Buying an ex racer

R

RunToEarth

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Mum has mentioned buying one and bringing it on. She has done it before but would want me to do a lot of the hands on work and actually riding it- she will just tell me what to do, so to speak. We know a few places locally but alot can be said for them- she has bought a couple of seriously ropey ones before and perhaps we could broaden the search- any good racing sales about? Also Anybody with any long time experience in the field and advice/famous last words about it? Thanks r
 
Hi

I just got my first ex-racer last month and I love her to pieces. I've had horses all my life and also have an arab and QH but wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing before I took on an ex-racer as much for their sake as mine. After I decided that I wanted an ex-racer I spent the next 18mths finding out all that I could about them, their care and retraining waiting to find the right horse for me.

I went to the Bailey's Horse Feeds/RoR lecture/demos that they were holding and I learnt a lot from that. I also found the book by Victoria and Christopher Coldrey really good (Buying and Reschooling Ex-racehorses).

The website www.exracersclub.com is brilliant too. The majority of members own ex-race horses and there is a wealth of knowledge as well as a rehoming section. A lot of the members come on here too so I'm sure they'll reply to your post too.

I was really lucky as the person I bought my mare from bred her so her full history is know and they have been really good with putting up with my endless stream of emails!!

Good Luck and happy horse hunting.
 
Hello fellow forum friend Shiraz!

I have a 18 year old exracer which i had straight off the track at 12 years old, and re trained him personally, Knowing his previous owner very well i happen to know the horse fairly well before taking him on, He's great horse with heart of gold.

Research carefully, talk to trainers etc as Shiraz mentioned. and go on exracers forum. Good Luck...
 
We have an ex racer. We went into it fairly blind. However, he is such a gent and going really well. He has qualified for other shows in his first two shows coming first and second.
 
I have an ex racer as well. Retraining an ex-racer is hard work and verty rewarding when you do get it right. I find Charlie very intelligent, quick to learn new things and just as quick to learn the evasions to go with it. He is now doing very well at unaffilated dressage at prelim and novice level. He has also qualified for the GB championships at Broomes in Septemeber. That is a very big achievement!!!!
 
Another ex racer fan here
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mine came out of training aged 11 and has come round nicely to showing and dressage.

Drop vicijp a pm she's probably a good person to point you in the right direction.
 
hi all.... well we are all coming out of the woodwork this evening!

can't really add to what has already been put!

GeorgieW
 
Yes..I can definitely recommend it. BUT, make sure you get one with the correct temperament. Had our boy at 3 and have had so much fun (and tears) with him. He owes us nothing and definitely has a home for life. He does some eventing and dressage affiliated and does some Riding Club showjumping. If you're buying to sell then you need to prepare to spend quite a bit of time getting it to a saleable point and remember that they will always carry that reputation with a lot of people and won't usually sell for as much as maybe a less talented non-TB.

This is us:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/competitionnews/article.php?aid=131566
 
Hi there,

Mel Brittain often has lots in at york horse sales. His are often youngsters which have never raced but have been tried on the gallops so might possibly make your bringing on a little bit easier! We aquired twiggy through him at the sales as a 3yo that had been opn the gallops but never raced and shes absolutely fab - she'll be aimed at byeh classes next year and was a snip at about £700! It can be a very good way of buying them and we met up with the grooms before bidding who told us all about the horses they had in the sale. Its a big risk tot ake and yes we may have been lucky. We spent months going all over yorkshire to trainers that wanted to sell youngsters with lumps / bumps etc for a lot more money whereas by doing it this way we had got ourselves a fairly blank canvas to start with and after a bit of research it turns out she is very well bred with one of her relatives at bramham this year
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she'll be going to her first dressage in a few weeks so i'll hopefully get some clickys!
 
Yes I agree with the selling on thing, they make good cheap horses to buy and bring on to keep, but TBH by the time you have ironed out all the quirks and odd bits and spent all the time re-schooling it is highly unlikely that you will make any money from it. Probably the most important thing is to be extra patient, after 3 years, yes 3 years I am finally getting to the point where my boy is actually fulfilling his potential, at many points along the way I have felt like giving up and selling him, and every time we made some progress something would happen to set us back. I am looking forward to spending the winter hunting him and then running him in the members race at our local p2p, then we will be back on the eventing and working hunter scene.
By the way I wouldnt part with him ever!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Love ex-racers, theyre so rewarding to work with.
I wouldnt get anything with a history of injury. Be warned, if it's a plan to make some money, you're probably going to be unsucessful as they rarely fetch much, even once re-trained. Unless they turn out to be decent competition horses and even then, people will stereotype them.
 
Interesting thread i am thinking of getting an ex-racer to bring on but the rescue centres are quite far from me and with my work traveling is an issue
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I have checked out the sites a lot to have an injury or retired due to injury.

So if you know of any in the midlands area let me know
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