Tb's straight out of racing

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Bedford Joy

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I would like to hear people's experiences of their tb's straight out of racing. We're they okay to hack straight away, what problems or obstacles did you have to overcome? Particularly 3 and 4 year olds that didn't make the grade in racing ... Do they need a lot of work to get them calm enough to hack and how did you get one when schooling them initially ?
Thanks for reading x
 
A friend of mine had a lovely 4yo mare straight out of racing (I think) and she's one of the most chilled horses I've ever met.... This is probably why she didn't make the grade tho... She hacks her out, and she's now a dressage pony :) and isn't phased by much.

I have met some ex racers that are a bit, or rather very bonkers.

And one silly owner who wouldn't admit defeat despite nearly killing herself and others on a regular basis. She tried to loan her, she didn't tell the girl who tried her she was completely nuts and the girl ended up in a & e with a fractured shoulder. If I'd have known there was someone coming to try her I would have warned them about her! Some people are so irresponsible it's sometimes hard to trust anyone out there!
 
They usually hack up to the gallops so should be pretty good- better than most 3/4yos? Reg and Bee both had a break after they came out of racing, but Bee only raced once so is more relevant. She was re-backed and ridden in the school for a few weeks until she was walk/ trot/ canter sweetly and wasn't showing any of her buckaroo tendencies. Then she hacked really sweetly- took her a while to be persuaded to go upside/ in front as she liked to be in a string, but she's good on her own and in company. Reg has always been a poppet to hack for anyone.
 
Our racehorse mare has been no bother to hack. Her main vice is napping but after one blip we've had no major problems. Although we were lucky a got pick of the rejects from brother in laws yard!
 
I had an ex racer on loan. She had been quite successful and was only 5 when I got her. She was so laid back, the kids at the yard loved her coz she was so easy to do and accepted everything! She was brilliant to hack, she wasn't crazy, and had a happy spring in her step. Although her schooling was well below average for a 5 to, she would easily walk, trot and canter around the arena. She was as honest and as genuine as they come :)
 
It depends on the nature of the horse. Some will be good to go straight out of training others will need let down. A flat horse is more likely to be more used to a string and may take a while to get used to heading out on their own and working in the school. National Hunt horses tend to do a bit more in terms of flatwork in the school and heading off to jumping fields on their own or with smaller numbers of horses. If its your first racer I would always recommend an NH horse as they have a slower way of life.
 
Personally if I were getting an ex racer at that age I'd be turning it away for the winter and really only doing little as necessary, but then that only my opinion :)

They generally are good hackers but as someone said before used to a string so might be a bit unsure if alone until they get used to it :)
 
Not a good idea to take a horse straight out of racing and then start hacking it. Not fair on the horse either. It needs time for feed changes, get used to not being fed x3 a day, lose some of its fitness..and regardless of the fact that it up has been in hard work, it is normally a 3 or 4 year old and should be treated as such and given a break. There is no prescriptive route with TB's either as there are such huge variety within this breed.
 
A lot of it depends on the horse's 'personality', some seem to make the switch with ease (the laid back type who couldn't be bothered to race!) others thrived on the adrenalin rush of racing and need an experienced rider to retrain them. Mine had 3mths turned out in field but was a bag of bones when I got her due to the changes in diet and lifestyle. I thought I was buying a 'lightly raced' horse - turned out she'd done rather more and I was a bit anxious when I found out. However she's never been a moments trouble to hack out alone and in company - my perfect hacking companion :)
 
Not sure if this is the same with anyone else but we had a little tb arrive at our yard and she had never had a proper saddle on so she had to get used to the weight of that and once sat on having the riders legs on her sides etc, she also was quite unsure of the mounting block after only being mounted from the ground on the go. She came out of racing with everyone saying she would teach someone to ride... After watching her do wall of death round the school with a saddle on, maybe not! After being turned away for a few months to strengthen and get use to her new life also a few months of perseverance she has now been sold on and is doing really well as a little riding horse. Once used to the saddle and rider she was however safe on a hack as he had seemingly seen quite alot so was less spooky than a typical 3/4 year old, it's was more getting used to a completey different style of riding and handling that she was unsure of
 
My 3 yo ex racer went for little walks down the road... on her own.

She would have a little canter in a field... on her own. Would also stand and wait in field after canter for her friend coming in the opposite direction (I thought I was a gonner at that point when I saw another horse cantering towards me!)
 
