Standardbred Pacers & Trotters

[Crosshill Pacers]

Hi.

I work for STAGBI (The Standardbred and Trotting Horse Association of Great Britain and Ireland) and I have posted a few times on various threads about a new feature I have embarked on in the STAGBI newsletter (which is sent out approx 6 times a year - if you're interested in becoming a member please see the contact email below). I have had some positive feedback so far; enough that I can write a few articles in the forthcoming months.

The purpose of my feature is to showcase the talent and versatility of Standardbreds, and their ability to turn themselves to all manner of disciplines once they've left the racetrack (or alternatively, after they've been broken to race but failed to make the grade).

Unfortunately, more and more Standardbreds are being sent for slaughter, as times are hard and sometimes owners and breeders do not realise the potential their horses have to go on and try different careers.
Having sent my first article on ex-racehorses to a number of equine publications, and being told that Standardbreds and harness racing are not 'commercial enough', I have decided to focus my attention on enlightening the readers of the STAGBI newsletter instead - namely the owners and breeders who are selling horses whose careers they believe to be over.

I see posts on forums such as this every day berating those who sell their horses for slaughter, and I also see posts from proud Standardbred owners, voicing their admiration and devotion to an under-publicised breed. So come on, help me! The more feedback I get, the more people will realise they can sell their ex-racehorses as riding ponies, instead of considering the slaughterhouse to be the only option.

All I need is the racing name of your Standardbred (in order for me to establish it's breeding) and the pursuits that he/she has excelled at - whether it be jumping, endurance, dressage or simply hacking through the countryside. Photos demonstrating this are also welcome.

Unfortunately, due to the STAGBI database holding only fullbred information, I cannot include part-Standardbreds in my articles.

If you would like to help my cause, please email thomassa1989@hotmail.co.uk with information and photos of your Standardbred.

Many thanks in advance,

Sarah

 

[YasandCrystal]

Recently we sold some agri stuff to a chap who was chatting to me about standardbreds - he was saying he bought a gelding in very poor condition with the intention of selling him on, but he said he is the best most laid back and willing horse he has ever had - so he intends to keep him.
He was telling me that he would highly recommend the breed as they have the look and athleticism of the TB, but the temperament of an ID and are very versatile. His is a ride drive and brilliant in the heaviest of traffic.

It's great to get information on breeds you may otherwise dismiss or have a pre-misconception of

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

It's great to hear there's another voice out there championing the Standardbreds!

As a breed they are quite laid back - obviously there's the exceptions (my first Standardbred mare would have been enough to put anyone off the breed forever), but as a rule they're so laid back they're almost horizontal!
I suppose it has something to do with the amount they're handled, and from a young age. They're used to traffic due to the start car in races and the lorries in the paddock, they're used to being amongst other horses from going to the races, and being alone from training at home. They usually load well from practice and they're great to shoe from having their feet picked up frequently to harness them and shoe them!

(I'm sorry, I'm so mad about Standardbreds I can see no faults!!). If you speak to the chap again, perhaps you could mention my article and pass on my email address? It's always great to get a response from a variety of people!

Thanks,

Sarah

 

[YasandCrystal]

Yes, I will do as he said his is registered and he has his racing card and results etc.

 

[Woodrock]

Hi, just wanted to say how great to see I am not the only Standie addict!! I was very lucky as a teenager and got to ride a Standie stallion called Saunders Race Time, he was the most chilled confidence giver with bags of personality! (And he was still in training for racing)!
25+ yrs later I have 2 OTT SB's and could not be without them! I live in NZ now & I am a member of The North Island Standardbred Assoc, they run competitions/Dressage days etc and they even managed to get Standardbred Showing Classes (In hand & Ridden) back on the agenda at some A&P Shows (Like UK County Shows).

Good luck with your newsletter & getting people to see the versatility of this breed!

 

[Shantara]

Hello!

You sent me a PM a while back about the Standardbred that I ride, Ned.
Once I buy him, I'll write a full story about him, but if you're interested I do have a blog which I update with Neddy's antics and adventures http://www.tumblr.com/blog/jaquichan

Short story - He was going to be slaughtered, but was bought (so technically not rescued, but I like to think he was rescued from death) by his current owner. She, like YasandCrystal said, was going to train him up and sell him on...5 years later, she still has him!
He's a special chap, but I love him dearly. He must have been through a lot, I wish I knew what.
The one thing that I do know is that he hurt himself badly in a trailer (scraped all the skin off his back) and now is terrified of them, but we're working on that.
He's also learning to hack alone, which is going well
He can jump beautifully, but most of the time chooses not to
I'm now introducing him to the in-hand showing world

Here's a few pictures

 

[Trotter81]

We have pacers that we breed and race i love them x

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

We have pacers that we breed and race i love them x

Really? Whereabouts are you based? Do you race under BHRC rules or with Wales and Borders? (Our paths may have crossed at some point!)

