Non Ridden Horse Owners (bonus for TB people!)

SaddlePsych'D

SaddlePsych'D

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Tell me about it! What do you do and enjoy with your horse? Any particular management things you do?

If you have a TB, are there particular considerations for their non-ridden life?

For context; my riding confidence is a definite but very slow work in progress, often depending on how I am doing with Long Covid. I want to ride and keep working on that but it feels SOOOOO far away until I would be ready to go try ridden horses. Life is short. I'd like my own horse. And there is so much to learn and enjoy without riding. If I could give a good home (under qualified and experienced supervision!) to an ex-racer, I think I would find that particularly rewarding.
 
Friend bought a 6 year old ex flat horse. Planned to ride but whilst they have land their roads don’t lend themselves to riding and she has no one local to ride with so he became a non ridden horse. Was a real sweet horse just happy to be loved and brushed and have a horse friend as well. I think she may have take him for hand walks. They are so used to being walked in hand at the races etc on the whole they seem pretty chilled about it.
 
The ones I've had have enjoyed interaction and attention so are suited to non ridden. They seem to thrive on connection to their person. My retired one loved going on in hand walks, checking what was going on and meeting people.

Some horses don't want to be fussed over and would rather have horse friends rather than human friends so that wouldn't suit
 
I lost my TB gelding this week but he liked going out walking sometimes, he was incredibly chilled about it and a head collar wander round the village was actually more relaxing than taking my dog out!
I did it when I could as recommended by a physio to keep him moving as well as possible. I’d stop and back him up or ask him to move side ways every so often so he was using his brain a little and other muscles.
 
There's loads you can do without riding, I think non-ridden TREC is a thing, and if you're an outdoorsy sort of person you can take them hiking with you. I did a fifty mile trail last year with my horse, with him carrying the bags and me walking. The weight of me + baggage would've been a bit much for him and his arthritic leg, plus he's not terribly happy ridden hacking solo at the best of times and it becomes more stress than fun. We had a lovely time, after the first day he was toddling along behind me like a big dog on a rope. We stayed at horse B&Bs and camped and it was just a lovely thing to do with him.

The one thing I would say is that a lot of people find it quite weird to have a horse and not ride it, so if you never plan to ride yours, I would pick a reason ("he has a bad back", "he was injured and can't be ridden anymore" etc) and use that line whenever anyone gives you stick. People don't seem to understand "well, I could've ridden him but it was more hassle than it was worth and anyway we both had a nicer time walking".
 
criso said:
The ones I've had have enjoyed interaction and attention so are suited to non ridden. They seem to thrive on connection to their person. My retired one loved going on in hand walks, checking what was going on and meeting people.

Some horses don't want to be fussed over and would rather have horse friends rather than human friends so that wouldn't suit
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Enjoying being fussed and interaction would definitely be high on the list!
poiuytrewq said:
I lost my TB gelding this week but he liked going out walking sometimes, he was incredibly chilled about it and a head collar wander round the village was actually more relaxing than taking my dog out!
I did it when I could as recommended by a physio to keep him moving as well as possible. I’d stop and back him up or ask him to move side ways every so often so he was using his brain a little and other muscles.
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I'm really sorry to hear about you losing your horse :( Those walks with him sound like they were really lovely. Just the sort of thing I'd hope for.
 
There is no nose in the equine kingdom softer and more velvety and good for smooching than a tb one.
Our non ridden ex racer is basically a big Labrador. Food and cuddles and he's a happy oaf. 💖 And actually lower maintenance than the fatties, lol.
They do come with their own individual quirks and hang ups though: ours has very very bad separation anxiety, and he was retired from racing due to tendon issues, so comes in when there is deep mud or the hunt is out. He has good feet but not all do, a farrier with experience doing TBs is useful. But so long as you are aware of whatever the individual horse's quirks are when you take them on they are lovely, rewarding, very 'personable' horses to own and unridden can enjoy anything a smaller/non race bred horse can: agility, in hand walking, liberty, long reining. It can be nice to find out their history, I've actually spoken to one of the stable lasses who looked after ours when he was in racing which was really useful (and she was really happy to hear how he was doing).
 
Get the right one and you have the potential to ride if you want later. My boy was a literal saint and absolutely gorgeous inside and out. He had tiny children ride him as well, so would have been perfect to be a pet and if someone wanted to hop aboard he wouldnt have batted an eyelid.
 
I've started doing a bit of reading on RoR site seeing as this is apparently not a terrible idea!

Next big job would be finding a yard. What's the etiquette for this? I don't want people to feel I am wasting their time enquiring without having a horse yet, equally it's got to be the right set up.

