3yo tb filly

[TPO]

Another that would start letting her down and leave her to be a horse over winter then pick up in Spring.

No matter how "mature" a horse appear physically their bodies are all forming in the same way (if able to).

15mins of groundwork that engages their brain, rather than just aimless circling, is enough to tire any baby mentally.

I'd have shoes pulled to help her hooves recover from being shod before they reached maturity.

I'd have a dentist and physio to her so that any niggles aren't left to fester or become permanent compensations.

The upside of an exracer is hat they should load, travel and have been to strange places. If you have transport no harm in doing some loading practice and if you don't then making channels with poles and cones along with walking over tarps etc all help.

The days are drawing in so I'd spent the winter on herd turnout and stuffing her full of hay and giving high fibre bucket feed with a good vit/min balancer to help with her development and ensure she's getting what she needs.

To me there's no harm in leading her out to see a bit more of the world and hand grazing but I wouldn't ride. Just proper chill time to hang out together, get to know her etc. There's no rush.

As she's 3 and been raced I'm assuming a flat racer so she *could* have been started as young as 16-18mths, one of mine was and it seriously broke him. That's a strenuous load on an immature skeleton, ligaments, tendons and muscles plus shoes slapped on too.

I'd see where she's at next spring and pick her up but be prepared to go slow in short sessions and have stopping and starting as she grows in fits and starts. Also to e extremely vigilant over saddle fit as her shape could change a lot in a short space of time.

ETA IMO a ypungster from racing is different from a youngster that hasn't been on a racing yard. Doing light work with a 3yr old that's been allowed to mature to 3, have lots of turnout etc is very different from a young horse that has possibly had restricted turnout and forage, as is common in many racing yards, and gone into racing training/racing. IMO horses from racing yards, especially youngsters, need time to recover mentally and physically rather than pushed through it.

 

[ycbm]

IMO horses from racing yards, especially youngsters, need time to recover mentally and physically rather than pushed through it.

I don't think anyone is talking about "pushing them through it", though. When I first started going to auctions and buying 3 and 4 year old flat racers out of training 30 years ago now, I didn't have a clue what they would be like. I just got on with treating them like a young horse. And I saw them take three to four months for the institutionalisation drop away from them and their true character emerge, exactly the way people who believe in turning them away see it happen.

I'm not trying to argue that she shouldn't be turned away, and in a British winter it makes a lot of sense. But my experience is that it's not the absolute necessity that some people seem to suggest that it is. And that with some horses, depending on the horse, it might actually be better for it to stay in light work.

I absolutely don't, though, recommend the OP's plan of a hack at weekends only, that would be the worst thing I could think of and asking for trouble with a young sharp TB.
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[SpotsandBays]

I’m another that would turn away until spring

 

[TPO]

I'm not even meaning to "let their true character emerge" I mean to let their poor young bodies recover from the physical stresses of being started/trained/raced/shod while their skeletal structure is still very immature.

IMO they need time to recover and that is what separates them from a 3yr old that hasn't had that physical trauma and may well be ready to start some form of work at that age.

I know that plenty of yards that start them at 16-18mths, a certain eventer is happy to post about it all over social media when they are doing backing for yards, the big name yard one of mine came off did it and my friend in racing has worked on numerous yards that did it, its sadly not uncommon. A 3yr old that could have had 18mths of training, restricted/no turnout, reduced forage and high sugar/starch mix is one that to me needs let down and time to recover from the physical stress of racing never mind the mental side and adjustment to being a horse

 

[ycbm]

I'm not trying to be argumentative for the sake of it TPO, but I honestly believe, and have experienced it for myself, that the adjustment you describe can also be achieved with the horse in light work, and that with some horses the exercise they do can actually be beneficial.

Again, I'm not trying to argue against turning away, that's rarely going to be a wrong choice, I just don't believe that it's the only one.
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[marmalade88]

I’d keep her ticking over through the winter and use ground work to build strength then full work (light) in spring. I don’t think taking a horse from full work on a racing yard to doing nothing is going to be particularly beneficial for it mentally or physically. agreed with YCMB just treat her like any other young horse.

 

[teddy_]

I’d keep her ticking over through the winter and use ground work to build strength then full work (light) in spring. I don’t think taking a horse from full work on a racing yard to doing nothing is going to be particularly beneficial for it mentally or physically. agreed with YCMB just treat her like any other young horse.

I completely agree with this.

My recently retired 3YO racehorse arrived in the middle of August. He had a couple of weeks off due to not having a saddle that fitted him and in that time, he was out in a 15 acre field with buddies for at least 12 hours a day and then in at night with ad-lib forage.

In the time he was not being worked he actually became quite aggressive and sharp to handle. Biting, kicking and just generally unpleasant. None of this is helped by the fact he was only castrated a couple of months ago (he was a rig, so needed big surgery). Since he has resumed light work and is engaged on a daily basis, his temperament has completely changed. Yes, he is still a bit stable proud but he is no longer trying to take a chunk out of my arm when doing rugs or picking out feet, for example.

My point is, taking a broad brush approach is never wise. As I have said in a previous post on this thread, horses are as individual as humans and should be treated as such. Some horses really do thrive off work and some, well, they can take it or leave it.

Also, it is not true that every single 3YO ex-racehorse has had upwards of a years' hard work and intense management, so basing arguments on that is frankly... baseless! My lad was only backed this spring, ran 4 times over a mile and owners decided to sell. Yes, he came from a big ticket yard in Newmarket so was no doubt done well, but he is more than physically and mentally up for light work.

I think, in terms of advising the OP, it would be helpful if we knew more about her horses racing history before coming to the conclusion that the mare categorically needs 'x' amount of time off.

As YCBM has said, holidays are never a bad thing but in the right situation, neither is light work.

