help needed with new horse ex racer

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budweiser

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I am hoping you will be able to help with a 5 yrd old ex racehorse I have bought as I really don’t know what to do.

He only did one race as a two year old and was too slow. He was then professionally reschooled. This person that had him just does dressage and so that is all he really did with her. He had quite a strict routine compared to what he has now, out during day, in at night, same times, ridden in the morning and this was normally being schooled in their arena (he was lunged once a week in side reins). He wasn't really hacked out or jumped much at all. He had lessons every other week with professional.

I got him three weeks ago, with an eventual aim to event him. He has had quite a change as ours live out all summer unless weather bad and come in at night in winter. I normally ride in the morning but sometimes in the evening. We do not have our own school, but ride in the field, hack out or take a 5 min hack over to a local school.

Some key points: He has the same tack she had. He is on the same feed, but I am going to reduce this as I don't think that may be helping with all the grass he is getting living out. He is good to handle on the ground, he just scrapes quite a lot when tied up (is there anything I can do to really stop that?) and occasionaly tries to chew wood. He seems to be really settled within himself when not riding, comes to call etc.
He only has ever had front shoes on, but I had backs put on aswell after he had been here a week as I do a lot of hacking. He wasn’t too bad for the farrier just a bit fidgety. This is the day from which I started having problems with him when ridden but I can’t see why back shoes would upset him that much?!
When had a vetting (passed 5 stage) no bad points vet just said will need teeth doing soon as a bit sharp (I have the dentist coming out soon but if this was the problem he would be naughty all the time surely??)

The first week he was an angel ( i was recommended to get on him after a day of being here) hacked out on small block on his own, schooled in field, hacked over to school 5 mins away to school and pop a few jumps, all fine no dramas was a really good boy.

In the second week he started occasional napping and planting, not moving anywhere but not all the time and certain tactics seemed to work like asking him to go back a few steps then go forward and then he would work well again (now no tactics seem to work). He wasn’t bucking/rearing/running of or anything just really not moving. He started not walking down the track to the field where i normally ride that he had done previous week, not hacking out on his own and trying to plant in the field where he had schooled the previous week.

In the third week his behaviour got even worse I was on him 2 ½ hours one day to get 10 mins nice work out of him because of him planting and napping. I made decision that as he hasn’t really ever hacked out that I would hack him out with other people on a variety of routes for a few weeks before taking him out on his own to build his confidence (even though he hacked on his own fine the first week?) he is fine out with others hacking no napping or planting, he walks out in front without even being asked.

So I had accepted hacking alone would take time and he went out for two nice hacks in a group but now he point blank will not school in the field and instead of just planting he has took to constantly threating to rear and doing little rear/bucks trying to get me off. I can’t get him to move/ go anywhere I want/stop buck/rearing. I have tried sitting there/ patting him/ kicking/ growling/ using a schooling whip but nothing seems to reason with him. the last two days he has immediatley started being naughty not being naughty imbetween bits of good work.

He has gone from amazing the first week to a total nightmare. His old owner said he would have his odd moments being tb, ex racehorse and 5 but has never behaved like this point blank not doing anything I ask. I don’t want the situation to get worse and can currently not really ride him successfully unless I hack him in a group when he is fine.

I appreciate he has had his world totally turned upside down as a new horse and his routine is really different. I also realise that he has never really hacked much and he did this successfully in his first week (but why do it the first week then not?) so i don't know if i have been over ambitious with what i have done and overhwhelmed him, even though the hacks have only been half hour plods or half hour schooling in the field? I also accept that new horses try people out but this is such an extreme change in him and since he started napping he has got loads worse in the space of two weeks but still hacks out in company fine? I don’t know what to do!! have been thinking of totally taking things back to basics and taking pressure off completley but if i can't get him to move in the field at all, makes it a bit difficult, been thinking doing quite a bit of lunging in the field he needs to work in, am enlisting the help of an instructor and poss looking at parelli type exercises to build up our bond and his respect for me?

I appreciate he is 5, tb and an ex racer so we would have moments, but this has turned into much more than just moments in only our first three weeks. sorry this was a really long post, if you have any suggestions/ similar experiences i'd really appreciate any help, i want to nip this in the bud and get back to positives :)
 
I would try to get a routine back in his life, it sounds to me as if the freedom of living out 24/7 is allowing him to become more opinionated and basically behaving like a bolshy teenager.
Try keeping him in every day, cut out the feed or give him a very nominal amount and leave him with plenty of hay, the discipline of being in and relying more on you should help establish a better pattern of behaviour, once you are back in charge he could probably go out again.
 
