Thoroughbred Project
About Second Wind Thoroughbred Project
We're a small barn family in Virginia doing big work for off-track Thoroughbreds —
one horse at a time, for over a decade.
Our mission
Why does this work matter?
Since 2015, over 120,000 Thoroughbreds have been registered with the Jockey Club. Fewer than half become winners — and when their racing careers end, most need somewhere to go.
These horses have spent their entire lives in one of the most demanding environments in sport. Before they can find new careers or new homes, they need something most people underestimate: time. Time to decompress. Time to heal. Time to just be horses.
Given the right support, most Thoroughbreds go on to extraordinary second careers — in the show ring, on the trails, in lesson programs, and in the lives of people who love them completely.
We exist to bridge that gap.
How We Do it
Every horse that arrives at our farm gets an individualized program. There is no template, no timeline, no one-size-fits-all approach. Just a careful look at who this horse is and what they need next.
🩺 Rehabilitate
Some horses arrive injured, ill, or simply exhausted. Before anything else, they get what they need — veterinary care, farrier work, dental attention, rest, and the kind of daily attention that racing stables rarely have time to give. We don't rush this phase. Ever.
🌿 Decompress
A racehorse's world is intense, loud, and relentless. We give every horse time to simply be an animal — pasture time, fresh air, other horses to socialize with, and zero expectations. Some horses need weeks. Some need months. Both are fine with us.
🏇 Retrain
When a horse is ready, we start building their new skillset. Some take to their new discipline immediately. Some surprise everyone — including us. Every program is designed around the individual horse's body, temperament, and potential. We've seen horses discover they love jumping. We've seen horses who just want to walk trails. We celebrate both.
🏡 Rehome or Retire
Some horses find their perfect forever home. Some stay with us permanently — because of injury, age, or because we simply cannot imagine life without them. Both outcomes are celebrated. Every horse we have ever placed has been tracked. Every single one.
35 years. One horse at a time.
Dayle Eldredge has been riding since childhood, competing since age 11, and rehabbing off-track Thoroughbreds for over 35 years. Her first Thoroughbred — Admiral DD — started a lifelong love affair with the breed.
In 1989 she became a USEF licensed horse show judge. She chairs the USHJA Thoroughbred Task Force, served eight years on the USHJA Horse & Rider Advocates Committee, and has coached IEA teams to Regional, Zone, and National finals.
For decades she did this work quietly and out of pocket — because the need was there and someone had to meet it. When the requests grew too large for one person to handle, she built something that could do it properly.
She oversees every horse at the farm. She knows each one's history, personality, and potential. She doesn't stop until each one has the future they deserve.
The People Behind the Program
Second Wind is run by a small, dedicated team of equestrians, industry professionals, and lifelong horse people.
Accreditations
Second Wind Thoroughbred Project is fully accredited and independently verified.
We believe in complete transparency — about our horses, our finances, and our outcomes.
