Ex-racehorse - when to take a contact? Experiences please!

[tootsietoo]

Hello. Is there a retraining your racehorse chat thread somewhere around here? I certainly could do with one!

I've just started on my 6 yr old ex flat horse in the last few weeks - been lunging him, got a saddle, tried a few bits. Teeth and back have not been checked yet but will be in the next week. I went up to instructors on Friday for a first go in the school. It was a success in as much as he loaded, didn't spook or go mad and actually went round in circles and I took a contact and he started to accept it. Today I mooched round the fields then did a few minutes in the paddock going round in circles and he was absolutely not having any of the whole contact thing!

I wonder whether I should spend a lot more time working on the lunge to build up balance and muscles, and when riding just keep him forward with a longer rein for, say, a month until he is stronger and fitter. However, instructor made the fair point that if you don't ask for a contact now, when are you going to ask for a contact?

It would be really helpful to hear experiences! How many months of regular work does it take before your ex-racer starts to muscle up in the right places and become stronger and more "schooling fit"? How long did it take you to get him/her to accept the contact in a relaxed way? How much can I expect to achieve by the end of the summer?

 

[Twiggy14]

I've had mine for 7 months and he's only just started working nicely on a contact!

I think it varies. I've seen stories of racer to winning an Intro DR test after 3 months, and in my case it taking a while

 

[tootsietoo]

Ah, thank you. It feels a bit like that "when did your child sleep through the night" discussion I used to have. It always felt as if everyone's but mine slept through by 3 weeks! Must keep reminding myself - there is no rush.

 

[TrasaM]

Don't have experience to advise but can tell you what happened today when I was doing ground work exercises with new share TB. I've ridden him 3 times and each time his head is held high and he fights the bit. I've not tried to correct this riding him as he does not understand what's being asked. Anyhow today after we did our walk, halt, back up and yield exercises and he was calmly following me about without a lead rope I finished by getting him to lower his head by placing my hand on his poll and pulled down gently. It took a few efforts for him to yield to the pressure but when he did he then held his head at about my waist level and yawned for ages. It's all part of getting him to trust me and this response was wonderful. I'm going to follow on from today's experiment with getting him to lower his head by starting working on it from the ground first. I'm not a fan of the whole pull it's head in and peddle harder to make the back end work better anyhow

 

[Kenzo]

I think you may be expecting things a bit too soon, it will take a while to build up the correct muscles to go on a contact and undo the ones that were developed while in racing, also to develop more acceptance of the bit and differnt aids. Too much too soon may make him sore and less accepting of what you are now trying to train him, try and meet him half way by doing lots of hacking, working him up into a contact for short periods, plenty of stretches inbetween, short periods in the school working in larger circles and transitions in walk to trot etc, plenty can be done without over cooking the lunge/school work to begin with.

 

[tootsietoo]

Thanks Kenzo. In any case, his immediate job will be to hunt this winter, so I really don't need to push the school work, that is true. Lots of relaxed hacking with a little schooling on the way is probably the answer. Hopefully I should have a semblance of control by then (and to be able to jump a little rail or two!)

 

[RachelFerd]

So, feel free to disagree with me on this one, but I do pretty much all my ex-racers to accept my rein contact from day 1 of me riding them. The first thing I want to do when I start out (re)schooling is have them soften to the hand when I take up a contact. I may only achieve this in walk, but i'm more than happy enough to get firm enough to get the reaction I would like. Once they learn that relaxing at the poll and dropping head/neck is the response that makes their life comfortable, your job of re-schooling becomes possible.

No point working them constantly in trot and canter in a horrible hollow outline - won't make them stronger or build up any correct muscles, it will instead just continue to develop the wrong muscles whilst making them fitter in the mean time.

Practice makes perfect, but only when you are practicing the correct thing!

 

[TrasaM]

No point working them constantly in trot and canter in a horrible hollow outline - won't make them stronger or build up any correct muscles, it will instead just continue to develop the wrong muscles whilst making them fitter in the mean time.

Practice makes perfect, but only when you are practicing the correct thing!

Agree..that's how the boy I've started riding has become. I think he's been out of racing for a couple of years. I tried rein pressure but he just fought me and got very tense. Hence my restarting from the ground up.

Please, can I ask you what type of bit you use on your's ?

 

[Firewell]

Tbh my old girl pretty much accepted the contact right away the day I tried her. Her racing owner was watching with her mouth open lol. I just held a light contact and that was that. She could only sustain a proper outline for a minute or two at a time though before she started to nod her head bless her. It took a couple of months of building up before she had the strength to carry herself for a period of time.
I make it quite clear though from the off about the contact. Never for more than a minute or two though as obviously they have to learn its comfy. I love racers as they usually move so well off the leg so it's just a matter of getting them forwards, holding it and then softening at the right moment so they can relax down .

 

[Firewell]

Ha ha rachelferd snap

 

[RachelFerd]

TrasaM, nothing fancy bit-wise. One is in a rubber D ring single jointed snaffle with a grackle (he prefers rubber, he prefers single jointed, and he prefers the grackle to a flash). The other horse just wears a simple fat french link snaffle with a cavesson noseband.