Hi, firstly sorry you're having problems :(
From the sound of it I would say he is starting to settle and testing the boundaries (especially as you seem very aware of teeth, tack and everything else!) From my own experience so many do this after a few weeks and they need firm but calm, confident and consistent handling/riding to get them back on track- definitely easier said than done though! To prevent losing confidence for both of you I definitely would suggest getting an instructor to help (which I'm sure you already know :) )

I'm sure by the time I've finished writing this someone else will have posted a reply much more helpful than mine but I hope someone will help! :p
 
I had similar problems (and still occasionally do) with my ex racer when I first got him, but more on the ground than when ridden. Yes I agree with getting a bit of routine back in his life, but I don't think keeping him in is the way forward, you want to introduce him into your routine.

Personally I think it sounds as though he is trying it on a bit with you, and understandably too. He has gone from being in a stable to being turned out 24/7 with his new friends and doesn't want to be away from them! Also he will be getting more grass than he is used to so is probably feeling very well in himself.

Give him time, but be firm with him. I would carry on hacking out with others until he settles a bit more and then take things slowly. Maybe take him for short hacks in hand, lunge in a field away from other horses, do some groundwork etc.

I've had my ex racer for 3 months now and sometimes still struggle with basic day to day things that you just usually take for granted. Give him time, lots of love, but more importantly don't let him walk all over you. I made the mistake of feeling sorry for my boy when he arrived and i let him get away with things I shouldn't have, which we are still correcting now.

Good luck and let us know how you get on!
 
What the others have said but i will also add and prob get shot down for is.......i really wouldnt bother with the parelli thing it's and awful lot of money when you could just do leading exersises, walk stop if he trys to stop infront of you get him to back up till his head is by your shoulder, walk out in hand and just play with him (this can be done either tacked up or untacked so he doesnt get the idea tack means riding)

Definately take him off feed if grass is good, tb are hot blooded anyway you realy dont need to be adding to that.

And get him into a good routine, it will take a while for him to settle.

With regards to him not moving and threatening to rear etc i would get the saddle re checked as if he has been out 24/7 and he has gone from being worked hard in an arena every day he might have changed shape.....also this might sound rude and i dont mean it to be are you heaver than his old owner? If so than it can also have an affect on the saddle.....with our exracer he reared when his saddle was hurting, he did it once with my sister then was fine for a while then a friend who is four stone heavier went out on him and he did it with her three times as heph weight put the saddle in a place that hurt.

Hope my ramblings make sense.
 
IMO opinion you should do the basics...get teeth sorted and saddle checked. If you already know his teeth are sharp then I wouldn't be riding til they were sorted...you need a positive relationship...you do not want him to associate you with pain and discomfort.

I do not like the sound of 2 1/2 hours to get a 10 min session...sounds like quite a battle and not a good one.

If he hasn't hacked much then let him gain his confidence before going it alone, the first week he was guided by you...now he has found his feet he is telling you what he thinks IMO!

My gelding got a bit bolshy when he decided he was enjoying his field and friends a little too much...it stopped after a few weeks and a few groundwork sessions.

Hope that is of some help :)
 
I don`t agree that he is testing the boundaries...

I think you have done too much too soon (I think alot of people do with TB ex racers)

You have taken a 5 year old out of a strict routine and starting asking new things the day after he arrived...

Get his back and tack checked...

Give him some time to settle (I won`t give a time line as each horse is different and you will know when he is really settled) then work on some ground manners... grooming and bonding, then start lunging in the problem field (getting him used to your voice ect) then continue to hack out in company, then see if you can get another horse to give you a lead and work in the field whilst you are schooling (make sure not to be in too long I recommend about 20mins at first and end on a good note... don`t push him too far just yet) then progress onto someone biking/walking out on a hack with you (so there are no other horses but you have a lead if he plants and threatens to rear up) and move on to each step only once is is truly comfortable with the last step.
Take your time.

Hope this is of help and good luck x
 
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There is some good advice being given above.

I would recommend Parelli - but be aware that you don't do it to make the horse 'respect' you; you do it to make yourself respect the horse.
 
Mine now live out as a herd, and arenot too bad. However, when we tried this about 6 years ago, they turned into wild children. Is he out in company all the time? Tb's are often roughed off out in a herd, and then associate that with their holiday.
However, if he hasn't raced for three years, and only ran once, I would see this as less of an issue.
In your situation I would be doing similar things, racersare used to being worked reguarlaly, and pansying around with them often causes problems.
If he is good on the ground, parelli won't help much, (not that I would ever advocate it as I can't stand it).
If this doesn't work, find a professional rider to come out and assess him, or talk to hisold owners, and see if they will come and ride him. You say he is also being awkward in the school, whereas he wasn't before, so I would look at saddle, then that being ruled out, he could just be testing you.
 
