Ex steeple chaser - 12 y/o - would you ?

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niagaraduval

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Hi all,

I haven't been on in a long while. Had loads of issues with my boys and I preferred to take a step back for a while.

Question is, would you take on an ex steeple chaser who is 12 years old, only ever known racing but has done nothing (field) for at least the past 3 years.

I have already had an ex racer before but he was 4 so had only done the training I don't think he ever even ran and I remember spending hours and hours on his back, he eventually became a very nice hacking horse.

I am told he is very calm and cold headed, but is it do able for me, someone who doesn't have a lot of time and only a field to school in ?

He looks gorgeous and I have fallen in love with him, but is this totally unreasonable ? How old is too old to retrain ?
 
I don't think it is too old, we have an 11 year old that is doing exactly that, without the 3 years relaxing and being a horse, he only had 12 months off, he did his first hunter trial yesterday and will be working over the winter to get his flatwork improved with a view to showing in ror and low level eventing next season. He retired sound but had suffered from a tendon injury as well as numerous other issues while in training but with some careful rehab, lots of long slow hacks, some regular physio and going barefoot he seems to be really enjoying his new less stressful life, he lives out as much as possible and has the attitude of a pony in many ways.
 
I took an 11yo chaser home a couple of months after his last race. The best horse I have ever had! Chasers tend to be far more level headed than most as they have had more life lessons. Being in a field for 3 years he will probably have totally switched off to anything racing. I'd go for it to be honest!
 
I wasn't expecting those replies, thanks for that.

I'm quite surprised because I have been told he is really calm and cold headed, I remember my ex racer he was like a wound up spring all the time and was just a complete air head, also best horse ever though.

He can be quite dominant with other horses though and can only live with geldings. I have 2 geldings, should I fence my field off or let them be together and establish their pecking order ? I have been told that he won't hesitate to charge and kick the other geldings at first though... not sure I want him in with them at all..
 
Can you securely fence to withstand his charging to introduce then eventually have them in the same field after lots of restrained hellos over the fence?
 
I could partition half of the field with electric fencing, not sure I can do anything else though... would that be good enough ? I'm not sure how he is with electric fencing, will have to ask but it is powerful and plugged in the mains 24/7.
 
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