Ex-racers? Why do people make them sound so special?

I have an ex racer: Penny. Turned 6 last week. Bought her as a 4 year old in Aug 09. She'd raced and been bought by the previous owners who trained her up for polo (which is why I got her).

When she came to me, WOW. TOTAL head case. Trying to climb out the stable, ran around the field for hours and hours non-stop until she was lathering in sweat, and even then that didn't stop her. The food she was on baffled me:

2 big round scoops of Spillers Mix (the heated one rather than Cool Mix)
2 scoops of Bran
2 mugs of Baileys Outshine
Garlic etc etc

Her over-the-door bucket was FULL up. Stopped that ASAP and just had her on a scoop of hi fi lite and a bit of speedibeet. Took her while to actually eat it at first as she wasn't sure. But once she realised she wasn't going to get anything else, she soon started to gobble it down.
Then over the months, she calmed right down. Yes, she had her moments of madness, where she would spook at something flapping in a tree, like a leaf, and bugger off up the yard at 100mph, but it got less and less as time went on.
Then I had my accident in Oct 09, she got wintered out. Came back into work last summer, just lightly, but I think that time off did her the world of good. Total chilled out and could actually be a horse and not a machine. Now, her and Bob live together, complete dobbin. Easiest horse on the yard by far. Can lead her in, throw the rope over her neck and she just stands there while I go and tie Bob up etc.
She's happiest when she hacks out - LOVES it. Nothing fazes her. Will happily go alone or with others - although if there are others and you're cantering - she'll always edge to the front ;) I've hacked out and led another horse, and vice versa. But then in polo - you ride 1 lead a million!
It's taken time, but she's lunging beautifully, working on the bit and will make a super duper showing/dressage/all rounder/ROR horse. Beautiful paces, very pretty (and she knows it :rolleyes: ) and a complete donkey!

Yes, when I got her - I thought "OH ***** - what have I done?!" But give her some time to chill, and she's completely fine :)

I love my little Penelope and although I had an accident on her (spooked at a pheasant running across the school, fell, broke collar bone, 3 operations later - just about healed!) I don't blame her at all... she was 4! Still a baby!

Ex-racers/racers/TBs - meh - all the same to me. To me, a horse is a horse, how they're handled and trained is dependant on "how they come out" IMO.

Wow, long message! My bad! :o
 
My ex-racer, although now unridden due to health issues, is still my favourite and most precious horse. He's so noble, and dignified, and he has more character than any of the others on the yard IMO. It's bizarre that I feel like that as he's totally worthless, some people would say useless, and he costs me a fortune to keep!

When he was ridden, he was totally bombproof to hack on the roads. I could lead out children on their ponies, and he was the safest horse to do it with. Unfortunately he has back and spine problems which were discovered when we started schooling him, along with other health issues. If it wasn't for his health he would have become a real superstar all-rounder I'm sure, as he is a very kind, intelligent, trusting and brave horse.
 
Originally Posted by RachelFerd
It does get on my nerves! I think most people with ex-racers who have no involvement or have never had any involvement with the racing industry don't understand that these horses haven't been dragged out of the depths of hell... and that many racehorses are nice well mannered rides that cope very well with potentially exciting situations.

Plenty of racehorses (flat and jump) will hack out nicely in a group or alone, will jump a showjump or a cross country fence, and have been nicely schooled on the flat and do understand canter leads, how to work in an outline and so on.

Someone then acquires said ex-racer takes it 'back to basics' and then thinks its a miracle when the horse manages to do above things without being 'mental'!! Completely not realising this is what the horse has actually been doing all its life.

A couple of weeks ago we were doing gridwork in the arena with a group of 6 racehorses. Some flat horses, some jumps horses ranging from those only just broken to horses who had been in training a few years. These six horses all walk/trot/canter and go over poles as a string. They all stand calmly waiting their turn to jump. All of them jumped well over a grid of 8 small fences. All were fully fit and running in the next month. We looked more like the pony club than a scene full of 'insane highly strung horses'!

All of them are individuals - plenty are lovely, a few have a screw loose. I could say that about most breeds.
Click to expand...

I totally agree! The racing industry is always portrayed as cruel and uncaring, and that people rescue these horses from hell. At work today I rode 6 lots at a lob up the gallop; each one at buckle end...a very relaxing day considering I was supposed to riding nutters on a Monday after a day off in the stable. The 5 horses I look after each day are treated as well as my own at home, they are my babies and I'd take each and everyone home tomorrow. They'd probably be easier to do that the 4 yo I have out in my stable atm, though not quite as easy as an exracer I 'rescued' 4 years ago! Lol.

Oh and they are special because TB are the best breed in the world...no exceptions! Lol.
 
Bluefirstdressage1.jpg


This is Blue six days after coming off a racing yard where she had lived out all winter - clearly mad don't you think!! (And before the "too skinny" brigade get on my back - read what I have written - "lived out all winter")
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top