Happy hacking, WASTE OFF A HORSE.

[hadfos]

What utter drivel on the sellers part!!They should be thankful somebody wants to rehome the bloody thing!Am sure the horse couldnt give a rats ass what he does away from the track!!
Go back and tell them he will be used for endurance

 

[madeleine1]

Oh boy - don't get me started on this one! Now, I appreciate that some horses who have been used to working in a particular routine and being cared for in a particular way have difficulty in adjusting to a different way of doing and this may well be the case with this particular ex-racer. If the current owners genuinely know that the horse requires something the prospective buyer cannot give then fine.
To say, however, that a horse is wasted as a hack is ludicrous. I am old enough to remember when horses were advertised as hacks and a well-mannered hack was seen as a desirable horse and would fetch a good price without having to have competed or 'have potential' to be something else. Hack classes at shows were well supported and the term 'happy hacker' had never been heard of. When did hacking become some lesser form of activity? I'm not sure, but somewhere along the line it happened.
Hacking is stimulating for horse and rider (sometimes a little too stimulating!) and gives the horse variety and experience of different environments and situations. They learn to cope with varied terrain, meet other animals and can be schooled every bit as well as in an arena.
Many competition horses are taken out for a hack to relax and refresh them. Is this a waste?
Horses are quite happy being horses. They don't know they 'have potential'. Any horse that is being well cared for and is healthy and happy is not being wasted whatever it is doing.
I told you not to get me started!

definatly agree here, aspecially the hack is a desirable thing. my mums trying to buy her first horse shes despirate for a nice hack. my expensive sports horse wont hack to well and finds it overly stimulating. i also used to school a friends horse on hacks by leg yeilding down a track or asking for it to come round while out and about.

 

[kellyfoss]

I think the yard did the right thing, if they didnt think the horse was suitable for a hacking home, then they shouldnt sell it to one! As the very proud owner of a 5yr old ex-racer I can say hand on heart they are not the easiest of horses to re-educate, and hacking is a particular area of difficulty for them as they are used to hacking in a string (mine will not leave the yard on his own). I consider myself to be an experienced rider but he has tested my confidence to its limits. That said, they are very beautiful, intelligent and versatile creatures who with patience and love can be re-educated and put to use across all disciplines. Your friend shouldnt feel bad, the yard were only looking out for the horses best interest. Darley Stud run an excellent rehoming scheme, and if he/she is dead set on an ex-racer try Witheford Equine, amazing place in wiltshire who rehome lots of lovely geldings off the track every year.

 

[skychick]

i had an arab as a teenager, he came from a competing home, he could jump 4ft6 no probs, he did dressage, he was fast and bold xc.....but he wouldnt load into a trailer and we didnt have a lorry so we used to do mainly hacking, for hours a day, and on a sunday we would hack about 4 miles to have a lesson or to do a local show.
He LOVED his hacking, alone or in company. He would come cantering up to the gate as soon as he saw his tack. Ok he could have been doing all sorts, but as we didnt have a lorry he was a happy hacker with me. He certainly didnt seem to mind too much, we used to come home every night covered in mud from a good canter through the woods jumping everything in site!
He went from us after having him 4 years to be a competition pony again! we called his time with us his little holiday and i think he totally enjoyed it! i dont think he thought he was wasted especially when we used to tag along with the racehorses when they went for a gallop and we always used to keep up with them :-D

 

[kellyfoss]

Your arab sounds lovely, but although from a competition home, still completely different to an ex-racer. These animals are bred to compete at a very high level, fed very extreme diets (in comparison to other youngstock) and broken at too young an age (in my opinion). They are commodities rather than pets and are treated very well, but only while they are doing there job. Its commendable that the yard isnt trying to flog the horse to the first person who's viewed it. I urge anyone looking for a posh hack (ie the TB!) to consider age and history, ex-racers can be suitable, but 9 times out of 10 they have there "quirks" which mean they arent as straight forward as say, a cob or other more sensible breeds. Please dont shout that cobs arent boring or sensible, I have one of those too (and in comparison to my ex-racer he is v laid back).

 

[badgerdog]

I think the yard did the right thing, if they didnt think the horse was suitable for a hacking home, then they shouldnt sell it to one! As the very proud owner of a 5yr old ex-racer I can say hand on heart they are not the easiest of horses to re-educate, and hacking is a particular area of difficulty for them as they are used to hacking in a string (mine will not leave the yard on his own). I consider myself to be an experienced rider but he has tested my confidence to its limits. That said, they are very beautiful, intelligent and versatile creatures who with patience and love can be re-educated and put to use across all disciplines. Your friend shouldnt feel bad, the yard were only looking out for the horses best interest. Darley Stud run an excellent rehoming scheme, and if he/she is dead set on an ex-racer try Witheford Equine, amazing place in wiltshire who rehome lots of lovely geldings off the track every year.

I know all horses are individuals but I have a different story! Some time ago I bought a 5 year old ex-racer who had just been off the track for 3 weeks. I wanted to compete him at local shows which I did for a while but he was just too excitable for me to manage. He thought he was at the races and used to run backwards and occasionally rear. However, he was a fantastic hack! If I'd wanted him just to hack out I would have kept him because nothing frightened him. He was good in all traffic and absolutely fine in open fields and on the beach. I had him for 3 years but then sold him onto a lovely home.

I've known a few ex racers and some have been very lively and some have been so laid back that beginners could ride them.

As for a hacking home being a waste of a horse I think that's ridiculous. The horses on our yard who are used as hacks are the fittest and have a lovely varied life. As well as going on the local rides they are regularly taken out in their trailers for more exciting hacks in the hills and on the beach. How's that a waste of a horse!

 

[maxapple]

When you sell a horse, you give up all rights over it! It always intrigues me when you see things in adverts like 'home will be vetted' 'competition home only' etc. I could turn up to buy a horse and play the perfect competition rider, let them look at my yard etc, then as soon as I have the horse home stick it back on horsemart and sell it on!

 

[baymareb]

I think the yard did the right thing, if they didnt think the horse was suitable for a hacking home, then they shouldnt sell it to one! As the very proud owner of a 5yr old ex-racer I can say hand on heart they are not the easiest of horses to re-educate, and hacking is a particular area of difficulty for them as they are used to hacking in a string (mine will not leave the yard on his own). I consider myself to be an experienced rider but he has tested my confidence to its limits. That said, they are very beautiful, intelligent and versatile creatures who with patience and love can be re-educated and put to use across all disciplines. Your friend shouldnt feel bad, the yard were only looking out for the horses best interest. Darley Stud run an excellent rehoming scheme, and if he/she is dead set on an ex-racer try Witheford Equine, amazing place in wiltshire who rehome lots of lovely geldings off the track every year.

It all depends on the horse. I took my ex-racer out hacking alone within a week of bringing her home. She has no problem being out by herself and gets bored working in an arena. I have to be very creative to keep her engaged during flat work.

On the other hand, a friend's ex-racer simply loves dressage and will work willingly on precision movements happily and willingly. My mare would go bonkers, which is a shame because she moves beautifully.

If the owners knew that the horse's temperament didn't fit hacking, they should have said so. Saying that hacking was a waste is not the same thing and is ridiculous.