HILLSBURG — Vicki Pappas and Lauren Millett are giving retired Thoroughbred racehorses a second life.
Pappas is chairman and co-founder of the LongRun Retired Thoroughbred Society, a 100-acre facility that specializes in matching retired Thoroughbreds with new owners for second careers and finding them adoptive homes. Millett is LongRun's farm and adoption manager.
LongRun was founded as a charity in 2000 and then as a farm in 2017 and has rehomed over 1,000 thoroughbred horses. It currently has about 60 horses, including champions Pink Lloyd, Riker, Rahy's Attorney, Fifty Proof and Something Extra.
“People don’t realize how good thoroughbreds are after they’ve had a career,” said Pappas, who was inducted into the Canadian Racing Hall of Fame as a builder in 2021. “They are extremely versatile and can do almost anything.
“Jumping, dressage, even the family horse. We even had pictures of graduates herding cattle, which is something they will never experience on the racetrack.”
Millet said not every horse is suited for a second competitive career, and that LongRun focuses on listening to what each animal needs — whether that's retraining or simply a quieter life with regular care and attention.
“Some people want to be taken out of the field, loved, ridden three or four days a week and that’s it,” she said. “We need to listen to them and tell us what they might want to do with the rest of their lives.”
Pappas said LongRun relies on support from the racing industry and private donors to care for its retired horses.
Several former champions are sponsored by their racing connections, including Pink Lloyd—Canada's 2017 Horse of the Year and seven-time Sovereign Award winner—along with Rahy's Attorney and Fifty Proof. Ryker, a two-year-old 2015 Canadian champion colt, was retired to LongRun with the help of the folks at Fort Erie Race Course.
Despite Pink Lloyd's successful career, Pappas said Ryker took on the role of barn leader.
“Riker is pretty confident,” she said. “He's definitely the boss.”
Pappas said LongRun has 16 paddocks, indoor running pens and outdoor fields with automated walking machines to help horses through therapy.
“It’s not a weight-bearing exercise, but it helps get them in shape,” she said.
Pappas said LongRun typically takes in 30 to 40 retired racehorses each year, mostly from Toronto's Woodbine Race Course and Fort Erie Race Course.
“Especially in today’s racing, aftercare is really necessary,” Millet said. “Many people drop out at two, three, four or five years and have 20-plus years of life ahead of them.”
Millet said each horse determines both its second career and the pace of transition.
“Some horses come here and after a week they say, ‘OK, I’m retired, this is my new job,’” she said. “Other horses may take two, three or six months to get rid of the stress, rigor and routine of the racecourse.”
The adoption process at LongRun begins with an application, followed by meetings with eligible horses and a site visit to ensure the long-term welfare of the animal.
“We’re not looking for fancy,” Pappas said. “We’re looking for happy, satisfied horses.”
LongRun provides supervision for the first year after adoption and requires veterinary confirmation of the horse's health.
While many retirees move on to riding or show homes, Pappas says horses that aren't adoptable are given sanctuary for life.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2025.
