Inspired by firewell: Why EVERYONE needs an ex racer!

Lolo

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Because they are so rewarding to watch double in size!

This Reggie when Al first got him:
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And Reggie now!
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He's turned into such a lovely horse, with a fab, cheeky attitude. He has mad moments- Al nearly ate dirt in her SJ lesson yesterday because he was feeling very well, and it was windy, so he expressed his joy by going for a little bronc session followed by a little gallop. He does his 'speshul' moments with such a sweet, cheery look that he never gets told off- spoilt pony!

Al has entered him in the RoR 'heart awards', and wrote this little essay about him to go with it:
“This horse has been a disappointment for years” were the words of the commentator when Reggie finally won a race, but he’s been out of racing for nearly 2 years and I’d beg to differ! The two photos I have chosen were taken with almost exactly a year apart and are my favourite photos of us competing. In the first we’re completing our first dressage test on grass and I can still remember the relief that he’d managed to stay in the arena, and the pride in how hard he’d tried to do what I asked of him, despite some misunderstandings! In the second photo, we’re about to complete our first ODE at 1m with a easy clear XC (inside the time, one of the many advantages of riding an ex-racer!) and finish 11th out of a large class. I didn’t stop smiling for weeks afterwards, I was so proud of how brilliantly he dealt with every question I asked and how well he’d finished- he could have gone round again! I don’t know many horses who will one day be doing lots of fast work and the next happily nanny small children on their naughty little 11.2hh ponies out hacking and look after my nervous mum, and then have a go at showing or whatever our riding club happens to be hosting that week. This year, he’s even going to pony club camp! Last year, he won our riding club’s award for being the “best allrounder” and I am going to treasure the trophy forever, as it symbolises all I want for him- for him to be a healthy, happy horse with a job he enjoys. Reggie is my horse of a lifetime and I am eternally grateful to his owner for letting me ride and care for him.

Mum and I had a little cry reading it- she adores him, as do we.
 
Have also entered the RoR Heart Awards :D again I had a skinny little wretch of a tb, who was so laid back but possibly one of the uglist horses you've ever seen and the lady that owned him at the time called him 'the worst moving horse she'd ever seen' I actually remember the first time I rode him vowing never to buy him as he'd be an expensive broken heart...

...now I own the sort of horse that looks like he could conquer the world, I mean we couldn't of course but you know, he looks like a pro :D everything he's learnt I've taught him (hence why it's taken us two years to erm start very basic school work!) but he's been an amazing project and has a home for life with me.

Good luck in the heart awards, fingers crossed we both make it though to the voting! :D
 
Have also entered the RoR Heart Awards :D again I had a skinny little wretch of a tb, who was so laid back but possibly one of the uglist horses you've ever seen and the lady that owned him at the time called him 'the worst moving horse she'd ever seen' I actually remember the first time I rode him vowing never to buy him as he'd be an expensive broken heart...

...now I own the sort of horse that looks like he could conquer the world, I mean we couldn't of course but you know, he looks like a pro :D everything he's learnt I've taught him (hence why it's taken us two years to erm start very basic school work!) but he's been an amazing project and has a home for life with me.

Good luck in the heart awards, fingers crossed we both make it though to the voting! :D

Fingers crossed for you! It was such fun reading drafts and discussing how far he's come, that even if he doesn't we don't really mind because it made us laugh so much about all the ups and downs!

It's also taken Al 2 years to get to the point where she has a horse who works into a consistent contact and forwards- but in her last video, you can hear her instructor shout at the end "Well that was bloody brilliant!" and Al's beam pretty much took over her face! Worth the wait though, and knowing you've done all the grafting yourself means you really do appreciate all the good days!
 
Squee! Just got told by Al they've been asked to be on the Novice dressage team for PC areas!! So excited for them. Sure, it's only the B team, and her aim is to stay in the arena, but she's never been asked before on her old ponies! So proud of them right now, I'm sitting in my little room beaming to myself :)
 
Ohhh, you lucky soul! Is he an ex-racer, or is he the horse she was talking about a month ago when she was doing the XC timing? If he's the latter, then you're a very lucky soul! What's the plan with him?
 
Just lovely and so shiny :D

He's such a mud monster, we think he's given himself so many all over mud masks that his skin would put most human models to shame!! Admittedly, at the time all he got was cursing, and sported dreadlocks for 90% of the winter!
 
He's such a mud monster, we think he's given himself so many all over mud masks that his skin would put most human models to shame!! Admittedly, at the time all he got was cursing, and sported dreadlocks for 90% of the winter!

TBF they say mud is good for the complexion :D:p:)
 
aww Reggie is lovely and I hope you win the RoR Heart Award.

My daughter has just decided to sell her ex racer mare that she got as a 3yo (now 7) it's a sad sale, breaking both our hearts, but she'd have another ex racer in a minute, they are fab horses
 
aww Reggie is lovely and I hope you win the RoR Heart Award.