One of the RS I go to ticks a lot of boxes, but is 45 mins drive each way. I'd worry about not getting much time with the horse. On the other hand I would absolutely never worry about quality of care, turnout, and having someone with Racehorse experience around.
 
Our recent horse is a ex racer he is so affectionate. I don’t do anything particularly with him, he was a week or so away from pts so am grateful he is alive. He will never be without friends, feel cold or go hungry . I just bring him in for a daily feed and give him a brush and some cuddles . He could be ridden gently but we won’t he is just a big pet.
 
I've got a retired 25 year old OTTB who I handwalk 4 or 5 times a week. We have had him for 20 years, so basically speak the same language now. He is still hot at times and can be a handful even in hand, but 95% of the time he is excellent. The property is 300 acres and filled with dozens of horses, sheep and loads of wildlife and we never get sick of it. We usually do between 10,000-15,000 steps each walk. He loves it and so do I. There is an arena, round yard, jumps paddocks etc but we prefer the wilds and go out and about on walks. He retired about 8 years ago and we have been walking ever since.
 
I have an ex racehorse who has been a field ornament for over ten years now. I stopped riding him due to various issues. I didn’t think he’d cope with early retirement but he has become the most chilled of my herd.
He lives out 24/7 , unrugged in all but the harshest weather. Has hay when needed but is so easy to keep. Plus I have the benefit of enjoying his beauty every day .
 
SaddlePsych'D said:
I've started doing a bit of reading on RoR site seeing as this is apparently not a terrible idea!

Next big job would be finding a yard. What's the etiquette for this? I don't want people to feel I am wasting their time enquiring without having a horse yet, equally it's got to be the right set up.

One of the RS I go to ticks a lot of boxes, but is 45 mins drive each way. I'd worry about not getting much time with the horse. On the other hand I would absolutely never worry about quality of care, turnout, and having someone with Racehorse experience around.
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Never had a problem enquiring without a horse yet.... Rather that than the other way around 😜

You will probably be expected to pay for your stable though if you find a place you like.

I even found an interim horse to ride at the yard I liked.
 
If I was thinking of getting an ex race TB to keep on a livery yard, one of my key considerations would be that a decent proportion of TBs do tend to exhibit some level of separation anxiety. Being herd-bound and using movement to self sooth are useful traits in a horse you want to run really quick with a bunch of others, but that can also lead to separation anxiety in more domestic settings.

Generally that isn't a problem with good management, but if I was looking for a livery yard for a tb I would want to avoid anywhere where there was a likelihood they could get excessively pair bonded to one other horse or they were likely to get left on their own. So ideally herd turnout or the compromise of individual turnout with others on all sides, and a yard routine where they are either all out or are being brought in and taken out as a whole yard rather than individual liveries turning out and bringing in to their own schedule.

But yeah, TBs are amazing - they are generally open hearted, emotionally intelligent, trusting and just wear their hearts on their sleeves. There are certainly cheaper types of horse to keep as a non-ridden friend, but temperamentally I have no doubt that you will find one that will make an excellent equine buddy.
 
Not specific to TB's but there's lots of things to do with a unridden horse or pony, agility, inhand trec, inhand work in general, I play about with inhand classical work but there's lots of different groundwork schools and like many others taking them out and about inhand. When my mare retired due to health reasons we spent a lot of time going out inhand, snacking, mooching about as well as purposeful walks although you do need the right hacking for this.
 
My horse is not quite unridden but for the last 12 months or more I have only ridden occasionally (I do have a sharer who rides once sometimes twice a week and makes very little difference to the care side of things). I don't particularly enjoy riding the horse I have (ex high goal polo), she's fine for slopping round the lanes but going up the gears she's not a comfortable ride. But what she is and why I sought her kind is that she is an absolute pleasure to do, a darling little horse who loves her stable, appreciates care and attention and just seems so contented. I went back down the polo route (I had an ex polo 20 years ago) after having spent and lost quite a lot on horses that didn't suit, that I didn't enjoy. One was horse/food aggressive (kicked me twice) and would buck, the other was unpredictable both under saddle and on the ground and was very aloof, not a people pony at all. With ex polo I knew exactly what I'd be getting and I wouldn't have to pay much for it. Not what I really want but better than paying through the nose for something that I could end up being very unhappy with because for me they are pets/family members first and riding horses second, I have to enjoy their company and they need to enjoy mine otherwise we're all miserable.

ETA lots of polo ponies are TBs, often ex flat horses. Mine isn't though, she's an Argi.
 
