Closing the tracks has two immediate results, either the horses are sold for meat or the trainers move elsewhere.

Keeping a horse is so expensive that people feel justified in doing anything for a return on their considerable investment, often leading to preventable breakdowns and abuse of the horses.

It is a real pity that the good horse people are punished along with the bad. 

It sounds sort of complicated, crossing the border to the USA, with getting permission for residency and making sure the horses are going to be allowed to cross the border.  I think that only the best horses will be sent over and I fear for the rest.

A big problem down here in the USA is that the horse racing tracks cannot seem to attract a lot of bettors unless they put in the gambling machines too.  People seem to be much more into car racing nowadays even though there is no formal betting arrangements, and I suspect that the car racing people are not as deep into gambling on the race outcomes.  It is sad, down here in NC I have signed I do not know how many petitions to bring formal horse racing with gambling, but all we have is the Colonial Cup steeplechase once a year.  Meanwhile we have to put up with drivers imitating their favorite race car drivers on our highways.  Scary at times!

It is a sad fact that there are more superior horses than there are superior riders that can handle them.  That can greatly limit the market for TBs as riding horses unless show trainers pick them up.  I remember when OTTBs were the preferred hunt seat horses and you could find a few in most hunt seat stables since everyone who wanted to prove they were a good rider greatly preferred the TB.  Now the riders seem to prefer the quieter warm bloods.