CC on TB ex racer coming out of winter

ImmyS

ImmyS

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So my ex racer is just turned 6, was very poor when I bought her this time last year so was just looking for opinions on how she's faired this winter condition wise.

Management wise she has lived out 24/7 unclipped but rugged appropriately, out on poor grass but ad lib good quality hay with 3 small feeds a day for alfabeet chaff and oil + supps. Work wise she has doe about 8-10 hours hacking a week and we are just reintroducing schooling.

Apologies for poor photos, was getting dark and cold so not the best!

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Also I know it is difficult as she is not standing square but I'd be interested to hear any criticism/pointers on her general conformation.

Ps feel free to post pics of how you tbs are doing coming out of winter! :D
 
i've had mine the same amount of time and hes the same age, and an ex-racehorse too! odd...
i forgot to look at the pictures because i was amazed by the similarities... wait a second




maybe just a little under muscled but other than that she looks well for a hard winter with poor grass but then again shes had the benefit of good hay, i think she looks well but not fit
 
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Lacking topline but weight wise looks OK. Coming onto spring I wouldn't want o see more weight.

On a different point, p,ease don't tie your horse up on a controller head collar.

Hard to comment on cc without proper photos.
 
eggs said:
Lacking topline but weight wise looks OK. Coming onto spring I wouldn't want o see more weight.

On a different point, p,ease don't tie your horse up on a controller head collar.

Hard to comment on cc without proper photos.
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It's not a control halter, its a simple rope halter
 
lucindakay said:
i've had mine the same amount of time and hes the same age, and an ex-racehorse too! odd...
i forgot to look at the pictures because i was amazed by the similarities... wait a second




maybe just a little under muscled but other than that she looks well for a hard winter with poor grass but then again shes had the benefit of good hay, i think she looks well but not fit
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No she's not fit at all due to lack of facilities, also recently found out that she has kissing spines so we haven't pushed her schooling wise until she has basic muscle, hoping that will change come spring though!
 
I think she looks well for this time of year, maybe even a little bit too well! May be worth cutting her feed back a little before the grass starts coming through.

Hacking is a great way of building up fitness and muscle, do you have any hills near you that you can use to build up her topline?

Also, I agree with the other poster about the halter, you really shouldn't tie up with one of those.
 
CobsGalore said:
I think she looks well for this time of year, maybe even a little bit too well! May be worth cutting her feed back a little before the grass starts coming through.

Hacking is a great way of building up fitness and muscle, do you have any hills near you that you can use to build up her topline?

Also, I agree with the other poster about the halter, you really shouldn't tie up with one of those.
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Yep lots of hills which we're using.. She looks more well in those photos then she really is you can feel her ribs and see them most of the time, just got a good hay belly :) .. Her rope halter is used for all her handling including tying up, if tied up we use a blocker tie ring so if any of the horses pull back it just pulls through, which tbh has never been necessary as she's never pulled back but it's used anyway just in case.
 
completely not my type of horse, but she is beautiful :)

Again just lacking muscle but im sure with the good weather (if it ever comes) you can work on that.
 
ImmyS said:
I don't understand what you know as a rope halter then? It's just a bog standard rope halter
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The traditional rope halter was one long piece of rope which ran up along the cheek on one side, over the poll and down the other cheek, over the nose and under it - think of a cavesson noseband to get the idea. It didn't also go under the throat like the one you are using.

I personally would NEVER tie a horse up with what you are using - block tie or not - but it is your horse, yours and your horse's risk.
 
tessybear said:
completely not my type of horse, but she is beautiful :)

Again just lacking muscle but im sure with the good weather (if it ever comes) you can work on that.
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Yes I'm sure by scrawny ex racer is miles away from your type with your lovely coloured cob! :p you've got a cracking horse there! :)
 
She looks good to me for this time of year!
Have to agree with regards to the halter though, they shouldn't be used to tie up.
 
ImmyS said:
Yes I'm sure by scrawny ex racer is miles away from your type with your lovely coloured cob! :p you've got a cracking horse there! :)
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Eeeeek totally didn't mean it in a nasty way , im sorry if it came across that way never really gone for the fine types but she looks a very sweet mare :)

I have a thing for hunka-chunkas :o Thank you lovely :)
 
eggs said:
The traditional rope halter was one long piece of rope which ran up along the cheek on one side, over the poll and down the other cheek, over the nose and under it - think of a cavesson noseband to get the idea. It didn't also go under the throat like the one you are using.

I personally would NEVER tie a horse up with what you are using - block tie or not - but it is your horse, yours and your horse's risk.
Click to expand...

The rope halter has the same 'design' as a traditional commercial thick headcollar just has knots where tmhe metal joints or clips would be. I would rather my horse respected this, never pulled, but if spooked could have length of rope then have have a horse pull against a solid headcollar all the time as I know she would. Each to there own, I ride in it, handle in it, tie in it with no problems.
 
She is looking well.
Regards to the halter, that is what I know as a rope halter. I agree you shouldnt tie up but with appropriate caution I dont see the fuss if she was only tied to have a bit of hay and her picture taken x
 
tessybear said:
Eeeeek totally didn't mean it in a nasty way , im sorry if it came across that way never really gone for the fine types but she looks a very sweet mare :)

I have a thing for hunka-chunkas :o Thank you lovely :)
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No no I didn't take offence was just joking as we probably own the two extremes! :p tbh I usually go for a horse with a bit more substance, but when I saw her miserable in a field all skinny I couldn't resist!
 
I think she looks fantastic considering she has wintered out and just done hacking. The belly will convert to top line with some proper work. Good job :).
 
ImmyS said:
The rope halter has the same 'design' as a traditional commercial thick headcollar just has knots where tmhe metal joints or clips would be. I would rather my horse respected this, never pulled, but if spooked could have length of rope then have have a horse pull against a solid headcollar all the time as I know she would. Each to there own, I ride in it, handle in it, tie in it with no problems.
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I give up. It is the knots that make it a pressure halter.
 
eggs said:
I give up. It is the knots that make it a pressure halter.
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I give up, I didn't ask for critique on how I tie my horse, she's impeccably mannered, I have no problems so there is no cause for concern thank you :)
 
Actually normal halters like the one the OPs horse is wearing are designed so the knots do not place pressure on the horses face. You can buy knotted halters designed to do this, but this is not one. A rope halter is thinner than a normal headcollar so the horse is less likely to lean into the halter and pull/drag you when they fancy a snack on grass
 
Maria13 said:
Actually normal halters like the one the OPs horse is wearing are designed so the knots do not place pressure on the horses face. You can buy knotted halters designed to do this, but this is not one. A rope halter is thinner than a normal headcollar so the horse is less likely to lean into the halter and pull/drag you when they fancy a snack on grass
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Thank you, thought I was going insane!
 
ImmyS said:
Haha she's clearly very distressed, crazy ex racer eh? :rolleyes::p
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Looks super, perfect condition to start work...............my ex racehorse has exactly the same head collar too, he loves his as he thinks it is so light and comfy!!:)
 
Your tb looks great! Ive never had any problems tying up in a halter and do occasionally.... She is always tied up to frayed bailer twine and weve never had any issues :-) each to their own i guess.
 
justabob said:
Looks super, perfect condition to start work...............my ex racehorse has exactly the same head collar too, he loves his as he thinks it is so light and comfy!!:)
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Thank you, hoping she's at a good base fitness to start building up the school work now, we'll get there one day! Glad your horse agrees on the headwear front! :)
 
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