Ex Racers?

[Kokopelli]

So he's not really a proper ex racer but he's a pony racer probably one of the best in the country

Were really quite interested in him but want to know what its like retraining one? I googled his record etc and before his racing career he competed novice level eventing and Open PC eventing but dressage scores were never very good.

What do they act like? He's snaffle mouthed and not very strong but if he hits grass is he going to want to gallop? What are yours like out hacking?

Any advice would be good and piccies of your racers to riding horses would be nice aswell

 

[domane]

They're like cars.... you get good ones and you get bad ones. My boy was a really crap point-to-pointer but he's a fantastic riding horse - sensible, forward-going and very affectionate. Not a lot fazes him, thankfully. Only thing I've learned with him is that he can't be fed anything sweet because it sends him to lala land and he becomes more your typical TB, or rather what your preconceived ideas might be - goggle eyed, joggy and hyper. So he gets fed Simple Systems and is just luffly

 

[dressedkez]

We had the winner of the VERY first 13.2 pony race run in the UK under PC rules at Newton Abbot - he (Rupert) was a wonderful PC all-rounder, but racing was his joy......he only ever won one race - but came 2nd many times and was 4th in the first years final and his (and his riders prize) was a trip to the British Racing School in Newmarket - awesome - he got to lodge the night in the National Stud.......We sold him to a novice rider, when finally outgrown - 3 years ago - and I hear that they still have him. We raced when it was still quite amateur - but many of these ponies - as do TB's have and do other jobs equally well.

 

[domane]

Forgot the pics!!

Seconds later he fell asleep!!!

When we were first together a couple of years ago. Please ignore his hooves, he came to me with terribly overgrown feet that have taken a good 24 months of rehabilitation so far....

 

[Lolo]

If he's done Novice BE and PC Opens, his dressage will probably scrub up really rather well when he's not also racing! As an example:

That pony rarely scored below 36 doing PC Opens, despite working in a fairly consistent outline...

If you've been offered one, snap it up! Ponies who race do so many other jobs (and hunt!) and are true stars.

 

[Kokopelli]

Domane he is lovely! Now I'm not sure what breed the pony is he really just looks like a mini TB I can't think what else he could be, maybe an ISH?

Dressedkez- I do worry though as for the last 5 years he has been doing pure racing, and he has won many races he's the champion in the south and his times hasn't been beaten yet. It does worry me as he's gotta be bloody fast, hes a 148cm btw

Lolo- Thats what I thought about flatwork its bound to be in there some where, may just take while to get the best out of him

 

[NicoleS_007]

There all very different imo. Mine was a hopeless P2P horse but a nice wee RC horse. He was nappy and stubborn to begin with but after we reschooled him he was a nice wee horse. But he was still a stubborn git when it came to hacking alone or loading or xc. With regards to the taking off in a field mine never did, the most he done was a buck but with yours having done some eventing it should be used to more than a normal ex racer .. well thats what i think anyway!!

 

[dressedkez]

Domane he is lovely! Now I'm not sure what breed the pony is he really just looks like a mini TB I can't think what else he could be, maybe an ISH?

Dressedkez- I do worry though as for the last 5 years he has been doing pure racing, and he has won many races he's the champion in the south and his times hasn't been beaten yet. It does worry me as he's gotta be bloody fast, hes a 148cm btw

Lolo- Thats what I thought about flatwork its bound to be in there some where, may just take while to get the best out of him

You could argue how many years do TB's race and then become 'normal' horses? ....but then ponies are different - more brain cells to start with!! Good luck, I am sure it will be fine. xx

 

[tinkandlily]

Once they get used to doing a different job, they are fantastic, my mare is in a snaffle and goes very well in it, she does get exciteble on grass and open spaces, but as long as i let her keep going forwards in walk she's ok. The main thing with them is if they are cantering in company, they can get very excited, and silly.
They just need time to adjust to not galloping everywhere.