 

[Trotter81]

Hi sarah we r in scotland my other half drives alex drysdale my boy is at laidlers as the bigger tracks suit him.we have hello finaly he was wales and west x

 

[cowboylover]

Love Standards!

A family friend used to race in the Wales and Borders and love going to watch so I look forward to the articles.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Hi sarah we r in scotland my other half drives alex drysdale my boy is at laidlers as the bigger tracks suit him.we have hello finaly he was wales and west x

Ah you may know my other half then, the bookmaker Mr Smart?! He'll be at the mecca of harness racing Corbiewood this evening no doubt while I'm working hard down in Wales at STAGBI!

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Love Standards!

A family friend used to race in the Wales and Borders and love going to watch so I look forward to the articles.

I'm glad I've found another fan! Hopefully we can spread the word about how brilliant they are and raise their profile as riding horses as well as racehorses.

If you're interested, I've set up a Facebook page - www.facebook.com/STAGBI. It's in its early days at the moment but I'm trying to use it to get people involved (directly or indirectly) with the breed so it's for racing fans as well as Standardbred riders!

 

[x-di-x]

My Mare was Princess Louise, out of Sly Heel /Rambling lane, out of Sly Ace (USA) she was born on 01/05/1986. and was bred in Ayrshire , trained in Stirling (I beleive).

She was the bestest horse in the world, she came to me at 6 as she wasn't very good at harness racing. she seen me through some tought times, she was an excellent hacking mare - would go for miles, we done millions of pleasure endurance rides, Showjumping - she never ever knocked a pole down and the highest I jumped her was 5feet 7inches (she was 15.1hh).

Sadly she is no longer with us, but I will never forget her and would love to get another (if I can ever afford to keep 2 horses as currently have a Highland)

Unfortunately there is no racing near us, there used to be at Errol Airfield, as it was great fun to watch and a great day out..

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

My Mare was Princess Louise, out of Sly Heel /Rambling lane, out of Sly Ace (USA) she was born on 01/05/1986. and was bred in Ayrshire , trained in Stirling (I beleive).

She was the bestest horse in the world, she came to me at 6 as she wasn't very good at harness racing. she seen me through some tought times, she was an excellent hacking mare - would go for miles, we done millions of pleasure endurance rides, Showjumping - she never ever knocked a pole down and the highest I jumped her was 5feet 7inches (she was 15.1hh).

Sadly she is no longer with us, but I will never forget her and would love to get another (if I can ever afford to keep 2 horses as currently have a Highland)

Unfortunately there is no racing near us, there used to be at Errol Airfield, as it was great fun to watch and a great day out..

Hi Di. Perhaps you wouldn't mind emailing me some photos and some more details about your mare and I could put her in the newsletter in the future? The people who bred her might be interested to see what she did once she'd finished racing? Plus it would showcase yet another success story with a Standardbred

As for racing, I don't know how far you are from Corbiewood, Bannockburn? My Scottish geography isn't the greatest, but there's racing there all through the summer, plus the big two day meeting at Musselburgh Racecourse in a couple of weeks. I would recommend you try to go sometime, as I can vouch that harness racing in this country is getting better and better every year!

 

[navaho]

I had a lovely Standardbred gelding, i cant say he ever did anything amazing though, apart from be a rather nice field ornament lol. His reg name is Brywins Arctic Ice.
Im also very good friends with the people who own what was Teifi Stud, they dont really breed any more though, but they do still have a few Standies, they still have their old stallion Darkies Lad who is in his 20's now.
A very under rated breed IMO, i do think people opinions are changing towards them slowly though.

 

[Sam&MrD]

Another standardbred lover here. Darkies Lad, what a legend!

 

[Trotter81]

Hey sarah yeh i know your OH we r racing at corbiewood on saturday x

 

[AatHarv]

This thread is SO nice to see!! SBs do not get the credit they deserve. An absolutely lovely, honest and kind breed. I've also been planning all the options for my eventual theft of my boy where I used to groom when he stops racing/right now if I were to have my own way!! I'm thinking end of season, replace him with something wooly for winter, surely no one is going to notice until at least Feb, by which time we could have made our way to lands far far away

 

[lee1984]

I have a trotter also, prob the most quitetis horse Iv ever owned, breaking him for riding at the moment, however he still being used under a sulky

 

[x-di-x]

I'll try and scan photo's and e-mail them to you. Unfortunately some are at my mum's house and as she's not speaking to me (very long story ) I've not got many ridden ones but i'll see what i can do.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

I am absolutely thrilled at the response this is getting

I understand the stigma attached to Standardbreds and harness racing but as with any horse that's been trained entirely for one discipline, once they're finished with that they CAN be re-trained for something else.

Fortunately both my girls who are currently racing have been broken to ride during the winters that they've been home, and my 4yo will make a wonderful hunting horse for someone when the time comes to sell her. They both trot and canter when ridden, but pace when in the sulky (without hobbles, I hasten to add!).

