Tell me about your ex racer stories good bad ugly

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browbrow

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Hello all

Just got an ex racer - known her all her life luckily and she is from a yard that treat horses well, lots of turnout, schooling and lots of fibre in feeds, chaff and adlib hay and haylage and the best tb feet i have ever seen - phew!!!! As much as she is proving to be a little angel I am under no illusions that the road to retraining will not always be a smooth one. :-) I am very hopeful of the prospect of spending time taking her back to basics, letting her down from racing and building her up. So far so good and little racer is proving to be the most willing, sweet, magical little horse I have ever met I am infact now a tb convert and blown away with this completely seemingly misunderstood breed.

I am every lucky to have a network of support to always helps me and a brain that understands my own abilities and always will do whats best for this horse .........

I would ,love to know other ex racer stories on here, why your bought one, what the racer had done, how long it's taken you, your future plans and also your riding abilities and do's and donts. Biggest challenges, tips, and things you wouldn't do again?

Thanks very much in advance
 
browbrow said:
I would ,love to know other ex racer stories on here, why your bought one, what the racer had done, how long it's taken you, your future plans and also your riding abilities and do's and donts. Biggest challenges, tips, and things you wouldn't do again?

Thanks very much in advance
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Hi, well done! sounds like you have a good starting postion!

I have a 9 year old exracer, he was 6 when I bought him and pulled him out of racing. He ran well and won alot of his races.
He had a year turned away to chill out and bond with me then after that (when I thought he was ready) I completly rebacked him (slowly) and then got him hacking out and now working back through the basics to improve and prepair for his jumping to begin so we can maybe do some showjumping and dressage next year.
I think its very very important to take everything nice and slow with ex racers... never ever rush them or you will prob ruin them! (ride them like you would ride a youngster regardless of their age)
Its very helpfull to know the routine they come from and work around that, make changes slowly and one at a time so you can monitor any negative behaviour changes before the escalate!
try and keep your horse thinking forwards at all times, also dont be to strict for example dont worry to much about making your horse stand still (it will come when they realise its much less work to stand!)
good luck x
 
My lad's....15/16 now? Can't remember off the top of my head!!!

He is beyond words for how safe he is. Regularly 'borrowed' by anyone needing their confidence back...yet equally, can take him for a blast out hunting and jump everything.

I never bother riding him with tack anymore. Headcollar and leadrop bareback job. Everywhere. Down the busiest main road, or having a good gallop out with friends! Ride him at liberty too...he's honestly no different.

Showjumping...he's not talented bless him. But, XC, he flies anything and can do a decent dressage test if you want him to.
Can ride him and lead however many horses you want off him too which is handy as our grazing is just under a mile away from the barn!!!

He's just an angel.

Best pics that sum him up:
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Oh, and he comes home with me at xmas and doesn't mind landing in the middle of suburbia from his normally very rural lifestyle!

http://sphotos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/373886_10150554380406753_172226914_n.jpg

And videos

http://youtu.be/vEk_TYG3am0


Took me a long time to 'gel' with him...to be honest, took me 18months just over to 'click' with him. Had him almost 5 years now, and finally at the stage in this last year, where I can honestly say, can do anything with him. It's just time, patience and trust really. You can't fight with them. Soon as you have their mutual understanding and attention, they'll do anything for you.
 
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Super Romeo sounds good. Totally echo about knowing the previous routine. I know everything about her from foal, to backing went to see her race in three of her races etc....

I totally agree about the not standing still bit - I makes sure I walk at her long leg pace ha ha - lucky for me teaching her to stand at a mounting block was a first on my list - ready for it as she would have been used to have riders legged up while she's walking. Sessions stood at block with lots of mints and a helper in tow, she stands now every time - seems to be the best way with them is as you say treat em as an unbacked youngster and rush nothing. Than you for your story and hope it keeps going well for you both x
 
I have worked with lots of ex-racers and currently have two with me for retraining. One is four - she has had about five months off now on total and I am very slowly starting to reback her, just doing ground work at the moment and treating her like a baby. Had somebody sit on her for the first time today and she was absolutely fine - practically rolling her eyes at us for taking everything so slowly. She's a stunning little mare, should show and do dressage, and I am anticipating advertising her for sale at some point over the summer. She's such a nice person, and I will be sorry to see her go.

The other one is also a lovely person but only three and needs a lot more time. She will have a good six months more before I start doing much with her, and then I just need to hope the right home comes along - sharp ginger ex-racer mares take quite a bit of selling!

Tips? I find routine is very important with all horses, but especially ex-racers. I like to take everything very slowly. And I am obsessed with feeding lots of fibre - even if they need to put on condition I would try to do it through fibre, e.g. Alfa-Oil, Fast Fibre, etc. So many of them have ulcers and even if you don't think yours does, I find that lots of small feeds full of fibre (especially Alfa chaff) help put my mind at rest.

Oh, and if in doubt - dropping my reins and sitting up seems to get me out of most sticky ridden situations. :o
 
Holding said:
Tips? I find routine is very important with all horses, but especially ex-racers.
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I dont agree with this, I keep mine out of a routine so he doesnt get wound up waiting for feed or turnout and he never gets bored or antisipates what is going to happen next (not suited to all horses though!)

