Have you ever re-trained an ex-racehorse?

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Michelle73

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Hello all you fab people who have re-trained racehorses, please tell me all your stories, whether success or failures.

It seems to be a growing fashion to re-train them and I'm intrigued by it all.

My OH took me to the races last night at Newbury (he's a horse transport driver) and the filly we took was 2nd but whilst she was being unloaded the most beautiful filly walked passed me - Rose Cheval - really unusual colour - I found myself hoping she'd be a rubbish racehorse so I could have her!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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(You do realise that was totally could nine pie in the sky day dreaming there!!!!!
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) But she came 2nd too!!!!

So I just wanted to hear your stories and its a hot topic in the media at the mo too.
 
Yes, I've re-trained several.

I find them very straightforward and rewarding. You have to use common sense and not mollycoddle them too much- I dont understand people who get them and spend months re-breaking them, it's just not necessary.
As with all horses some are easier than others but I tend to find the youngsters far more grown up than non tbs the same age- they experience so much out racing and it really helps that they go forward and straight right from the word go.
 
I've had about 5, some of my own and some of other people's-all of them were as easy as pie, and very straightforward- and only one of them was a nightmare initially but came through it eventually and was fabolous in the end. All bar 1 were super and easy with their flatwork, 1 was extremely difficult. 3 I've had were more natural movers and trainable on the flat then a lot of dressage horses around. All of them jumped very well and with a lovely bascule, with the exception of one horse that jumped everything but was always as flat as a pancake.

2 were burdened with a ridocolous amount of severe physical problems thanks to racing's oh-so-lovely idea of sending flat racers into training at 18 months old and 1 was PTS and 1 was nearly PTS but came right in the end.

So thats just a small selection there for you! Every horse is variable of course.

There are quite a few ex-racers out there that are superb sports horses, and people are mad to go round spending big bucks on a potential sport horse when you can just buy an exracer for a few hundred £ !! However you DO have to be lucky in the fact that you find one that has no physical problems or developes no physical problems.

But a lot of racehorse bloodlines exist in warmbloods- in world class showjumpers/eventers/dressage horses like Turn-To, Buckpasser, Sir Ivor, Bold Lad, Bull dog, Precipitation, Raise- a -native, Nearco, Hyperion, High-Top, sir Gaylord, Bustino/Busted, Thatching etc
 
I had one but only as a hack - she had an old injury. Took a bit of time getting her to relax away from her field mates, she was a bit clingy and initially very nappy, but she was amazing in traffic, as they often are. Never bolted or did anything really stupid, and such a lovely temperament. If you are confident and have a good seat and hands, I'd say they are a very rewarding project. And it's great that so many more nowadays are being rehomed rather than pts.

My only word of caution is the "mileage" some of them have, mine developed arthritis in the knees at only 12, and then narcolepsy. The narcolepsy could have happened to any horse, as could the arthritis, but I have a feeling her legs might have held out better had she not been race trained. Remember, they are bred for speed not long term endurance!

Overall though, that's one horse and I know there are many brilliant ex racers out there. I would recommend, if you know what you're doing.
 
Norman is my 2nd ex racer, my first was a doddle and excellent temp/to handle etc but did have a tendancy to nap but we worked through that.

Norman is my work in progress! He's very good in traffic, took him in the school yesterday for the first time I've had him and he went really well albeit a little distracted at times. But very pleased and will make a dressage horse out of him yet!
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My boy was an absolute sweetie but he never actually raced - only trained for a year.

Took me a couple of weeks to get him hacking out fairly happily in a GP saddle and we have never looked back.