 

[TPO]

Also, it is not true that every single 3YO ex-racehorse has had upwards of a years' hard work and intense management, so basing arguments on that is frankly... baseless! My lad was only backed this spring, ran 4 times over a mile and owners decided to sell.

Hardly baseless when it is fact that flat racers are started that young and need a certain amount of work to make them "fit" to race.

Not baseless that a lot of training yards do not have turnout. Not baseless how soft and hard tissue develops. Not baseless that ad-lib forage isn't available to all horses in training. Not baseless the damage that shoeing immature hooves cause. Not baseless what damage the stress of excessive pressure on immature tissues cause.

At no point did I say that every racehorse ever is started at 16-18mths but to be racing at 3 they have to have been started young and require training and fittening which takes time no matter how many corners anyone attempts to take to shorten that length of time.

I can't stand racing as an industry and the immense damage that it does to horses. However I understand that money is king. What I don't understand is the reluctance to allow horse's to have time in the leisure sector. No one is gunning for Olympic selection. There are plenty of papers and books that teach anatomy and what too much stress can do to it. Tarrsteps facebook page re shares lots of articles about the damage we do in rush to be doing/riding and not allowing the horses time mentally.

You don't make a horse tire to behave in the field by riding, proper groundwork can supple and straighten a horse in 15min sessions when done correctly and tire a brain enough that they aren't looking for trouble. It's baseless to link riding a youngster to its field behavior. Must have missed the papers on that

 

[teddy_]

Hardly baseless when it is fact that flat racers are started that young and need a certain amount of work to make them "fit" to race.

Not baseless that a lot of training yards do not have turnout. Not baseless how soft and hard tissue develops. Not baseless that ad-lib forage isn't available to all horses in training. Not baseless the damage that shoeing immature hooves cause. Not baseless what damage the stress of excessive pressure on immature tissues cause.

At no point did I say that every racehorse ever is started at 16-18mths but to be racing at 3 they have to have been started young and require training and fittening which takes time no matter how many corners anyone attempts to take to shorten that length of time.

I can't stand racing as an industry and the immense damage that it does to horses. However I understand that money is king. What I don't understand is the reluctance to allow horse's to have time in the leisure sector. No one is gunning for Olympic selection. There are plenty of papers and books that teach anatomy and what too much stress can do to it. Tarrsteps facebook page re shares lots of articles about the damage we do in rush to be doing/riding and not allowing the horses time mentally.

You don't make a horse tire to behave in the field by riding, proper groundwork can supple and straighten a horse in 15min sessions when done correctly and tire a brain enough that they aren't looking for trouble. It's baseless to link riding a youngster to its field behavior. Must have missed the papers on that

Clearly you have immense bias and loathe the racing industry, so I don't think you're in a position to provide impartial and constructive advice.

None of us know where this mare came from or her history so it is pointless making the assumption that your above listed 'facts' apply to the horse.

I take umbrage to your insinuation that I am 'tiring' my horse to improve his behaviour. I am not tiring my horse, I am engaging him in incredibly light work to keep his brain occupied for a maximum of 20 minutes a day. Additionally, at no point did I say my horses behaviour was bad in the field? He was difficult to handle and has stopped being difficult to handle since the light work has resumed. There is nothing else to it.

 

[TPO]

???

 

[stangs]

I can see both sides of the argument, though I'm usually in the "turn out and let them sort out any physical niggles" camp.

The best thing is 100% for the owner is to give lots of turnout, and then to play it by ear - especially given that a racer's education will vary tremendously based on their past: whether they've been in a small or more commercial yard, why were they retired, how well were they prepared for non-racing life, etc. The only thing that I think everyone can agree on is no solo hacking astride until horse is a bit more settled in their new home.

 

[charlottesenn21]

Charlotte, it's horses for courses but it might help people advise what would be best for her if you could show us what she looks like, and tell us what kind of support network you have around you and what experience you have.
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I completely agree with this.

My recently retired 3YO racehorse arrived in the middle of August. He had a couple of weeks off due to not having a saddle that fitted him and in that time, he was out in a 15 acre field with buddies for at least 12 hours a day and then in at night with ad-lib forage.

In the time he was not being worked he actually became quite aggressive and sharp to handle. Biting, kicking and just generally unpleasant. None of this is helped by the fact he was only castrated a couple of months ago (he was a rig, so needed big surgery). Since he has resumed light work and is engaged on a daily basis, his temperament has completely changed. Yes, he is still a bit stable proud but he is no longer trying to take a chunk out of my arm when doing rugs or picking out feet, for example.

My point is, taking a broad brush approach is never wise. As I have said in a previous post on this thread, horses are as individual as humans and should be treated as such. Some horses really do thrive off work and some, well, they can take it or leave it.

Also, it is not true that every single 3YO ex-racehorse has had upwards of a years' hard work and intense management, so basing arguments on that is frankly... baseless! My lad was only backed this spring, ran 4 times over a mile and owners decided to sell. Yes, he came from a big ticket yard in Newmarket so was no doubt done well, but he is more than physically and mentally up for light work.

I think, in terms of advising the OP, it would be helpful if we knew more about her horses racing history before coming to the conclusion that the mare categorically needs 'x' amount of time off.

As YCBM has said, holidays are never a bad thing but in the right situation, neither is light work.

thank you so much for your advice.
so a little bit of information on her, she’s from a small yard in Nottinghamshire, shes raced 5 times and came last every time so the owners decided racing wasn’t for her, her last race was in April so she’s had time off since then, I have then sent her to a yard for her to have some groundwork and road work done with her, but she has now returned back to me and turned out at the minute.
thank you again for your advice on this.

 

[AmyMay]

Good luck with her xx