Retired racehorses given new lease of life

Martin Whitley said the retired racehorses were “ideally suited to falconry"

A team in Devon is giving former racehorses the chance of a second career working alongside birds of prey.

The Recycled Racehorse Falconry Team, based near Loddiswell, combines falconry with riding.

Five ex-racehorses have been trained to work with the birds, which the team said benefitted both animals.

The team said its mission was to "show the true versatility of the thoroughbred horse in a life after racing".

Owner Martin Whitley said: "We let each horse develop at its own pace... its a case of gentle introductions and positive reinforcement."

'Harness hunting instinct'

Mr Whitley said it was "good for the birds to have as much variety in their life as as possible".

He added: "All we are doing is harnessing their hunting instinct, and the more ways we can do this the better it is for them so they don't get stuck into routine.

"It keeps the horses thinking and using their brains as we work in different ways with the combination."

The horses work with birds of prey including golden eagles

Mr Whitley said the horses were “ideally suited to falconry, they are quick on their feet, they’re bright, they’re adaptable, they really take to the birds".

He added: "We show how well they can adapt to a very unique job - horses coming out of racing are normally found homes but we want to encourage people to take them on by showing how amazingly sensible they can be with the correct retraining and time and patience."