Dilemma - Ex Racer....put him on the bit or not? Advise please.

My ex racer finished training in March and came to me beginning April. He used to 'do the girraffe thing' too as soon as I asked him to do anything. I took him out of the snaffle and in to a loose ring straight rubber happy mouth. He now works consistently long and low and once nice and loose will work for 10 - 15 minutes in a 'proper' outline.

I don't ask him to hold it for long as he is only building muscle and I never force him to do anything, he explodes if anyone tries. We work together nicely and since I put him in a bit he likes and took it slowly so that he could un stiffen and develop muscle slowly, he chooses to work well for me.

I like that you don't want to hurry him and like mooching along in harmony with him. At 8 he has raced for a while and deserves a nice summer mooching with his new mom/dad (sorry, not sure!) but he is not an old horse and could easily learn to work in a different way. I started with mine by pushing the back end up to the front rather than pulling the head in. Once the back end came in and his back came up a little he found it easier to carry me, his head came down and he seemed to enjoy things more. Now he works long and low he has some visible muscle coming and has pretty much stopped bucking becasue he is finding it easier with his new he-man muscles!

I'd enjoy your horse, push him up from behind on your hacks a little more for 2 - 5 minutes at a time with 10 - 15 minute intervals, After a couple of weeks try for 5 -7 minutes with 10 minute intervals etc.
 
horses for courses, but could someone please explain to me what aids they use to cajole a horse into ' long and low', or how they encourage a horse to do this?
:)
 
Thank-you all for your replies, it looks like there are two different schools of thought. I think after reading all of the replies what I will do is start lunging him (once the new yard's school is built!) with a Pessoa or similar gadget to show him what I'm asking for.

I'll carry on hacking him out and once he has the idea on the lunge then I can try and ask for a similar outline when out hacking for short periods of time. Once we've achieved that, however long that will take, I'll then employ the knowledge of an instructor such as Lucinda to help us out.

I also think we should just have a few rides that are nice and relaxed so he doesn't associate riding out with being stressed or schooled and see how we go.

For those that asked here are a few photo's of me and the boy, and for those that wondered lol I am a girl, but i have very short hair!


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This was our first outing in hi-viz after a few too many near misses in stealth mode. Fred is happy, he think's he's off to be a Police horse but I think I look like a neon lemming. For those eagle eyed, yes it is a Myler combination with a fluffy noseband added. This is what he was ridden in at the racing yard when galloped on the flat (I rode him and worked at his yard when he was in training,) he seems to be more comfortable in this than my usual loose ring snaffle in the other photo's and I know for a fact he can be stopped if he does go banzai!

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This was us re-living old times! I dug out my exercise saddle and took him for a canter. He was good as gold. Apologies for the picture quality, it is taken from a mobile phone video.

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And this is the day before we moved yards, making good use of the indoor school :o This is Freddie the big softy.
 
maggiemoto said:
As an ex-racer, they are different to a newly backed horse as they do need re-training rather than training. Contact the Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre, R.O.R or Moorcroft who retrain thoroughbreds to lead a new life after racing. They have a huge amount of info on their websites re re-training and are always happy to give advice if asked.

Full credit to you to take on an ex-racer and give him the second chance he deserves.
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Reg's condition and topline have only improved hugely since he was asked to work consistently forwards into a contact, working from behind whenever he was ridden. Now, he finds flatwork easy and enjoys it.

Bee, another baby ex-racer who is 5, has been re-backed for 3 months now is asked to work forwards into a contact over her back in walk and trot, and as her balance improves this is being asked in the canter too. She finds it easy and there's no stress over it. The goal posts have been set and she works to them and it's all very consistent...

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Bee, looking tremendously stressed by this unfair ask of her... :D
 
Faracat - He is still a little unlevel behind although much better. Our vet said he would put off any intensive physio (assuming he is not showing signs of pain or discomfort) until I have done 6 months of straight line work to re-balance him. If we still have an issue then at that time we will look deeper. He was always galloped either up a a straight hill or on a left rein in training so this may explain it? Also his hind toes point outwards (like charlie chaplain!) so we are keeping an eye out for any hock problems caused by the extra strain resulting from his squiffy confirmation.

Rhino- Hellooooo! I'll check my fb!

Thankyou all again for your advice, very much appreciated! So glad this forum is here so we can all share our knowledge and ask questions of eachother.
 
Thanks for the reply. :)

I personally wouldn't lunge him at the moment. The constant turning puts a lot of strain on their joints. As he is improving with straight line work (and the Vet is happy with his progress?), I would continue with this. You can ask for long and low, plus relaxation while hacking, so you can still progress.

He looks really lovely. I'm another ex-racer fan, they really are wonderful horses.
 
Faracat said:
Thanks for the reply. :)

I personally wouldn't lunge him at the moment. The constant turning puts a lot of strain on their joints. As he is improving with straight line work (and the Vet is happy with his progress?), I would continue with this. You can ask for long and low, plus relaxation while hacking, so you can still progress.
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I agree 100%.
 
Someone asked how we get long and low. Everyone is taught different but I have always used my leg to push forward from behind and my seat, combination of tightening thigh and bum and stopping movement through my lower back, to stop the movement rushing out the front. I then open my hands a little wider and gently move my ring fingers to massage the rein. Shouldn't be a visible movement on the rein. Other people will do it differently of course.
 
Spotsrock said:
Someone asked how we get long and low. Everyone is taught different but I have always used my leg to push forward from behind and my seat, combination of tightening thigh and bum and stopping movement through my lower back, to stop the movement rushing out the front. I then open my hands a little wider and gently move my ring fingers to massage the rein. Shouldn't be a visible movement on the rein. Other people will do it differently of course.
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Brilliant, thanks, will give that one a try.
 
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