Like others have said, it depends on the horse.

We bought one from Ascot Sales, a 3yr old, she was hacking out a few days later without problem ( although she did gallop into a gate in the field the first time she was turned out...but that's a whole other story!)
 
A girl at my yard has an ex racer. They bought her straight after she retired as a 5yo then turned her out for 8 weeks then completely started again. They've had her about a year now and she's lovely! Hacks quietly, schools nicely and did well at a couple of local shows this summer :) although the same girl had an ex racer before this one that was a nightmare apparently.
I've been told that a big issue with horses straight off the track is that they don't settle very easily in a field since they're kept in most of the time.
I'm hoping to get one next year as a project as I think they can make lovely ridden horses :)
 
Our 5yo came straight out of racing having only raced 8 times and failing to make the grade. We turned him out for a couple of months then brought him back in to start the reschooling. He has hacked well from the off - calm and biddable wherever he is in the group, more spooky when he is on his own. He has the most enormous walk when you turn for home though :D
 
I am hoping that I can bring a TB from off the track into riding one day, it's been a dream, of mine for a while :rolleyes: it's just finding the time and money! I have worked with racers and ex racers before and I would plan to have at least a 3 month break out in the field to start with (3rd month do groundwork), then slowly start from scratch and see how we go, I think patience is the key.

As people have said, it completely depends on the horse, and if you know your TB breeding that can help you get an idea of their predisposition. As for age, IMO a 3yo is still very much a baby and you must respect that, a horse off the jumps may be more laid back than off the flat (mainly due to age), but at the same time there are those who are complete loons!
 
EKW said:
It depends on the nature of the horse. Some will be good to go straight out of training others will need let down. A flat horse is more likely to be more used to a string and may take a while to get used to heading out on their own and working in the school. National Hunt horses tend to do a bit more in terms of flatwork in the school and heading off to jumping fields on their own or with smaller numbers of horses. If its your first racer I would always recommend an NH horse as they have a slower way of life.
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Very good advice...My ex flat racer was bought straight from the trainer and though he is very easy to do and is almost saintly when hacking out in company he still finds hacking out on his own abit of a trial, thats 3 years later. I can hack him alone but he really dosent enjoy it and I always feel like Im pushing my luck!
 
My ex racer came to me from ascot sales as a 6yo, he had been out at the racing yard for 2 month then back into training for 3 weeks before I got him, I didn't give him a break as such, a little ground work then got on him and bless his heart he's a tryer! Hacked out with friend on foot, on his own and with another 6yo - he was foot perfect even when the other horse was pratting about! Not 100% certain hacking on his own but doesn't do anything stupid just the occasional nap but with encouragement he will happily walk on and trot and canter in open fields etc without even thinking of tanking off!
 
Mine raced 18 times (flat) & was quite good, then was over-handicapped & threw in the towel.

He hacks out 100% in company, even if the other horse is being silly, but won't go out alone. He will follow a bike, but is v edgy & not very safe.

He also won't load or travel alone, which is a PITA.

Totally safe & unflappable in the school at home or hacking in company.

T x
 
My boy wasnt exactly straight out of racing but he raced until he was 9 (mostly hurdles) and had 58 starts. He had two years with an unconfident owner who couldnt even lead him out, as he was a bit nuts, so he just stayed in a field being fed! (she originally bought him as she felt sorry for him as he was skinny :rolleyes:) When i investigated further, he wasnt skinny, he was in race condition as he hadnt been roughed off.

After a bit of training, hes my showjumper and hacker, hes really laid back now but still sparkles, whereas before he had always been a bit of a bully, well more like dangerous, and he had a vice list as long as my arm! sparks flew when i first got him and he was a lot of work, but now i can do whatever i like with him and he will even babysit novices, if i ask him to just plod round the roads he will do quite happily. Hes really settled down and is loving life :)

The only thing i never had to do was traffic proof him, he is not fazed by anything we encounter (well unless its a field full of galloping horses!!:D)
 
