Retraining ex-racers thread

[Kunoichi73]

My lovely boy went to Catton Park today and we finished 4th in the Novice Masters class with a good double clear. He was the quickest in our class XC, which was amusing because that meant he actually went quicker than the Cheltenham winner Saphir du Rheu who was also in our class. And mine was totally useless on the track

Congratulations!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

My lovely boy went to Catton Park today and we finished 4th in the Novice Masters class with a good double clear. He was the quickest in our class XC, which was amusing because that meant he actually went quicker than the Cheltenham winner Saphir du Rheu who was also in our class. And mine was totally useless on the track

It took Sizing John 9 years to finally turn the tables on Douvan and best him! And they had to resort to showing to do that

 

[J_sarahd]

We had our first jump! Our instructor popped up a little baby grid for us to work over and Nova absolutely loves jumping!! She was so confident and forward without rushing. She was struggling with jumping from trot in terms of not picking both back feet up enough, but out of canter, she was so good. We had a few celebratory moments () but nothing bad at all.



I feel like we are properly making progress with everything now. About time as I’ve had her a year today!

 

[Squeak]

Thought this might be a good place to link to this thread:

Invitation to complete census on ex-racehorses by British Horseracing Authority

https://www.britishhorseracing.com/press_releases/thoroughbred-census-launched-by-british-racings-horse-welfare-board-and-hartpury-university/ Census in association with Hartpury. Link at end of the press release. If you have an ex-racehorse this census may be of interest to you. It is open...

forums.horseandhound.co.uk

 

[Hamlet]

Glad to see everyone is getting on so well and having a fun summer with their ex-racers

Brian has had a busy few weeks of physio, saddle check, farrier, dentist etc. Gave him a few weeks off ridden work, especially after his physio. Hopped back on today for a quick lesson and his first ride in 2 weeks and wow…he was awesome. Not so impressed with my own riding, going from a 14.3hh, whizzy pony to a 16.2hh, big, rangy thoroughbred is taking some getting used to so excuse my bobbling about

He is very weak behind, we will very much be working on that, he’s weak all over and needs a decent amount of muscle building. The saddler will be out again in a couple of months time as we hope he’ll change shape massively. But I’m so excited for our development together

 

[Gamebird]

My lovely boy went to Catton Park today and we finished 4th in the Novice Masters class with a good double clear. He was the quickest in our class XC, which was amusing because that meant he actually went quicker than the Cheltenham winner Saphir du Rheu who was also in our class. And mine was totally useless on the track 



I have been on team chasing teams with Saphir. An extraordinarily talented horse. The jockey isn't bad either!

 

[Gamebird]

It took Sizing John 9 years to finally turn the tables on Douvan and best him! And they had to resort to showing to do that 































And Sizing John looked like a show horse even when he was racing! I was lucky enough to work with Douvan and he was special in so many ways, but never looked like he'd go showing.

 

[Gamebird]

I have turned my horse out, and he will have a couple of months out before I get back on. I am absolutely itching to get going, but his legs need this, and he will be stronger in the long term. He already looks a little 'let down '.


Apologies for my quotes in my replies above. For some reason my phone insists on putting my reply in with the quote.

 

[ycbm]

Now Charlie's half way fit I'm happy that I've established that I've bought a sound horse with a lovely temperament. All the stable staff love his gentle nature and keep saying he's nothing like an ex race horse. He's just beginning to develop some character, but his idea of behaving badly is to jog, walk backwards a few steps or freeze, and if that's the worst he ever throws at me I'll be very happy. Still very short of top line, and front feet are a work in progress but at least the heels are back where they should be under his cannon bones and there's a smidgeon of concavity.

All in all we are well ahead of where we could reasonably have expected to be for 6 weeks after being laid off for 5 months after his last race.

 

[ycbm]

Charlie's going from strength to strength. We've got w/t/c nailed in the school at a basic level, leg yield is easy peasy and our first shot at shoulder in went really well today. He's got a very gobby mouth but that's pretty normal, ime, for ex racers. He struggled to hold his shoulders up in the shoulder sling after 25 minutes, so that's about a much as we do, with plenty of breaks on a long rein on the way. ETA and the school is 80 metres x 80 metres, we aren't drilling circles.

