How to begin schooling ex-racer for clueless owners? (also in CR)

[Starbucks]

Seeing as my horse is broken I may as well begin focusing on someones else - may dads!

He's coming to live at Badger's yard soon where we have facilities so we want to get working on him and get him doing a job. Bit of background - he raced as a 4yo in a couple of bumpers/hurdles and was pretty useless looking at his results! Dad has had him for about 3 years in which time he's been a happy hacker and has done a small amount of SJ/XC which he's done really well at so think he might make a nice little eventer at lower levels.

He feels quite well balanced and light to ride but has not worked in a school at all and has no idea what to do if you ask him to bend/go in any kind of outline - so totally back to basics me thinks!

Would anyone be able to suggest any exercises to help him start to understand what to do? How would you start flatwork with a horse like this?

 

[Mike007]

Ride him as he is used to ,to start with and get to know him .Then it will all make sense,you will know what he needs.So often people rush in and try to change the habbits of a lifetime and wonder why the poor horse is confused. But I suspect you know this already Have fun ,its nice to have a project isnt it.

 

[orionstar]

Plenty of serpentines to start of with helps develop a bend, and shallow loops on long side starts them moving away from your leg.

 

[Starbucks]

Ride him as he is used to ,to start with and get to know him .Then it will all make sense,you will know what he needs.So often people rush in and try to change the habbits of a lifetime and wonder why the poor horse is confused. But I suspect you know this already Have fun ,its nice to have a project isnt it.

I haven't ridden him for a long time, but I'm hoping my dad will want to do it all as he knows him inside out and back to front! Here are some pics with me on..

 

[maggiesmum]

Long lining and more long lining, teach him to bend and carry himself without the weight of a rider first, increasing/decreasing circles, serpentines, and a million transitions. He's probably been long lined when he was broken so it won't be a shock to him but lunging ex-racers can be pointless as they've often been lunged to take the edge off them so lunging tends to = bucking and squealing.
I've used this method a few times and its been pretty successful.

 

[Mike007]

He caught you on the hop in picture two, he is still a racehorse and can take a hold. Hack him out a bit and learn about him then meet him half way . He is a lovely horse !

 

[dressedkez]

Your post title is patronising and clueless.......Ex racers are a lovely option for many - you make it seem other wise - what are your credentials to be so condescending?
Ex racers have many plus points - but need in many ways to be treated as just broken.....Lots of quiet hacking out - some long reining, and taking back to stage 1 on schooling relating to dressage and jumping - but potentially lovely horses for many, as from the ones I have acquired via Ascot blood stock sales - 100% in traffic, to clip, shoe, load, in stable and to ride out on their own and in company. The latest one - jumps everything out hunting, has superb manners in and out of the stable.......and we paid £1200 for him! I would let any inexprienced rider, who aspired to riding a TB have a ride on him, as he is a gentleman, and been well ridden throughout his career so knows no different...........

 

[Starbucks]

He caught you on the hop in picture two, he is still a racehorse and can take a hold. Hack him out a bit and learn about him then meet him half way . He is a lovely horse !

Thanks! He was a bit giddy in those pics - warming up for XC and he doesn't get out much!! I actually find him quite amazing when you get going XC (even if he wasn't an ex racer!), my own horse pulls like a train XC but with Tully, you just set him off at a nice canter and he just keeps to that pace with no pulling or kicking required! Not used to that at all but it's nice to not need an oxygen mask on return! This is why I think he has potential to be a really good horse.

 

[Starbucks]

Your post title is patronising and clueless.......Ex racers are a lovely option for many - you make it seem other wise - what are your credentials to be so condescending?
Ex racers have many plus points - but need in many ways to be treated as just broken.....Lots of quiet hacking out - some long reining, and taking back to stage 1 on schooling relating to dressage and jumping - but potentially lovely horses for many, as from the ones I have acquired via Ascot blood stock sales - 100% in traffic, to clip, shoe, load, in stable and to ride out on their own and in company. The latest one - jumps everything out hunting, has superb manners in and out of the stable.......and we paid £1200 for him! I would let any inexprienced rider, who aspired to riding a TB have a ride on him, as he is a gentleman, and been well ridden throughout his career so knows no different...........

Why? We love Tully and he's a really good boy, it's just he hasn't really done any "proper" work and I was wondering how best to start him off. Have you actually read my OP or any of the thread?

 

[dressedkez]

Thanks! He was a bit giddy in those pics - warming up for XC and he doesn't get out much!! I actually find him quite amazing when you get going XC (even if he wasn't an ex racer!), my own horse pulls like a train XC but with Tully, you just set him off at a nice canter and he just keeps to that pace with no pulling or kicking required! Not used to that at all but it's nice to not need an oxygen mask on return! This is why I think he has potential to be a really good horse.

Most ex racers have very nice mouths - but you have to learn to ride them differently.....i.e don't pull on their mouths - indication to go faster, learn to drop your hands and balanace them!