EKW said:
It depends on the nature of the horse. Some will be good to go straight out of training others will need let down. A flat horse is more likely to be more used to a string and may take a while to get used to heading out on their own and working in the school. National Hunt horses tend to do a bit more in terms of flatwork in the school and heading off to jumping fields on their own or with smaller numbers of horses. If its your first racer I would always recommend an NH horse as they have a slower way of life.
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Yes it is true that it depends on the nature of the horse but I would be careful of generalising between flat trained and national hunt trained horses.
How they are trained depends on the character of the horse, the size of the yard's string, what facilities the trainer has to use and finally what races the horse is likely to be contesting.
Some flat horses can actually be more sane and laid back than some national hunt types. It depends largely on the breeding and character of the horse. Generally speaking a horse bred for 5/6 furlong races is likely to be sharper than a horse that will do best at staying distances on the level. However I have seen some horses bred for short distances that have been slow in their work and save their best for the track.
Many national hunt horses are general purpose types and bred to act in both codes.
If I was recommending a national hunt horse to a person wanting their first ex racer I would be urging them in the direction of horses bred for staying distances over fences rather than sharper two mile hurdlers for instance.
I think it is important for anyone wanting to have an ex racer to do their homework and to ask as many questions about the horse from the establishment you are thinking of buying it from. The trainer, head lad/girl, groom, work rider, jockey and anyone who has a working connection with the horse since they can give advice on how the horse's temperament is at home and in given situations.
Feed is also contributory as racehorses are generally fed on a diet which is high in fast release energy. Switching over to a feed which is higher in fibre and has a slow release of energy will be beneficial for most thoroughbreds and help to calm them.
My ex racer is fed on a high fibre diet and has not been given any racehorse mix since I have owned her as she is not in fast work of any sort now.
Feeding a diet that includes prebiotic and probiotic constituents would be beneficial for the ex racer as many do suffer with dietary issues such as colic, ulcers and stable vices which can lead to digestive tract conditions.
My ex racer had been off the track for some time OP as she had been used as a broodmare after racing. She is mostly laid back but has her moments and can nap when out riding, even in company. She was flat bred but won races on both codes including up to two-miles-five-and-a-half furlongs over hurdles.
Despite having an abundance of stamina as she can hack for miles, she is no slouch, despite being almost 20! I have not seen her fully extended as yet but by gawd can she shift.
My advice would be if anyone is thinking of taking on an ex racer, wherever possible have a leg up and a ride first and see how they feel under saddle. A horse fresh from the track may feel 'buzzy' however if you realise you can handle a horse under those conditions then you cannot go wrong.
Ex racers make lovely riding horses in general and I wish more were given a chance. All they need is a sympathetic owner to take them on, who will love them on their good and bad days. At the end of the day they are just a 'horse' however in some cases they will need to have rigorous re-training to become that horse again as sadly many have become institutionalised :(
I would take on one again as they give so much pleasure and really deserve that second chance in life.
Good luck OP x
 
Ours is an ex flat 4yo, off the track at 3 raced about 10 times. Bought her from a friend who did some hacking and basic chill out re schooling for a year and she is a laid back poppet. Hacks in company calmly and apparently just as good alone (haven't got that far yet) and settled in perfectly. I think she was a bit nervy settling in with friend when she first came from racing but nothing awful and she did polo sets with her so she rides/leads/neckreins too. Very happy with her so far! Novice other half rides her with me on foot/bike and the kids have walked on her being led on foot no probs. I've even had to give other more mature horses a lead past things out hacking on her! She is on limited hard feed though as doesn't need much for what we do and having lived out last winter is keeping lovely condition now she is stabled with worse grass but haylage instead. All down to luck of temperament like others have said though...
 
Back in my dumb stupid days I bought one straight out of racing (he last raced the previous week) gave him about a month- got on and hacked him round a busy village. I think he was a saint tbh! Since we struck lots of issues and problems but in general he's fairly bombproof. Another I had threw me off violently the second I got on requiring hospital treatment etc after. This was the quiet one that would make a lovely hack......
Still have the first he's never going anywhere now but its taken a long time to get there!

I work on a racing yard and all the horses are hacked and do light roadwork so they'd not be a problem
 
I bought my 7yr old ex racer a week after his last race last year. Turned him away for couple mnths to put on weight as he was proper racing fit. Was mean't to be my 'project' but I still have him ;) Can behave out hacking, can also turn into a complete noodle but not a nasty bone in his body. Gonna need alot of work tho! Just had op for ks so we're into 2nd week of box rest - roll on nxt year when hopefully can start his ridden career again properly :)
 
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