Hunting the ex-racer

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Dizzle

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Those of you with ex-racers, do you hunt them?

If so, how do you go about training them to hunt? Plan is to take him next year so that gives me a year to work on stuff, so far we don't actually have any brakes whilst galloping (in a snaffle...).

Answers on a postcard please!
 
My 2 boys are finding it all very exciting and they have never been! Heard galloping horses before because they could hear hounds ( kennels very near ) and the opening meet wasn't far away, judging by the dried sweat tonight they had an exciting day! Didn't think they'd be bothered as they are hunt virgins and one of them used to live at the kennels when I was groom.

I have hunted my mare who also raced, she was ok as she has done a bit of sj and been out of racing a while. My other horse before her was awful, took him home after 40 minutes as he was very excited and trying to double barrel the other horses ( normally very laid back ).

I find when you are on the move they are fine but find it hard to cope with the standing around and that can blow their minds a bit. I think it probably helps if your horse is used to going places, shows, clinics etc.

Some ex-racehorses can be fantastic hunters, 3 of my hunt horses last year had raced. If you aren't going until next year try and get out hound exercise, which is very low key, we just hacked round the lanes and stood around sometimes. And maybe a steady nanny horse would be a good idea.

Have fun!
 
Was he a flat racer, hurdler, or a point-to-pointer? If he pointed, he'd have hunted...

Otherwise, if he's good out hacking I'd be inclined to take him with a nanny horse with all his normal gubbins plus a neckstrap and keep him a bit out of the way and take it from there. I would phone the secretary and ask if there are any quieter, gentler meets coming up and go to one of those to start with.

Al isn't going to hunt Reg. He doesn't need to. He's already bold and forward thinking XC, but is also a very polite snaffle mouth and she doesn't want him to get fired up and not to be able to have that any more. He did hunt, to able to point-to-point, and he has the scars on his arse to prove it- went backwards into hedges... But if they're rehabilitated properly, just introduce it like you would with nay other horse.

My best tip would be to call it quits before he gets excited each time- so if he eels like he's getting a bit stronger, take him in then rather than when he does get strong and silly.
 
Going to try mine soon! He will be a bit mad I suspect.

However, I know plenty of people who do hunt their ex-racers without any problems. One of them is a hunt master (is that what they're called?), and the ex-racer is his best hunting horse :)
 
I've hunted most of the ones that we've had. Most have been absolutely brilliant and they have been flat racers, hurdlers, chasers and pointers. We've only had one that has been not so good and it was all the stopping and starting that wound him up, once he was going with the field he was great.

I found that going out with bloodhounds was a good way to start them as there was less starting and stopping and after a few times out they soon got what it was all about and calmed down.

If you have one that does turn out to be very fizzy just keep them walking round when everybody stops, put in lots of turns and keep them listening to you and most of all HAVE FUN!!!!!
 
Took mine on a hunt ride she was great took it all in her stride- there was out of control adults on ponies leaping past us and she never batted an eyelid very chilled out!!!!!
 
Mine both hunt, Major is a bit more sedate than Saph mind! Major is very hard to stop from a gallop, so i just don't let him get too quick, if i keep him 'on the bridle' i don't have a problem. It's if i let him tank on i then have no brakes. Both are hunted in a snaffle :)
 
I have never hunted ex-racers only ones still in training and racing. We take them for yeehaa's to freshen them up. They are generally very good. If you find you have a slight lack of brakes then plonk them in behind something about 2 or 3 lengths off which tends to settle them down as they just follow the bum infront. If they are fidgetty at the stops then just keep walking round. If you can get hold of a nanny then great, if not then oh well! Most will get knackered in a day anyway and you would only really get your arms hauled out of your sockets for the first 15mins. I would just bridge your reins, set your hands and let them pull against themselves. Don't really pick up a contact unless you really have to.

I've never had one buck, rear, bolt, spook, refuse or be a general eejit. Strong yes but always controlable when the jawbreaker is used. We ride them pretty much how they would be in a race. Stand up, plonk the hands on the bridge and let them lollop on. We never ride race short though.
 
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