Ex racer versus breaking....

[piaffe]

Just wondering what you think is easier ;(in general, i know its individual to a certain extent).
Retraining an ex racer horse or breaking in a youngster.

I have a "friend" who has retrained a race horse and is now doing dressage (of sorts).

The horse doesnt go very well and still doesnt even take up a contact after all this time. She told me that this is because its so hard to retrain an ex racer ( i tend to think it has something to do with the riders ability and attitude) and she keeps telling me that its so much easier to brwak in a youngster as theyhaven't developed habbits.

BUT, i have retrained 2 ex racers with relative ease and competed up to med dressage on them.

So, was just wondering what everyone else thought....is it generally thought that retraining racer is harder than breaking?

 

[vicijp]

Both are as easy as the other, however both are very easily f#cked up by muppets.

 

[Weezy]

Echo Vic!

 

[S_N]

The echo gets bigger

 

[Happy Horse]

I would say it totally depends on the mental attitude of the horse and the competence of the person doing it.

 

[Iestyn]

I've never had any REAL experience of breaking a youngster and keeping it for myself. I've backed a few ponies but that's it - I was just the stupid one willing to get on!!!

However I do have an ex-racer who's now 7. He's doing ok at PN - fab xc but working on the SJ. He has 11 BD points in a few tests, and since I broke my collar bone earlier this year I'm now going to do more dressage and OH is going to continue eventing him. Hopefully Novice BE by middle of next season and eventually I hope to get him to Medium dressage - he'll find it challenging as he's quite downhill, but so so trainable. I goes in a lovely outline and we are working very hard on getting him to engage properly and work through - which is going to be especially important as we move up the grades. He is fab xc as well. He has been so, so easy - had the odd moment but less than any youngster that is newly broken. Not sure if I'd have another ex-racer or a should I say TB, but I wouldn't part with my boy either. He's put up with me making a lot of mistakes and he has always allowed me to put it right. He'snever bucked, reared or bolted (seriously anyways

). I think with a young ex-racer they have already seen so much and are further ahead in those terms that a comparable youngster that hasn't raced. The only downside is that having been broken so young they tend to develop joint problems.

Next time I'll try to find a 6-8 yr old, but wouldn't change anything that I've done with my boy, I'd just do some stuff differently next time.

 

[piaffe]

I agree with this totally, and, if i mention, in convo, how well V is doing, the first thing i get is this excuse. I SOOOOO want to disagree or say something, but never not what to say without her getting funny

 

[Weezy]

I have a friend like that - she is very fast to say "oh but" all the time

I know I am not a fantastic rider on the flat, but I DO know what I am doing round a course of jumps and she has pooh-poohed my choice of not starting round courses under 1m - 1m10! At the end of the day its my choice isnt it, but I cannot help feeling she tries to bring me down sometimes - if that makes sense?

 

[piaffe]

Know exactly how you feel.

The other day she asked how he was going so i say (cause i was pleased) "we got some really nice half pass eariler" but, as soon as i say that its "oh, well X (instructor) thinks we should affiliate we had some excellent work today". GRRRRRRRRRRRR Talk about billy two shits!

And now i feel like its a comp as to who can get further the quickest. She has the ex racer who she has been training for about 3 years and ive got V. Obviously, i dont feel the same but feel pressure by her, if that makes sense.

I know hes not going brilliantly, BUT, hes young and uneducated and has been brought on slowly. Now there is a small part of me that wants to get out there and wipe the floor with her, but im getting impatient!

 

[Happy Horse]

You will have your day. Far more satisfying to wait for the time to come than to try and rush V when he is learning so well. I firmly believe that pride comes before a fall - take satisfaction in waiting for it to come to her.

 

[piaffe]

Yeh, i know, i know!

I hope you are right! lol

 

[sevenoceans]

Ditto Vic

 

[JoBo]

Wise words as always from vicijp.

 

[Tia]

They're just different. Personally I would pick an unbroken any day over an ex-racer but that's because I like to do things from the beginning. I get wildly irritated with taking on something that someone else has buggered up as it takes twice as long to get them going right as it would take with a youngster who hasn't been taught anything.

I haven't had an ex-racer but I used to do full re-hab on German WB competition horses - some of those were a complete nightmare as not only did you have the riding issues but you also had the issues of dealing with horses who didn't know what grass was, were terrified of being in fields, hadn't been ridden anywhere but indoor riding arenas! Most of them were totally messed up in the head but they did come right in the end - not a job I would choose to do again as I found it very mentally draining.

Give me babies any day LOL!!

 

[filly190]

I have had five ex race horses (given to me, or dog food!) I have done work on them to find them good homes and found each one completely different.

From my own experience sprinters can be more fizzy, the distance horses seem to be more laid back and can switch off easier.

I have had some who dont know what to do when turned out and spend their day pacing until they are skin and bones, others have been fine.

In all, they have been well handled and good mannered and like to have a purpose. Their lifes have been about routine and set times in the day and work. So they dont cope if you get them and just chuck them out in a field. Best to crack on straight away and get loads of work into them.

I have had youngsters so started with a blank sheet, yes they are easy and all come up with their own individual problems.

My answer to cut to the chase is, with a young horse, you cant rush, you need the time. With an older established ex racehorse, you can get stuck in there and achieve a awful lot in a short space of time. You are simply reschooling and because they havent been schooled, just ridden, getting them in an outline etc etc is quick and easy. The other thing with an ex rh is that, if can judge type of horse and speak to the stable staff, you should get an easy type.

Also the blood lines of the ex r.h if you choose carefully will be excellent, if you buy a mare she could well have a good value to her as a broodmare if things dont work out (goes lame etc). People pay thousands for these horses. If you look on the racing post website it will give you the horses racing history and you can get its blood lines and find out the value of the horse (up and down) throughout its career.

Good luck

 

[Parkranger]

This is a 'how long is a piece of string' kind of question....it alldepends on the nature of the horse and the talent of the rider!

My boy (ex Irish racer) is reschooling very nicely....he's willing to learn and I have the support of a very good instructor.....