THE Greatwood racehorse rescue centre near Pewsey is desperate to find new homes for some of its rehabilitated former racers.

It has a waiting list of horses that need to come in and be given new lives but not enough people are currently taking horses out.

Helen Yeadon, who runs the racehorse rescue service at Clench Common with her husband Michael, is mystified why the demand for the re-schooled horses has slowed down.

Greatwood Caring for Retired Racehorses moved to Wiltshire from Devon in 2002 and leases a former dairy farm, Rainscombe Farm, at Clench Common.

At any one time Greatwood has 40 former racehorses at various stages of rehabilitation.

For every racehorse they take in, said Mrs Yeadon, they have to find a home for another. She said: "We have had about 14 horses come in over the last four weeks but the demand for them has slowed right down."

Mr and Mrs Yeadon don't know whether the lack of demand for horses is due to a slow-down in the national economy or is linked with the ban on hunting with dogs that came into force in February.

Many of the horses they re-educate at Rainscombe Farm have found new owners as hunters.

Greatwood is one of only three racehorse rehabilitation centres in the UK. It finds new homes for the horses with foster carers who are asked for a minimum donation of around £750 towards the cost of the animal's rehabilitation. Although the horse may remain in its new home for the rest of its life, the ownership stays with Greatwood, which continues to monitor its progress

Every year the racing industry disposes of thousands of horses, either through retirement, injury that precludes a racing career, or those that just don't make the grade.

Many end up being slaughtered for pet food or for the continental meat market.

Greatwood costs about £270,000 a year and receives just £60,000 from the British Horseracing Board's Rehabilitation of Racehorses fund.

The rest is raised in sponsorship, contributions, its annual open day which this year is on August 28 and through charity appeals.

The Friends of Greatwood (FROGS) enables people to pay £5 a month to sponsor a horse.

Anyone interested in taking a horse from Greatwood can find out more from the website www.racehorsesgreatwood.org or by speaking to Helen and Michael Yeadon on (01672) 514535.