TheMule
Well-Known Member
It is such a shame they have gained such a bad reputation that so many people feel the need to totally discount them from their horse searches
Retraining ex-racers thread
- Thread starter TheMule
- Start date
It is such a shame they have gained such a bad reputation that so many people feel the need to totally discount them from their horse searches
Elf On A Shelf
...
Jeff was only scared of portaloo's! Gray was 100% bombproof in all traffic but if a blade of grass moved wrong at the side of the road you were going under the bus!
MummyEms
Well-Known Member
I've been in the ex racer club a very long time. I'm getting on now at almost 40 and have had a variety of breeds, plus my daughters ponies...I must say the thoroughbred ex racehorse is by far the Kindest most genuine and giving type I have ever owned.
My current RoR is featured on the ror website ad my horse of a lifetime forever horse and she really is just that. Good luck with your beautiful ex racehorses.
My current RoR is featured on the ror website ad my horse of a lifetime forever horse and she really is just that. Good luck with your beautiful ex racehorses.
TheMule
Well-Known Member
Eagle has now done a couple of loose jumping sessions and has impressed me. He's not going to be a world beating SJer but he has a neat technique, particularly behind, and he learnt from a mistake. Due to other circumstances he cant go out hacking yet so he will do lots of walk raised pole work interspersed with schooling for now.
Squeak
Well-Known Member
The first couple of times I jumped mine he didn't show much potential and someone even said 'I wouldn't expect to much of him'. But with a bit more experience and gridwork etc. he has completely transformed and has a serious jump on him. Don't write him off too early!!
MummyEms
Well-Known Member
What is wrong with some people ??
CanteringCarrot
Well-Known Member
Yeah, his technique is actually pretty poor. No potential there. In general I'd just give up.
I'll take him off of your hands free of charge ?
tongue firmly in cheek
I'll take him off of your hands free of charge ?
tongue firmly in cheek
TheMule
Well-Known Member
Such a generous offer ?
I love his brain- I hadn’t ridden him for a few days but hopped back on today and he had retained everything he learned last week so we just went on to learning the next thing. You don’t get this with warmbloods(!)
Lady Tinseltime
Well-Known Member
????
TheMule
Well-Known Member
So, we have now completed 3 weeks and he is still fab- we had 1 stressy day because he has got a bit attached to the mare in season over the fence, but he worked through it and got on with his work after a small negotiation!
We have made it out hacking, he had to go it alone straight off which wouldn’t be my normal choice but he did it very well and he has also been walking in the haylage field (initially quite exciting until he realised it wasn’t a grass gallop)
This week we have introduced canter- it's pretty wild, but it has nice enough basics to work with. The aim for the next week or so is to quietly introduce little jumps out in the fields.
This video is raw- it shows our bad bits as well as our better moments!
We have made it out hacking, he had to go it alone straight off which wouldn’t be my normal choice but he did it very well and he has also been walking in the haylage field (initially quite exciting until he realised it wasn’t a grass gallop)
This week we have introduced canter- it's pretty wild, but it has nice enough basics to work with. The aim for the next week or so is to quietly introduce little jumps out in the fields.
This video is raw- it shows our bad bits as well as our better moments!
criso
Coming over here & taking your jobs since 1900
Like mine, brilliant up close and personal with farm machinery and had to lead the wb past the incident type tape that was flapping in the wind and making a funny noise when turning out this evening but god help me if someone puts the jumps that live next to the school in the wrong order and if i change his water bucket he'll either refuse to go in or hide in the corner snorting loudly.
TheMule
Well-Known Member
JBM
Well-Known Member
Hi!! I just bought my first ex racer just off the track 3 weeks now I think!
meet Barry!
Barry’s on his break still as we still need a saddle!
He does not understand fly masks ?
meet Barry!
Barry’s on his break still as we still need a saddle!
He does not understand fly masks ?
Attachments
TheMule
Well-Known Member
Cloball
Well-Known Member
Barry is such an excellent name! He's very handsome.
JBM
Well-Known Member
He was point to point but wasn’t making money ? so I got him off a local man! Very good manners but such a baby! Has 0 hill balance ?
Thank you! He’s such a cuddly boy..very different to my mare ?
Barton Bounty
If you heard the rumours it is probably true 😂
I love this thread, I love that tbs are no longer tossed to the side any longer 
They are the sweetest horses with the most trainable attitude, just love mine
They are the sweetest horses with the most trainable attitude, just love mine 
Ambers Echo
Still wittering on
Sorry to hijack, but folk on this thread might be able to advise. A novice rider on our yard went out and bought herself an 11 year old ex steeplechaser. Was told he had been retrained as a happy hacker years ago and was a dope in a rope when she rode him at the viewing. But was on his toes immediately on arrival. She looked up his racing record and in fact he raced here and in France till very recently. A pro came to sit on him for her and said he’s as green as grass, like 3 year old. Safe but needs retraining. He rode w/t/c in the arena and then she got on and immediately was unbalanced and hanging on to the rein which stressed him out. Obviously totally unsuitable for her. What is her best option now? She mainly wants to secure an appropriate home. She knows she’s going to have to cut her losses.
