2022 has been a very exciting year for us filled with ups, downs, and pivots. We bought the new farm in Kentucky this summer, Dyana retired from racing, we began the process for establishing Mareworthy Charities as a 501c3 organization, and we added three more mares, two donkeys, and one deaf puppy to the family.

With all the changes in 2022, we are even more excited for the future of Mareworthy and our little farm. Our experience breeding and racing Dyana taught us a lot, and now we get to take the lessons we've learned and build an even more exciting future. We look forward to remaining transparent about our experiences, and we will always keep equine welfare and education at the forefront of every decision we make.

Abraham Lincoln famously said, "The best way to predict your future is to create it," and that is exactly what we intend to do. We are dedicated to fulfilling our mission of ensuring all retired Thoroughbred broodmares and warhorse mares are protected from suffering and cruelty. Sean and I put a lot of research and thought into our decision to breed again next year, and we decided it was the right decision as part of our mission as ambassadors for Thoroughbred mares and the future we are creating for Mareworthy Charities.

With the purchase of Abastada and Empress Luciana at the Keeneland November sale and Dyana's retirement from racing, our broodmare options went from a single mare - Lady Macjazz - to four eligible broodmares. That meant the first decision we had to make was whether we are going to breed one or all four.

Some photos of Dyana for consideration of her conformation and how it will pair with a stallion.

Step 1: Should you breed your mare?
I have a mare, so that means I am obligated to breed her, right? HELL NO!!!!

It should come as no surprise that I have decided to breed Lady Dyanaformer in 2023, but before we get too far into this adventure I wanted to give a strongly worded warning about breeding. This is definitely NOT a decision to take lightly, and if you're considering it I highly recommend doing LOTS and LOTS of homework and thinking it over at length - I have experience breeding and have been contemplating this decision and continually educating myself ever since I first decided to breed Dyana's dam, Lady Macjazz back in 2017. The decision to breed your mare will not only be very costly but it also can be very risky, so it should never be taken lightly.

First and most importantly, TALK TO YOUR VET! Then seek out experienced breeders - not ones that have only bred a handful of horses but ones who have a strong professional reputation and a history of breeding foals that become successful athletes. If you're only breeding for temperament, reconsider your decision. You cannot guarantee anything about a foal, but you can confidently assess the temperament of a horse that is already alive and waiting to meet you. While I obviously take temperament into equal consideration with athleticism, I would never breed a horse strictly for her personality. It's important to assess health, conformation, pedigree and temperament equally.

In addition to speaking with your vet and professional breeders, I also recommend taking lots of time to research reliable sources such as this article from TheHorse.com ​​

Step 2: Goals for the Foal

I often hear that horse racing is unethical because it's all about money and making people rich, so I thought I'd do a fully transparent deep dive into the 2021 finances for Lady Dyanaformer to expose the real profits of horse racing.

For starters, it's important to point out that Dyana ran her first ever races in 2021, so it also was her first chance at making any money. There were obviously expenses in the years since she was born in 2018 that increased when she went into full-time training in June of 2020, but I'm only going to share the expenses from 2021 to show a full calendar year profit and loss.

Additionally, it's important to note that Dyana finished 2021 with a Starts Percentile Ranking (SPR) of 87. Dyana's SPR of 87 means her average earnings per start were greater than 87% of ALL 3-year-old Thoroughbred fillies in North America registered with The Jockey Club who raced in 2021. To calculate a horse's SPR, the horse's average earnings per start are compared to the average earnings per start of like horses (i.e. same sex, age and year(s) record). That means only 13% of 3-year-old female horses in North America earned more per race than Dyana in 2021 with the other 87% earning less per race.

Certainly we got very rich in 2021 having such a talented filly, so, here are the numbers....

So I called her trainer to let him know the update and said goodbye to Dyana to rush to the airport. On my first flight from Louisville to Minneapolis, I felt sorry for myself. Then at the Minneapolis airport on my layover I aggressively Googled “fetlock chip surgery recovery” while sitting at the wine bar. And now I’m working to fight back tears on an airplane headed to Portland.

On Wednesday morning Dyana will undergo arthroscopic surgery, and if all goes as expected she will be back in her stall at High Pointe by Wednesday evening for the beginning of her recovery and rehab. Thankfully since I flew out of Louisville that means I will also be flying back into Louisville on my way back home to Ohio at the end of the week, so I will be able to see Dyana Saturday morning.

It's now Tuesday afternoon, and I have had 24 hours to process everything, and here is what I hope you will take from this post. We often project our hopes and expectations onto our horses. We have dreams of ribbons and trail rides and winner's circle photos. Our horses are happy to oblige and many of them even thrive helping us fulfill those dreams. Our horses don't feel regret for coming in second place or even last, but they do rely on us to always put them first. They need us to be their voices, and they need us to be patient and never greedy.

I can admit that when Dyana won her first race I added more weight to her back. I unfairly put the weight of financially supporting as many mares in need on her back. She is my Wonder Woman, but she still needs me in her corner. I got greedy. I expected her to perform without missing a step. I got disappointed when she came in third in The Cincinnatian. I felt regret because I expected her to support my dream for the Mareworthy Sanctuary, and that was wrong no matter how good my intentions.

This injury is a much-needed reminder that each day is precious. I can plan for the future all I want, but I have to be content in the here and now. I have to listen to my horses. I have to prioritize the qualities or abilities that merit recognition and acceptance by a female horse - I have to be mareworthy. 

Being mareworthy means I collaborate more than I command. Being mareworthy means I defend my herd. Being mareworthy means I am not afraid to be labeled sensitive. Being mareworthy means you can always count on me to have your back if you've earned my trust. Being mareworthy means I value community, companionship, and simply being silent in the pasture (or stall) in awe of the fact that I have a relationship with a half-ton being who could carry me into battle but still depends on me to treat the tiniest cuts. 

I want Mareworthy to become a brand that exemplifies qualities of community, genuineness, and trust, and I want the Mareworthy Sanctuary to become more than just a location. I want it to be a way to create safe spaces for horses but also a virtual community that provides sanctuary and support to humans in need.

I have been so blessed by everyone who has banded behind me to support Dyana since before she was even born, and I am so glad to know that same community will still be there to help make the Mareworthy Sanctuary a reality without putting the full weight of that responsibility on Dyana’s back to carry. If you'd like to help support my dream for a sanctuary dedicated to OTTB warhorse mares and retired broodmares, please reach out and stay tuned for more details about ways you can help support the mission of this dream.