Ex-racers

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Dizzle

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Did anyone read the article on ex-racers in H&H this week?

Had to skim read it as in the supermarket with OH.

Would be really interesting to run a proper survey on what happens to them, I can’t believe the BRC figure that less than one in 30(??) people have an ex-racers, on my yard alone we have two retired ex-racers and four that are riding horses. Bear in mind there are only about 15 horses on the yard.

Would like to get hold of a copy of the full article as I find it really interesting and quite sad that there are ex-racers out there that aren’t as lucky as my boy. I know a lot of trainers would rather shoot them then send them to the sales (as with mine :( )
 
Dizzle said:
Did anyone read the article on ex-racers in H&H this week?

Had to skim read it as in the supermarket with OH.

Would be really interesting to run a proper survey on what happens to them, I can’t believe the BRC figure that less than one in 30(??) people have an ex-racers, on my yard alone we have two retired ex-racers and four that are riding horses. Bear in mind there are only about 15 horses on the yard.

Would like to get hold of a copy of the full article as I find it really interesting and quite sad that there are ex-racers out there that aren’t as lucky as my boy. I know a lot of trainers would rather shoot them then send them to the sales (as with mine :( )
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Not read the article although I will do at lunch time (mag and sandwitch :D) and I can see your point, but also I can understand why trainers would rather shoot them than sending them to sales, to end up being passed around and not going to the correct homes, in a way due to amout of horses that come out of training/racing, sometimes in some cases it's the most sensible thing to do and its important to remember that not every horse that comes out of trainers yard will ever cut out be re-schooled as your typical riding horse.
 
I think we should start a poll too. I have an ex-racer who would have been shot if her previous owner hadn't found her. It would have been terrible as she is fab. I am one of the 3k members of RoR but I am sure there will be plenty out there not registered with them. Some people just dont like TB's but they have the speed, stamina and usually a big heart you just need to be aware of their quirks.
 
Those ex racehorses which do find good homes are the lucky ones; there are still many possibly thousands out there which end up as meat for the continental European market. The real problem is there are just too many poorly bred TB's who never make the grade as race horses. Anyone with a TB mare can send her to stud and become a 'breeder',not all stud fees are in the tens of thousands . It's the elusive dream of breeding a classic winner which results in the market being flooded by 'ordinary' yearlings each year.Until the indescriminative breeding of bloodstock is addressed by Whetherby's there will always be more horses comming out of racing than there are good and decent homes for. Not every TB comming out of training can be reschooled, not every one will have the temprement to suit. Maybe these horses are better off dead, than living a miserable life with owners who can't look after them or dont understand them
 
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