When the Jamaica Bay Riding Academy closed in May after 54 years, a handful of its senior horses got a second chance, retiring to a horse sanctuary in upstate New York.
Located off the Belt Parkway near Bergen Beach, the riding academy opened in 1972 by the Danza family and offered trail and beach horseback riding and lessons.
“After years of dedication, strength, and loyal service, the time has come for our hardworking horses to enjoy the peaceful retirement they have truly earned,” the family wrote on their farewell note posted on the website.
Between 40 and 50 horses were displaced from the closure, and 13 of them found sanctuary at the 13 Hands Equine Rescue in Clinton Corners in Dutchess County, according to Marylou Tortorello, the founder and board chair of the rescue farm.
The Danza family reached out to Tortorello, and the horses arrived in early June.
“It’s taken time to complete evaluations and initial intakes, but every horse has now received immediate care including veterinary exams, farrier work, and dental,” according to Colleen Challenger Schropfer, a strategic engagement officer at 13 Hands Rescue.
A majority of the other horses were sold to individual buyers and farms for $3,000-$5,000, after a post by NYC Equestrian advertised their uncertain futures and possibility of going to auction, according to Tortorello.
However, many of the horses needed to be retired due to old age and medical complications related to aging, according to Tortorello.
“That's how we look at it and feel,” Tortorello said. “Almost every horse we got, except for two or three, were all about late 20s to early 30s.”
Horses in captivity live to be in their 20s on average, but oftentimes they encounter health issues before they reach higher ages, Tortorello said.
"So we look at quality of life too, and we don't want horses to suffer,” Tortorello said.
The Danza family did not respond to repeated emails and calls for comment.
“This group is older than we were initially told, and their needs are substantial,” Schropfer said in a statement. “Senior horses often require double that in feed and supplements. And our veterinary costs continue to rise as we uncover and treat underlying issues.”
This July, in collaboration with their vet, the rescue farm decided to humanely euthanize horses, S.T. and Midnite Shock. S.T. had an advanced chronic connective tissue disorder, and Midnite Shock had multiple tumors, including a ruptured one causing continuous bleeding.
Five of the other horses sent to 13 Hands Equine Rescue were adopted into other homes, and the other six are available to be sponsored at the rescue, according to Schropfer.
The horses needed a place to rest and retire after years of work, Tortorello said.
“Every person should help rescues because there are many animals we have helped, and there's so many more waiting to come here. But it's all about money and space,” Tortorello said. “But, there is never a loss for finding horses that need homes."