Much as the others have said, get teeth and back done, get the saddle fitted properly (apologies if you have already done this) and maybe get a weekly lesson booked with an instructor who is used to TBs/ex-racers.

In the meantime, stick to groundwork - teach him to lead from both sides properly, stand when you want him, introduce him to the mounting block, and lunge and long-rein him. I think you are perhaps rushing him a bit when he is still a baby so I would slow things down and maybe lunge for 20 mins each time for a couple of weeks to start with before doing anything else.

Good luck.
 
The only thing I want to add, is that the previous owner may have been less than truthful about him, and this may well be the way he behaves. Lots of horses do not want to school in the field, especially if they get plenty of turnout, they begin to think that the field is their playground and is not somewhere for them to have to work. My last horse was a fab hack and worked happily in the school. if you tried to ride in her field, she would prat around and be less than sensible.

If he hacks in company in a sensible way, then I would do plenty of that. That way you reinforce in his mind that behaving well under saddle is the right thing to do.
 
I appreciate he has had his world totally turned upside down as a new horse and his routine is really different.
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There's your answer.

This horse will have been in a strict routine for the last 3-4 years, and now is not. He probably doesn't know whether he's coming or going.

Cut out whatever feed he doesn't need, and establish a good routine for him. Same thing, same time every day. As the summer goes on you can start to relax it slightly. But the important thing is routine.

I also agree about schooling in the field, if it's the one he's turned out in. Don't do it.
 
Hi I have just bought an ex race horse pure folly but I like a challenge. I paid almost nothing for him and he is far better behaved than my expensive cob.
I really bought him as a companion for her was hoping to ride him but I am far too heavy so on a diet. I have taken his shoes off and I am going to try to go barefoot yes I have been warned. But maybe putting those back shoes have upset and unbalanced him. Mine moves about a lot when tied up and that behaviour has potentially been diagnosed as stomach ulcers due to stress, could he have the same? I bought him from the field where he was out with a herd, and he has just been turned out into a large field with cob. I am hoping his behaviour will not change as she is a nightmare to catch and has attitude problems lol I would be very interested to hear about his progress so contact me if you would like to compare notes. My horse has won 5 races in his 8 years of life last one in May I didnt know that unti I got his race name. I cant believe how they are cast out because they no longer win. Think I am in for an interesting ride.
Good Luck
 
IMO horse was pretty much fit previously when he had a routine and was being worked hard, he is now a bit fresh as the weeks have passed is on good grass and is also still getting settled, the first week he went out because everything was new and he was fit, the second week he went out he realised he was leaving his new place that he had got used to and was getting a bit fresh with same feed and more grass, the third week well the grass has just made life good, he is even fresher because of all the napping he is doing (less work and a TB) and he has managed to get away with it so he will carry on.

Remember when he was a racehorse he would have been fed to the work he was doing, when he was doing dressage he was worked and fed to the work he was doing, at present not enough work so dont feed, you have stopped this anyway, he would also have been treated with a firm hand, not abused but he wouldnt have got away with nonsense, so don't let him now, yes get his teeth done and back checked to tick those boxes off - but dont let him get away with it.

Make sure you are not sending any negative losing confidence vibes to him, be firm and say to yourself today he is not going to nap or rear and think positive, go to the field but make him work, lots of trotting and cantering, do this in the morning if you can, then turn out for the rest of the day, or turn out in the morning and bring in early afternoon and ride him then, but start setting the rules. If you need to get off and lead the begger to the field but don't turn around and go back to the stables then he is getting his own way.

Also when he was a racehorse he would have gone out to exercise on his own not always in a group, so I do not think you have done things too soon, he is just messing you around. Good luck
 
be positive said:
I would try to get a routine back in his life, it sounds to me as if the freedom of living out 24/7 is allowing him to become more opinionated and basically behaving like a bolshy teenager.
Try keeping him in every day, cut out the feed or give him a very nominal amount and leave him with plenty of hay, the discipline of being in and relying more on you should help establish a better pattern of behaviour, once you are back in charge he could probably go out again.
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totally disagree with this, horses dont think like human bolshy teenagers do, they are horses!! keeping him in 24/7 is only going to wind him up more, i dont this is about being min charge, its about working througbh problems in a reasonable way. Maybe he is being naughty , maybe his teeth are the issue and he has put up with it to an extent and now will take no more, maybe he is hurting somewhere?
 
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