Ex racehorses

[RachelMcTimoney]

i have been offered a 4yr old TB gelding for under £1k, he has no blemishes and is described as easy and quiet to handle and ride, but obvioulsly green. As far as we are aware he has done v little as he was too slow!

I have two horses but one may have to be permanatley retired, she has been off work for over 6months now so we are considering looking for another.

Does anyone have an ex race horse? Please let me know your experiences. I currently also ride a full TB, I feel experienced enough to take on a challenge!

Do you think this is a far price???
Thanks!

 

[Hanz]

I would think there was a catch if he is under £1k. But by all means try him if you are experienced with TB's (i dont really get on woth them lol!). ask for a moths trial before you buy aswell to make sur you are getting the best deal.

 

[Bossanova]

You can pick up cheap one sanytime, but if you think this one has good legs and feet and a nice temperament then it may be worth a go. They're very rewarding, I often find they are actually more pleasant to ride than a normal young horse as they know how to go forwards in a straight line (well, generally!!)
After a horrible bad experience recently, I'd recommend front foot, fetlock and hock x-rays. I know they cost a bit but really are worth it, particularly if the horse has raced.

 

[Happy Horse]

Krissi who posts on here has an ex flat racehorse. I am sure she won't mind me saying she is a gorgeous mare, very willing with a fantastic temperament. It will take time to get her right but she is learning so quickly (or she was until the damned weather changed!) They can be very rewarding as long as they are sound.

 

[JoBo]

I know doublexxxscoop (Deb) has a fantastic Ex Racehorse called Sky. She is doing brilliantly with him.

I know nothing about ex racehorses but definitely sounds like a bargain to me!

JoElla

 

[Iestyn]

Yep..have one and he's fab! Got him as a 3 yr old and he'd raced on the flat for 2 seasons. We took our time with his re-training and he's now (at 7 yrs old) eventing (placed PN), doing BD (with some points) and just started doing some BSJA. We also do riding club stuff.

He's been very, very easy to train and because he'd obviously been handled well he's very quiet in that respect too. He does have his moments though and he can't be led too far away from his stable to a paddock otherwise he can become difficult. He has never reared or bucked with a rider on him either. He is genuinely a nice chap, with goos conformation and happy personlity and I think he far prefers the variety in his life now that the monotony of training - it obviously didn't suit him. In comparison to a couple of young warmbloods I know of currently he is far easier then they are. Maybe that's down to his nature or maybe down to the fact that he was trained at a good yard as a racehorse.

I wouldn't hesitiate in getting anther one, and if funds would alow I'd definitely go back to where I got our from for another one. They're slightly pricier there now as the stud has gone into re-training in a big way, but we only paid £800 for ours and it's been the best £800 I've ever spent but he'd come straight form training to us and had only raced 2 weeks previously.

I'd say go for it if you have the confidence and experience to do so - wouldn't recommned them to a quiet, timid rider as they need to know who's in charge and have clear instructions. As you know probably from your current TB, they are intelligent creatures and you need to be one step ahead of them all the time. It's not the ex-reachorse thing that should bother people, but the TB brain - they're not suite to everyone!!! Good luck and let us know what is happening!

 

[RachelMcTimoney]

thnaks really helpful this one is £800 too...
going to speak to friend tomorrow about him, after i ride her mad TB!!!!! well worth a ride and a look anyway at that price!
will let you know any developments!

 

[bellino]

Hi,

My horse raced in his dim and distant pass and i can honestly say I don't think I'd want anything different now. He has so many gears its untrue and is very athletic. They are also generally quite good to handle in terms of vets, clipping, dentist etc (in my experience)

The only things which have gone wrong with mine are that he has had tendon problems and also his feet can be a bit of nightmare but this can happen with any horse. Hes sixteen now but has been out of work for ages due to various problems with his legs. The other thing is that when riding him I could never 'tell' him what to do you always had to phrase everything very tactfully otherwise he had a tendency to throw all his toys out of the pram and strop royally! But he was a fantastic showjumper and was always exteremely well placed in dressage the only mistakes we ever really made were entirely down to my bad riding!