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I loved my old TB. She was opinionated at times but she did love a cuddle. She was amazing in traffic (other than when she wanted to kick a tractor because it had already passed her twice 🫣) and she was great to use as a mower before the ponies went into a paddock. She did need rugging up plenty as we’re up north and had typical TB feet but now I’m more knowledgeable I maybe could’ve improved things.

Not trying to twist your arm to ride but there is no better feeling than a proper gallop on an ex racer. It’s like flying!

I’ve currently got 2 horses I’m not riding. One has had lameness issues so we’ve done lots of in hand hacks and the other needs rebacked but I just haven’t done it yet. I just love having them. Riding is fun, horses are the best though.
 
Another plus point of a TB over a more native/shorter/wider type is that if you are not riding them very much (or at all) they are much less likely to get fat, or worse, laminitic.

Mine is a lovely pet (he is still lightly hacking but it depends on his joints) - very polite, loves treats, easy for everyone to handle. He does like a little job though and seems happier if he has 'done' something most days. He doesn't particularly enjoy being groomed though and never has, so if that is high on your list of priorities then check how they are for that first!
 
Peglo said:
I loved my old TB. She was opinionated at times but she did love a cuddle. She was amazing in traffic (other than when she wanted to kick a tractor because it had already passed her twice 🫣) and she was great to use as a mower before the ponies went into a paddock. She did need rugging up plenty as we’re up north and had typical TB feet but now I’m more knowledgeable I maybe could’ve improved things.

Not trying to twist your arm to ride but there is no better feeling than a proper gallop on an ex racer. It’s like flying!

I’ve currently got 2 horses I’m not riding. One has had lameness issues so we’ve done lots of in hand hacks and the other needs rebacked but I just haven’t done it yet. I just love having them. Riding is fun, horses are the best though.
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I bet it is amazing - I'm not sure I'll ever have enough bottle for it though!
 
DabDab said:
If I was thinking of getting an ex race TB to keep on a livery yard, one of my key considerations would be that a decent proportion of TBs do tend to exhibit some level of separation anxiety. Being herd-bound and using movement to self sooth are useful traits in a horse you want to run really quick with a bunch of others, but that can also lead to separation anxiety in more domestic settings.

Generally that isn't a problem with good management, but if I was looking for a livery yard for a tb I would want to avoid anywhere where there was a likelihood they could get excessively pair bonded to one other horse or they were likely to get left on their own. So ideally herd turnout or the compromise of individual turnout with others on all sides, and a yard routine where they are either all out or are being brought in and taken out as a whole yard rather than individual liveries turning out and bringing in to their own schedule.

But yeah, TBs are amazing - they are generally open hearted, emotionally intelligent, trusting and just wear their hearts on their sleeves. There are certainly cheaper types of horse to keep as a non-ridden friend, but temperamentally I have no doubt that you will find one that will make an excellent equine buddy.
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Herd turnout is an important one for me anyway and I would like a yard that is being managed by someone experienced - partly because of the routine that will be important for the horse and knowing its care is covered no matter what goes on with my health, and partly because I have a lot to learn!
 
I would also add not too many different people handling. My yard has had a change in how livery services are offered. We've gone from one person handling my horse apart from me to 3 or 4 in a day. He's struggling to adapt. He's been on 3 yards with me but always in a situation where it's been either me or the yard manager most of the time.
 
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The best way to end up with an unridden ex-racer, is to buy one with the intention of riding it! Hand walking on box rest can feature prominently.

I have owned many ex racers and, despite their issues, they are my preferred horse.

There is so much that you can do on the ground. Their bodies are generally negatively affected from training and racing. Straightness training, posture work, long lining, connection training, tricks training, agility, in hand trec/trail and general groundwork as a starter for ten. I have been listening to a podcast with Ben Atkinson, he advertises his online programme Ben Atkinson Method (BAM). Something like that might be fun for you.

There is also a huge opportunity for you to learn bodywork like massage and Masterson and spend a lot of time just working away and learning their body.

All that time doing slow controlled rehab and training from the ground will probably help your confidence and trust in them. From there you could always consider re starting them and reconsidering riding further down the line.
 
Learning to rehab and train from the ground as NR88 has said is such a brilliant tool - learning to long rein effectively with an instructor helping you, would be a good first step.

I did an equine touch foundation course this year, so that I can give the ponies a body balance and I have trained in reiki too, so last night I played some music and offered the ponies reiki!

I also have sessions with a positive reinforcement coach who does groundwork leading to ridden work.

All the time spent on the ground building a relationship is key - you just need to find the right instructors to help you. Good luck.

Edited to add, that you need to check that any potential horse is a people horse - some horses may not want to too much human contact - that may be their personality or could be a pain problem.
 
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