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19 JANUARY 2026
Thoroughbred racehorses are herd animals; they look to a leader for their sense of social structure and security.
At St Heliers Correctional Centre, that leader is often an inmate, part of the Racehorse Rehabilitation program run in partnership with Racing NSW. For men who may have veered off course and followed the wrong track this is an opportunity to grab the reins and lead the way.
Through this partnership, inmates take on the responsibility of retraining retired racehorses, guiding them toward calmer lives beyond the track. The program rehabilitates retired racehorses, taking them from the speed of the racetrack to a slower life as an equestrian, therapy, or riding companion.
Inmates who want to work with the thoroughbreds go through a formal process, applying and then being assessed by the Governor, Industry and Agriculture Managers, and Racing NSW’s onsite representative. Those selected for the program receive support and training to prepare for a new course in life.
They obtain nationally recognised qualifications, including a Certificate II in Racing Industry (Stable Hand) and Certificates II and III in Agriculture. Just as the program introduces the horse to a new career, it equips the inmates with skills and confidence to pursue meaningful work when they return to the community.
Beyond practical skills like handling horses, fitting gear, grooming, and exercising them, the men learn to understand behaviour, read body language, and build trust.
Building trust takes time - it can be a loaded word inside correctional centres. Trusting the wrong person may have led some to their place behind bars, or the ability to earn trust may have been lacking in their lives. To gain the trust of a horse, you must be the calm and confident leader they seek. You need patience. You need to make sure the horse feels safe with you, and you must be a consistent and reliable presence.
The men also come to realise that what works in the paddock often works in life: a little patience, a steady hand, and showing up when it counts can make all the difference.
“It is an incredible program, we have so many men wanting to be involved,” Troy Gill, St Heliers Manager of Industries said.
“This program is celebrated for giving both the inmates and the horses second chances.”
For the men involved, those second chances are real. The program isn’t just about gaining qualifications; it’s about purpose and a path forward.
“I’ve been around horses before, but never like this,” said Mick*, an inmate at St Heliers.
“I’d like to keep doing this, I know some guys who work as stable hands and I’d like to do that. It doesn’t feel like work; it is so incredible to spend time with these horses.”
The program is a pathway for the horses and the inmates, and it is cause for celebration when either gets released and secures a job thanks to their training.
“The guys see it as a bit of a competition and are so positive when a horse they have worked with gets a ‘release date’ and finds a home,” Caleb Lock, Racing NSW Site Manager said.
“They are really proud to see people are interested in the horse they have worked with.”
The team at Corrective Services are just as happy when an inmate secures employment in a local stud or through connections at Racing NSW thanks to their hard work and training.
“We’ve had a few guys pick up work locally and that tells us the program is working both ways, giving the inmates qualifications and experience helps them when they move back into the community,” St Heliers Correctional Centre Governor Mark Kennedy said.
“The program helps the inmates and the horses to unlearn old habits. The men have learnt valuable skills including how to build trust, how to lead with confidence, and how to communicate without force. The horses learn new equestrian skills, different forms of communication, and how to slow down.”
St Heliers currently has 52 retired racehorses, ready to take their place in a new field just like the hundreds that have gone through the program before them. Ten inmates care for these horses, and every man is carefully paired with animals whose temperament matches his own. Horses read human body language to understand how we feel and often copy what they see. They are more likely to approach people who appear calm and relaxed than those who seem tense or dominant, that’s why matching the right person to the right horse is essential.
At St Heliers, every small step in the paddock is a giant stride toward a new life. It’s proof that with patience and trust, taking a different track can lead to greener pastures.
