Exracers

[silverstar]

I nearly bought a TB the other week but he had never raced. Apart from being good in traffic what are the pros and cons of an exracer? Are they not good jumpers because they're used to jumping quite flat and tank off into a fence or is that a misconception?

I have tried two that tanked off into the jump and its kind of put me off them.

 

[Bug2007]

Why not try a flat ex racer they haven't jumped before and therefore can be taught conventionally.
Some NH horses will always jump a little flat as they have it trained firmly in, more so those who have been sucessful and retire at an older age, but in most cases there is no reason why this pulling for the jump and flatness can't be trained out with reschooling, pole and grid work.
You must bear in mind that if you are trying something that has not been reschooled, he doesn't know anything else other than to take a hold.

Not all ex racers are good in traffic, they are the same as anyother horse they all have thier individual needs and quirks, some easier to re train than others etc...

Good Luck in your search.

 

[Lolo]

I think a horse who has hurdled can initially be very forwards into a fence and prone to taking things on a flier. Ours was- he'd rather go on a long one than get in deep and so he was a serious pole basher (and still is a bit). However, lots of hard work and he is now pinging round 1m, getting in deep and basculing beautifully and really trying. He has endless scope (makes nothing of full up BE Novice fences!) and is as bold and brave XC as they come whilst being as nimble as a cat- he has a seriously uncanny ability to stay on his feet regardless. He does find ditches confusing, but jumps them really well. If you are prepared to work hard, an exracer can be an amazing horse.

As an aside- Reg is very forwards into fences.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwxHMPG0Thc&feature=channel_video_title
This is how he always jumps- forwards and with his head up. Not an easy ride, but its what he likes so we let him be! Apparently quite typical of horses by his sire?!

 

[horsegirl]

He is not an ex racer though as has never raced. Did you mean he has been trained as a racer but never actually raced otherwise surely he is just a TB

 

[Kokopelli]

You can fix charging into fences relatively easy.
As for them being good jumpers I'd say a fair amount of eventers are TBs that have raced so yes they can jump but depends on the horse itself. My friend is jumping 1.15 on hers but I know one that won't go much over 3ft.

 

[xspiralx]

Plus points about ex racers - they're usually good in traffic, good to hack out in company, good to shoe, load, clip and generally have the basics of schooling mastered, even if they're pretty unrefined.

If they're a flat racer then you can start them jumping from scratch and train them how you like. If they've done any jump racing then they'll be used to jumping long and fast, but that can be corrected through gridwork etc. I've not really found that they particularly tank into fences to be honest. How well they can jump depends on the individual, but tbs are very athletic and I haven't met many that don't have a halfway decent jump.

 

[Dizzydancer]

i think it depends on the horse, how long they have been trained to jump like a racer, and how easy they are to retrain. yes many go onto be eventers but some do stick with dressage. my friend has an exracer who is quite dangerous to jump, she tanks off shoves her head in the air, so far back that she has smashed her head into the riders a couple of times and then just runs through the jump as she is not watching (she was a failed racer!!). but a lady on the yard has an exracer who events to BE100 with ease.

 

[millreef]

Depends on the individual, as other posters have said. My daughter has an ex-racer TB who is very sensible. We've not jumped him yet but might this year.

 

[deicinmerlyn]

My ex-racer did both flat and hurdle and the first time I tried him over a jump he politely popped it without any tanking.

He wasn't bothered though about knocking it.

They are all individuals like any other horse but if you're having doubts about owning one then perhaps look for a non TB.

 

[Firewell]

My mum has an ex racer who is 9, he did chasing and hurdling and p2p before she got him!
He has a beautiful round jump and he's careful. My mum is a very competent (evented Novice BE) rider BUT she is 50 now and is nervous. He takes care of her beautifully. If anything he can be a bit lazy into a fence and I would say my mum struggles with keeping him in front of her leg rather then struggling to hold him! He is always ridden in a snaffle and cavesson noseband.

Here is my mum on her ex-racer:-

My ex-racer flat raced once and he has a gorgeous jump! He is SO careful and he will jump anything. He does not tank into a fence either but then again I taught him to jump myself so he came with no issues. Here he is:-

I think TB's are wonderful horses and ours are just as safe as any other breed. What I would say though is that they do tend to be intelligent and sensitive horses so I dont know if that will suit you? They aren't good with shouty/stressy or overly nervous people as they are very sensitive and it feels like they read your mind sometimes (which I love)! I think any fairly quiet amature rider who is competent and has common sense is fine with a TB, you don't have to be an amazing rider or super brave to have one as at the end of the day they are just normal horses.

Edited to add
Ours are also amazing to handle! They are brilliant to shoe, clip,trim,bath, load ect as they have always been handled by people who know what they are doing and are used to being poked,prodded and pulled around ect. My mum came from his trainers with his full medical history too, a printout of every dentist, back person, massage he's ever had. He came from a top NH yard though

 

[goneshowjumping]

i have had my ex racer for a year now, he was a flat racer so had never jumped before he came to me, which was a massive bonus as he didnt know how to be silly going into a fence, he has been jumping for 8 weeks now and after all the pole work ect he is coming on in leaps and bounds! my avatar pic is him after only 5 weeks of jumping, im very happy with him and he is proving to be very sensible at jumping because he doesnt know any other way!

 

[MosMum]

My (loan) exracer is fab in traffic, he's the only one I've met so I don't know if he's just par for the course or if I'm lucky but he's generally not spooky, has fantastic ground manners, has never tried to jump in or out of a field and has a snaffle mouth (apart from once when I said Canter and he said Gallop and ignore the bit lol, but that was a one-off). At a walk around the yard he's quiet enough for my 2.5 yr old daughter to sit in front of me.

Downsides- high withers make saddle fitting a bit of a pain, can be a stress head if first to be turned out or last to be brought in, and if I wanted to be really picky, he's not the greatest with babies (foals, not people lol).

 

[Umbongo]

As said it depends on the individual horse, but if you are capable you can generally train them to be good jumpers. Many eventers I know are ex racers and they have brilliant jumps, they just need a bit of re-schooling first.

I worked at a small NH hunt yard and you would have never have guessed that they were racehorses. Big chunky TBs, hacked past anything, unflappable. They hunted, did fun rides, schooled well and would pop a few show jumps better than most non ex-racers I have seen! Good to box/shoe/clip/vet etc with no fuss. I have ridden a few ex-racers and generally out on a hack if another pony gallops off etc, the ex racers I have been on will only go when you ask them to and come back to you so easily (but that's only my experience, it depends on the individual horse).

I have in the past been against buying an ex racer when I get round to buying a horse, but when I think about the horses I have worked with, and my friends successes with theirs...it has changed my mind! It can be a long slog to re-school and ex racer, but it is so rewarding in the long run.

Firewell: I think your boy is absolutely gorgeous!

 

[china]

they dont know any different which is why the buyer needs an experienced trainable head to re train the horse. personally i think ex racers are the best! i have not know one that isnt easy to retrain, good to hack, load etc, they have so much life experience at such an early age!