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Anyone on the board ever tried it?
Would be very interested to read any accounts of anyone who has tried to take on an ex-racer. How did it go, how long did it take, what techniques etc…
Thanks.
hi not personally but know lots that have gone on in hunting and eventing etc also a brother of tyhe great oneman was at horse of year show last week doing the showchampionships, hope this may help…….
Yes – I’ve had several – they hack , jump , dressage , show etc , whatever you want they are ultra versatile
Provided it has come from a decent trainer who is first and foremost a horseman the horse will have been broken as a riding horse – then raced. Most go in a snaffle
I’ve never had a problem ,they should be traffic safe ( especially if from Newmarket) though you have to be patient as they usually need teaching how to trot out – mostly racehorses use trot as a link between walk and canter – not as a pace in itself
Feed them the non heating mixes and turn them out every day – they soon lose that ”fit” look
Enjoy
I have had 3 off the track in the past….and would never look back….(sadly I cannot afford one at the mo
decided to start a family and get married, I cannot have everything!)The person on here you need to talk to is Cheekster or take a look at http://z3.invisionfree.com/Horsedirectory_Forum/index.php?act=idx which is the Ex-Racers Club…
There are more organisatons which can also help you in re-training and finding you that perfect horse…..
Zoz,
most of my horses have come back to me on the farm and been reschooled prior to going on and becoming hacks, eventers etc. Given that the horse is a normal TB I usually let him down gradually over a few weeks in terms of cutting the calories in his food and get him turned out with a suitable companion within a month. Whilst out I do not fed them as long as they have plenty of grass in front of them. After about 6 weeks of turn out I start reschooling which for most is soon just a quiet hack – with a quiet companion – along country lanes. Frankly within 3/4 months of returning from training you have a perfectly tractable horse. Obviously if he is going eventing or whatever he has to go back to school but I pass them on to others once they are tractable.
The easiness will depend on the type of yard they have been trained in. If they have just been pointed up the gallop with a kid on their back, in a string, they will take a while to settle, these are the types my dad has to ‘reschool’ just to take to his training regime.
A horse from here will leave training being good on the roads/traffic, quiet galloping with a few others round bridleways/woods, and settled cantering in wide open spaces, used to going out by themselves.
If you have a horse like that then everything is easy. If you have one that is a bit gallop sour then you are better off letting it right down for 3 months and letting it get fat before you start anything.
The main problem with retraining ex racehorses is that people faff about. They are very quick to learn so you need to constantly keep them interested, and not let them learn bad habits. Let them learn a bad habit and they will remember it!
If you take a look at the sold section of my website(link is in my profile) you will see most have been retrained as riding horses. Baudolino had been out of training 3 months when competing in his first BE Intro, since loosing his fear of water he has been 2nd in an Intro, 1st in a Pre Novice and 4th in his first Novice(I have freinds who started with their ‘proper’ horses at the same event, and would kill for results like that). Introduction looks as though he could be even better than him, Pridewood Dove is doing affiliated dressage, and Barons Pharjan BSJA.I speak to several people every week who have taken on ex-racehorses and hear so many positive stories – even those who have broken down can make excellent companion horses.
Like all horses, they will have individual quirks, so it is important to find out as much about their history as possible. My sister recently helped out with a young mare (Georgie) recently out of training. Georgie is lovely, kind, willing and generally well schooled, but she would get overexcited when doing road work. On a tight rein she jogs and skips constantly. A little investigation showed that she had always been ridden to and from the gallops on very quiet roads and always on a very loose rein. Letting her have her head she instantly relaxes and is an angel, even on very busy roads.
My sister is looking to take on another ex-racer soon, but finding a reasonably young one without tendon trouble is proving difficult at the moment!
Cheers for all your replies everyone – very interesting to read and I’m pleased to see that so many people have positive stories to tell.
It’s not something I can do at the moment for many reasons but it’s something I’d love to do in the future – thought I’d start reading up and getting as many opinions as I can in the mean time!
We have an ex racer which came from Newmarket and my daughter successfully reschooled her.She is bombproof in traffic and my husband, who is a non rider finds her easy to handle.
