Thanks to her and her team, more than 100 thoroughbreds have gone on to lead a fulfilling life after they were cast aside by the racing industry.

But it's time, she says, for the industry to change its practices, primarily by breeding fewer horses, and for owners and trainers to take more responsibility for horses when they're retired.

"These horses have done nothing but try their hardest for us," Ms Marston said.

"It's not their fault they have to stop racing, they deserve somewhere to go afterwards."

The horse racing industry has come under fire with claims horses are being mistreated and sent in droves to the knackery prematurely.

ABC's 7.30 program recently aired disturbing footage of horses being abused prior to being killed at an abattoir in Queensland.

Australian racing's biggest day, Tuesday's Melbourne Cup, attracted the ire of vocal protesters who want a ban on the sport.

The ACT racing industry is tiny in the greater Australian context, with five trainers and only 78 registered thoroughbreds.

A little over 1000 people own a racing thoroughbred and the ACT is home to about 1 per cent of broodmares in Australia, there are no stallions and only eight foals.

An ACT government spokesman confirmed the government was not considering shutting down the horse racing industry in Canberra, after the greyhound racing industry was terminated after welfare concerns.

He said neither the government nor the RSPCA were aware of any complaints in the ACT and had an agreement with the Canberra Racing Club to ensure their conduct protected the welfare of racehorses.

Ms Marston said in her experience Canberra-based owners and trainers for the most part were informed and wanted the best for their horses.

While she has been increasingly spurred on with recent revelations about the treatment of retired thoroughbreds, Ms Marston has had a long-standing love for horses.

From being a "horse girl with pimples" to dealing with difficult times as an adult, her horses were a constant support.

"If it wasn't for them I wouldn't be here, I owe them literally everything," she said.

Ms Marston's first horse was a retired thoroughbred who she used for showjumping as a young girl.

Her love for the breed was born and with it a concern that had things transpired differently, she would never have met her precious childhood horses.

"I had always been concerned about where the horses ended up" Ms Marston said.

"The amount [of horses] and the need became more apparent when I started racing."

One year into her jockey apprenticeship a horror fall ended her racing career, and left her with epilepsy, but meant she could begin re-homing thoroughbreds with unbridled enthusiasm.

Ms Marston, who now commentates on Sky, operates Recycled Racehorses and has successfully re-homed more than 65 horses in three years. She currently has about 40 at her property outside Yass.

Her mum works three jobs to help cover the more than $2000 a week needed to feed and keep the horses and all of the people that help out with Recycled Racehorses are volunteers.

"It costs us everything," she said, "but we'll keep trying because these guys deserve it."

Ms Marston said one of her biggest aims is to change the perception held by many towards retired racehorses, that they're too big, too powerful and not suitable for anything other than racing.

Once she gets a retired racehorse they do require significant training after surviving on high-calorie feed which she likened to "giving red lollies to children all day, every day" and being kept relatively confined in a stable.

"We give them the chance relax and unwind and get used to a paddock environment," she said.

However, Ms Marston believes thoroughbreds make a perfect companion for people in a variety of situations as they have been handled by humans from birth and right throughout their racing career.

She has successfully transitioned dozens of thoroughbreds for showjumping, vaulting, riding with the disabled and just as family pets.

While she was devastated at the "absolutely horrific" treatment of horses shown on 7.30, Ms Marston said she was not surprised.

She said racehorse owners were beginning to understand what could happen to horses after retirement, and it was time they took more responsibility for the horse's welfare after racing.

With about 15,000 racehorses bred last year and only a few thousand of those actually making it to the track, Ms Marston said there's "way too many horses" being bred.

In addition, Ms Marston also called for more support for re-homing services and for owners to bear financial responsibility for a mandated period after retirement.

She said owners fronted up cash while a horse is racing for training and care that at it's cheapest is $88 a day, for as little as $10 a day a horse could be cared for in retirement.

The government spokesman said its agreement contained a "commitment by the racing clubs to adopt and participate in a retraining scheme and cover costs associated with retraining and re-homing of suitable horses once they are no longer racing."

Punters and the general public could make a considerable difference too, Ms Marston said.

"People love a day out at the races, but the only reason they're there is because of the horses," Ms Marston said.

"If you put down a $5 bet, maybe donate $5 for the welfare of the horses.

"Going forward we need to see more owners, trainers and businesses that profit from racing showing their support for horses after racing.

"They deserve more."

Recycled Racehorses has a fundraising calendar available for next year, featuring a number of the rescued horses, and can be purchased online.