We've had a spell of napping at points in a ride where there's a way back home and a way to ride further. I've felt it strategically sensible to get off 3 times in 2 rides and now the issue is all but gone. He hesitates, I tell him to walk on, and on he goes.

We have our first hack in company tomorrow, with 2 friends. Check back for a report of how it went!
.

 

[humblepie]

Charlie's going from strength to strength. We've got w/t/c nailed in the school at a basic level, leg yield is easy peasy and our first shot at shoulder in went really well today. He's got a very gobby mouth but that's pretty normal, ime, for ex racers. He struggled to hold his shoulders up in the shoulder sling after 25 minutes, so that's about a much as we do, with plenty of breaks on a long rein on the way. ETA and the school is 80 metres x 80 metres, we aren't drilling circles.

We've had a spell of napping at points in a ride where there's a way back home and a way to ride further. I've felt it strategically sensible to get off 3 times in 2 rides and now the issue is all but gone. He hesitates, I tell him to walk on, and on he goes.

We have our first hack in company tomorrow, with 2 friends. Check back for a report of how it went!
.

Looking forward to the report and great progress. Jealous of your arena - I enter some unaffliated BD the other day just to use the warm up which is in a huge arena used for show jumping, just really nice to have a proper leg stretch.

 

[ycbm]

Passed with almost flying colours . Happy to go in front, behind and beside. Happy to leave the others and take a different route. Very well mannered with strange horses near him. NOT happy to stand and wait while the others go off to paddle in the river, but that that was predictable and is avoidable. So now I know he's safe to have him exercised in a group by the stable staff if I need to. He is such a chilled horse for a flat racer!

Photo to follow when I've been sent it.
.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Passed with almost flying colours . Happy to go in front, behind and beside. Happy to leave the others and take a different route. Very well mannered with strange horses near him. NOT happy to stand and wait while the others go off to paddle in the river, but that that was predictable and is avoidable. So now I know he's safe to have him exercised in a group by the stable staff if I need to. He is such a chilled horse for a flat racer!

Photo to follow when I've been sent it.
.

Some of the laziest, dullest, most boring horses I have ever ridden have been flat racers. The jumpers have way more personality!

 

[RachelFerd]

Some of the laziest, dullest, most boring horses I have ever ridden have been flat racers. The jumpers have way more personality!

What a strange comment to make on a thread where lots of people have ex flat racers.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

What a strange comment to make on a thread where lots of people have ex flat racers.

Not really. I have worked with many many many racehorses over the years and the flat ones have been the most boring and lazy. Especially the sprinters. Not my cup of tea.

 

[ycbm]

I'm so pleased with how he's coming on with just 8 weeks steady work. The spurs, by the way, are to hold my boots on! They are flopping around on my feet because I've got such twig like ankles.

 

[RachelFerd]

Not really. I have worked with many many many racehorses over the years and the flat ones have been the most boring and lazy. Especially the sprinters. Not my cup of tea.

Such a weird unfounded statement. I've also worked with hundreds and hundreds of racehorses over the years, including a 6 year stint in Newmarket, so have met more flat racehorses than you can shake a stick at. They come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, temperaments, energy levels and weirdness levels. There are some lovely chilled out sprinters who don't want to do too much, there are also some absolutely bat-sh*t crazy sprinters out there. I'm not quite sure why you're replying to a poster's post about how much they like their nice chilled out young horse by writing off half of thoroughbreds as being 'boring and lazy' ...weird!

 

[coblets]

Some of the laziest, dullest, most boring horses I have ever ridden have been flat racers. The jumpers have way more personality!

Interestingly ycbm's post made me think "he sounds like he's settled in well, ycbm's care and considerate training clearly suits him" and not "god what a boring horse" but maybe hearing about a happy settled horse isn't interesting to everyone

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I'm so pleased with how he's coming on with just 8 weeks steady work. The spurs, by the way, are to hold my boots on! They are flopping around on my feet because I've got such twig like ankles.

View attachment 117778

I still just love his face!

 

[minesadouble]

Some of the laziest, dullest, most boring horses I have ever ridden have been flat racers. The jumpers have way more personality!

