Retraining ex racers, tips please

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Sarah1

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Hi all

As post title really, anyone done it? Anyone have any good tips? What have been your experiences of retrainign them?

Many thanks

Sarah
 
I have an ex-racer! He's great, I've had him nearly a month now..
He rides great on one rein but rubbish on the other. He has been re-schooled a bit with his previous owner, but he doesn't understand what certain aids mean and gets a little frustrated (he struggles the most with his canter). But he is very willing and honest, he hacks out great (like most) and is a pleasure to own :) When I first got him he wasn't very social with people, he just kept himself to himself - but now he loves all the attention and his character is coming out more.
I have ridden horses in training so understand how he will have been ridden before and what he is used to - that helps. They like routine.
There is a girl on my yard that also has an ex-racer. She doesn't have any experience or knowledge of the racing industry (or of schooling youngsters) so is finding it a lot more difficult retraining him.
 
This is our 1st ex-racehorse to retrain so we're trying to takes things slowly with him and give him a bit more time than we have done our other youngsters.
We're used to having babies - last 2 have both been 4yr olds and the big lad had to be re-backed following extended time off with suspected back problems a few years ago.
The new boy is great so far - started with him on Saturday, had him on the yard doing round him - he's perfect to groom, lead etc and to be fair to him he's as good as any of the others on the ground - but we haven't attempted getting on board yet & he's had nothing done with him for over a year so we'll have to see how he gets on. Got to keep an open mind I suppose & not expect too much of him to begin with.
 
As I'm sure you've realised - they're not like other horses! They're used to a strict routine, used to being ridden in company, not usually used to being tied up, not usually familiar with treats and cuddles, two speeds - walk and gallop, not forgetting that taking up a strong contact is a signal to go faster, not stop! Drop the reins to stop.

If he is straight off the track give him some time turned away to chill and wind down.

Like other horses they are all different, some very laid back others very wired. The best way to retrain is to go back to basics as if you are breaking in and be guided by his progress. Don't rush things and if you have a local instructor who is familiar with re-training them, have a few sessions.

They are lovely and rewarding creatures who will give their all if you are quiet and patient.

Ooops - just seen your second post, so it sounds like yu're doing all the right things already - good luck with him.
 
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just remember tbs generally havemuch longer easier stridesthan your average wb or cob etc so will naturally go faster just because they cover more ground with each stride. Therefore dont hold them up too much trying to get them the same speed as a wb, they will boil.You have to introduce the slower trots and slower canter paces very gradually.
Also if you dont do enough with them they can boil. They are generally naturally fit animals that can take a lot of physical work. Mentally they will tire quickly in the retraining but so long as you dont do the same thing every day they should be fine.
Lots of work, lots of variation.
 
I have retrained quite a few ex racers straight off the track. I find that in general, the longer they have raced for, the more difficult they are to train. However, they usually make very nice light and easy mounts (apart from the older NH types that have had their mouths ruined, though even they can be retrained).

The biggest hurdle I find, is getting them to understand what a contact is. They are used to the gathering up of the reins meaning they are about to go! They will not immediatly understand that they can actually work onto a soft contact. They also will not usually understand circle work, although some may have been lunged and so take quite well to that, but ridden circles will feel very unbalanced at first.

I start all schooling work on the lunge. All ridden work for the first 3 weeks is normal hacking without asking anything of them in terms of working correctly. I usually put them in the pessoa or the de gouge to teach them to stretch down and start to build up their top line so they will find it easier to carry a rider this way. After two to three weeks I will lunge them in side reins to get them used to how the reins will feel when there is a contact on the mouth.

Then when I first start riding I teach them to move forward from the leg into a soft contact. Most are going pretty well after only a short time if they have been prepared with lunge work. I have never had one yet that was not working (most of the time) nice and round and forward after only one ridden session.
 
Thanks Tammytoo!
We're trying to give him an inch without him taking a mile if you know what I mean! We're doing everything very calmly and slowly but he still needs to know what is & isn't acceptable behaviour.
Luckily (or not depending on which way you look at it!), he's not straight off the track - he's been left in the field for over a year and just been allowed to be a horse - we were so surprised when he turned out to be so sweet to be honest! After just 2 days he's already coming to the fence for a fuss rather than grazing/eating his hay although he was quite a friendly chap before we started handling him.
It's just all new to us so we want to make sure we give him every chance to be right - we don't know what sort of 'baggage' he has at the moment but really want to give the boy a chance at a 'normal' life.
I just thought maybe someone on here might have plenty of experience with this and might have a 'do this/definately don't do this' list!!!!!!!
Hoping he's as sweet under saddle as he's been on the ground, got to be realistic tho and accept he could be too much to handle when it comes down to it.
 
Wagtail said:
I have retrained quite a few ex racers straight off the track. I find that in general, the longer they have raced for, the more difficult they are to train. However, they usually make very nice light and easy mounts (apart from the older NH types that have had their mouths ruined, though even they can be retrained).

The biggest hurdle I find, is getting them to understand what a contact is. They are used to the gathering up of the reins meaning they are about to go! They will not immediatly understand that they can actually work onto a soft contact. They also will not usually understand circle work, although some may have been lunged and so take quite well to that, but ridden circles will feel very unbalanced at first.

