Nutty Throughbreds!!!

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dieseldog

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After watching the Grand National today and Forty odd incredibly fit TBs all raring to race in an atmosphere that you could set light to, I have come to the conclusion that all these scatty, loopy, freaked out TBs you see around are from the result of poor handling as those horses today were so incredibly well behaved.
 
You are absolutely right.
Some can be naughty and cheeky but I've never met a 'scatty' one. I love thoroughbreds for their intelligence and bold attitude, I think ex-racers get a bad name when people tread on egg shells round them.
 
Got to agree. These horses are on feed that would blow most of our horses heads off and are galloped at every outing but will still stand in line!
 
Yes, you're definitely have a point. I thought the same when watching them. However, I also wondered, when watching the ones with fallen riders following - what they'd have been like once they had pulled up and were there on their own.

(well - ok - I reckon they would have been knackered so not done much. But I'm sure you know what I mean). Mine is fine when in company but a nervous wreck that peeks around corners before turning when out on a hack on his own.
 
Completely agree with you there boss!! Over last summer i helped my best friend who retrains ex racers (or used to, now she works in racehorse rehabilitation) and the one thing i noticed was when we took one to the sales at malvern, and people would look at him and say how gorgeous and well behaved he was...then looked at his card and said "oh hes an ex racer" and walked off.... when he was the most smashing little horse!! I really hate that stereotype of an ex racer, i think they're smashing!
 
i must admit, i was one of those that used to tread on egg shells around my ex racer because she was a bit of a plonker with her old owner.... but soon learnt that she was no different to any other horse! It definately comes down to the handling!
 
absolutely! at the start of the race when they kept having to be made to turn around and come back etc you'd imagine they'd have a absolute fit but they seemed quite manageable!
 
I think racing is a positive experience for a young horse- what else teaches them to go forwards so willingly, cope with atmosphere and get used to being around others?!
We have lots of ex-racers come through our yard and love working with them. The naughty ones would have been naughty whatever their history, theyre just born cheeky
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How much can you pick one up for?

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£800 any day of the week, for nothing if you have connections
 
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Where from though? Do you have to go to the sales?

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Ask around local trainers, they'll normally have something thats not quick enough or needs a career change. We picked up 2 in January, both bred in the purple and seriously nice horses but both under 1k and caught up in debt settlements
 
Totally agree! Mine was a bit shell shocked & quiet when I first got him, but I turned him away for a bit & he is a great little horse - loads of guts & very little phases him. He would be better in a handy pony comp. than my old 13.2HH Dartmoor X!
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In response to how much you can pick one up for, both mine & my Mum's were free from the same yard in Newmarket I know the trainer & he says he can't find enough good homes for them & was just happy that they had new lives ahead of them away from the track. One was 3-y-o when we had him, and mine was 4-y-o.
 
I love ex racers..... and am going to be contraversial (sp) by saying that it's the fact they are cheap to buy, which means they often end up in inexperenced homes (which is not the best place for them), which is why they have a bad reputation.
Also getting a N.H horse with some age and life experence on it, is a very diffrent matter to getting a three year old off the track who knows nothing else.
 
Got to agree, ex racers should be brought with caution. These are the sorts of horses that given time and proper handling can be as good as any other horse but rushed, inexperienced handling will ruin the horse and the owner
 
Agree with that actually - Mine were both young - one had never raced due to wear & tear on the knees caused by training, and mine had run 4 races. They had the mentality of a racer, but probably easier to train out of them than an older horse who had done a lot more.
 
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You are absolutely right.
Some can be naughty and cheeky but I've never met a 'scatty' one. I love thoroughbreds for their intelligence and bold attitude, I think ex-racers get a bad name when people tread on egg shells round them.

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I agree, they also fall into the wrong hands because they are so cheap.
 
[ QUOTE ]
You are absolutely right.
Some can be naughty and cheeky but I've never met a 'scatty' one. I love thoroughbreds for their intelligence and bold attitude, I think ex-racers get a bad name when people tread on egg shells round them.

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Definatly! I am 15 and I am in the process of buying an EX racer. Just seena video of his race and he was so slow lol
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He is super on the hiunting field and lead tem cahse horse but he goes so well forwards after being an Ex racer!
 
Well I own a TB who only made as far as living at a trainers yard. Owner debt meant he never even trained and a well raced trainer never pushed the issue as they knew my horse would never be a "racer"

I got him at 31/2 straight out a field. The only thing that bothers him is iffy ground and xc fences, he hates them......would not have been successful on the track at all
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He's the most laid back TB I have ever met
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Totally agree - my ex-racehorse is so well behaved though he was quite cheeky when we first got him but then most horses are! I can do absolutely anything with him and hes not phased. I was walking around our field, reins buckle end and in a world of my own when a pheasant flew out of the grass about 2 strides infront and he barely flinched. From having raced, he's used to the atmosphere of big occasions so he generally stays calm but he still has moments when he reminds me that hes not a complete donkey
 
We have 2 and I can genuinely say I never want to sit on anything other than an ex-racer again!

Our gelding does have issues out hacking at the moment, he is too clever for his own good and thinks he knows more than me but he is a star and has taught my OH to ride as he is so well behaved in the school and in a field (its a fight to get him to canter!) and the mare is the sweetest thing you could meet with more potential than I'll ever be able to do justice too - everyone is shocked whe they find out they are both young ex-racing tb's....

I do think the fact they are so cheap is their downfall, we now have shares in a couple of racehorses through the trainer who trained our lad and he won't accept anything under 2k for a horse because he want people to buy them because they are good horses with good paces/attitude etc etc and not just because they are cheap....

Ex-racers rock....!
 
Ok some advice please from those with experience of ex racers or straight TB's. Willow is 7/8 TB, bred to show and have had him since 7, now 15. I would describe him as quite sharp but with good manners, only come off him a few times but they were all without warning! Im thinking of an ex racer for when he retires or is no longer competing and both would be on full livery as my job makes daily riding easy, but the mucking out and daily care tricky. What are the chances of putting my hands on a small TB (!5-15.2hh) with good conformation and paces to show/dressage? Would this be over ambitious? What would I need to watch for?
 
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