Home  |  Adopt a Horse  |  Trainer-Owned Horses  |  How to Help  |  Support the Horses  |  Contact us

Below is information that is more specific to the CANTER NE program:

• How can I get in touch with CANTER NE?
• Which tracks/areas does CANTER NE serve?
• Can CANTER NE help me to have a horse vet checked?
• Does CANTER NE accept horses for donation?
• How can I find out about new horses being listed on the CANTER NE site?
• Does CANTER NE have any association with, or receive commission from, the people selling their horses through the web site?
• Can I make a donation to CANTER NE?
• How are prices that I see listed on CANTER NE determined versus those listed for horses on other CANTER affiliates?
• How often does CANTER NE update its listings?
• I have a TB that raced at one time, although I didn't buy him off the track...can I still list him on CANTER NE?
• I'm a racing trainer; how can I list a horse with CANTER NE?
• What can I expect at the track?
• How can I get a horse shipped from the track?
• How can I contact trainers and make appointments at the track?

How can I get in touch with CANTER NE?

Email: canterne@canterne.org
Call: 781-354-6291
Send snail mail:
CANTER NE
PO Box 3
Westborough, MA

You can also find us at Suffolk Downs in person between 8:00AM - 11:00AM on Saturdays during the live racing meet (which typically runs from May through November).

TOP

Which tracks/areas does CANTER NE serve?

CANTER New England serves Suffolk Downs Racetrack in East Boston, MA. Additionally, CANTER NE is available to Thoroughbred racing industry owners and breeders in the New England states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Suffolk Downs is located in East Boston, MA, approximately 1 mile from Logan Airport, on Rt. 1A. Visit the track's web site by clicking here. For more detailed information about the Suffolk Downs racing meet, visit our Track Information page.

TOP

Can CANTER NE help me to have a horse vet checked?

If you wish to have a horse vetted, call the Main # for Suffolk Downs, 617-567-3900, and ask for the veterinarians' office.


Please be aware that not all vets at the track are willing to do pre-purchase exams. Please respect this. We also ask that you DO NOT call the vets during evening hours, as they may be home relaxing after a long day at work.

We will also be happy to share with you the names of local vets (vets who submit their names to us, or whose names are submitted by area horse folks), should you wish to have a horse that is located on an area farm vetted.

CANTER NE has no affiliation with these vets, nor do we endorse them; we will provide this information as a courtesy to prospective buyers. When dealing with an unfamiliar veterinarian, or any provider of equine-related services, we urge you to ask questions and use discretion.

TOP

What Kind of Horses Does CANTER Accept?

We accept donated Thoroughbreds coming directly from racing (in New England), as our financial and foster home resources permit.

Please contact CANTER NE at canterne@canterusa.org or 781-354-6291 for more information about  donating a horse.

If we are not able to take on a horse coming from racing, we will help you to contact the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, which may be able to assist you in placing a retiring racer.

The Massachusetts SPCA houses rescued horses at their Nevins Farm facility in Methuen, MA:

The MSPCA at Nevins Farm
400 Broadway (Route 28)
Methuen, Massachusetts 01844
Telephone: (978) 687-0056
http://www.nevinsfarm.org
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 11am - 4pm

You can contact other horse rescues by using the rescue information on our resources page. If you know of a reputable rescue accepting horses, please e-mail us with details so that we can post this information for the benefit of those in need.

TOP

How can I find out about new horses being listed on the CANTER NE site?

If you click on our "Horse Listings" page, you will the newest listings at bottom of the screen. On the home page you'll see the box to sign up for email updates, which cover new horse listings as well as other news and updates from CANTER NE. YOU must complete the sign-up in order for the subscription to work (please do not email us and ask us to sign you up, as we are unable to do so). Subscribing takes a matter of just a couple of minutes.

If you're interested in volunteering for CANTER, you can also subscribe to this list to find out about special or ongoing volunteer opportunities.

TOP

Does CANTER NE have any association with, or receive commission from, the people selling their horses through the web site?

No. CANTER is a non-profit organization with an entirely volunteer staff. There is no commission or fee charged for listing or buying a horse, and we receive no compensation. (Our program operates entirely on donations and 100% of these donations are used to support our horse welfare and rescue efforts.)

We have no financial or other ties to any of the trainers, owners, or breeders listing horses. Think of CANTER as an informational resource; we are neither advocates nor agents.

TOP

Can I donate to CANTER NE?

Please do!  CANTER is a federal 501(c)(3) charity [i.e., we have "non-profit" tax status], so donations are tax deductable.

100% of your donations support our horse welfare efforts, and every gift makes a real difference for the horses!

TOP

How are the prices for trainer-owned horses listed on CANTER NE determined?

The listings that you see on the CANTER NE site at any given time may, or may not, be reflective of the general market for retiring Thoroughbreds in the area. We do not set the prices listed for trainer-listed horses (which are different than our horses available for adoption). In the case of a trainer-listed horse, any negotiation over price is strictly between you (as the buyer) and the seller of the horse.

As you will read in the general FAQs, the price of a horse can be determined by a number of factors including: height, soundness, and the trainer's need to sell. If the seller needs to move a horse quickly, they will be more flexible on price. The price of a horse might also be influenced, in the case of a mare or stallion, by the potential a seller feels the horse has to produce high-quality offspring.

Please be realistic - it is unlikely, though not impossible, that you will find a stunning 16.2 hand horse that is sound for jumping for less than $1,000. Remember: if you see "firm" after a price on the listings page, the price is not negotiable; otherwise, making a reasonable offer is perfectly acceptable.

