Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Volunteering

One of the things I want to do more of is volunteering. I already do quite a bit for the Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program. I am lead volunteer for their Trainer's Listings. I want to do even more with them.

We have a "lower end" Thoroughbred race track in this area. Once a horse is done racing here, there are often no other career opportunities for them. They need to find another career and we help their trainers and owners do that. We have volunteers on the track every Saturday, when the track is open (Spring, Summer and Fall). These volunteers take listings for horses for sale by these owners and trainers. The listings are worked up, and placed on an Internet Bulletin Board, where people all over can see them. Here's the listing site. Right now, it's kind of static, because the track is closed for the winter.
http://fltrainerlist.proboards.com/index.cgi?

We work in teams. One person takes the pictures and one person takes the information that will be written up later, for the listings. My specialty is taking pictures. Sometimes, they come out very good.



Sometimes, in spite of all I can do, they come out very bad.



But, all of the time, they surely do make lovely subjects.






Aren't they beautiful? There's nothing as breathtaking as a Thoroughbred, IMO.

I love all animals, but I have a special weakness for horses. I don't own any now, but I have had them most of my adult life. Since I keep a horse for life, and since horses can live to over 30 years old, I was afraid to get another, when my last horse, my beautiful Promise Mare, died last February, at 26. At my age, I couldn't take the risk of getting sick or dieing, and leaving the animal in limbo.

So, I get my horse fix through the Trainer's Listings. The only problem is that I see beautiful young horses for sale every week. And, let me tell you, that's a real temptation.

Hmmm, I wonder if I should start a blog, when racing starts up again, just about the track?

3 comments:

Joanna@BooneDocksWilcox said...

Oh that's great volunteer work Louise. Absolutely beautiful horses, and photo's.

When I retire, I'll do more for our local Humane Society, no thoroughbred's 'round here.

BlueRidge Boomer said...

Beautiful horses......when our kids we're growing up we had a Morgan Quarter horse cross and the craziest shetland pony that ever lived.....Timmy used loved to watch TV and would sneak into house every chance he got....LOL!!

Thanks for stopping by.....come again!
LindaMay

Upupaepops said...

OY the first one, suspect legs but what a fantastic look