Help With My 3year Old Ex Racer .... Hints & Tips Welcomed!!

[SS.89]

Hi Everyone ...

So I've had my little man ( I say little he's 16.3hh!!) nearly 5 months now, and I want to start his 'proper' retraining to be a great riding horse.
I've kept him turned away for a bit but every now and again I take him round the bridlepaths where he's kept to stretch his legs and he is an absolute angel!
Ive rode him in the menage on the odd occasion and he HATES it! He'll walk round fine, however you can tell he's very stiff and finds it really difficult to bend, only due to the fact he's only ran in a straight line!

When I ask him to trot we can only really do so down the long side and as our school isn't that big we never really get anywhere. I've tried him on the lunge and he's that dopey and clumsy we just get no where so I think that option may be out the window.

Also need a few tips on how people have acheived in getting their ex racers round and supple? As you can imagine he's very tense and he's very unsure of his legs at the minute which I think is getting his confidence down a bit. Whenever I ask him to bend round my leg and I take up the rein a bit he leans on them, thus pulling me out of the saddle. If i do this in trot ... the only thing he's obvioulsy ever been taught to do when you take up the reins is GO FASTER sooooo he gets all in a tizzy when I don't let him!
Cantering is a no go in the school as the poor thing looks like a giraffe and he gets frustrated with himself if he cant go round the corner! So this is saved for the field where I let him have a stretch a few times a week

So thats about it really, just wondere dif anyone had exprienced the same? I really need to get cracking with now as I want to be out and a bout at shows by the end of the year, he's got a good future ahead of him considering he was going to the meat man!

X

 

[winterhorses2]

I'm afraid it will just take time.
His muscles won't be used to working in such a different way.
Keep varying the work, try a little schooling in the field? Try a bit of flexion out on a hack.
I have had 5 over the years and each one is different, it might be worth having a physio look at him. My boys have always enjoyed a good massage and they might be able to give you some advice to help.
Hope this helps

 

[velocette]

give him lots of time, short sessions so he doesn't get too frustrated and doesnt make himself sore trying to do the work.

big circles, serpentines, throw some random poles on the floor so as he steps over them he becomes more sure of his feet and legs.

Carrot stretches ++ great for bending and balance

good luck and hope you enjoy the training!

 

[Toffee44]

Back ok?


I don't have lots of experience with ex racers however he just sounds young and unbalanced maybe gain his confidence by long reining for a bit and free schoolibg maybe. At the end of the day he is only 3 my 8yo took a while to find bLance when she was broken late. Turning him out til 4 won't hurt either

 

[caramel]

I'm not sure about a 3 year old, but would say my boy is pretty similar, he finished racing at 10, done very little since.
I work him 2-3 days a week (30mins and a hack/1hr lesson at weekends). I use plenty of variety, lunging, hacking and schooling. Lots of bending, serpentines, circles (larger ones), use poles in my schooling.
Also carrot stretches work, and I've found equine touch helps. I use a lungie bungie when lunging which helps with the contact and keeps him upright (he leans so much!)

 

[paddi22]

as another poster said, its just time. i walked my lad for weeks, just doing simple bends and pole exercises.. i also spend a huge amount of time just getting him to stretch down..

if i was you i'd get rid of the notion of rushing him so he's ready for shows, you are only putting undue pressure on him and you. some horses just take longer to come together and he deserves that time to learn all these new skills. i honestly think you will be happier and enjoy him more if you take your time and enjoy the process. my lad is going great but he's 'two steps forward one step back' at times and retraining him has taken huge patience. i am absolutely dying to event him, but i just have to accept the horse i have in front of me at the moment.

Another thing is to keep him enjoying your work sessions. its a skill to keep them learning, enthusiatic and gaining confidence. my lad was a nervy wreck and its been brilliant to see him gain in confidence and be willing to take on new lessons.

i got my lad is august last year and i am only starting to jump him now, and get him training properly. i literally spent month riding with very little contact, as i had the same battle as you whenever he felt contact. i had to ride purely with my leg and seat, working over poles and bending to keep him alert. he is starting to carry himself a bit now, but his lack of muscle means he can only do it for a couple of steps at a time. its great to see this progress every day, but it has taken MONTHS to get it!

 

[Alexart]

I'd turn him away and let him mature a bit longer, let him find his feet and his own balance before sitting on him - he's still only a baby and will not have physically finished growing yet or muscling up and being trained on level ground/stabled for most of the time etc it takes them a while to think where they are actually putting their feet, so they can be quite clumsy!! Mentally they can be quite burned out too so only time will let him adjust to life off the track. We had a 5yr old off the track - clumsy as hell - couldn't get his head round uneven ground - kept clattering into any rises in the field at 90 miles an hour and going arse over tit!!! - took a year for him to get it and pay attention to his own body!!
I'd do lots of in-hand stuff with him so you build a bond with him and it gets him out and about, but as others have said I'd get rid of the idea of showing him under saddle this year - try some in-hand ones first so he can see all the sights and sounds, but I'd basically treat him as an un-handled 2yr old and start from scratch as if he was an un-backed baby.

 

[SS.89]

Cheers guys .. very helpful, I am indeed in no rush and I am sure it will take time I have all the time in the world for him, he's certainly worth it.
Thanks for all the tips
x

 

[SophieLouBee]

I wouldn't start doing anything 'proper' with him for another 6 months!

I'd also have him checked out by a physio, even if he has nothing 'wrong' with him, they will be able to tell you where his muscles are over/under developed or tight, they may also give you some stretching exercises to do with him.