Some advice needed on what should I do with my horse please!

E

ellieplatt

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 June 2009
Messages
333
Visit site
Hiya, really need some advice here.. .

My daughter has a beautiful ex race horse whom shes currently re-schooling and looking to event next year, get on super well with him have great fun out hacking ect but he just really is'nt keen on being schooled. He's her first ex race horse project and proving to be abit more than expected to her experience in the school, she's a very competant rider and has schooled lots of young ponies, but we both new having an ex racer would be hard work.

So here's where the advice comes in, do we send him to a professional for a few weeks and perserver with his behavour and continue having lessons with the same professional?
Just keep on going and have lessons?
Loan him out to someone whose got the experience and happy to give him ago and event him?

He's a super talented animal with bags of potential, but shes very worried she's not able to help him reach it. He has came out of racing fairly late (he's just turned 9) so i understand he might not find it as easy as a younger horse.
Any advice would be fab as really stuck as to what to do, I know we haven't given it a good year or so many months, but dont want to leave it too long due to his age.

Sorry about such a long post! Tea for anybody whose got this far!

Thankyou!!
 
How long have you had him? what does he do in the school?

He may be just a bit green and need a bit of time, esp time to adjust as it must all be a bit strange at first!

If you were needing extra help then maybe book a lesson or clinic with a different person as sometime a "fresh" pair of eyes can make all the difference. May also be contacting a pro who has experience of ex racers or even one of the racehorse rehoming charities for advice as to what they do with their horses.

Don't be too downhearted though i've known a few lovely ex racers who have gone on to make lovely ridden horses and go on to do really well!

Wishing you the best of luck :)
 
Thankyou for replying!
We've only had him since march, so we've given him five months, he had 4weeks chilling out in the feild and another 4weeks of lunging, so we've been trying to school him for 3months, and really couldnt possibley tell that he's had 3months of schooling..

Basicly is happy to trot and plod around like a riding school horse till he's asked to work properly, he can work very nicely, only ever after a very long headpulling running off tantrum sometimes though you can not win and he gets alittle dangerous backing off and trying to rear up. Luckily rider goes with it but sometimes gets to much and she just gives up because 1) safetly 2) not wanting to wind him up anymore 3) gets very tiring.

We were thinking about keeping going till end of september time having a few lessons and schooing him to best of our ability, the letting someone have a look at him see what they think ect and let him go to them for a couple weeks for some training?
 
I would have lessons with someone experienced with ex racers. Are you in contact with your local ex racer club? They run clinics and can put you in touch with a recommended local instructor.
 
As he is 'restarting' I wouldn't be too concerned. All my youngsters have napped in the school to begin with. If she can get him out schooling in the fields so he doesn't realise its going on then thats the way I deal with it. As soon as he's stronger and finds it easier problem will resolve.
 
My boy I just sold was like thT when I first got him, when asked to work in an outline he would plunge, buck and threaten to rear. I had an event rider do some schooling on him, as the event rider pointed out it's a whole different way of going he just doesn't understand and also he did not have the muscles in his topline to be able to carry himself so it would be a slow build up
 
hey just wondering if you have had him scoped for ulcers 93per cent of racehorses have them and 63per cent of performance horses. reason i say this is because ulcers can be very painful for them and when they get into faster work it makes the pain worse and the acid splashes around in there stomach. It might just be worth getting him checked as it can make them very reluctant to work. I have a showjumper who is always been amazing to ride and well behaved. in april he got very reluctant to work and got very grumpy and in canter he was at his worst ears pinned back and didnt want to go forward, he also was grouchy to groom. I had everything checked and vet checked him over said he was sound eyes ok back and teeth were ok. My horse had a lovely weight ad very shiny coat, the vet wanted to put him on a trial of danillon (which doesnt work with ulcers) to see if it could rule out pain, but it didnt help hewas still the same, i had been talking to a friend who said her horse had done exact same thing as mine she advised me to get him scoped, so talked to the vet and arranged it and it turned out he had upto grade 4 stoamch ulcers in a few places and swelling and inflamtion so no wonder he was grumpy! hes on gastogard now and hes back to his normal happy self and is working perfectly how he did before the ulcers. He is also on a complete change of diet to a high fibre one with no cereals and hes on a few supplements also he has a chaff feed 30 mins before exercise to soak up stomach acid. He is off to be scoped again at the end of this month to see if they have gone completely. Just thought i would just tell you my story as alot of behavior problems can be down to ulcers. And if it wasnt for my friend i wouldnt of even thought to of had him scoped for ulcers as i didnt really know much about it. I would just get everything checked back teeth saddle ect. Also does he show any grumpy behaviour on the ground?
 
Hi I hope this will help I have had a couple of TB's who were bred for racing although never raced they displayed similar temper tantrums when asked to work. I found that by working them very low (basically a long low stretch) for about 4 weeks they were able to develop the correct back muscles to then work properly. It is rather scary at first to give a tempramental TB its head but worth it in the end. I would suggest sitting very tall for the first transition to canter!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top