding each horse in the Program for up to 24-weeks.
The below is a guide to the time allocation within the Program:
- 12 Weeks – Anticipated Retraining Allocation
- 16 Weeks – Maximum Retraining Allocation
- 8 Weeks – Maximum additional agistment/required rest
- 24 Weeks – Maximum time allocated for each horse in the Program
10. What happens to the horses once they have successfully completed the retraining?
Like many other horses that have come off the track and been retrained for a second career, the horse will sold, with the goal of finding a suitable home. For the initial pilot program any sale proceeds will be split 50/50 between the Retrainer and the owner.
Where no responsible owner is a direct party to the Program agreement, the proceeds will be split 50/50 between the Retrainer and a nominated equine not for profit (e.g. RSPCA Victoria).
11. What happens to those horses that don’t find a new home following their time in the RESET Program?
A horse in the Program may be agisted for 30 calendar days with the Retrainer (subject to capacity) at the conclusion of the retraining phase whilst sale / rehoming efforts take place.
Where a horse is unable to be responsibly rehomed after being advertised for sale / rehoming for 30 calendar days, the default position of the Program is that the horse will be returned to its owner to take financial and physical responsibility for its care.
In this scenario, RV will continue to support the responsible owner by trying to find a new home for the horse as required.
Where it is not practical for the horse to be returned to the safekeeping of the registered owner, RV’s Equine Welfare team will assess what future pathway is most suitable for the welfare of the horse.