Buying a just off the track ex racer - hurdles for eventing?

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Neemo

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Hi,

I'm going to look at a TB who's just retired from racing sound. He's to careful over the hunt fences/brushes and clears them and doesn't like to be crowded from behind. He's ok to be vetted and hacks out alone. Does this sound like a good prospect for eventing, apparently he's careful over fences and has never fallen.

I just want a horse to eventually be80 but want another ex racer. My last one never raced though and had already been schooled on a bit. If I like and buy the above one, I plan to give him the summer off, then send him away for some schooling to get the basics.

Does anyone have any racer success stories to show jumping or eventing?:)
 
Wasn't Miner's Frolic originally a racer? He won 3 Olympic medals so I think you could call him a success story! I know loads of ex-racers doing really well in Eventing, Show Jumping and Dressage at all levels.

If being too careful is his only fault he should make a great eventer!
 
annagain said:
Wasn't Miner's Frolic originally a racer? He won 3 Olympic medals so I think you could call him a success story! I know loads of ex-racers doing really well in Eventing, Show Jumping and Dressage at all levels.

If being too careful is his only fault he should make a great eventer!
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Thanks for your reply. I think they said he is to careful over them so tires towards the end but he's never reused. :)
 
Well that sounds promising as the perfect hurdling technique is the polar opposite of the perfect cross country technique ;)
My daughter bought one to event, he had hurdled but was the most unreliable jumper you could ever meet! He did go on to be a very successful RoR horse though. He was 8 when he came out of training and had totally fallen out of love with the game. I definitely think you are better off with one that has not been in racing so long. Having said that it didn't deter us from subsequently buying a 7 year old who had been running since a 2 year old!!

Edited to add the horse I spoke of initially is a very 'shouldery' jumper - I would avoid that technique at all costs if I were looking for a potential eventer.
 
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Hurdlers tend to be a bit smaller than those who jump fences, and he may be a bit timid, tiring indicates lack of stamina or a possible wind problem. Make sure he is vetted by your vet, what the vendor tells you may not always be exactly the whole truth. Many horses are retired because they are just too slow, but this may not be a particular problem for you, stamina would be more of an issue.
What is his breeding, does his sire produce NH horses?
Check his racing record on the racing post website. He may be a failed flat horse and now a failed jumper :), but that does not mean he can't do your job.
You might be better to find one already re-habbed as suited to eventing, rather than hoping this one will be suitable.
The perfect hurdling technique is to flick over fences rather than popping them, which slows them down, again this is OK for x country as long as he is bold enough and you can re-hab him.
 
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Just to clarify my point about technique you will find hurdlers are are encouraged to jump low and flat to cross their hurdles in a short a time as possible.
The 'shouldery' technique I spoke of involves the horse lifting its shoulders and folding its legs underneath it from the shoulder, not lifting the forearm and folding at the knee as you would want. This is not uncommon in hurdlers. It can be overcome but if it were me I would avoid a horse with this technique.
Most TBs would be capable of jumping BE80 from a physical viewpoint so other than soundness, jumping technique and mental attitude will be your main concern.
 
Thank you everyone. I hope to maybe do more than a be80 and some sjing, my current horse has issues leaving other horses so XC is interesting!

Would anyone be able to look at his racing record if I PM it?

He's never flat raced and is sire produces successful NH horses. It may not even be hurdles but definitely over fences I got confused about all he different names. :)
 
His grand sire on his sires side is Alleged who himself was a flat racer winning the Arc.
Alleged was also sire of Hedgehunter the Grand National winner and maternal grand sire of another winner Don't Push It.
 
Well, he wasn't very successful as a pointer in Ireland was he? Pulled up 3 times, and fell once, out of 5 starts.... no wonder they sold him to England.

It looks like he's done better over chase fences than hurdles, which would imply he's a better jumper than hurdler....

If he only raced last week then you've got to get rid of a lot of fitness lol, but he would seem promising....
 
He sounds fab, I would snap him up!

I have one I've had since January. He also hacks alone, is rock solid in all traffic, has faultless manners (he even maintains these when he's got his knickers in a twist), is easy to do in every way and is as sweet as they come. He also never fell or blundered badly (he hurdled) which has given me a bit of confidence in him. Have to admit that I've only hacked and popped over a few small coloured jumps in my own paddock and not sure if I'll ever do much more than that with him but am delighted with him, he's just so willing and sensible.
 
spacefaer said:
Well, he wasn't very successful as a pointer in Ireland was he? Pulled up 3 times, and fell once, out of 5 starts.... no wonder they sold him to England.

It looks like he's done better over chase fences than hurdles, which would imply he's a better jumper than hurdler....

If he only raced last week then you've got to get rid of a lot of fitness lol, but he would seem promising....
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Thanks what generally makes them be pulled up? I just thought i may be buying something bold to jump but I'be never looked into one straight off the track before.
Thanks for your input.
 
Neemo said:
Thanks what generally makes them be pulled up? I just thought i may be buying something bold to jump but I'be never looked into one straight off the track before.
Thanks for your input.
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Looking at his record, he was PU in his first race, but he was 4, so he may have been struggling against the competition. The next time, looking at the going, it was soft and the third time, at Necarne, it was heavy . The meeting where he was placed, the going was good - as a 5 yr old, he obviously struggled with deep ground.

I'm liking the sound of him, but obviously you have to look at everything you would normally consider in buying any horse as well - soundness, temperament, looks etc etc.

At east you know he can jump cleanly at speed..... =D
 
spacefaer said:
Looking at his record, he was PU in his first race, but he was 4, so he may have been struggling against the competition. The next time, looking at the going, it was soft and the third time, at Necarne, it was heavy . The meeting where he was placed, the going was good - as a 5 yr old, he obviously struggled with deep ground.

I'm liking the sound of him, but obviously you have to look at everything you would normally consider in buying any horse as well - soundness, temperament, looks etc etc.

At east you know he can jump cleanly at speed..... =D
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Thank you! :) I am useless with this stuff. My last one was an amazing horse though never made it to a race so I wasn't sure what I was looking for. Thanks.
 
Are you able to go and see him at the trainer's yard and maybe see him schooled over their practice fences. If so you should be able to assess how he tackles them. Does he look like he's careful and gives them air, does he jump out of a rhythm and naturally seem to hit a good take off stride or will he need help with adjusting his stride to take off and land safely and comfortably. If that's not possible then maybe see if you can look at some video of his races to assess how he jumps.
 
Puddleduck said:
Are you able to go and see him at the trainer's yard and maybe see him schooled over their practice fences. If so you should be able to assess how he tackles them. Does he look like he's careful and gives them air, does he jump out of a rhythm and naturally seem to hit a good take off stride or will he need help with adjusting his stride to take off and land safely and comfortably. If that's not possible then maybe see if you can look at some video of his races to assess how he jumps.
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Hi,

Thank you. :) yes I am going to see him at his trainers yard in the morning. They are going to show me his racing videoes, they said they can put a pole up see how he goes over it?:) their practice fences aren't on site I think they said though. I also asked to go for a hack on him, apparently a nervous rider hacks him out and he is a yard favourite, so that's something that's swayed me to him. My current horse can be very nappy so my main thing is I don't want anything that naps which they say he doesn't, I'm excited to see him! :)
 
Charlie007 said:
Congratulations!! Fingers crossed for vetting. Pictures???!!!
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Thank you and only got one at the end, totally forgot to get any! :)

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