Barton Bounty
If you heard the rumours it is probably true 😂
my personal opinion is… this horse will not be used to being ridden in normal circumstances and with normal tack , so effectively needs started, if she wants to keep him, she should start with some groundwork and give him some let down time, maybe a few weeks to get accustomed to his new home. Most tbs come good after that but it should be a slow and relaxed process for the horse. A very different environment from what he is used to. If she doesnt want to keep him then pop him up for sale and there are plenty of people like me that would snap him up cause the love a challenge! ?
Its really easy to get them restarted feel free to pm me for advise, it only took me A short time. You have to be calm and gentle. I would give that a try before selling as tbs tend to be very trainable and loving.
Ambers Echo
Still wittering on
She doesn’t want to keep him but does not feel confident selling him herself. He did go on sales livery to a woman with a silver tongue who did nothing with him - not even feed him! So he looked like a hat rack when she went to check on him and she’s brought him back to the yard.
Ambers Echo
Still wittering on
She’s a nervous novice who wants a happy hacker. She accepts he’s not the horse for her x
Barton Bounty
If you heard the rumours it is probably true 😂
Best thing is to sell then, better for both and that will allow her to get something suitable but of he has been missold! Thats a whole new kettle of fish!
Ambers Echo
Still wittering on
How/ where to sell? The risk is a dealer picking up a cheap horse to sell on quick rather than retrain and him being passed pillar to post. Or another novice overestimating their ability and being out of their depth. Or ending in a welfare situation. How can she find someone genuine and with appropriate experience to retrain him?
Elf On A Shelf
...
Is there a small training yard near you? Some may take the horse on to sell for you as it is, a recently retired racehorse as they will know how to sell it as that. Many won't but some will if you lay everything out to them and ask for help.
Trouper
Well-Known Member
Can she not send him away to someone who does the basics with the re-training of racehorses then pick him up again with some professional insight into how to carry his training forward. Alternatively, (and it will come at a cost if she does not want to sell on) give him to the racehorse rehoming charity in the North West?
Barton Bounty
If you heard the rumours it is probably true 😂
Horse quest and right horse right home
TheMule
Well-Known Member
There are lots of ex-racer pages on Facebook and a few charities which might be able to help- maybe speak to ROR in the first instance? I understand the concern over placing him somewhere suitable- I got mine from Preloved but he had already been through an unsuitable home and returned to the trainer. I’m not really sure why as he is the easiest horse to have around!
Ambers Echo
Still wittering on
Some good ideas, thanks x
RachelFerd
Well-Known Member
These situations are *so* frustrating. This is exactly why TBs end up with a totally undeserved reputation. I do know of an experienced home locally actively looking for a TB project - but 11yo may be a little old. And would depend on how well he moved.
I do wish I had the time/space to take on TB projects as it's so rewarding and having spent 10 years in the industry riding out, I'm pretty able to understand the TB brain and accommodate for their previous life experiences. But have no time, nor space
Meanwhile with my older superstar - he finished 2nd in a BE Novice today at Warwick Hall - our best result at the level. He's quite incredible really as he's such an 'average' horse - not a great mover, not a flamboyant jumper, not especially bold... BUT he has a brilliant brain, excellent proprioception and a willingness to trust in his rider that makes him actually quite special. He's so uninspiring to ride at home, but he's a dependable friend out at a competition. Today I worked out he's racked up 17 BE points, which is quite something - my previous best horse got a grand total of 1 ?
Video of his efforts in the weekend thread.
We're off to the RoR eventing champs at Gatcombe in a fortnight.... Big prize fund and fairly low entries, so fingers crossed!
TheMule
Well-Known Member
These situations are *so* frustrating. This is exactly why TBs end up with a totally undeserved reputation. I do know of an experienced home locally actively looking for a TB project - but 11yo may be a little old. And would depend on how well he moved.
I do wish I had the time/space to take on TB projects as it's so rewarding and having spent 10 years in the industry riding out, I'm pretty able to understand the TB brain and accommodate for their previous life experiences. But have no time, nor space
Meanwhile with my older superstar - he finished 2nd in a BE Novice today at Warwick Hall - our best result at the level. He's quite incredible really as he's such an 'average' horse - not a great mover, not a flamboyant jumper, not especially bold... BUT he has a brilliant brain, excellent proprioception and a willingness to trust in his rider that makes him actually quite special. He's so uninspiring to ride at home, but he's a dependable friend out at a competition. Today I worked out he's racked up 17 BE points, which is quite something - my previous best horse got a grand total of 1 ?
Video of his efforts in the weekend thread.
We're off to the RoR eventing champs at Gatcombe in a fortnight.... Big prize fund and fairly low entries, so fingers crossed!
Well done on another brilliant placing- you must be in contention on some kind of league as well? He has been so consistent this year ?