When it comes to horses, even the most cynical of souls has a hard time not falling for the large eyes and dynamic ears of a Thoroughbred. We are captivated by their hearts on the track and their personalities off of it, their faces as familiar to us as those of family and friends. They become a part of our racing lives and their welfare beyond their time in racing matters to us all. Enter organizations like California Retirement Management Account, or CARMA.

I know for those of you that have been following along as we prepare for this year’s Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover, it may not seem like it, but I am normally a planner. Don’t get me wrong, I love a spontaneous adventure or horse show as much as anyone, but when it comes to the horses and the business, I always have a plan. But that’s the thing with horses, sometimes they have other plans ... and sometimes those plans mean changing all of yours.