Ex race horse

[Tigershay]

Hi I have got a lovely 3.5 yr old TB mare who has been in training but not raced as to slow. She has been with me for some 7 weeks and has settled into her new field yard well.
I have had her vetted (not by my vet as the owner uses same vet) she failed on her off hind flexion he felt she may have done something in the field OR it could be something more sinister some other minor things came up as well which are mainly cosmetic and doesn't put me off. I have had her back done last week and this was a successful treatment she doesn't need to be looked at until she is back being ridden - she is having her feet trimmed ok every 4-5 weeks and I ma having her teeth checked next week

I had planned to do ground work in hand, poles, join up, longreining and lunging from now till the spring then reback her and introduce her to conventional riding. I only plan to do some dressage, hacking, local shows and pleasure rides with her.

I have looked on various ROR sites and forums and I would appreciate some advise from someone who has actually retrained an ex racer. Inceidentally she is a lovely temperment who isn't really stressy.

I have done join up and she has responded well I have lunged and loose schooled and good, I have just introduced the long lines and agin good, I have just started to lead her out in hand round the yard and down the lane.

What else would you suggest and although I know she has been ridden as a flat racer but I want to ensure she has the best re start and due to my having not doen this before I do not want to hash things for her or me

Any advice will be appreciated

 

[AnitaStreet]

Hello,

I bought an ex racehorse direct from the trainer just over seven years ago, he was five and had raced for four seasons. I did have ups and downs for the first two or three years (I actually had quite a bad accident falling off him and couldn't then ride for 18 months!) so my advice would be to get professional help if, like me, you've never dealt with a horse like this before. Alfie was also very gentle and easy to do from the ground, but as he gained weight and got stronger over the first four or five months I had him, he became sharper. His 'thing' was to spin, and I'd be on the floor before I realised what had happened.

With hindsight I'd wished I'd have given him a break as you've said you plan to do, then given him to a professional for three to six months so they could get him used to normal life. I just wasn't skilled, strong or confident enough to cope with him, even now I wouldn't attempt it. Plus regular lessons with a patient and understanding teacher are a must.

In the end I did hand him over and the first year (after my accident) was tough.... two steps forward and one step back. He was spooky and nappy and would still spin. Luckily I adored him!

All that said, for the last five years I've had an amazing time with Alfie. He's still spooky but not nappy now, but he does need a lot of work to keep him disciplined. He's not the sort of horse who you can trot around the school on a long rein and never will be!

I never planned to compete, but about four years ago thought we'd give dressage a try when I moved him to a friendly yard. We haven't looked back! We affiliated after a year as we were winning prelims. This year we've started elementary and we just qualified for the area festival in September. We'll probably come last this year, but we'll keep on working and improving!!

So good luck and I'm sure you'll have years of fun with your mare. TBs are great, sensitive horses. You just have to treat them with a little bit more care.

Anita X

 

[Allover]

How good is your riding, be honest with yourself on this one, TBs allthough super fantastic marvelous horses can be super sensitive and i would always advise they are backed by people who really know what they are doing, do you have a "natural horsemen" in your area as you seem to be keen on this method and it is always nice to know people are on the same wave length as you when they are handling your horses. Remember what happens between you two now will affect your relationship for the rest of your lives so better to get it right, best of luck with her,

Also if you are going to back her yourself, would you have someone on the ground with you with tons of experience?

 

[asterid]

Hi, firstly, well done on taking on a an exracer.

I bought mine in April off the track. She had run 6 races, but hated the stalls. She came 3rd in one race, but due to her distaste of racing she is now with me

She was racing lean when I got her, but in great condition. She passed her vetting. I have had a couple of freak things happen whereby she has had a couple of weeks off and vet attention, but is now OK (touches wood).

Well, I long reined around the yard, long reined in the school, lunged and hacked out with a sensible horse.

Now, 4 months on (with a total of 4 weeks off for various vet attention) she now hacks out alone and in company, is not spooky at all. Rides in the indoor and outdoor school walking and trotting. Is trotting over trotting poles and is loose jumping over 2' fences. canters out on a hack.

She is a dream to handle, good to ride. She now stands at the mouting block too!

The issue I have is getting her used to a contact. As with most ex racers, they have never been taught a contact and have any ole bit in their mouth. When I first got her she would ride with her head turned sideways! Then ride with her tongue poking out every which way, now she just intermittently grabs hold of the bit. It is a work in progress, but as soon as she relaxes, drops her head, you can really feel her power from behind.

My girl turned 4 in April, so I have just got and ridden pretty much straight away.

Good luck, it is well worth the effort as TB's can be big movers. I also want to do dressage and showing. x

 

[kirstyl]

Congratulations on getting your new horse! I too have an exracer, he is 8 and finished racing last September, he flat raced as a 2 yr old then hurdled. I would definitely advise giving a good holiday, to allow them to chill out and learn to be a horse!

Get yourself a good instructor who ideally has experience re schooling exracers. With the best will in the world you will come up against problems and there is nothing better than to have advice and help close at hand. You are doing exactly the right thing starting off with groundwork. I did 2 months of groundwork before I got on including leading out in hand, lunging (initially just in a cavesson then building up to include tack and side reins) and working them on the ground - turn on forehand, haunches and reinback. It makes the ridden work so much easier if you really got the basics established from the ground and you also get to know your horse really well too. Yours is a baby in every way so take your time and don't be in a hurry to get going. Wishing you the best of luck!!