Well I'm going to go against the grain here and agree....your post has made me think about the ex-racehorses that we have owned/known and weirdly you're right, the flat ones have definitely been short on personality and zest for life compared to the NH horses!
I'm now intrigued to know why that is?

 

[Barton Bounty]

Well I'm going to go against the grain here and agree....your post has made me think about the ex-racehorses that we have owned/known and weirdly you're right, the flat ones have definitely been short on personality and zest for life compared to the NH horses!
I'm now intrigued to know why that is?

I think it is all to do with the new home they end up in..

If you have a relationship like BB and I or your horse serves a purpose

 

[ycbm]

I still just love his face!

He's a lovely horse. He was a lucky find, I feel privileged to own him.
.

 

[criso]

The one I have with flat breeding (though ran in 2 bumpers out of desperation I think) is definitely lazy but too anxious to be boring. The NH bred one also lazy but had a much more confident and level headed approach if opinionated.

However he's very shiny. Not being totally flippant but I seem to remember on the thread discussing ycbm's requirements an almost metallic sheen some bays have.

 

[minesadouble]

I think it is all to do with the new home they end up in..

If you have a relationship like BB and I or your horse serves a purpose

Well we've had both at home and the couple of flat horses we had were almost 'subdued' in personality whereas the jumpers we've had were full of fun and character. Same owners same lifestyle!
We haven't had enough through our hands to make a categoric statement but Elf's comment made me think about the horses we've had at home and my limited experience corresponds with her vast experience!

 

[Barton Bounty]

Well we've had both at home and the couple of flat horses we had were almost 'subdued' in personality whereas the jumpers we've had were full of fun and character. Same owners same lifestyle!
We haven't had enough through our hands to make a categoric statement but Elf's comment made me think about the horses we've had at home and my limited experience corresponds with her vast experience!

Yeah, thats the beauty of it, no two are the same BB was flat and he is oodles of fun but I do get what u
You and elf are saying

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Well I'm going to go against the grain here and agree....your post has made me think about the ex-racehorses that we have owned/known and weirdly you're right, the flat ones have definitely been short on personality and zest for life compared to the NH horses!
I'm now intrigued to know why that is?

It's not bloodlines as they cross over so much these days. I would say its more to do with how regimented flat yards are. They are usually full of colts so they have to behave. Every single horse has to behave. Where as jumpers are mostly geldings so we can let them dick about and be twats I guess. Plus they usually have longer to grow up being babies before being worked.

I'm not dismissing mares and fillies btw. They can get away with more in a jumping yard than a flat one as you just can't afford to have entires (of both genders) hooning about winding everyone up loose.

 

[criso]

That's interesting.

So T failed to show any talent on the flat at at Godolphin and got gelded at 4, sold to a jump yard where he learned to be a dick

F was in training in France from 2. I guess it's a bit different there as his sire ran over hurdles but was a stallion. F was gelded before he was 2 though.

 

[minesadouble]

Yeah, thats the beauty of it, no two are the same BB was flat and he is oodles of fun but I do get what u
You and elf are saying

We quite recently lost our last 2 ex racehorses, both within the last year or so.

Both lovely, kind horses but if they could have spoken my own flat horse would have had zero craic whereas my daughter's NH horse was an out and out comedian!

Loved them both and was sad to lose them (both had a good innings and were retired and in their 20s) but the NH horse was a total clown and the biggest character you could ever imagine. He's such a miss!

I'm not sure we would have another, but definitely wouldn't say never

 

[AandK]

My ex flat racer is far from lazy and boring, he has bags of personality and zest for life, and so intelligent!

 

[Squeak]

It's not bloodlines as they cross over so much these days. I would say its more to do with how regimented flat yards are. They are usually full of colts so they have to behave. Every single horse has to behave. Where as jumpers are mostly geldings so we can let them dick about and be twats I guess. Plus they usually have longer to grow up being babies before being worked.

I'm not dismissing mares and fillies btw. They can get away with more in a jumping yard than a flat one as you just can't afford to have entires (of both genders) hooning about winding everyone up loose.

That makes sense, I guess that's actually a bit like polo ponies. They just have to behave.

I have a flat racer, he's so easy to do and sweet although not lazy or boring. If most flat racers are like him then I'll have them all!