As she watched the striking gelding step off the trailer, Lauren Millet felt it instantly. Edinburgh Castle, she knew, was different. That quiet sense of presence, the calm confidence beneath the gleaming dark coat, marked him out as a horse whose story would stretch well beyond the racetrack.
Now settled into a new chapter far removed from race days, Edinburgh Castle has become a gentle standout at LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society and, ultimately, a treasured partner in his adopted home — proof that thoughtful aftercare can unlock the very best in a Thoroughbred.
Millet, farm manager at LongRun’s 100-acre Hillsburgh base, remembers the first impression clearly. Nearly black with a shining coat, a bold white blaze, and just enough chrome to turn heads, Edinburgh Castle caught the eye without ever seeking attention. “It was like he knew he was good-looking but didn’t need to show it,” she said.
Bred in Ontario by Saintsbury Farms Inc., Edinburgh Castle is by multiple graded stakes winner Flintshire (GB) out of the Frankel (GB) mare Dissipate. Named after the ancient Scottish fortress that has stood for more than a millennium, the gelding carried his name with quiet dignity.
Owned by Piano Bar Racing and trained by Ian Black, Edinburgh Castle was a $40,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. His racing career proved brief, producing a single start — a sixth-place finish over 6½ furlongs on November 18, 2022. By September 2023, he arrived at LongRun to begin life after racing.
The Hillsburgh farm is home to around 50 retired Thoroughbreds, some permanent residents, others carefully prepared for adoption. According to Millet, horses from Piano Bar Racing consistently arrive well handled and ready to transition, and Edinburgh Castle was no exception.
Edinburgh Castle and a Thoughtful Second Career
Nursing a minor tendon issue, Edinburgh Castle settled into rehabilitation with remarkable ease. Stall rest, hand-walking, quiet routines — nothing fazed him. Despite his size and former athletic demands, he showed no restlessness or frustration, only a steady willingness to cooperate.
“He would try his heart out at anything you asked,” Millet said. “But he didn’t want a job that pushed him physically. He wanted to please, not to sweat.”
That understanding shaped LongRun’s careful plan for Edinburgh Castle. Restarting under saddle was almost effortless, with relaxed early rides revealing a horse happy to move quietly on a loose rein. The goal became clear: find him a home that valued kindness and calm over intensity.
That home appeared in July 2024, when Lori Emick reached out to LongRun seeking a horse for her small hobby farm. Millet knew immediately that Edinburgh Castle was the right match.
Their first meeting confirmed it. Emick experimented with Western-style cues, and Edinburgh Castle responded with good-natured confusion and immediate willingness. He listened, adapted, and learned quickly, all without tension.
For Emick, the connection was instant. Elegant, easy-moving, and people-oriented, Edinburgh Castle showed a natural suitability for relaxed flat work and quiet pleasure riding. His attitude stood out most of all. There was no resistance, no argument — only a calm acceptance of new lessons.
Emick was equally struck by LongRun’s approach, praising the staff’s professionalism and commitment to ensuring every horse finds the right placement.
Relocating to Fenwick, Ontario, Edinburgh Castle adapted once again with ease. His new life includes a spacious stall, daily turnout with companions, and a purpose-built arena designed purely for enjoyment and steady development.
Under Emick’s guidance, Edinburgh Castle has learned groundwork, voice commands, trail obstacles, and refined manners. Gates, bridges, side passes, mounting-block etiquette — each lesson absorbed with patience and quiet enthusiasm. Liberty training followed, and he now performs basic showmanship without a lead, steering smoothly from leg cues alone.
Though capable of more, his work remains deliberately unhurried. Western pleasure suits his natural rhythm, while occasional flat English work highlights his exceptional long trot and balanced headset.
Beyond the training, it is his personality that leaves the deepest impression. Curious, playful, occasionally mischievous, Edinburgh Castle thrives on human interaction. He watches intently, investigates everything, and delights in gentle routines — even if that curiosity occasionally costs a barn coat a few missing tabs.
For Emick, the rewards are constant. Working with a Thoroughbred has broadened her perspective and reaffirmed the power of patient, positive reinforcement.
“He puts a smile on my face every day,” she said.
Edinburgh Castle’s journey stands as a quiet success story — one shaped not by speed or results, but by care, understanding, and the belief that every racehorse deserves the chance to become exactly what he wants to be.
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