For Immediate Release:
February 23, 2007
Contact:
Chris Dunn, Habitat for Horses/North Florida Horse Rescue
904-626-1990
nfhr@horsesinthesouth.com
                                                  
Seven-year old Panametro, a thoroughbred racehorse, suffered four major fractures in his left front ankle, an injury similar to Barbaro’s—the Kentucky Derby winner that was recently euthanized. 

“Metro” could have met the same sad fate, but was able to heal himself by lying down for long periods over the last year and a half and allowing caretakers to attend to him. 

Now Metro and three other thoroughbreds will be coming from the Virgin Islands to their new home in Florida.  Habitat for Horses, the largest equine protection organization in the United States will welcome Panemetro, Bach One, Brimstone Tough, and Smooth Distinction at Ravenwood Farm in Keystone Heights, FL on Monday, February 26.  See these adoptatable horses in Florida at North Florida Horse Rescue or HabitatforHorses.org.

This will be the largest shipment of rescued racehorses from the Virgin Islands Community Cooperative Thoroughbred Retirement Effort (VICCTTRE), a nonprofit 501( C)3 organization that has rescued, rehabilitated and adopted 28 horses since its 2004 inception. 

All four horses raced both stateside and in the islands.  All suffered serious injuries, from Metro’s broken leg to bruised soles, damaged hooves and arthritis.  With the medical care, love and dedication of the VICCTRE volunteers they now have a new life to look forward to.

Kate Grimsley, VICCTRE’s  founding director and barn manager was in tears before sending Metro to his new Florida home. "It's amazing to me, on the heels of Barbaro, who had to be euthanized, to see his will," Grimsley said. "I'm a different person for knowing this horse."

Habitat for Horses will be looking for loving families to adopt Metro, Boccie, Brimstone and Smoothie.  They can be contacted through the websites at www.habitatforhorses.org & NorthFloridaHorseRescue.com. 

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About Habitat for Horses (HfH) and North Florida Horse Rescue (NFHR):
HfH (www.habitatforhorses.org) and the Regional Division, NFHR (www.NorthFloridaHorseRescue.com) are non-profit equine protection organizations.  HfH is dedicated to changing the lives of horses and humans.  Our goal is to create a world where horses are respected for their intrinsic value and for their ability to help us fulfill our emotional, behavioral and spiritual needs.  We provide equine rescue services to law enforcement agencies, an active equine adoption program, an equine education center, and equine assisted services to youths and adults. 
NFHR will provide evacuation assistance if animals are threatened by any hurricanes, fire or flooding.  NFHR provides education on the preparation and procedures before, during and after a disaster needed for all animals on a farm.  Emergency rescue classes are available and taught by experienced Hurricane Katrina rescue teams.  NFHR will strive to not leave any animal behind unless it is in a secure and safe environment.  NFHR encourages and recommends proper identification on all animals such as microchipping or tattoos, and will provide assistance with other information on identification.

See below and the original press release at the Virgin Islands Daily News.

VICCTRE celebrates hard-fought recovery of racehorses
By LYNN FREEHILL
Friday, February 2nd 2007

ST. THOMAS - As a thoroughbred racehorse who suffered a broken leg, Panametro could have met the same sorrowful end as Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby winner who was euthanized this week.

Instead, the 7-year-old Panametro fought to heal - by lying down for as many as 12 hours a day, thus giving veterinarians and caretakers a chance to attend to him in his stall. Now he's headed for a new life and a new home.

On Thursday, he was among four retired race horses sent to greener pastures after being cared for by the Virgin Islands Community Cooperative Thoroughbred Retirement Effort. It marked the largest single shipment of rescued horses that the nonprofit organization has produced.

Boch One, Brimstone Tough and Smooth Distinction each spent between six and eight months at VICCTRE's stables behind St. Thomas Dairies. They raced locally and stateside before retiring, and VICCTRE volunteers found each to be special.

But it was sending Panametro away that reduced Kate Grimsley, the nonprofit organization's founding director and barn manager, to tears. Lying down for long periods over the course of a year and a half - as Panametro did - is unusual for a horse, she said, and it requires patience and full trust in caregivers.

"It's amazing to me, on the heels of Barbaro, who had to be euthanized, to see his will," Grimsley said. "I'm a different person for knowing this horse."

Soaping Panametro up and hosing him down Thursday in preparation for 4 p.m. shipment, VICCTRE volunteer Bohdania Potter agreed. She took special care around a bulb of scar tissue that developed on the horse's left front ankle, where he had sustained four major fractures.

"When I first came here, he was in horrible condition. It was tearjerking to see how bad he really was," Potter said. "He had his own urge to survive."

To date, 28 horses have been rescued, rehabilitated or adopted through VICCTRE since its inception in 2004, Grimsley said. The four horses shipped Thursday will spend two weeks quarantined at Hacienda Allegra in Puerto Rico. Eventually, they will be sent to Florida and paired with a Marion County Correctional Facility inmate for natural-horsemanship training.

Other VICCTRE horses have been adopted, either on-island or on the U.S. mainland, or placed in therapeutic riding programs for the physically or mentally disabled, Grimsley said.

More information on the organization's efforts is available on its website, www.vicctre.com. Contact Lynn Freehill at 774-8772 ext. 311 or e-mail lfreehill@dailynews.vi.