 

[avthechav]

Your post title is patronising and clueless.......Ex racers are a lovely option for many - you make it seem other wise - what are your credentials to be so condescending?
Ex racers have many plus points - but need in many ways to be treated as just broken.....Lots of quiet hacking out - some long reining, and taking back to stage 1 on schooling relating to dressage and jumping - but potentially lovely horses for many, as from the ones I have acquired via Ascot blood stock sales - 100% in traffic, to clip, shoe, load, in stable and to ride out on their own and in company. The latest one - jumps everything out hunting, has superb manners in and out of the stable.......and we paid £1200 for him! I would let any inexprienced rider, who aspired to riding a TB have a ride on him, as he is a gentleman, and been well ridden throughout his career so knows no different...........

Eh? :-D

 

[Mike007]

Your post title is patronising and clueless.......Ex racers are a lovely option for many - you make it seem other wise - what are your credentials to be so condescending?
Ex racers have many plus points - but need in many ways to be treated as just broken.....Lots of quiet hacking out - some long reining, and taking back to stage 1 on schooling relating to dressage and jumping - but potentially lovely horses for many, as from the ones I have acquired via Ascot blood stock sales - 100% in traffic, to clip, shoe, load, in stable and to ride out on their own and in company. The latest one - jumps everything out hunting, has superb manners in and out of the stable.......and we paid £1200 for him! I would let any inexprienced rider, who aspired to riding a TB have a ride on him, as he is a gentleman, and been well ridden throughout his career so knows no different...........[/QUOTE). Condescending? Er ,Starbucks has merely posted a quite simple post,and far from finding it "clueless"I think she demonstrates a pragmatic view to this horse. Possibly you should get off your "high horse". What you say is correct with regards to training a TB,but its the way that you put it forward. My personal experience of training has been to meet the horse half way and build on that. Your inability to meet Starbucks halfway leeds me to seriously doubt your abilities with a horse.

 

[Starbucks]

Most ex racers have very nice mouths - but you have to learn to ride them differently.....i.e don't pull on their mouths - indication to go faster, learn to drop your hands and balanace them!

TBH he doesn't really feel like a racehorse to ride at all, my dad bought him from my friend who rode him while he was in training and apparently he was the same then - he was one of the babies but gave everyone a lead and didn't pull etc.. generally Mr Perfect!

 

[Mike007]

TBH he doesn't really feel like a racehorse to ride at all, my dad bought him from my friend who rode him while he was in training and apparently he was the same then - he was one of the babies but gave everyone a lead and didn't pull etc.. generally Mr Perfect!

So take him as you find him and work on that ! I envy you ,he looks fun!

 

[Starbucks]

So take him as you find him and work on that ! I envy you ,he looks fun!

Aww, thanks! I've always been busy with my horse who is at a higher level, and with no school he's been pretty restricted to hacking really, so no time to further his education. Me and my mum have ID x's who seem to be a bit brighter at remembering what they've learned, but I think Tully needs more constant practice which will be perfect when he comes down here with school/jumps and loads of SJ/dressage comps to go to.

Hopefully will be is chance to shine

 

[LizzieJ]

Dressedkez WTF is that all about?

Bucky I think Tully is a lovely horse, I do think he's worth going right back to basics with to establish the flatwork then I think you or Dad can rock on and do what you like with him!

 

[Starbucks]

Dressedkez WTF is that all about?

Bucky I think Tully is a lovely horse, I do think he's worth going right back to basics with to establish the flatwork then I think you or Dad can rock on and do what you like with him!

Thanks hun! I'll have a chat with dad this weekend, but I think he should be able to do an intro this summer - up to dad if that's with me or him! SJ will be fine, I've done a BN on him before, XC should be ok with some schooling... dressage.... could make a tit of ourselves!

 

[maggiesmum]

Your post title is patronising and clueless.......Ex racers are a lovely option for many - you make it seem other wise - what are your credentials to be so condescending?
Ex racers have many plus points - but need in many ways to be treated as just broken.....Lots of quiet hacking out - some long reining, and taking back to stage 1 on schooling relating to dressage and jumping - but potentially lovely horses for many, as from the ones I have acquired via Ascot blood stock sales - 100% in traffic, to clip, shoe, load, in stable and to ride out on their own and in company. The latest one - jumps everything out hunting, has superb manners in and out of the stable.......and we paid £1200 for him! I would let any inexprienced rider, who aspired to riding a TB have a ride on him, as he is a gentleman, and been well ridden throughout his career so knows no different...........

Did you mis-read the title? OP seems to me to be suggesting that she's experienced but not had much to do with ex-racers, and surely if she wishes to describe herself as clueless (if only in jest) then she has every right to do so! Your post reads as though she was calling ex-racers clueless?
To ask for help and advice is an admirable thing to do and not something to be frowned upon, maybe if more people asked for advice the world would be a better place!

And to quote - what are YOUR credentials to be so condescending?

 

[redmerl]

DressedKez if you had bothered to ask Starbucks, she is a very experienced rider and was simply asking for some helpful imput.

My ex-racer events, SJ and does DR, maybe if others were willing to take them on (with a little guidence if required) the nice ones could end up being useful horses when racing ends.