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[MissMincePie&Brandy]

It's impossible to stereotype. They are all so different. All of the ones I have had, have turned out to be sweethearts (character wise), sometimes it takes a little while for them to learn to trust you, but once settled all the ex-racers I've known have been lovely to handle. If the horse is completely sound and healthy, then there is a very good chance it will be superb to ride and turn out to be a super competition prospect.

Unfortunately I have had bad luck with health issues though, and I've been burnt one too many times now to risk having another. If you are thinking of buying an ex-racer who started racing at a very young age, I would advise you have the horse 5 stage vetted and have a Brightwells set of x-rays as well. I would say many of the ex-racers who are difficult to ride and handle have health problems causing them pain, which is undiscovered.

My last ex-racer passed a 5st vetting, but I did not have x-rays. I bought him at the age of 7 and by the age of 8 I started seeing performance problems, and increasingly dangerous to ride. Once we started to put pressure on and try to get the dressage established he broke down. X-rays revealed some awful, skeletal problems, a list as long as your arm, (yet on the outside he looked sound). He is now a field pet at the age of 9.
All the ones I have personally known have had poor feet, leading to a high chance of navicular developing, kissing spine seems to be quite common, as does early arthritic changes. Also check for any previous history of tendon problems, and try to find out if s/he's had any major falls, particularly if it was a jump racer.

 

[Saxon_Jasmine]

I re schooled my ex racer (had done nothing but race) and she was perfect through the whole process.

She picked everything up quickly and seems to love her new job. We did about 2 months of walking in hand and then walking and trotting with a rider, then another 3 months of gradually building up school work, then introducing jumping, XC, competing...etc

We've how had her for nearly a year and she's a perfect riding horse. She can be ridden (school, jump and hack) by novice riders, nervous riders, children, and then ups her game and competes with me.

She is great at traveling, very calm at competitions, hacks on her own and in company (and will stay at the back if you ask her to when the others gallop off) and I think her racing carrer helped with this as it ment she saw a lot from a young age.

However, re schooling is a long process and can be difficult, as well as time consuming. My horse has turned out beautifully, but she still has her little tantrums and odd things she can and can't do, so make sure you're ready and have help before you buy

Photos:

novice OH riding her bareback

jumping


our first rosette

looking beautiful

looking silly

XC

DR

showing

in her field

and having a cuddle

 

[Bug2007]

My ex-racer, raced as a two year old six times, even though she won once, she has turned out to be a really chilled out individual and hasn't taken long to settle in her out of racing career, i don't treat her like a race horse at all, she is only three now, so she is being treated like a young horse.

In the paddock

Now

 

[gillianclaude]

I didn't re-school my boy, but I've been in contact with his old owners/trainer/breed and they all said he was an absolute gem 24/7, which he is now with me too! Snaffle-mouthed, can be ridden by experienced riders, or beginners and you get a nice ride every time. Lets 9 year olds ride him and takes perfect care of them. Still loves a good blast along the beach, and getting to tank around SJ courses though piccies..

In his racing days..

Now

My mum on him

Our first show.. Got 2nd in the Ex-Racer class..

My friends 2nd time jumping him

The 9 year old from my yard that has ridden him.

 

[ThoroughbredStar]

Love them! Nothing better than a good tb! Particularly an ex-racer!

Had a few, currently re-training one. All mine been lovely, have quirks but so do most horses.

I treat all mine like any other unbroken horse I have, but then I usually get the young ones 2-5. Back to basics and just developp from there. Some develop quickly others take little longer. I let them have a blast every so often so they dont get bored, other wise, bring back the fast work and teach them grass + open space doesnt always mean go go go .

Good luck if you do it, it will be great fun and an experience!

 

[Leg_end]

My experiences have been that they have got very good temprements are usually pretty good out hacking, particularly on the roads. Like another poster has said, all the ex racers I've known (flat and jump) have all broken down later in life due to doing too much too young. As they said, key things tend to be navicular and kissing spines. Thats the only reason I didnt get another one this time round.

However there will always been good ones and bad ones so use your own judgement and get them thoroughly vetted.