Good luck whatever you decide, hope this helps.

 

[seabiscuit]

Yes I have two ex-racehorses which I am re-training for eventing.

It is a complete game of luck.

Some people like S _V and double_scoop on here have been lucky and have super little horses that are very easy to retrain and have no physical problems.

But a few of us- like myself and Bossanova, have had exracehorses that have not been so lucky with escaping the effects of racing horses as 2 year olds. Boss's had cripling lameness problems and mine has just has an operation for severe kissing spine. Racing at 2 years can either severely damage them for life or they can be lucky and get out scot free.

However my other exracer who is 5 seems to be relatively problem free and is very sound and healthy, he has a nasty nap in him and a backwards attitude at times, he weaves and windsucks,but he also has a really sweet side to him, has superb paces, loves jumping, is very bold and has been ever so easy to train.

So it is complete luck of the draw, but I love my little boys and would never have anything else!

I agree with Boss about the Xrays, also get Xrays of the back, as many flat racehorses have kissing spines. ( however you can pick up on this without an Xray)

 

[beckymed]

yeah i have had two ex racehorses and in my old job most of the horses i looked after were ex racehorses.
only thing is sometimes you can find than they generally retire earlier as they have been raced normally since two and also i always find that they have one rein they are a lot stronger on (more than most horses) normally the left as the tracks are usually on that rein.
aslong as you like the horse i wouldnt ever worry about it being an ex racehorse
what do you wanna do with the horse?

 

[bellino]

Hi seabiscuit,

was just wondering what is a 'kissing spine?'

 

[lizzie_liz]

YM from old school, bought racehorses from doncaster sales all for under £1000 and they have all been retrained to event, they are nice little horses.

they can be very rewarding if you get the right one and can make lovely event horses.

good luck

 

[seabiscuit]

When there are several vertebrate that are VERY close together, which rub and rub and cause a lot of friction, therefore pain through the whole back.

Normal vertebrate in a horses back have a gap between each vertebrate.

Its common in racehorses because they spend a lot of time with their heads in the air !

 

[bellino]

ouch!

Thanks haven't heard of that condition before.

 

[Aleka81]

My boy is an ex racehorse. And he's wonderful very scopey and covers the ground brilliantly.

He's a git to clip and pull his mane and have his teeth done but I wouldn't change him for the world!
I wouldn't have anyting but ex racerhorses.
Having said that I did work in racing! I bought him when he was in training straight from his owners. He's a star!

Good Luck!

 

[leanne123]

iv'e had plenty and all but 1 were angels.
the bi**h mare was used a couple of times, to knock a couple of know it alls off there perches and prove to them they really were not so good a rider than they thought. she was fine if you used your body to ride her but not your hands. she would just take hold and bolt if you had too much contact on her mouth.

 

[Fiona_C]

My lad is an ex racehorse, coming off the track last yr, I find him really easy to handle, lovely paces, forward going and even my 6 y/o daughter brings him in/out of the field he's that good, although i am aware that this isn't a particularly good practice for her to get used too !!

He does have his vices in that he weaves when stressed, but is good in all other ways, I wouldn't swap him for anything else at all.

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

haven't read the other replies so dont know if this has been covered, but the yard where i keep my horse and work the YO buys ex racehorses and retrains them and sells them on. She buys them for 500quid, meat money, and there is hardly a thing wrong with them. Of corse it depends where you get them, she gets hers from a v highly thought of trainer, but she got her latest 1 for 500quid and he hasnt a thing wrong with him, so don't be put off by the price OR by the fact hes a race horse, try him and see what u think

 

[RunToEarth]

Well, after todays experience, I am not liking ex racers. but then again I dont think it has anything to do with his racing career. I have seen a lot of racers go cheap around me, sometimes they just need to flog em quickly.

 

[Iestyn]

Is yours related to mine? Can't clip him without sedating AND twitching and he's fusses like an old woman to have his mane clipped!!!

