Furhever Dancing earned close to $700,000 in 99 starts when Maggi Moss swooped in, bought him, and retired him. Photo courtesy Maggi Moss
Leading racehorse owner Maggi Moss, in a no-holds-barred attempt to win the retirement of a warhorse she once owned, took to Social Media this past weekend to plead the case and ultimately win the retirement of hard-knocking racehorse Fuhrever Dancing.
The horse had done enough, she reasoned.
After 99 starts and earning nearly $700,000 in purse money, the 11-year-old Thoroughbred should be retired, Moss stated on Facebook Sunday night, effectively taking her private attempts to purchase the horse, public.
“The calls and phone calls went back and forth the entire weekend, between me and the horse’s connections, and by Sunday I was really angry and went public with Social Media; I put a statement on Facebook … because the horse is coming-12, and I was really distressed that” he might not get to retire.
Maggi Moss with one of her racehorses
“The social media was phenomenal,” Moss adds, noting that unbeknownst to her, the issue “exploded on Twitter” and attracted the notice of racehorse owner, a Jonathan Pippin, who joined her effort and helped her negotiate to buy the horse.
She applauded Fuhrever Dancing’s trainer Chad Skelton for his role in the negotiation, which concluded this week when the horse was trailered to Mountaineer Racetrack and scheduled to be transferred to Beyond the Roses Equine Rescue and Retirement, where he will be assessed.
Moss owned the horse briefly in 2010, and when she learned he was still racing, immediately stepped up to try to get him retired. At the end of a emotionally exhausting eight-day negotiation, she says she is thrilled to have had a hand in the animal’s retirement. She purchased him for $5,000.
“Common sense dictates, in my opinion, that when you’re 11 years old and raced 100 times, it’s time to retire,” she says.
I had this horse as a 9 year old. He was the soundest, happiest horse in the barn. I’m surprised that Maggi Moss didn’t claim him back when he ran in 2011 for a tag since she wanted to retire him.I’ve known Tim Hamm for years and I admire him as a horseman and he isn’t the type of man that runs a horse into the ground or runs one if they’re not 100 percent. I’m glad this big handsome boy has a happy home and I’m confident that if it wasn’t with Maggi that Tim would’ve have contacted me since I had my eye on him as a stable pony.
I am the proud owner of a horse who ran until the end of his 13 year. He had 83 starts and 22 wins. He retired sound and clean legged. He to this day fox hunts, trail rides, shows in the low level jumpers and has even barrel raced. He is now 19 years old. He goes out jigging everyday. I only hope this horse doesn’t retire to a field. He obviously likes a job and at only 11 years old should be able to go do something else. Many congratulations to Maggie Moss for giving him another chance!
Congrats… I have rescued over 100 mares in last 3 yrs to become Broodmares for clients and myself
“rescued”?
to become broodmares???
u r kidding…
right???
You hit the nail on the head! Rescued just to be “used up” until barren by you and your “clients” and then hauled off to slaughter. You really are doing a good job at producing more misery but I guess this is your business. So sad.
Note to Sylvie: Yes he might have been claimed at his last race. Several parties were attempting to claim him at his race last weekend, but he was vet scratched and so that opportunity did not present itself. Prior to Mountaineer he ran in a $4K claiming race at Thistle Down
If it had not been for the generosity of Maggi, Fuhrever Dancing may have had to winter at a racing farm where he would have stayed in training. So all of us who care about FD are even more grateful to her for putting FD first, ahead of the money and the extra difficulties that private sales can present. It was a gesture of the heart!
You go, girl. Some one has to step in.And no horse should be raced beyond a certain point. I loved racing once.But the more I knew – the more I did not want to be involved. My guy will never c compete – and he is definitely talented but we will take our time and do it together. Thanks for your aggressive -a nd needed – concern for this guy…
Awesome !! heartwarming and well deserved — 100 races – 11 years old ?? oh yes — time for retirement –
Great effort for a deserving horse, thank you Maggie. I wish all owners looked out for their horses and provided them with a deserving retirement. My OTTB was pulled from the kill pen.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS. IT WORKED!!! Now on to a happy retirement. Great job.
Wonderful, happy to hear, I know one that deserves that right now, didn’t make that kind of money and although I don’t own him, he deserves to retire also. Going to try and make that happen.
If he is pretty sound and sane, he might be able to continue working as a pony horse? Lava Man is.
just one comment .The horse could have been claimed for $4000. in his last starts…
Congratulations and Thank you to everyone working so hard to help get him retired ! Hope this sets an example for others in this industry to follow. Each horse saved counts in this throw away society and there are far to many out there ,carelessly discarded when becoming useless.
Congratulations, Maggi and Furever……now to green pastures and clover and happy retirement….only wish all horses who do their job get to share a good retirement. Wish all stories ended as well…..three big
cheers!
Congratulations to Maggi on being able to obtain the retirement of Fuhrever Dancing.Her generosity and compassion for all horses shines through in her efforts and advocacy within the horse racing community and also in the manner she treats her own horses and pets.
Gail Hirt at Beyond The Roses Equine Sanctuary and Retirement Center also deserves some credit for being on stand-by for much of the past week. She coordinated transport,vet attention,stall arrangements and helped to keep people informed who were trying to fund raise for the after care that FD would need.
Because things were touch and go for a while Gail had to regroup several times during the course of last weekend. She deserves our admiration, support, and applause for her behind the scenes efforts in all this. Fuhrever Dancing will be getting his time to “just be a horse” due to her unsung part in this saga. Her careful and loving stewardship will help Fuhrever Dancing transition from “old warrior” to pasture life.
Please visit her website to see the difference she is making and the horses she is helping to have quality lives after the track.
http://www.beyondtherosesequine.org
You can also donate to Beyond The Roses at this site and help support the aftercare expenses of Fuhrever Dancing and his fellow stablemates at the Sanctuary.
Thank you Gail for all you do for our OTTBs!
FD was acquired for retirement by Moss…and as attempted in negotiations with Skelton, at what cost to a sacrificial horse(s)? Thank god FD got out of racing with his life…as everyone, even racing apologists, was extremely concerned. If only the same could be true for those that are waiting for someone to help every single day.
Good job, Maggi! Wish more would let their horses retire when they’ve done their job so well for so long. May he have an awesome after-racing retirement.
Good for Maggi! Pleased to see people stepping up and helping these horses get the retirement they deserve. I have an old guy who raced for 8 years and I thought that was long. Wish more people realized these horses are animals not machines.
Go Maggi! Great efforts! It’s me, ‘Sandy’ Johnson from way back in the day at Somerset Stables.I have two OTTBs, a gelding who is turning 10 and a mare that is almost 13. Can’t even think of them still being on the track.Glad to see your efforts were successful.
Best of luck in the future!
SJ
WOW! What an awesome thing for her to do. So happy this horse gets to retire… 100 races in PLENTY.