TOP

How often does CANTER NE update its listings?

CANTER NE does regular weekly track visits. New horses for sale will be posted on the web site each week. We may also add interim updates, if trainers contact us between track visits.

Please call before setting out to see a horse; we cannot guarantee that all horses listed are still available as horses transition quickly.

TOP

I have a TB that raced at one time, although he has since been retrained...can I still list him with CANTER NE?

Unfortunately, it is not within the scope of our non-profit mission to take on horses that once raced but have since been transitioned into other careers; CANTER was established to help Thoroughbreds coming DIRECTLY from the racing industry transition to life after the finish line. This means that you must be a licensed trainer, racing breeder, or the person who owned the horse while it was actively racing in order to list a horse with CANTER NE. We cannot accept a horse listed by a person who purchased a horse from the track and wishes to resell it after a retraining period. Nor can we help the pleasure horse owner whose mount raced at one time in its life.

If you are trying to sell a horse not coming from the racing industry, you might want to consider listing your horse through such resources as the monthly magazine the Horseman's Yankee Pedlar; on equine sale web sites such as www.equinesite.com, www.dreamhorse.com, and www.equinenow.com; or in the weekly Want Advertiser. You can find the Pedlar at local tack shops and the Want Advertiser at most convenience stores.

TOP

I'm a racing trainer; how can I list a horse on CANTER NE?

Contact us by e-mail, or call Ellen O'Brien, Executive Director of CANTER NE, at 781-354-6291. Please be prepared to give the following information about the horse:

Registered Jockey Club name
Gender
Age
Height
Color/markings
Temperament / disposition
Soundness / history of injury (if applicable)
Asking price
Contact information

[By submitting a listing to us, you warranty that you have the legal right to sell the horse in question, either through ownership, or by prior authorization as agent for the owner, and that you are responsible for all representations as to soundness.]

TOP

What can I expect when I visit the track to look at horses?

Please keep in mind that when you come to the racetrack, you are visiting people in their workplace; you may be visiting them when they are in the midst of getting horses to the track for exercise, or dealing with unexpected health/injury issues--so please be considerate and patient.

Given that the backside is a busy place with many people working, we ask that you please refrain from bringing large groups

In general, you will only be able to see a horse jogged outside the shedrow and to handle the horse on the ground. You are not able to ride the horses at the track, for liability reasons; please do not ask the trainers or grooms to let you ride!

You should keep in mind that these horses are very fit (in general), and are probably going to look thinner than a typical show/pleasure horse would. The horses are stalled 23 hours/day--only going out for workouts, light exercise and races--so they are likely to be "up"; this may be exacerbated by products given to the horses to bulk them up and/or make them more aggressive in competition.

Because you are in a shedrow with horses you don't know, it is proper etiquette to refrain from patting the horses and you should never, without express permission, give a horse any treats! As some horses can be aggressive, you need to be aware of all horses around you. When a horse is being walked past you in the shedrow, please stay on the groom's side (which is usually on the inside, as horses in the shedrow are generally walked in a counter-clockwise direction).

If you make an appointment with a trainer, you should fix a time, arrive at the stable gate and call (if the trainer has a cell phone) or have the trainer paged. Wearing comfortable clothing (sandals and shorts are not a good idea!) is recommended, as is wearing sunscreen--it is hot and unshaded on the backside at Suffolk!

Remember that the horses listed on the CANTER site are generally racing at the claiming level, which means that the trainer selling the horse may only have owned him/her for a short time, so they may not have a great deal of history on the animal. This is one of the major reasons that we ALWAYS strongly recommend getting a pre-purchase vet exam on any horse you are seriously considering: trainers--not matter how honest-- cannot tell you what they don't know about a horse's past injuries/issues.

Trainers are usually not familiar with pleasure disciplines like dressage, or eventing, so they will not be able to make assessments like "yes, he moves from the shoulder". The trainers also, for the most part, have not ridden/trained these horses away from the track, so they won't know if the horse can jump or will make a suitable trail horse.

If you made an appointment with a trainer and cannot come, please be courteous and call the trainer to cancel/reschedule! It will help the horses in the end, as trainers won't be discouraged from listing other horses in the future.

If you want to be accompanied by a CANTER volunteer when you look at horses, doing so is only possible on Saturday mornings between 8 and 11 AM. We are volunteers who work full-time, so our time on the backside is limited. We suggest that you arrive early (between 8-8:30AM) and be prepared to spend some time looking: often, finding the right horse requires going barn-to-barn and chatting with various trainers.

If you have other questions, please feel free to get in touch with us via e-mail or phone (781-354-6291).

TOP

How can I get a horse shipped from the track?

Click on our Resources Page to get information about transporters that can help you to ship a horse from the track. (CANTER does not arrange or pay for shipping for buyers.)

TOP

How can I contact trainers and make appointments at the track?

If you want to contact a trainer listed as the seller for a particular horse, please call him or her, using the number in the listing, before 8:00PM EST; often the trainers are up at 4AM in order to be at the track early, so they appreciate your consideration.

Some trainers do not speak English well; in those cases you may prefer to have a CANTER volunteer bring you on a Saturday morning to see the horse(s) of interest.

Back to the Top

PLEASE NOTE:

CANTER's mission is focused on helping to transition retiring racehorses to new homes; accordingly, we will not ever expand our services to general equine rescue, nor can we accept horses that raced at one time but transitioned away from racing.

If you have, or know of, a horse in need that is not coming from the racing industry, please contact the local SPCA in your state.