However he does cover the ground for a small horse and has a hell of a gallop on him, and some sweet paces!

 

[Leg_end]

Ive got an ex-racer and hes the best

Nothing phases him and he's fantastic in trafiic adn he has been so willing to learn. He has a brilliant temprement though and thats what sold him to me. I was put off when i first heard he was an ex racer but i really shouldnt have been.

Go have a look

 

[barkinghorse]

I have two at the moment, if you are used to T.B's then i would go for it.
I rebroke both of mine just because i found it easier to go back to basics with them.
the only thing i found was both can be a handfull on grassy open spaces, Jess is 25 and i still have to check her when on open fields.
They have great character and don't seem to be phased by much at all, again though Jess gets fizzy going past schools if the kids are out playing at lunch and i put that down to "crowd noise"
the price sounds about right so i would go for it!!!
Jo xx

 

[Iestyn]

It is only AFTER they come off the track that I think many of their problems develop or are emphasised. Tey are sold cheaply and a lot either a) fall into the wrong hands and then passed from pillar to post as cheap horses that people try to "sort out" or b) Novices buy them as they are unaware of how to handle a TB (not necessarily and ex-racer) and they then take the p*ss out of owner and run rings around them. TB's need handling in a certain way and aren't suited to every rider/ person.

 

[ryder65]

ex-racehorses are so rewarding.
My boy raced for 10yrs starting as a 3yr old on the flat and finished racing at 13 doing point to points.
I have had him just over 2 yrs now and we're doing hunter trials and the odd bit of showing in ex-racehorse classes.
I've been lucky with him as he trys so hard to please.

 

[vicijp]

Exactly why i refuse to sell them cheaply.

 

[AmyMay]

My previous yard used to have a lot of ex race horses comming through. A lot of them were this sort of price - and were real crackers. There was nothing wrong with them other than they simply were not going to make the grade as race horses. Many of them came straight off the track.

The reason you can pick them up so cheeply is that they do take some re-training, and owners and yards simply aren't interested/don't have the time to do it.

I wouldn't hesitate to have an ex race horse in that price bracket if it fitted the bill for what I wanted.

 

[slivertonics]

ive had my first exracer for over a year now and have never had a horse with better stable manners he is a true gent, although not fussed on having his mane pulled maybe he belongs to yours s_v lol!
agree with some posts, does need a certain type of handling as they are very good at taking the pee if they get the chance, but they are definately rewarding and if its sound i would grab it at that price. good luck

 

[Rupert2006]

I have had my ex racer for 2 weeks, so probably not that qualified to comment! but the last two days have been great as i have calmed down and taken charge a bit more - he is very sensitive and affectionate - a total dream in the stable - although is still suspiscious of me, but he is beginning to respond and it feels really good - I just had to stop being afraid (hmmm, taking big breaths!!). He seems really switched on and I am really looking forward to doing more with him. At the moment it is all ground work, although he did let me get on him last night for the first time (apart from when I tried him before buying) so i am really pleased at the progress we are making slowly but surely.

So, if you like him, I would say try and forget about the fact he is an ex racer and have fun!

 

[Blackhawk]

I have an ex flat racer with no medical problems, however as some have said that isn't always the case. As for the 1k price tag, that is pretty standard for some ex racers. Being TBs, the majority have their quirks. Mine is a one person horse and although he is lovely with me, he has been known to take bites out of other people and just generally be troublesome. He is superb in traffic and is a snaffle mouth. I can pull him up in big grassy stretched with no problems. I find most very well handled, but they need a lot of patientce to retrain and someone sensitive to do it.

 

[RachelMcTimoney]

thanks everyone really helpful, saw him today he was v v sweet in the stable unfortunatley no one there to show him (we were delivering feed!) He is actually 8 years old apparently has done some hurdles, now they been using him as a lead horse for babies, he was v quiet and chilled and v friendly, going to arrange to see him and havea trail if he sound and good ok paces! will keep you posted!

PS what you think about the age, worried about the wera and tear on joints, back seemed ok. thanks!