Does any1 own Thoroughbreds for just hacking? without competing?

I actually think that your ex-jockey friend is trying to do right by you. Some first time horse owners buy TB's because they are generally cheap (under £1000) and are attractive. However as they are buying their first ever horse, they don't buy the right TB for them, so it doesn't go well. Some owners of course, up their game (eg lots of lessons) and it's OK in the end, others end up selling the horse on, sometimes after their confidence has been damaged.

Try to ride as many different horses as you can so that you can experience many types of horse.
 
OP, your ex-jockey friend is giving you sound advice. You have to think of what would happen if the horse got injured and had to go on box rest... Could you manage the horse then? Would you be able to bring the horse back to work yourself? My old TB was a happy hacker but, when he had a break, he was always a nightmare to bring back to work. Also, he was like a different horse on windy days! I hope that you think hard before making a decision... P.S. Looking at horses without your experienced friend is, frankly, a bad idea and rather childish
 
I agree with Faracat and Yuki1290, I own 2 Tbs, they're my daughter's horses, if I had it to do again I wouldn't have bought them, they're lovely but have presented a lot of challenges along the way. I would have been so pleased to have an experienced friend help me choose my daughter's first horse, might have avoided a lot of heartache that way, so don't spurn your friend's advice
 
My TB is a hack and very calm most of the time, but he is very strong out cantering in open spaces. I think they are amazing horses but I would always hesitate to recommend one as a first horse. I wouldn't have coped with my lad as my first horse despite being competent at the riding school and jumping all sorts. I think they need experienced owners, both from a riding point of view and also to spot potential dangers and medical issues early on. TB's do not have much self preservation or common sense in my experience and you have to do this for them.
I know of 2 people on our yard alone who thought they were ready for a TB as a first horse, even hacked them out when they tried them. Neither could cope with the horses and both ended up being sold on, (thankfully before any harm done to either horse or rider).
 
I have had my TB for 12 years now having got him from the track as a 6 year old. I only hack him .... but there's a reason for that!! He's a pretty hot individual and I've found him too highly strung to do lots of the things I wanted to do which is why I also have a lovely ISH who is just more level headed


I wouldn't put people off TB's as they are not all the same, I just don't think they're for the novice generally. My boy still wouldn't be at 18! I was pretty inexperienced when I got him and I have no doubt that someone with more experience could have done much more with him. It hasn't mattered as he has a lovely life, is hacked out (either ridden or led from the other one) most days, kept fit and active and I would never part with him. He can still be an absolute swine tho and when he loses it, there is just no reasoning with him. I would neved let a novice rider on him to be honest, he's just too sharp.

To handle, he is an absolute gent, very affectionate and a pleasure to have around ... which is his saving grace really! I could have made life much easier on myself tho as my first horse in my adult years having had a 10 year spell away from horses. I also had a very experienced sister who worked in racing to help me. I would not have managed him alone without her experience and guidance to help me and stop me doing stupid things!

So in short - after a lot of waffle - they can absolutely be happy as a hack only but exercise caution as a quirky one can be far from easy
 
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I ride two TB's, both ex racers, both just happy hacking at the moment. My boy is forward going, can be strong and excitable, will throw himself around if he doesn't get to canter in a certain spot. Jogs sometimes and generally messes around. But this isn't all the time, most of the time he's just a solid forward hack. Rarely spooky, but you need to keep his attention. He is a lovely boy but can he a handful when he's excited or nervous. Loves nothing better than a good blast and jumping some XC fences.

The other I ride I have put my total novice mum, dad and sister on, and is a saint. But then other days he will just decide not to play ball and will spin and head home. In which case I have trouble with him. I'm confident and will give him a kick and growl and he'll get on with it but if you were more nervous or unsure he'd completely take the mick. He's never been spooky about dogs before, but the other day he refused to walk past them for no reason. He also made a huge fuss about cow parsley! When he wants to canter but isn't allowed he'll canter sideways and really mess about and when he does go he goes hell for leather!

Some can be fine for novice/less experienced riders and I have put novices on both horses but only in controlled situations. Sometimes they can be too much.
 
I have 2 TBs, both ex racers, as follows...
Mare I purchased when I was 16, she was 3, raced once. She could probably live on fresh air, has fantastic feet, never sick or sorry, sweetheart to handle. Ridden, she is fiery, nervy, used to rear and is generally, what people would consider a typical TB. She was my 2nd horse and I did have experience with youngsters and luckily a horsey mum.
My second, I got when he was 6, had raced 30ish times, had a fairly successful career but had done a tendon. He has awful feet, poor doer, constantly self harming and is very thin skinned. To ride, he is an absolute plod, will go for it when pushed, but is quite happy walking along the lanes.
I don't compete either of them, I'd love to someday, but for the mo, we're just happy hackers. I don't think they'd really be bothered either staying as hacks or doing a bit of competition work.
I guess the summary is, they are all completely different. My 2 both *look* like tbs, but they are poles apart in most respects. If I could combine them, I'd probably end up with the perfect horse!
 
I haven't read the whole trend. However I just want to say not all cobs are plods/ easy to maintain I own a cob and he is sharper than my TB. However for a first horse TBs can be a bit high mantance. My 4 TB's are all lovely to ride and superstars but you wouldn't put your granny up on them as they can suddenly dislike the tree we have passed 100's of times. But you they are easy to love. My cob on the other hand I would only trust to very experienced riders and I have several friends with Cobs similar. Its more temperament you need to go on than Breed.
 
I have two and I love them, they are bone idle and happy to watch other horses canter into the distance which is why they were such bad racehorses. One had a novice sharer for a while who just hacked him out but he would have taken the micky if she had been riding him exclusively, as it was he started treating their hacks as a buffet and grabbing branches which he never did with me but then so might any other breed.

Any horse you are riding in a riding school is being also ridden by experienced people to keep their manners and behaviour in line.

Between bay tb v1.0 and v2.0 I loaned a warmblood who was lovely but made me realise that tbs suit me. I love the quickthinkingness of them. In the time the warmblood (who if anything was more spooky) decided to spook, tb would have spooked, span, decided it was OK and carried on as if nothing had happen. I find they they prefer calm confident riders as if they do get stressed they need some talking down and sensitive handling generally works better.

Neither of mine need much work to keep them sane though they are turned out daily just because that is how I keep horses. I'll go away for a week for work, get back and jump on and hack on the buckle no problem.

However mine are very sensitive to added sugars so molasses free unless you want to see a crazy tb stereotype, fine with oats and barley though.

But they are not for everyone, I love the way they think and if all I wanted to do is hack I would still possibly have a tb.

However I think the OP needs to get more familiar with a variety of different horse personality types to before making a judgement.
 
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