western australia

endurance riding

Greyhounds at an endurance ride

@JudyEv (382146)

Rockingham, Australia

July 15, 2023 9:22pm CST

Yesterday, we took photos at a horse endurance ride. The riders have to go through several checkpoints. Volunteers man each checkpoint and, as the riders come through, they radio back to the base with the number of the rider. This makes sure everyone gets accounted for and nobody goes missing. The people at one checkpoint had two greyhounds, one of which is in the photo. Their two dogs have retired from racing but the owners also ‘foster’ retired greyhounds. The greyhound racing industry had a very bad name at one point but things are improving. These folk socialise greyhounds to living in a house, which often involves toilet-training them. Some are very timid and not used to being around too many people and/or other pets. Dogs that seem as though they would tolerate cats are given to this couple as their cat is very quick to teach greyhounds just who is in charge. I thought it was a lovely thing to do. Once the dogs are happy living in a house with a family, they go back to the association to find a ‘forever’ home.

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16 responses

@RubyHawk (99367)

• Atlanta, Georgia

16 Jul 23

Those poor gray hounds have a hard life. You don’t think of race horses as having hard lives but when you think about it, they have hard lives too.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jul 23

There is a similar scheme in West Australia where they re-educate race horses for other disciplines.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Jul 23

@RubyHawk That's what these people are doing - getting the dogs used to living with a family in a house.

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@RubyHawk (99367)

• Atlanta, Georgia

16 Jul 23

@JudyEv It’s good they have that for horses. Maybe someone will start such a program for gray hounds.

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@AmbiePam (120841)

• United States

16 Jul 23

I always feel for those retired greyhounds. They are lovely dogs, and the picture you have here is so sweet.

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@AmbiePam (120841)

• United States

16 Jul 23

@JudyEv Seriously? I had no idea.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jul 23

@AmbiePam I was amazed too but mostly all they want to do is sleep! lol

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jul 23

I always thought they'd need a lot of exercise but apparently they are real couch potatoes.

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@rebelann (117240)

• El Paso, Texas

16 Jul 23

That pup is hot, they should remove some of the items they've put on her. I hope they all find furever homes.

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@rebelann (117240)

• El Paso, Texas

17 Jul 23

Normally when a dog is panting like that they're hot.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Jul 23

It was below freezing at that time. I think she was glad of the coat.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Jul 23

@rebelann She had her mouth open but wasn't actually panting.

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@wolfgirl569 (135791)

• Marion, Ohio

16 Jul 23

That is a great way to help them

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jul 23

I thought it was a great idea to foster the dogs to ease their way into new homes. They have something a bit similar in the thoroughbred and standardbred industries too. Horses off the racetrack or trotting track are taken on by experienced trainers then found new homes once re-educated.

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@Deepizzaguy (122196)

• Lake Charles, Louisiana

16 Jul 23

Nice to know that the retired greyhounds have found foster homes.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jul 23

It's nice to know they'll end their lives in a nice place.

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@Deepizzaguy (122196)

• Lake Charles, Louisiana

16 Jul 23

@JudyEv That is true even though I would never adopt a greyhound as a pet, they deserve to live a long life.

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@dgobucks226 (37621)

•

22 Jul 23

The Greyhounds are a breed built for speed. I've seen them run as Greyhound racing is popular in Florida. I've heard they make great pets, enjoy human company and have a loving nature.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Jul 23

They have racing here too but I've never been. It's good that more and more are being adopted out once they finish their racing careers.

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@dgobucks226 (37621)

•

27 Jul 23

@JudyEv Yes, I agree!

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@snowy22315 (208964)

• United States

16 Jul 23

I am so glad for that. Friends sister is very much into the greyhound rescue movement and has a few of her own.They make nice pets from what I hear.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Jul 23

I thought they'd need a lot of exercise but apparently they are one of the laziest dogs around.

@RebeccasFarm (91297)

• United States

16 Jul 23

My Uncle RIP raced and raised the greyhounds in Ireland.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Jul 23

There was a lot of whippet racing there too once.

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@LadyDuck (502491)

• Italy

16 Jul 23

I am glad those people foster retired greyhounds. Those dogs have a hard life after all. Cats are very good in showing who leads the house.

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@LadyDuck (502491)

• Italy

16 Jul 23

@JudyEv Those poor dogs deserve to have a happy retirement.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jul 23

It's a nice thing to do and hopefully goes a long way to helping the dogs transition to a domestic life.

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@RasmaSandra (98033)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

17 Jul 23

What a handsome greyhound, I think it is wonderful that these dogs have good homes,

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Jul 23

It's a very worthwhile thing to do but it must be hard to give them back sometimes. It probably helps that they have two of their own.

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@xFiacre (14789)

• Ireland

16 Jul 23

@JudyEv I wonder if that greyhound is maybe a tad embarrassed being all dressed up like a canine drag queen. Nice and warm no doubt, but looking silly.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jul 23

I think, once they're used to a coat, they'd opt for looking silly but being warm. They don't have much of a coat themselves.

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@Hannihar (130150)

• Israel

16 Jul 23

@JudyEv I am glad that the dogs have a home after they are retired from racing. I bet they miss the association so have to come back and visit. Cats can be like that that they have to show who comes after then who the boss is in the home.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jul 23

Some might miss the racing but eventually they all get too old to race or they are retired due to injury.

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@Hannihar (130150)

• Israel

16 Jul 23

@JudyEv I am glad they have a home where they can be when they retire no matter how they retire.

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@LindaOHio (222417)

• United States

16 Jul 23

That is a lovely thing to do. I'm glad they find homes for the retired greyhounds. Enjoy your day.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Jul 23

We had a good day thanks, once it warmed up a bit.

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@LindaOHio (222417)

• United States

17 Jul 23

@JudyEv You're very welcome.

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@Beestring (15372)

• Hong Kong

16 Jul 23

That's a lovely picture. Hope all greyhounds are able to find a forever home.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jul 23

They do have a very good success rate.

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@Beestring (15372)

• Hong Kong

16 Jul 23

@JudyEv That's good.

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@jstory07 (148734)

• Roseburg, Oregon

16 Jul 23

I hope all of the greyhounds are able to find a forever home.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jul 23

They seem quite popular are pets. We see quite a few in our neighbourhood.

@Juliaacv (56282)

• Canada

16 Jul 23

They are beautiful dogs, although I do not see many because we live in a city and I would imagine that such a dog needs to live in the country where they can have lots of running space.

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@JudyEv (382146)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jul 23

I would have thought that too but it seems they only want to sleep all day. I was really surprised when I learnt that. We see a few here being taken for walks.

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