She enjoys being ridden and has adapted extremely well to her new life. She didn’t enjoy the racing lifestyle anyway so she’s much happier.
She has her little quirks and is not generally keen on men unless she knows them well.
Our horse needed a lot of time and patience but it has paid off
.Most important of all is not dependant on which yard the horse came from (although it plays a big part), the biggest factor by far is the horse involved and what its temperament is like. All horses must be treated as individual cases as what works for one may not work for another, particularly when it comes to highly strung thoroughbreds.
As has been said, TBs can (and will) do anything. However, it is essential to remember that even out of the training regime and taken off oats, ex-racehorses in the main are far trickier to handle and ride than other horses. TBs tend to be highly strung by nature and although there are plenty who are bombproof, they tend to be the minority. Too many accidents happen as people take on ex-racehorses having no experience whatsoever in handling or riding TBs – they are far sharper than the average horse and require a greater degree of experience.
What is a bombproof old bus of a racehorse to someone who is experienced with racehorses can be a complete headcase to someone who is used to riding hacks. I know someone who did just that – took on a bombproof chaser who "had a leg" as a riding horse. She had years of experience riding and looking after her own horses but this quietest of racehorses created no end of trouble. She could not get on him without being bolted with or bucked off so called me in desperation to go down and sort him out for her. He hadn’t been ridden for weeks as she could no longer ride him so I lunged him first then got up on him – he went perfectly. He tried to get his head down but didn’t get even close as I wouldn’t let him . He tried to bolt with me and got no further than a theatrical, slow hack canter, whilst fighting me all the time. Job done, we thought – my friend got back on him (he was white with sweat and knackered by this point as I’d been on him over an hour) and the head went straight between his legs as he tried to hack off with her, bucking. She jumped off and eventually had to send him back.
That said, TBs aren’t all headcases, far from it (this one ceratinly wasn’t!) and I wouldn’t want to put anyone off having one. Anyone who does take one on wants to be fully experienced and totally confident that they can handle riding and looking after highly strung horses, however.
Sal – tell your sister to ring me and come down and look at ours! They’re young and sound! She has my number!
I agree with everything you said Shadow Leader. My daughter was invited to Newmarket for a number of days by the trainer to ensure that both she and the horse were suited. The welfare of both the horse and rider was important.
My daughter won’t let just anyone ride her, however experienced they are as there are certain racehorse traits she hasn’t lost altogether.
That’s exactly the type of person who should take on an ex-racehorse, reet!
Trouble is, the main reason that ex-racehorses and/or TBs (whether they’ve raced or not) have such a bad name amongst horsey people is that people take them on who can’t handle them so denounce them as headcases. It’s a very sad situation as they are superb riding horses, amazingly versatile and I wouldn’t have any other type of horse.
Some advice from woodendfarms USA
"Key pointers Birch offers new owners include the following:
• Establish a routine and follow it. Horses crave routine. At Wood End, horses rotate between spending time in turnout and in their stalls. This provides both variety and routine, and the horses benefit from being handled several times a day.
• High-quality feed is a must. Although retired racehorses will need less protein than those in training, good nutrition plays a vital role in developing strong, healthy hooves, and helping the animals’ bodies recover from the rigors of racing. Pasture and new feeds should be introduced gradually to prevent the horse’s digestive system from being upset.
• Racehorses are used to activity. Barns that have open-front stalls, windows, and wide aisles are comforting to busy, active Thoroughbreds. A bored or isolated horse will be stressed and can develop habits such as cribbing or weaving in the stall.
• Understand that the training a racehorse receives is far different than for riding horses. Examples include the fact that crossties are not used at the racetrack, and riders mount while the animal is walking. A retired racehorse will need to be schooled in the basics, and will need to unlearn some behaviors.
• Give your new ex-racer a job. Thoroughbreds are eager to please and thrive when working. During the transition phase, while you’re letting your horse down from the track, groundwork can be an invaluable tool to keep your horse busy and start his learning process.
For more information visit the Wood End Farms Web site at http://www.woodendfarms.org. "
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