It's great to see people championing the breed because a lot of people wouldn't give them a second look, and a lot of those peoples opinions of them are based on misconceptions. I myself am no longer interested in any other breed, and I plan to break all my future racehorses into the saddle in order to give them a good chance at a second life

Like I said in my original post, if anybody has any info and photos of their ex-racehorses, even if it's just a bit to say how great their horse is as a riding horse, please do email me!

Sarah

 

[lee1984]

harness racing aint really well known its got the stigma that only the gypsy community do it, so many people wearing blinkers there self, in the usa its a massive sport on par with flat racing.

 

[navaho]

harness racing aint really well known its got the stigma that only the gypsy community do it, so many people wearing blinkers there self, in the usa its a massive sport on par with flat racing.

Its really well known round here, we have alot of people who keep them & train them locally, i dont associate it with Gypsys at all, but maybe thats because of the area im in.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

harness racing aint really well known its got the stigma that only the gypsy community do it, so many people wearing blinkers there self, in the usa its a massive sport on par with flat racing.

Oh I know Lee! And New Zealand, Australia, Sweden, France, Holland, Italy...the list goes on. In America particularly I see though that Standardbreds are used for a whole host of different things once they've finished racing. Naturally with such a high number of horses also, some never even make it to the track but they can be trained from scratch quite quickly into other disciplines.

I think I'm on a mission to disspell a few myths about Standardbreds and harness racing. In this country, people have to accept that they are bred primarily for harness racing. That's not to say that if there was a market for them as riding horses, they wouldn't start being bred for that too. I know several people who breed part-Standardbreds and successfully sell them as riding horses, as the stigma of their potential past racing life isn't attached to them.

When I got my first pacing mare, finding out that she had been a racehorse was exciting. Granted, I'd been trotting a lot as a child as it's a big thing in Mid Wales, but I get contacted plenty at STAGBI by people wanting to find out about their horses' past careers, whether they won etc. I know that's not the same for everyone, and some can be completely put off buying a horse knowing that it raced in a sulky (although I do think if people watched Rasus on S4C/attended a day's racing, perhaps their views would change?).

 

[lee1984]

Theres plenty of them were I live also but a majority are owned by gypsys and better looked after then some of the riding schools/studs here in ireland. wales have the idea as some of the races are on tv making it more public.

 

[lee1984]

Hopefully next year ill be importing a couple of mares straight from the racetrack in america purely for breeding from.

My horse I have at the moment came from a travelling family he has been road raced then left to grass for 2 year, he is the most quietus horse and will do anything for you.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Hopefully next year ill be importing a couple of mares straight from the racetrack in america purely for breeding from.

My horse I have at the moment came from a travelling family he has been road raced then left to grass for 2 year, he is the most quietus horse and will do anything for you.

Funny you should mention 'road racing'. I understand that the general consensus on road-racing is the type of folk you see on Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. However, I have a friend who rides pacers, fully harnessed, on roads in Ireland, under rules, with bookmakers and safety measures in place. They only race over a mile, are shod specifically to deal with the surface (although Standardbreds all over the world race on hard tracks anyway) and are treated the same as those who race on grass in the summer. It's a January-April sport that keeps the horses ticking over until the main season starts.

Best of luck with the imported mares, remember to get them registered with STAGBI once they arrive I may also see you in Harrisburg too, I'm planning a trip out there myself!

 

[monkeybum13]

My mare has never raced and as far as I'm aware never trained to so she is no use to your article but just wanted to say what a fantastic breed they are. Very loyal and not in the slightest bit spooky (she's a fab hack!). I would definitely consider getting another standie if I was looking for another horse.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

My mare has never raced and as far as I'm aware never trained to so she is no use to your article but just wanted to say what a fantastic breed they are. Very loyal and not in the slightest bit spooky (she's a fab hack!). I would definitely consider getting another standie if I was looking for another horse.

I'm opening up the criteria for the article, they needn't have raced! I just want to showcase the breed and their versatility. Perhaps breeders/owners of horses who won't make it to the track won't be so quick to send them for slaughter if they realised there was another market for them! So please do feel free to contact me if you've got some photos and info about what you do with your Standardbred

 

[lynz88]

harness racing aint really well known its got the stigma that only the gypsy community do it, so many people wearing blinkers there self, in the usa its a massive sport on par with flat racing.

Yes - not many people here know too much about standardbred racing here. I had my tb on a standardbred farm (avoid 'barn drama' that way) and know a number of people in the standardbred racing industry at home.

lee - if you are looking at importing a standarbred, make sure you are up to date on the current situation especially in Ontario. With the Ontario government potentially ruling out any slots at racetracks, the whole racing industry is up in arms. May be quite a few for sale quite cheap. It's unfortunate you can't get it through OSAS (Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society) as they must come out to inspect your barn (and I doubt they will come out to the UK!)

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/category/news/ontario-standardbred-adoption-society