rehoming an exracer-dont know which one?

[dj9ao]

Do you think an 8yr old with a successful flat-racing career (75 races)- would be too worn out?
He has retired because he has lost interest
want him to be ok for riding club type activities (mainly dressage/showing/hacking)-for full loan- no known injuries, he has quite a lot of bone for a flat racer

I have also been offered a sweet mare for £1000 that has been out of flat racing for a year- very fine build & spindly,
8 years old, has not raced much, although injured because she has run through a fence

I have been told that NH horses make better riding horses, but not too many about

How do I be objective or do you think I haven't found the right one

 

[McNally]

I'd be inclined to try number 1. Yes he's gone a fair bit but he's uninjured and for loan. Meaning if things don't work out he could go back? (do you mean loan from owners or trainer forever type loan?). Otherwise I'd say ring around nh yards. Lots of horses will be retiring at the end of the season and many trainers will be willing to rehome for free. The guy I work for keeps a list of any enquiries and matches them up as horses retire. Worth a go?

 

[ImmyS]

Personally with an ex racer I think one that has been out of racing for a while and only a raced a few times is a safer option. The second horse, the mare sounds sweet however I think it would be best to buy an ex racer with no previous injuries to limit the risk of further injury or problems in the future.

I've just bought an ex racer 3 weeks ago. She is 16.2hh and was a flat racer, she hasn't raced for two years and has the personality of a saint, totally sane and sensible, seems to be a cob in a thoroughbreds body!! She is also quite a spindly and thin mare however she has lovely dainty movement and a very pretty head. I think it is always best to buy an ex racer that has been out of racing for at least a year as they have had time to wind down and adapt to a different lifestyle.

Hope this helps and good luck with your horse hunt!! x

 

[dj9ao]

I'd be inclined to try number 1. Yes he's gone a fair bit but he's uninjured and for loan. Meaning if things don't work out he could go back? (do you mean loan from owners or trainer forever type loan?). Otherwise I'd say ring around nh yards. Lots of horses will be retiring at the end of the season and many trainers will be willing to rehome for free. The guy I work for keeps a list of any enquiries and matches them up as horses retire. Worth a go?

yeah he is forever loan from the trainer on condition the owners can visit occasionally
and they can come & watch if I can get him doing a bit of dressage!

 

[Delta99]

Depends what you want to do with the horse, both my ex racers came out of racing because of injury, both have been perfectly sound for dressage and hacking and the occassional (small!) jumping session.
I would personally be reluctant to have something that's run 75 times but if it's stayed sound through all that.... I guess it's no different from SJ's being hammered round 3'6 courses on rock hard ground...

 

[Footlights]

If it is an ex racer you are after, why don't you go to one of the rehoming centres? Not to say that either of the horses you mention in your post won't make great riding horses, but at least with a rehoming scheme you will know the full history of the horse, including all injuries and what they will be capable of doing.

Do you have details of the injury horse number 2 has?

My only worry with horse 1 would be that it has come from a trainer with less money, who has ran the horse over and over when it should have retired sooner.

Have you searched both horses on racing post? This can give quite a lot of info.

 

[dj9ao]

thanks for the advice,
the mare only ran in 18 races
& the gelding run in 80!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I wouldnt be put off by the number of races a horse has run. It clearly has a legacy of being sound else it wouldn't have raced so many times. As for getting them straight out of training vs been out for a while I would go down the route of straight out of the yards. This way you know what you are letting yourself in for plus you can do stuff with them straight from the off. I know everyone advocates giving them time off in the field to chill and be a horse But sometimes it's best just to kick on, reduce the work load and gradually change them into the horse you want them to be rather than starting from scratch with an un-fit, unmuscled horse.

 

[ghostie]

Imo flat racers can be just as nice riding horses as nh horses. My boy is an ex flat racer and when I bought him he had been schooled beautifully and lots of people can't believe he is an ex racer. In fact many don't believe he is a tb!?!

 

[Parker79]

I wouldnt be put off by the number of races a horse has run. It clearly has a legacy of being sound else it wouldn't have raced so many times. As for getting them straight out of training vs been out for a while I would go down the route of straight out of the yards. This way you know what you are letting yourself in for plus you can do stuff with them straight from the off. I know everyone advocates giving them time off in the field to chill and be a horse But sometimes it's best just to kick on, reduce the work load and gradually change them into the horse you want them to be rather than starting from scratch with an un-fit, unmuscled horse.

I think I would agree with this...plus its a loan arrangement. Would it be worth checking what the owners intend to do with him if it didn't work out or he isn't rehomed? I would be inclined to ask...if you fall in love with him and then something goes wrong they might just say PTS or keep him...in which case you will be in a very tricky situation.

Does the yard who have horse 1 have a good rep?

 

[dj9ao]

Hi yes,

just a small up and coming racing yard
he was one of their best horses

 

[Parker79]

Then based on what you have said I would investigate horse 1 if it was me. I would find out the owners thoughts though regarding what happens if you decide he isn't for you or he goes lame?

I am a TB lover, sounds like he is well put together. There was an amazing tb at my last yard. He had a hard life but was always sound (gave me faith in horses again!) He did suffer from arthritis but he was 18 and with supplements he still stayed sound (I am really fussy about lameness too...I tend to pick up on the tiniest thing).

We have 2 vetern ex racers in our yard still going strong and hunting fit.

 

[Tycoongirl]

Don't be put off by the age or number of races, I have an ex racer who retired at the age of 8 and had completed 78 races. He (touch wood lol) has never been lame & is now doing dressage & SJ and we are aiming for our first BE event. He is definitely not past it, he is feeling extremely well at the moment, a little too well!!!

I would definitely recommend trying the horses several times before you make a decision, ex racers can be extremely rewarding, but in my opinion the majority are best suited to people with a lot of experience, time and patience!

Good Luck with what ever you decide!

 

[Parker79]

op - have you got a piccie?

 

[dj9ao]

Yeah thanks for the advice,
They wouldn't let me try the gelding unfortunately, - apparently very difficult to get on at the moment, but he was a very nice type

I think I will keep looking

 

[Bonceboy]

I have a 12 year old ex flat racer - he raced 50 times and was retired at 8 due to a tendon injury. I got him in 2010 once he was fully recovered from the injury and had been in light work for approx 6 months. I use him for dressage, showing, hacking and light jumping. He is a total star and such a sweet natured boy. I spoke to my trainer and my vet before I took him on as I was concerned about his injury but they both told me that while he would never be able to race again there was no reason why he couldn't have a very good second life doing what I was asking of him
My boy is very fine and although he has put on weight and condition since I've had him he will always look like a 'racehorse'.
I enter him into Race horse to Riding horse classes specifically so the judges realise he's an ex racehorse rather than a tiny riding horse!