He is a bit of a chicken but very athletic -2 years on and he is doing BE pre-novice. Definitaly capable of more if he gets a bit bolder.
 
the old saying about TBs coming out of racing is that if they have never been lame or broken down during their time racing, that's the best vetting you could ask for!
A horse that can stand up to that sort of work and remain sound is worth looking at.
Yes it seems that ex racers are becoming very popular but I fear not for the right reasons.....
The current trend seems to be for these race horse to riding horse show classes.
The TB is a far more versitle than that!
They make great event horses, riding club horses, hunters, my ex race horse mare even carried a side saddle! They will turn their hand to anything if handled the right way.
Remember they are sharper than the average horse but this should not go against them.
My friend currently has an ex race mare, she regularly competes at B.E events, BSJA and BD.

Rember the TB can do so much more than run on the track or ponce round the show ring!!!!
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I have one on loan, who has already been retrained as such. He has competed in dressage with the owner. But TBH he's not the sort of horse you can just hop on for a hack once a week really. He needs a new job to concentrate on.
So although I breed TB's as a job, they just don't suit me as a riding horse (I am not competetive) I'm much more of a hairy cob rider.
However, I think if trained correctly, with their previous training methods taken into consideration, they make lovely competition horses. But they like to be busy and they love routine, routine, routine!

Just to add, if anyone happens to be looking for one - please PM me. Ellis is looking for a lovely new home on perm loan. He needs a new job!
 
Mine is a lazy sod!

Sometimes gets left in the field for a week if I am away with work and never gets silly. TBs are all so different though aren't they - and he is 7 now so a bit older than some most in training.

His best friend is a Welsh section D - he thinks he is one too.

When he retires from eventing (hopefully not for a while) I will have no worries about finding him a home as a happy hacker.
 
This is all soooooooooooooooooo interesting. You hear so many horror stories. Just the other day I saw a young girl, probably 13 years old who told me her 7yr old hunter was an ex-racehorse - who now tanks off when it hits grass and rears.

Surely this is all down to the way its handled right? Or am I being naive??!!!

I'm certain that in the right hands ANY HORSE CAN DO ANYTHING (Providing its physically capable of course).

If I were to have one I would be spending sooooooooo much time with the damn thing my OH would never see me and as with my last horse, I thought and he did. But that was because I spent every waking hour with him and didn't have a life or OH!!!! Oh for those days again!!! (Sorry to my OH - he's fab too but will have to follow me on my horse or get one of his own!!!! Lol!!!)
 
I have two. Both super, straightforward horses. We compete regularly, BE & RC.
I know of several friends who have tried to go down the ex-racehorse route. Some successfully, some not so. I think, as with everything, ex-racers are not suited to everyone.
I have found mine to relish a fairly busy life, with very regular routines. Regular excercise and lots to think about. They are very quick learners, as already mentioned in previous posts, and have grown up a good deal in their previous life already.
My only concern is that whilst it is good that the whole ex-racer thing is in the spotlight and therefore more and people are attracted to giving these fantastic horses a new life, I sincerely hope that they are not being taken on just because they are relativey cheap to buy.... they are not that cheap to keep... and need plenty of feed, rugs etc, etc.
But all in all, if you are experienced & knowledgeable person, I think you wouldn't go far wrong in taking on an ex-racer.
 
We took on our first ex-racer over 20+ years ago and since then have lost count of how many have either been through us or kept by us. Can honesty say that we have never had any problems with them at all. Perhaps we've been lucky that they've come from training yards where they were looked after. Trainers know that they can give us their ex-racers, knowing that we will give them the time to chill out - which is basically what the TB needs out of racing, then saddle them up and off they go. And no, they don't just compete in the show ring - depending on what they are like, ones we've had have gone on to be eventers, polo ponies, and one hunts. Can't understand why some people with an ex-racer though, spend months having to "re-break" them. One of our ex-racers came off the track and was winning in the National Show Ring within 8 weeks. Personal preference, but give us a TB any day.
 
I have two. One that I have brought on and one that was already done. Love them to bits and would have another!

As has already been said so versitile, the training is as straightforward as the horse. My little mare was just "got on with " so to speak... and is a very straight forward horse and is now a good riding club horse at 5.
 
