On the island of Ouessant, a rider saves the racing horses promised to the slaughterhouse

Agript in thoroughbred, Diane Hamilton, a cavalier by one meter, tries to reach the north face of the island of Ouessant (Finistère). A winter breeze comes to twirl her golden hair, which she tries to tie as best they can.

“He saved my life. Without him, I would have done in the air, “she confesses in front of the ocean, near the imposing fellow Lucas:” I went from notary clerk to the edge of suicide to horse breeder. Back from a walk, this young woman born on the island cure carefully the hooves, removing mud and pebbles, before the passage of the marshal.

France is the sixth world producer of galloping runners

Since 2022, Diane, who has worked in her mother’s crêperie to make a living, bought eight horses. Gaillard des Lucas was the first to join his personal stable. Mounted by Matthieu Abrivard, horse racing champion, he brought back from the age of 4 hundreds of thousands of euros to his owners. “I bought it below the price of the meat, 1,200 euros. It would have finished in a charpie at the local butcher. I’m not Brigitte Bardot but if I can help an animal, I do it.” Taboo subject in the equine environment, an owner can fire up to 500 euros per kilo for a former runner.

The conditions for reforming an equine is multiple: injury, age, insufficient results, etc. After having crossed the racetracks, these ex-companions sometimes start a reproductive career. Each year, some 5,000 thoroughbred foals and nearly 1000 AQPS foals (other than thoroughbred) come to the world. France is the sixth world producer of galloping runners.