I start all schooling work on the lunge. All ridden work for the first 3 weeks is normal hacking without asking anything of them in terms of working correctly. I usually put them in the pessoa or the de gouge to teach them to stretch down and start to build up their top line so they will find it easier to carry a rider this way. After two to three weeks I will lunge them in side reins to get them used to how the reins will feel when there is a contact on the mouth.

Then when I first start riding I teach them to move forward from the leg into a soft contact. Most are going pretty well after only a short time if they have been prepared with lunge work. I have never had one yet that was not working (most of the time) nice and round and forward after only one ridden session.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for your reply.

This is actually how we were thinking of starting his work - I'm pleased we were thinking along the right lines.

This week we thought he will be tied on the yard to be groomed with a bridle on & a bit in & then maybe at the weekend or next week we'll pop him on the lunge for 5 minutes in walk & see how he takes to it - how/when everything else is introduced will depend on him.
 
Just want to say a massive thanks to everyone for replying - please keep the replies coming, we really want to try to give this sweet boy a good start!
 
Totally agree with starting them off on the lunge and in sides reins etc etc. Depends what racing he has done, i have a flat racer who took a long while to learn to jump (alien experience for her!) but my National hunt horse is a total legend, however he is INCREDIBLY insecure, for a 16.3 horse he is a bit of a wimp, jumps like a stag and is as brave as a lion out hunting but he is a devil out hacking when alone, everything is there to kill him!! Obviously due to being ridden in a string for 12 years day in day out. My main pieces of advice are to 1) get there teeth checked, I have never had a problem with an ex racehorse making a beautiful shape in the school and if they do its usually a tooth niggle... many trainers (other than the reputable ones!) don't see teeth as a major issue for a racehorse but it does make all the difference, especially if you are having trouble on one rein or maybe both? 2) Be patient and try not treat to much with 'kid gloves'... they are working animals and some are very loving and take to a new way of life very easily but others are horses who like to get on and do! I certainly have one of each. They are the most incredible animals and the market is saturated with failed racehorses who with the right training can be incredible all rounders. Take lots of photos (you'll see a HUGE difference) and ENJOY! xx
 
Time. Patience. And lots of love.

There are no specific do's or don'ts with retraining these wonderful horses. Gut instinct is usually the best way of retraining. You'll know when the time is right to move onto the next stage or when to take it back a step and they will quickly tell you what they like, don't like but will put up with and really hate.

Good Luck with him and I am sure you will enjoy every minute of it!
 
I have 2 ex-chasers and each one is very different - like any horses - so just give yourself time to get to know his personality, likes, quirks etc. For example, one of mine won't leave the yard alone and the other goes out for miles on his own.

I found that it took both of them a while to get the concept of standing still, especially at a mounting block - they looked at me gone out when I didn't vault on or get a leg up whilst they were still walking.

I did a lot of flat work getting them to be more supple and "bendy" and whilst jumping natural fences is fine (with the natural fast and long jump of my boys) I went right back to basics for show jumping. Otherwise, I had to keep closing my eyes as the end walls came round too quickly:eek:

Just enjoy your time with him and don't be too hard on yourself. There will be some things you try that don't work well but, hey, that's life. Just try something else or a different way. Good luck.
 
EKW said:
Time. Patience. And lots of love.

There are no specific do's or don'ts with retraining these wonderful horses. Gut instinct is usually the best way of retraining. You'll know when the time is right to move onto the next stage or when to take it back a step and they will quickly tell you what they like, don't like but will put up with and really hate.

Good Luck with him and I am sure you will enjoy every minute of it!
Click to expand...

^^^this!

I'v had my exracer now 5 years. He did flat and NH and was quite successful for a racehorse nowadays.
My advice would be to get plenty of fibre into him, keeps them cool! I personally wouldn't lunge for a while first, he will get very fit!!! Some of them have never been lunged so you're just opening up a new can of worms. No, seriously my boy if lunged first is at boiling point once lunged, he seems to think, warms ups over, let's go!! I personally believe in getting on and letting them wind down, lots of hacking. Get them used to standing at mounting block, build up trust and take everything steady. Schooling wise, teach them to accept a contact without tanking off, to accept leg aids. Every horse is different though and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. What does seem to work though is trust, ROUTINE to the minute!! and patience!
 
Don't fall into the trap of worrying about getting him in an outline too fast. a lot of exracer are fussy with their heads, and its better to get them going forward nicely and consistently into a contact even if the head carraige is still higher, instead of going the draw reins route to bring their head down.

my horse naturally took ages to use his back properly, but he did it naturally himself once we concentrated on keeping him forward, straight and consistent. I went through a few teachers who were obsessed with getting him 'on the bed' before his back was even strong enough to do it.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies - some things for us to think about and some really helpful suggestions.
Planning on getting his teeth checked & probably have the physio out as a matter of course before we start doing much with him :)
 
Double agree with get teeth checked out as a matter of urgency ...

See my post regarding my ex racer ... very badly neglected. He's been off the track for two years but hadnt done anything and was deemed 'unrideable' not suprising really :rolleyes:

Sorry, cant find post but picture below of before/after ...

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205981_10150736471740464_763485463_19673641_7581288_n.jpg
 
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