 

[Holly Hocks]

Hi

I have two ex-racers. One aged 20, who I have had since he was 12 and an 8 year old mare who I bought in April. Contrary to the others, I would say don't treat them as if they are something different to any other horse. They aren't. I took the one I bought in April to a dressage a week later and won. I got her on a Saturday, free lunged her, wormed her, saddle fitted her, then on Sunday got on her in the school, walked and trotted her round and then took her on a hack on her own for about 20 minutes. Admittedly she is fizzy out hacking and can jog and shout a bit, but she is no different to a youngster. I would do exactly as you are doing, but don't be too concerned that she is an "ex-racer" - this is what gives them the stigma which makes people think they are loons. When you are getting on, get someone to hold the horse, loosely at the front end - don't stop the horse going forward as this is what they have been used to doing, and if you hold the horse still, you have more chance of it rearing up than just walking on. You can deal with the standing still issue later. When you are getting on, just put your left foot loosely in the stirrup and bounce lightly in the stirrup to see what reaction you are going to get. That way, you can get off again quickly if necessary. Don't ride with too short a contact as a lot of them challenge the contact and think that it means "go forward". If you want to PM me, feel free! Good luck!

 

[Allover]

Rebelszmum, personally i dont think that they are loons i just appreciate that they are generally more sensitive to their riders feelings, and quicker off the mark than most other breeds. Also this mare is 3 and a half therefor has not seen nearly as much of life as an older ex racer and like any youngster needs experienced decent people around her to help her realise her full potential. I have an ex racer at the moment (been in "normal" work just over a year), fabulous, kind, clever, funny, handsome, wonderfull and an absolute dream to ride!!!!

Completely agree with you about not worrying about them not standing still to start with, it comes with time and patience.

In my opinion there is nothing better to ride than a thoroughbred

 

[Holly Hocks]

Rebelszmum, personally i dont think that they are loons i just appreciate that they are generally more sensitive to their riders feelings, and quicker off the mark than most other breeds. Also this mare is 3 and a half therefor has not seen nearly as much of life as an older ex racer and like any youngster needs experienced decent people around her to help her realise her full potential. I have an ex racer at the moment (been in "normal" work just over a year), fabulous, kind, clever, funny, handsome, wonderfull and an absolute dream to ride!!!!

Completely agree with you about not worrying about them not standing still to start with, it comes with time and patience.

In my opinion there is nothing better to ride than a thoroughbred

Yes, definitely agree, they are probably sharper - I don't mean that they are loons, otherwise I wouldn't have two, but I sometimes think people who don't understand them think they are, just because they have raced. Totally agree that they are more sensitive, and yes you are right - nothing better to ride than a TB! My OH is a total novice rider and he has been out hacking tonight on my 20 year old (still full of life!) and had his first canter across a field and stayed on (admittedly with me shouting "sit on your ar**") and then turned round and cantered back towards me and then away from me again! They are dreams to ride and own, I just wish more people felt the same!

 

[kirstyl]

This horse isn't really an 'exracer' in that she has been in training but never raced. But he is very young and therefore I think it is worth taking time over. That said, I would take time necessary over bringing on any young horse! My last horse had been in training very briefly but never raced and therefore he was far greener in a lot of ways than my current boy

 

[pastie2]

I have just got an ex racer 3 weeks ago, it is not an easy road to travel, the more confident you get, the more suprises they throw at you. Having said that I am enjoying the challenge, and at 56 I dont think I am doing too bad. I shall be the one in the old ladies line up for their pensions, wishing that they would hurry because I have a pointer to ride out!

 

[Toby773]

Have you emailed the RoR Helpline?

You get so much helpful advice and info and you can contact them as many times as you want. Best thing I did.

 

[Jinete12]

I got an ex racer straight off the track in April this year and he's been a dream. He was rising 7 and had raced some 36 times so racing was all he'd ever known. He's been really easy in every way. He's hacking out alone and in company and schooling nicely. Having a few problems getting him to take up a good contact, but it's early days yet. His only niggle is that he can be quite grumpy about being groomed and rugged up, but I just put this down to bad experiences in the past and hope he'll eventually lose the habit.
Ex racers are fantastic and I'd never opt for anything else

 

[aregona]

I think it all depends on what 'type' of x-racer you have, i have seen 2 types, the first are TB's that are quiet and great to ride, to a degree i believe they dont enjoy racing /training as there is so much fast work therefore are more then ahppy to plod around the lanes.
the second (i have one) are the very sharp ones. he is fabulous to handle etc.... but from the minute you get on his back, you dont quite know what is coming.

I agree dont treat them too much diffrent from any other horse as this can cause them to be more nervous. Im lucky as i have worked in racing so i understand why they do things ie, some TB's you cant mount from the floor as they may have never had a rider on board that wasnt legged up. I think it is very important to do some research into the way some horses are handled / trained as this can give you loads of info.

I rung the trainer of one of mine who gladly told me what his temperament was like with her so it gave me a good place to start, ie, she told me he was very brave so she used him as lead horse for hacking, this meant when it came hacking him out and he tried to tell me he couldnt possibly go forwards, i new different!!!

Also register with someone like ROR. they are great, knowledgable and always there to help. Be patient, it can take a long time to get an x-racer where you want them depending on her temperament. My gelding was 3.5yr when i got him and he has just started eventing this year now aged 8yrs, i have tried before but could not get him out of the start box so cue long holiday!!!

good luck XX