Abused Racehorse Saved From Euthanasia Finally Finds Her Forever Home

It's a tough life for a racehorse, worked hard for short time, then retired, sometimes with an uncertain future.

One such horse who had to go through a lot before finding her forever home is Jane, the 7-year-old off-track thoroughbred. This is a horse bred and trained to be a racehorse, but is no longer racing.

In an August video posted by Bluemont Equine Sanctuary on Instagram, Jane can be seen on her rescue day, emaciated and sad.

"Those that argue that horses love to run or that thoroughbreds are treated like kings have no idea," Lesley Luckhardt, 43, of Bluemont Equine Sanctuary, told Newsweek. "That narrative plays right into human desires and ego."

Luckhardt said that Jane didn't win as a racehorse and breeders weren't interested in using her. "A broodmare is a female designated for breeding. They typically have a foal a year until they age out," added Luckhardt. "They experience child loss time and time again and are oftentimes discarded at the end.

"Jane was taken on by a thoroughbred aftercare program, where she was placed in an adoptive home that did not know how to handle her," said Luckhardt, and Jane was soon up for adoption again.

After being taken on by a trainer who tried and failed to ride Jane, it was discovered that she had a chip in her bone from her days as a racehorse. "Jane's options were euthanasia or a companion home," said Luckhardt. "Insert Rooster Featherston; he was identified as a potential home by a subcontractor for the thoroughbred aftercare program."

Luckhardt revealed that Jane was placed with Featherston at his animal center. This was Rooster's Rescue Foundation Inc., in Hunterdon County in New Jersey owned by Michael B. Featherston, and it doubles up as a paintball center. The organization was a registered non-profit.

Featherston, now 53, had 71 neglected, and several dead, animals taken from his property in May 2022, reported My Jersey Central. The local news outlet added that Featherston was charged with cruelty to animals and unlawful possession of a weapon.

"Large-capacity magazines and marijuana" were also recovered, according to the prosecutor's office, and "the assault rifle is considered a 'ghost gun' because it had no serial number."

"All animals on the property were seized, given proper medical attention and surrendered to various rescue groups, according to the prosecutor's office," reported My Jersey Central. "Several dead animals also were found on the 63-acre property, the prosecutor's office said."

During Jane's time at Featherston's organization, Luckhardt said that he starved Jane and other animals. "Animals perished on his farm while law enforcement and animal control worked to bring charges against him," she said, "which is an arduous and time-consuming process.

"We were contacted by law enforcement and other sanctuaries about the dire nature of this neglect case," said Luckhardt. "When we found her, Jane was starved and shut down. She was lethargic and distrustful. She was distrustful of humans and was in a state of shock."

Luckhardt learned that both Jane and her friend Stevie would likely be euthanized if not rescued. "Needless to say, they will both be with us forever," she said.

"We rescued Jane from one of the worst neglect cases I've ever seen," Luckhardt added. "She's an off-the-track thoroughbred (OTTB) that got shuffled over to an aftercare program when she was no longer useful. Jane has a bone chip in her joint from her racing career and cannot be ridden. Her 'owners' did not find her pleasing enough to use her as a broodmare.

"Subsequently, the aftercare program homed her with a man who neglected her and hundreds of other animals. This was supposed to be her soft landing, where she lived the good life. There is so much more to this story, but Jane is finally in her forever home with us. She will never know neglect again. She's already had four different owners that we know of in her short life. It's time for true retirement and love."

Users on Instagram were appalled by the cruelty. "I remember hearing about the Rooster case and I couldn't believe the amount of mistreatment and nonsense that came out of that place. So gross. I'm glad Jane is safe and happy and healthy," wrote one.

"Thank god you have her forever. People like him make my blood boil," posted another.

Newsweek reached out by email to the County of Hunterdon for more information about the legal case.

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