During Lauren Turner’s senior year in high school she made an unconventional decision to rescue a former Thoroughbred racehorse and retrain him herself.  Soon the same girl who had always owned show-ready Thoroughbreds was addicted to rescuing and training retired Thoroughbreds.

“The horses I have adopted are much more appreciative because they are loved and treated kindly, which for some retired horses hasn’t happened in quite a while,” says Turner, a solider stationed at Fort Jackson.  “The horses work hard and try to please you and show you their gratitude.”

Turner learned about the South Carolina Committee of Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (SC TRF) soon after she returned from deployment in Afghanistan. She found Four-Dollar Limit, a 16.3 hand Thoroughbred gelding, on her first visit to Wateree Correctional Facility.  Unfortunately, it looked like Limit had already been spoken for and was just waiting for his final adoption paperwork to be completed.

Three months later Turner met up with Page Hodson, a board member of SC TRF at a therapeutic riding clinic Turner hosts for military personnel.  When she learned that Limit’s adopting family had still not come to pick him up, she petitioned Page to approve her adoption. It took a lot of patience and persistence, but at last Lauren had “her Limit” and a grateful Thoroughbred had a new home!

Turner says if Four-Dollar Limit were a person he would be Dennis the Menace because he is into everything.  He has even escaped into neighboring pastures. He reminds her of a little kid always getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Despite his mischievous nature, training has been a very pleasant and enjoyable experience for both Turner and Limit.  Turner believes Four-Dollar Limit is a better jumper and better at dressage than big brother, Buddy, and will do better overall in shows.

Turner trains both Four-Dollar Limit and Buddy, another rescued Thoroughbred, in dressage. Four-Dollar Limit has the potential to be a great hunter/jumper and practices his jumping every two weeks or so. However, Turner is careful never to push them too hard or rush them as they advance in their schooling.

Turner recalls other places she had looked to rescue from previously and describes her experience at SC TRF as a completely different experience. 

“The thing that surprised me the most with this experience was the compassion and generosity of everyone involved,” said Turner.  “Not just Page and the personnel but the prisoners who care for the horses. The men treat the horses as if they were their own pets.”

However, Turner will admit that at first she was a bit skeptical. 

“The first time I heard about the “Second Chances” program sponsored by the SC TRF and that the facility was on prison grounds I was a little nerve racked,” she recalls.  “Adopting from the TRF has been a life lesson for me to not judge a book by its cover. This is a great program for both the horses and the men. It gives the men such hope for their future and wonderful potential for job opportunity.  They can have a life and a career they never dreamed of prior to getting their second chance from the SC TRF.”