Ex Racehorse problems

[Ardkilly]

Hi

I have had Rebel know for close to 3 mths, he last raced on the 4th April so come to me start from the track, he's just turned 8yo ... in that time i guess we have achieved some good stuff ... we mount from the block, have lunged and hacked out alone and in company so all real positive things ... all this has been done in a very calm relaxed manner.. but with plenty of down time mixed in, we have a routine which i know is important to him, the couple of problems i have found are

after hacking out and managing gates ... all be it in a long winded fashion which is fine as it was done with no fright no fight .. and new to him.. but now he has started to stand off from the gates, back up from them when asked to move on and tries to go up...

he also suffers from separation anxiety... at the moment he is out 24/7 and
grazing with 2 other horses if one is taken from the field he runs the fence till they return ... thou he still has another horse with him

i dare say i will come up against bigger problems then these... and its early days ... but would love to hear from anyone who has/had the same problems and how you made progress

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Get saddle rechecked.....ours hap a bad fitting saddle that pinched his withers which caused him to rear

Also have someone on the ground to Dhelp with gates.....you still do them but i found with ours he felt more able to cope with me on the ground while my sister rode

You have to think from his persepective...he was used to being in then when he did hack out it was to the gallops with a load of other horses it will take a while, longer than 3months, for that to go. Do loads of in hand things, backing up, turning without touching, carrot stretches etc to build up confidence in his new home.....you dont need to come up against bigger problems, once we got the saddle sorted ours has gone from strength to strength.

 

[Ardkilly]

Hi thanks for the reply ... will defo get the saddle rechecked ... and will start the carrot stretches from tomorrow great ideas thank you

hes a great horse and I'm very lucky to have him ....

 

[chestnutmarelover]

I got my racer off the track last july, have taken things really slowly & let him relax into being a 'normal' horse and even though we had lots of 2 steps forward 1 step back (and 1 step forward 2 steps back!!) he is only just now starting to completely chill, knowing that he CAN trust me. Patience and time should take you both a long way

 

[Holly Hocks]

Aw - I saw you had an ex-racer called Rebel and I got a bit of a lump in my throat - I lost my ex-racer also called Rebel last year.

As it is, he was great - however my other ex-racer is a bit like yours.
We started off great when I first got her - apart from being fizzy she was great. However she also now has a habit of napping and her "offering to rear" turned into full on rearing and napping. I went back to long-reining and I'm now hacking out. We have had a few episodes, but smacking and bullying her doensn't get me anywhere - I tried that. If we meet any major problems I've just found that getting off her is the best thing and leading her until whatever the issue is, has gone and then getting back on again.
If I were you I would do this at the gates. I assume you have to lean down to open the gate and by leaning down you could be just altering your weight into a different area on the horse's back which could be causing pain, but without you realising it, you could be giving a "go backwards" signal which is why he is moving back. I would just jump off, do the gate and get back on again - take the opportunity for his reversing away from him.
As for the separation anxiety, both my ex-racers have been the same. My mare was the same when I got her - take one horse away from the herd and she would gallop up and down madly - she is much better now - it just takes time. If you can bear to do it, you will have to let her get on with it.
Good luck with him!

 

[Ardkilly]

thank you ... i know is and is going to be a great horse... just won't to give him as many positive experiences from now and going forward

thank you again

 

[chestnutmarelover]

My boy was the other way round, when he wanted to throw his toys out the pram, he'd go up, sometimes only small, other times, normally in school it was straight up with no regard for himself or me but (touch wood) its getting less and less & normally a good growl at him when I sense the first symptoms sorts it out Also hes not fussed when left alone I was most shocked at this!!!

 

[kirstyl]

My ex racer whom I started from scratch 2 and a bit years ago (as he was skeletal and therefore unrideable when I got him) has until recently had issues with a particular gate - ie the first one we come to which typically goes onto a grass bridge - not ideal for negotiating! I think you have done an amazing amount in a short space of time and the horse is now starting to feel fitter and better all round and have an opinion. If you can hack out with someone else and they can help your horse to be confident doing the gates as second horse, then you know that he is capable. In time you can pick your oportunity to say 'get on with it - I know you can' without being in a vulnerable situation. Sounds as if you have a very honest horse that just needs to build his confidence and you in him too. Take it steady - you'll get there

 

[Mince Pie]

Remember the starting stalls! For him a gate opening means GO!!! and if he isn't allowed to then he'll do something else - ie go up
Can't help re the separation as mine is totally chilled!

 

[St Nicnaclaus]

After 7 years of being in the 'real world', my ex-racer still has moments of anxiety and can suddenly nap or revert back to being neurotic. I recently lost my mare and had to move him from home to a livery yard as he can't stay alone. This has set him back quite a bit - understandably. Patience, patience, patience is the key as you may find that a behaviour or reaction you thought you had cracked suddenly reappears.
He sounds a lovely boy and your perseverance will pay off - lovely to hear you want him to have good experiences, but don't let him take the pish. They are fiercely intelligent and can use this to test you!

 

[paddi22]

i have a few issues with my lad and worked with a good nh horseman and he is a reformed character. as one of the other posters said, long lining and groundwork are fantastic. It got rid of my lads seperation anxiety completely as he now feels secure when he comes in.

I ended up restarting my lad from scratch as he reared and flipped on a friend (who is a good rider) who was exercising him. The long lining has been great as you have all your battles on the ground at a safe distance. If he stopped racing in april, that's no time at all really. If i was you i'd let him down in a field for a few months to build up and relax before i restarted him gently. Also it took a while to get the correct balance of feed, turnout and supplements to keep him at his best.

And as another poster said, don't let him take the p*ss. I let my lad away too lightly at the start and was very softly, softly with him, and made excuses (eg, its a new job, his muscles are sore, he doesn't understand). But through the long lining i realised he just throws a tantrum the odd time! So its only through confident strong handling you get him through it.

I had horses for years and found it odd with the ex racers that you never make gradual progress- it always seems to jump forward a few steps and then go back miles! So it can be hard sometimes to see how far you've come!