Help with ex racer!!

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Sam1985

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I've had Wish now for a good 6 months and I love him to bits. However, the first 4/5 months were mainly groundwork, he'd been neglected in a field for 5 years straight from the track, so wanted to get him used to me, coming in again, and to get him used to shoeing, equine dentist etc..
Just been out on him and he completley took off with me! He crosses his jaw, puts his head down and off he goes, with me as a useless passenger!! Thought about changing his bit perhaps? he's currently got a naite at the min. Any suggestions welcome! (Sorry it was sooooo much to read!!)
 
I ahve mine in a french link and a flash if I am hacking out which seems to work for him. I would also long rein loads as it teaches them a bit of responsibility for their actions and also if you are a bit of a hot seated rider like I am it takes that pressure off too.
 
Have had a few ex racers and they have all been different. I did make the mistake of hunting one of them in a nathe bit and ended up overturning him
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. If it were me, I'd put a gentle metal bit in, maybe with a 'fiddly' mouthpiece with copper/sweet iron, and try to establish some schooling basics first, as racehorses do tend towards tanking off especially if you pull back against them (sometimes dropping all contact works as a last resort, as thats how they seem to be trained I believe - never worked with my last one though
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). I only ever hacked the last one out at walk for the first few months, he was the most fizzy and forward going horse Ive ever met, and at 17.2 and built like a brick sh!thouse he was never going to be controlled by sheer strength!). I had him in a loose ring french link and flash noseband, and had to sit very, very quietly - it took months and months of patient work to get him to accept that my legs touching his sides did not mean it was a signal to go off at the speed of light, nor did any shifting of weight in the saddle. I then progressed to trot and then canter, with lots of transitions and always varying where we trotted and cantered (especially cantered). I did have loads of lessons with him and did not find him an easy horse, but did find that he was much easier to control using my weight in the saddle after a while - his mouth was always a bit of a problem area; he'd got into the habit of getting his tongue right back in his mouth and rolling it over the bit and nothing I tried could prevent or discourage it. Lessons and schooling definitely helped, as did taking things really, really slowly; Im certain I never cantered him for at least the first 8 months or so. He always remained strong, but I did eventually gain enough control to take him hunting (I am still slightly amazed I ever attempted it and survived actually). It was a long and painfully slow journey but eventually he did calm down to the point where I could hack him out (including canter) whilst I was pregnant. Good luck with yours! They do try your patience but it is worth it. After god knows how many years of ex-racers I have finally rewarded myself with a warmblood x TB and am enjoying the sedate-ness of it all (but missing the speed
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)

Sorry - that was long and very unhelpful and probably littered with spelling errors, curse you evil G&T/wine combo
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Would agree with that - rode mine in a french link and stuck to walk for a LONG time, introducing trot and lots of transitions very slowly. Also kept off the grass too - they seem to understand the road is a go-slow - until we were well used to one another and I could trust her to respond.
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Hi. To be honest it doesn't really sound like bitting is the root of the problem.

It sounds like you've got a bit of a communications issue - with him thinking you're asking for something that you're not.

I would suggest you start hacking out in company (racehorses are rarely if ever hacked alone) and stick to walking and trotting around the roads and lanes - he'll associate this with fittening work, rather than speed / galloping work.

Also, remember if he ever takes off with you the worst thing to do is to take a strong hold on the reins. Racers are trained to work into a contact, so the stronger you are in the hand, or if you pull one rein then the other - he will interpret that as a signal to go faster.

The best things is to ride on a loose rein (I know it's totally counter intuative) and if you want to slow down stand up in the stirrups and press your hands down into his withers.

I really think its a training issue and that stronger or different bitting won't really tackle the problem.

Good luck!
 
I'm gonna try the French Link and I agree with y ou cp1, I think I have a mega communication issue!! I just try to stay as quiet and relaxed as I can, difficult when shooting off down the road at a rate of knotts!! I'm sure he'll come with time and now the clocks have changed, lighter nights are upon us which mean lots of time with my Mr Wish!!

Thankyou for all your help and suggestions, much appreciated!!!
 
Mr Wish sounds exactly like your fizzy ex racer!! My mum says the same as you as she is a much more experienced rider than I am, she aslo has an ex racer but he has a much more relaxed, laid back temp, whereas mine is hyper, worried and bloomin fast!! Will try to put all theories into practice!!
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Sounds a bit like what Jack used to do when we first got him. Swapped his bit to a french link, full cheek snaffle and a mexican noseand... along with alot of work. We've never looked back.

Good luck with him
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Sam your horse sounds like mine. She naps on hacks so I have to wait for the other horse to come back for me, and then when the other horse does come back, she buggers off! I always hack with a horse I know won't kick and use their bum as breaks, the worse thing you can do is cling to the reins, they just lock on and go faster. As a last resort I will turn her into a hedge/wall. I do have to keep telling myself "Let go of the reins" though!
 
I defgonna have a look at those couple of websites for some more tips! Thanks!!
Wen I was out on him yesterday when I could frrl him speeding up I turned him in a circle to give him something to think about instead off taking off wih me. Not sure if this would just frustrate him though but seemed the only way at the time to stop him!
Thanks again for all your help guys!!
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