My daughter has just decided to sell her ex racer mare that she got as a 3yo (now 7) it's a sad sale, breaking both our hearts, but she'd have another ex racer in a minute, they are fab horses

I've seen your posts about Bella (I think?) and your daughter has done an amazing job with her, and I hope you find her a home who'll love her as much as you do :)

Thank you- he's been easy compared to your journey, and it's so rewarding watching them develop into fabulous horses. The heart awards were fun to enter, and made us appreciate how sweet he really is! He's a dobbin out hacking, a superstar eventer (we hope, getting there now!) and a poppet to care for. Makes his 'speshul' days worthwhile!
 
I love them - I tried the fashion trend for a warmblood but she was soooooo boring to ride I sold her and went back to my darling TB - I had him for 12yrs before navicular took him.

He was fun, had a warped sense of humour and a tremendous joy for life - and oh sooo smart too.
This is him with one of my students at the South Island dresage champs - he came 6th against heaps of warmbloods - so proud of him.
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He's stunning- I love his dapples! My old boy had beautiful dapples all over, despite being bay, but Reggie is refusing to develop any! He's just going very ginger- maybe he's trying to be as pretty as firewell's J?
 
He's stunning- I love his dapples! My old boy had beautiful dapples all over, despite being bay, but Reggie is refusing to develop any! He's just going very ginger- maybe he's trying to be as pretty as firewell's J?

Thank you Lolo - I have a passion for greys - I'm sure it's the dapples!!
 
I love Reggie, he's a class act. Very good looking chap! You know I think your sister is an amazing rider, she deserves all the good times she gets :).
It's so nice how so many people have ex-racers now! The ones on this thread are beautiful. I love Chloe GHE's boys and Kit's boys, Pip and Callie and GR's Major of course plus the stunning CS and Vickijays girl. At the end of the day who wouldnt be proud to have any of them standing in a stable? HHO is becoming quite the advert for ex-racers lol :).
 
This one of my other school horses - cost me $2 and was the ugliest looking horse when in racing condition. He won a few races but had a throat problem - which actually turned out to be back teeth growing into the roof of his mouth. Old dentist who never used a gag. Changed horse after several hundreds of dollars worth od dental work.
His race name was Acretian - ugh! we called him 'The Mudlark' because of his likeing for mud! gids called him Huggy cause he was such a smooch. This young rider is just 13yrs old and had had a great day at the local equestrian centre show.
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I love Reggie, he's a class act. Very good looking chap! You know I think your sister is an amazing rider, she deserves all the good times she gets :).
It's so nice how so many people have ex-racers now! The ones on this thread are beautiful. I love Chloe GHE's boys and Kit's boys, Pip and Callie and GR's Major of course plus the stunning CS and Vickijays girl. At the end of the day who wouldnt be proud to have any of them standing in a stable? HHO is becoming quite the advert for ex-racers lol :).

Thank you :) She's worked so hard so now he's really 'coming good' it's a pleasure to watch. She's always smiling on him and finding positives in even the worst outings. Managed a 49.8 dressage the other day- it was good, because sure he got 3s, he also got as many 7s and it was an open test which is too hard for him right now! Which is lovely!

And yes! HHO is the best advert for ex racers- thank goodness we're not all in the same region, because the RoR league would be insanely competitive, in all th disciplines!
 
He is an ex-racer L, he is currently showing those skills off up and down the field!!

Baha! We need to get him and Reg together then. When Cheeky was about, whenever he lay down or rolled, Reggie would either gallop ever decreasing circles around him, or try and jump him... But now he's got to entertain himself he just does mad trots and horrendous bronc/ gallops round the field, bucking and squealing. Used to be grateful he didn't do that when A was on top, but now he does!

What are your plans for him? Has he been out of racing for long? PM me- if you want an amazing instructor for the flat who seems to 'get' all the issues you face with one. We always say if only we'd found her earlier, as the flatwork is only really coming together now she's been shouting at Al!
 
WOW! He looks superb! I am becoming sold on ex-racehorses now that I see more and more of these "after" shots!!

I have a friend who has a few racehorses, perhaps I should chat him up about taking one off his hands when it retires!!;)
 
WOW! He looks superb! I am becoming sold on ex-racehorses now that I see more and more of these "after" shots!!

I have a friend who has a few racehorses, perhaps I should chat him up about taking one off his hands when it retires!!;)

Go on! When he was scrawny and all legs and hip bones he was a bit of an ugly duckling but seeing people double take at your 'new horse' at PC rallies (they haven't seen him in over a year!) makes your week! We have Reg because a lovely lady who lives in our village wanted someone to ride him, as he was in a field doing nothing (he'd been out recuperating for 2 years)- just plain luck meant we went to see him. Glad we did!
 
Go on! When he was scrawny and all legs and hip bones he was a bit of an ugly duckling but seeing people double take at your 'new horse' at PC rallies (they haven't seen him in over a year!) makes your week! We have Reg because a lovely lady who lives in our village wanted someone to ride him, as he was in a field doing nothing (he'd been out recuperating for 2 years)- just plain luck meant we went to see him. Glad we did!


I have a feeling I may just "go on"!!!!! Having to be sensible, save my pennies and wait for my daughter to start school (September), so I reckon come the New Year I'll be ready!!!!
 
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