Again, probably controversial, but I also believe that sometimes when a horse in ingrained in going against the hand, there is a place for very tactful use of a schooling aid, whether that be a market harborough, running reins or a bungee, something that can momentarily 'show the way' can be useful. Not to be used every day of the week, but just enough for the horse to get the idea of what you want them to do when the contact is asked for. Once they have had a session or two to understand what you want, the aid can be dispensed of.

 

[Pigeon]

It takes ages But I think the trick is to wait until he has the right muscles (through lunging etc) before asking him to come round, as he'll just find it easier and be more willing. I think you'll know when the time is right, he'll start reaching for the bit even on a loose contact.

Definitely try out different bits, mine loves a chunky snaffle with very little movement, I tried him in a loose ring the other day and he hated it!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I have kind of been spoilt in that 3 of mine knew what flatwork was already. But the 4th was a 6f sprinter that had never even so much as gone round a bend in anything more than a walk!

My first step with him was getting to him lower his head and stretch. 2 days of ignoring me and being obtuse and I plonked draw reins on him for 10mins to guide him to where I wanted him to be - then slackened them off andhe continued to walk along nice and stretched out. We did this for 3-4 days before I asked him to come round and work underneath himself - it only took him 5mins to realise what I was asking him to do - he's a clever cookie! From then on in it was plain sailing and he has picked up both the lengthened, stretching strides in each gait and the collected working strides. To be honest without those 10mins in draw reins I doubt he would be where he is today as whilst he is a quick learner he is oppinionated about it at times and you have to make him think that it's his idea to do something!

 

[toomanyhorses26]

One of mine is very looooonnnngggg (full neck rugs come about half way up his neck ) so keeping him in an outline has taken ages and tbh the pessoa became his best friend for a while. He was soo backwards thinking as well it was more about improving his reaction to the leg before doing anything with the head and neck. My other had been so horrifically over bitted it took about a year for her to be at all confident to take a contact - she just kind of bent her head in looked pretty and was just a big ball of 'im going to explode' . He is in a wilkie with a drop and she is in a nathe straight bar with a drop

 

[TrasaM]

TrasaM, nothing fancy bit-wise. One is in a rubber D ring single jointed snaffle with a grackle (he prefers rubber, he prefers single jointed, and he prefers the grackle to a flash). The other horse just wears a simple fat french link snaffle with a cavesson noseband.

Again, probably controversial, but I also believe that sometimes when a horse in ingrained in going against the hand, there is a place for very tactful use of a schooling aid, whether that be a market harborough, running reins or a bungee, something that can momentarily 'show the way' can be useful. Not to be used every day of the week, but just enough for the horse to get the idea of what you want them to do when the contact is asked for. Once they have had a session or two to understand what you want, the aid can be dispensed of.

Thanks Rachel. I'm taking it slowly right now and getting to know him and getting him to respect and trust me. I will try it from the ground up first to see if he gets the idea. His response today was quite touching and he learns really fast. His previous riders have been a bit nervous of him I think and although he's been fine with me so far he always looks like he's poised for flight when ridden.

 

[tootsietoo]

Brilliant, so helpful thank you. I have a small loose ring fairly thin French link on at the moment which is certainly better than the single joint egg but I tried on first and a bit better than the fatter french link. Hadn't thought of trying a straight bar

I might keep asking questions and chatting here if that's ok!

 

[nikkimariet]

I second that RachelFerd!

I have mine a couple of weeks on the lunge (just walk and trot) in a bungee, and doing in hand work

But from day 1 of ridden work he was expected to work into a contact, no it wasn't perfect, but the concept was there. Some will be infinitely fussier in their mouths than others and take longer to settle into the contact, others will twig in just a few weeks.

Fwiw, mine was in a loose ring snaffle with a peanut lozenge. He's now in a Cotswolds tongue saver which he seems to like a little more.

 

[kirstyl]

I agree with RachelFerd and Nikkimariet. Contact from day one ridden work. I don't trot on board until contact is accepted in walk. I also lunge with side reins to encourage correct contact. My horse wears a Neue Schule Team Up bit which He seems very happy, soft and settled in his mouth

 

[PoppyAnderson]

Again, probably controversial, but I also believe that sometimes when a horse in ingrained in going against the hand, there is a place for very tactful use of a schooling aid, whether that be a market harborough, running reins or a bungee, something that can momentarily 'show the way' can be useful. Not to be used every day of the week, but just enough for the horse to get the idea of what you want them to do when the contact is asked for. Once they have had a session or two to understand what you want, the aid can be dispensed of.

Saw a video of Tina Gifford doing the same. Uses draw reins for a week, then ditches them.

 

[maxine1985]

I second that RachelFerd!

I have mine a couple of weeks on the lunge (just walk and trot) in a bungee, and doing in hand work

But from day 1 of ridden work he was expected to work into a contact, no it wasn't perfect, but the concept was there. Some will be infinitely fussier in their mouths than others and take longer to settle into the contact, others will twig in just a few weeks.

Fwiw, mine was in a loose ring snaffle with a peanut lozenge. He's now in a Cotswolds tongue saver which he seems to like a little more.

Agree with above too!