When assessing the big picture and long-term health of the industry, aftercare must be at the forefront. It is intrinsically connected to equine welfare and public support, two areas the industry needs to continue to invest in improving.

Is there a difference between breeding TO sell and breeding AND selling? And if so, does it matter?

It is the duty of every participant in this industry, large or small, to put the welfare of the horses first in all decisions. There is no bureaucracy or red tape stopping anyone from being the best steward of the breed and sport possible.

Being a good steward of the breed means being a force for positive change in the Thoroughbred industry, as the two are intrinsically linked.

Where did the term “aftercare” come from and what does it truly mean to the Thoroughbred industry?

When BTE Stables closed on our Paris, Kentucky property in November of 2020, one of the first priorities was purchasing a broodmare with a similar foaling date to Becca’s Diamond, the first BTE Stables broodmare. As with many plans in 2020, ours pivoted at the sale and we ended up purchasing 3 broodmares…

From the outside, the years’ worth of decisions that go into creating and raising a racehorse can appear chaotic and somewhat random, with nothing but luck or money separating the winners from the losers.