DO NOT SEND YOUR HORSE TO MOORCROFTIf you had to find your TB a home following financial difficulty or your own medical issues and you assumed that all rescue centres were alike. (i.e. that they would take your horse perhaps for a reasonable donation and look after them, perhaps find them a suitable loan home ridden or as a companion for the rest of their natural lives or indeed provide permanent sanctuary at the centre) It has come to light that Moorcroft are putting to sleep horses that have been proven to have no issues. If somebody said to you for example that they could take your horse at a welfare centre, that you had to have that horse vetted at your cost before your horse arrived that it didn't matter if you had owned your TB for a year or 9 years, knew and loved that horse and had made the difficult decision to pass the horse to a welfare centre, paid the welfare centre £1500 for them to even take your horse, been 'sold' on the extensive training the horse would receive, how the horse would be at the welfare centre for a minimum of 9 months to assess the TB horses behaviour during summer and winter months. How during that 9 months you could visit your by appointment but that once loaned all ties would be broken. You might consider it right? WRONG! It has come to light that despite paying a hefty 'gifting donation' owners horses are being put down in a rather sinister fashion. Moorcroft appear to follow a similar pattern in virtually all the cases. Firstly owners are made to feel 'very lucky' that their horse could even come to Moorcroft as they state that the majority of their intake is straight from racing yards. This is not true they take large amount from private owners. They use 'hard sell' tactics to alleviate your worry and concerns, they make you feel that your horse will receive the best training that even if you were well or hadn't lost you job, you may have never been able to provide ordinarily. They show you a pristine yard and a potential stable. They tell you how you are still able to visit your horse during the 9 month period and that you and your friends would be welcome to see the horse in their demo days usually at the 6 month mark of being there. You come home from your visit, relay to your friends and family what you found out and everyone is in agreement that it all sounds a wonderful opportunity. So you decide to go ahead quickly as luckily they have a 'space' at the moment, even with the high demand and you are asked to have the horse vetted or provide a letter from your vet that your horse is suitable for ridden work. You draw the cash or write the cheque and arrange transport. The day you hand over your horse looms, you feel sick to your stomach, after all, you have owned this horse for 5 years, you have had many happy times together, many long lovely hacks, cantering in the stubble fields, cuddling them, bathing them, buying many a new rug, made to measure saddle, anything your horse needed. You insured them so that should anything happen they could have the best care. You question if you are doing the right thing, perhaps you should have loaned your horse out yourself, but then there are so many stories of that going wrong and the horse being found in a terrible state or worse goes missing. So you put your trust in Moorcroft they have assured you that the horse will always belong to them and that the loanee has to pay a 'donation' too to show commitment and they check on their loan horses regularly. This puts your mind at rest. You transport your horse to Moorcroft, on arrival they place your horse in a stable, offer you tea, the girls clean the manure from your trailer or lorry. You say your goodbyes and promise to visit in 2 weeks. You are assured that all will be well. Your first visit goes well, they tell you how good your horse is doing, how all the training is going, they tell you how one of the young staff particularly loves your horse, he looks happy enough, you feed him carrots you go home. You may have 2 or 3 more visits like this, then you'll get a text, it will say that there is something wrong a lameness a stiffness it will sound as though its accusing you of a covering up an issue. You phone or text back and get told that their vet is looking at the horse and they are going to x-ray. Then you get text saying that the horse has either back/hock/hoof etcc.... problems (just one problem though) they will tell you the horse has been medicated or rested. During this time it becomes increasingly hard to make an appointment to visit your horse, you would love to see for yourself how your horse is. But no-one is available to facilitate that when you can make it. Randomly you get a text a few weeks later that your horse has been x-country schooling and loved it, or that they are back in training, great your think it must just have been a blip, after all you haven't spoken to their vet so you have no idea what's going on, you remember how much you enjoyed that day you took your horse x-country schooling and you think 'I bet he enjoyed it' we both did when I took him. You then manage to arrange a visit successfully, which they cancel at the last minute, or you phone to say you are going on holiday for a few weeks but that you'll visit when you get back. Then when you come home from work or holiday, there is a letter or email, stating that your horse has been put down. BAM your world stops. You try to contact them but are told its all in the letter, you ask why, and they won't divulge, you ask for a vets report, they refuse or send you a spurious photocopy that could belong to any horse. They make you feel like you are the only one this has happened to. You feel such pain in your heart, you cry for months and months. You feel like you failed your horse, you know if he was still yours he would have been given years to 'heal' if he needed it, or just retired to livery. Not a couple of weeks, not a couple of weeks. As it turns out you were not alone, you were not the only one this has happened to. Countless people are coming forward now with very similar stories over the last 8 years. If you wish to join the facebook page 'Moorcroft Racehorse Welfare - The Horses In Loving Memory Owners Page' has been set up for people in this situation, a place to grieve and a place to share your pictures of the horses you had the misfortune to lose, twice. Would you take your horse there now? Knowing that there is no sanctuary? Knowing they may only be there 4 months and PTS? Not knowing how they did it? Not knowing what became of the horse you loved? Not ever getting to say goodbye? Not seeing your horse for the last time, knowing it was the last time? Not knowing how lame or sore he was? Not being given the chance to take him home, they could have kept the donation money, you didn't care about that only your horse. You only cared about your horse. Read more at www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?738807-Beware-of-Moorcroft-Racehorse-Welfare-Centre#kIkTmR2adjeILsl1.99