Saving racehorses: reform or revolution?

"While there is a chance the horse may be rehomed," said Young, "there is a much bigger chance they will be purchased by kill buyers [for] abattoirs and knackeries."

Last year, CPR proposed a retirement plan which allowed for every horse in the industry to be rehomed. It would cost 1 per cent of the betting turnover and end the 'discarding' of horses bred for racing, but that don't make it to the track. According to the group, these horses make up the bulk of what's referred to as 'wastage', and end up being slaughtered.

The plan was rejected by the Australian Racing Board who would not comment on why they had dismissed it.

But others in the industry have been open to working with animal activists.

Scott Brodie who runs the unique Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Program funded by Racing NSW, is persuaded by the value of communication. With a wide background in horse training and education, Brodie's networks have included animal advocates. And he's tried to reach out to them. In his position, he said he thought he might be able to unofficially mediate between Racing NSW, and animal welfare groups.

"I didn't really get good feedback … it was really disappointing at the time."

" There's an opportunity there to bring people together."

Brodie oversees an estimated 30 volunteers and a partnership with Corrective Services NSW's St Heliers facility at Muswellbrook. The program also has staff looking after the horses at its headquarters at Canterbury Racecourse in Sydney.

"The horses come from owners, trainers, studs," he said. "We have horses that have been racing for 10 years; we have some horses that never even made it to the race track. "

"They go to the prison… [and] because we've got plenty of land up there, the horses will have six months just in a paddock being horses."

"And once they've had that six months…we introduce them to the inmates [who] do six weeks with each horse utilising natural horsemanship techniques which is horse whispering."

Mr Brodie regards the program as one providing holistic approaches to horse training where gentle interaction is core. But he also sees it helping both horses and people in the art of communication.