I brought my horse out of training, she was too slow apparently to be any good as a flat racer. I've always found her very straigtforward to ride, lovely hack.. she'll gallop in a group, go front or behind and never pulls. Its like galloping in a group was done so often when she was broken that its old hat! Shes an amazing jumper so brave and athletic, has lovely paces and can do a good dressage test. Our first ever sj comp she came 3rd and she had never seen fillers b4, she almost always goes double clear.
Part of what makes her so good to ride is that she is very sensitive and intelligent therefore I dont think she would be suitable for a nervous or novice rider as she could learn bad stuff as quickly as she learns the good stuff and has occaionally tried it on.
I think as long as the retrainer has good common sense and is quiet but firm then ex racehorses are brilliant!!!
My friends think my horse was very expensive as she is such lovely quality but when I tell them how much I paid they cant believe it!!
 
I've had a few and I must say they are very rewarding.
I have one at the moment that has been a poppet since the day he came, he is very laid back and has schooled on nicely. My novicey OH hacks him out and rides him.
I wouldnt hesitate in recommending having one as long as you have the experience or have help from somebody who has.
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currently re-raining one
he can be difficult and he has had a few muscle problems
he is very rewarding, loyal and loves people however
i wouldn't give him up for the world and hopefully next year we will be eventing.
i would say go for it, as long as you have someone with experience to help you!
 
I have one that I am retraining and I am sure we tick all the boxes on how not to do it:

1) Discovered him when I was at a party at a racing yard and he was the only horse in the stables. At the time I was a bit drunk and on crutches and he was off to the knackers yard as he had torn a tendon (9 year old steeplechaser at the time)

2) Offered to buy him there and then even though a) was a little drunk, b) hadnt had a horse since I was a teenager and c) live in central London
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Due to being very lame I couldnt ride him or have him vetted but he had a lovely eye and temperament and I only had to pay what the meat man was asking

Anyway, fast forward two years and I took him to our first competition last weekend (we event). Plan to do a couple of intros this year and then move onto pre novice next year. Apart from him finding EVERYTHING in life way too exciting and having the attention span of a small mouse he is a star. I took the whole thing very slowly in his training and got a lot of support from my instructor and now I have the world's most wonderful horse - well I think so anyway
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I never expected to have an ex-racer as I assumed they'd be too hot blooded and certainly too fast for my tastes - but I agreed to take one on after he injured his tendon and had to retire from the track - and I absolutely love him to bits. I've done loads of different things with him - hacking out, showjumping, cross-country, bit of endurance - and even western, and he's happy to just go along with whatever I ask him to do. At first he used to get really excited when we went new places, obviously thinking he was going racing again - but now he's pretty chilled about most things. We did have one very interesting hack (after he hadn't been ridden for a couple of weeks because I'd suspected heat in his hoof) when he taught me what bucking was all about (!) but even that didn't actually bother me much, because I could tell he wasn't trying to get me off and I was never in any danger of hitting the deck. (My previous horse would have had me off in one go!)
Obviously all horses are different - but my boy is a terrific advert for ex-racers.
 
I'm two weeks into working with my first ex-racer.

I am very impressed so far - she is straight into the hand, forward off the leg, brave and confident out hacking, good in traffic, not nappy, easy to control - even in open fields in company. In two weeks she is already working in a nice outline on the flat and popping over little grids. If she continues along this vein, hopefully she'll be ready to take out eventing next year.

At least if they have been in training, you know they haven't been brought up by a numpty like half the youngster on the market
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Yes, I have an ex-racer, he was very very slow (bless him) and when I got him he was very depressed and had never eaten grass. He spent 3 months in one corner of a field just eating! But he is a seriously nice horse - can do it all, plays polo, hunts, events, dressage, SJs, is bombproof beyond belief. A good TB with a good temperament (mine is always willing to work, forward going but has good brakes and listens to you) is just the best. Get yourself a good doing one though - they are more laid back and less stressy. Oh, and be warned - they have the WORST feet known to man. Period.
 
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