Holding said:
Oh, and if in doubt - dropping my reins and sitting up seems to get me out of most sticky ridden situations. :o
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Agree with this
 
I'm on my third.
Rebel was PTS last year aged 21. I got him just as he turned 13 and he was a superstar - I would never find another ex-racer so easy. The only thing he didn't like was being left in the stable area or the field by himself. Other than that he was perfect in every way.
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I then reschooled this one, but he was 17hh and I was never happy with his soundness. He had a lovely temperament, but was a very nervy horse - always looking for monsters
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This is my current one. She is 10 years old, and since I bought her two and a half years ago has suffered with endless illnesses and injuries. This time last year she was diagnosed with navicular, bilateral spavin, Proximal suspensory ligament desmitis and arthritis in one hind fetlock. Since I have had her, she has had a number of tooth and sinus operations which had complications and a bone chip removed from her fetlock. It is a challenge to keep her sound. Lovely temperament.
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Would I have another? No. After the current one it's time for me to call it a day with TBs.
 
I bought a 7 year old from a downmarket auction 1 year out of racing. Very skinny and full clip with no rug in the middle of winter, so here comes me feeling sorry for him and buys him. He is a fantastic ride when he is in a good mood, when hes in a stupid mood he makes you never want to sit on a horse again. He got to the point where he had a total jekyl and hide personality at shows. One day he'd be a donkey the next he'd spend most of his time on his back legs. He's very intelligent but also a pain in the butt, he's always in the way when you try to do something with another horse and if you shew him away he wouldnt think twice of biting or kicking out. He is 15 now and has never seemed to have fully matured mentally. I think he would have been great with someone that had time to really give him loads of work as it seems to keep him out of mischief and 4 feet on the ground. For me I'd never get another TB as i have 2 and they are both too highly strung for me.
 
Super - thanks to all your stories tips replies etc...... Holly hocks great pics, don't blame you for the last mare being the last one bet you have had some big vet bills! Thanks again
 
I've got an 8yo mare currently out on loan and 12yo gelding on loan but at same yard as me. They really are both my daughter's horses but I've put a lot of care and effort in to them in my way and am very fond of them both.As horses go I don't think you can beat a Tb but actually I would probably never ride one myself.

We got the mare as a skinny 3yo 6 weeks out of racing. She raced 6 times on the flat as 2/3 yo, I believe they'd had a lot of trouble loading her in the start gate. We bought her from a dealer who told me she was ideal for my daughter to transition from ponies to horses but we really didn't have enough experience for her. We tried our hardest with her and she sure taught us a lot. She really hasn't been easy, she's had recurrent issues with her feet and her pelvis, she can be as good as gold one day and a nappy nightmare the next. Her current loaner is trying to do a barefoot rehab with her and thinks she may have EMS so we're testing her for that. She also crib bites and wind sucks.
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Our boy we got as an 11yo, he raced 7 times on the flat as a 2/3yo. He's been a riding school horse and we bought him from a really nice comp type yard for a very reasonable price. He's lovely to handle and very even tempered in most situations. Gets a bit excited out hacking in groups and can get a bit flat and speedy over jumps but even allowing for that he is a straight up diamond geezer.
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For my sins I have an ex racer. He's Irish, and crazier than a £3 note. He's always lame (as we speak) and its never anything straightforward. He's allergic to life, the universe and everything. If I ever have to halt out hacking (like to open a gate) he starts vibrating, earning me funny looks from members of the public. He's outrageously unridable in warmups, and impossible to do dressage on grass with. He's skinny and has crap feet that are taking FOREVER to fix. He has a twisted sense of humour.

For some inexplicable reason, I love him to bits!
 
browbrow said:
Super - thanks to all your stories tips replies etc...... Holly hocks great pics, don't blame you for the last mare being the last one bet you have had some big vet bills! Thanks again
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Somewhere now in the region of £18k in two and a half years......and because the insurance cut off at £5k per condition, I think I've put about £5k towards them all myself... :(
 
TwoStroke said:
For my sins I have an ex racer. He's Irish, and crazier than a £3 note. He's always lame (as we speak) and its never anything straightforward. He's allergic to life, the universe and everything. If I ever have to halt out hacking (like to open a gate) he starts vibrating, earning me funny looks from members of the public. He's outrageously unridable in warmups, and impossible to do dressage on grass with. He's skinny and has crap feet that are taking FOREVER to fix. He has a twisted sense of humour.

For some inexplicable reason, I love him to bits!
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I think I have your horse's sister......
 
My boy is peerrrfect and I love him. If I cuddle and snuggle him enough he'll do anything for me which is good as I have wrecked feet and ankles and at 5'2 with him standing 16.3 he could wreck havoc!
 
My boy came out of racing aged 7 and had a year off doing nothing and has been hacking and hunting from a private family yard ever since.
He is a ******* to keep body beautiful. There is always *something* up with him. I'm currenlty battling particularly bad cannon bone keratosis and every time he gets a nick out of hunting, it results in 48 hours of drama (lameness, swelling and so on) but he does always come good in the end. He's a smashing horse to ride and hunt. Of course he has his TB moments but they're nothing to me (I'm an experienced ex event rider) - and I enjoy his sharpness and adds to the fun of the ride.

He cannot cope with being left alone anywhere though. So never stable him alone nor leave him in the field. Bizarrely, loads up and travels perfectly on his own. Go figure!
 
I purchased my boy last year after vowing never to buy a TB (had been put off them by various people telling me they are all crazy) but let me tell you it was the BEST thing I have ever done.
He was too slow for racing in the end, but I believe he spend a few years in training. That's not to say he didn't come with certain problems.....
His ground manners are seriously lacking and I don't think he's quite figured out how to be just a normal horse in a field with other horses. He seems to get in their space a lot and tends to end up being kicked quite a lot (he seems to act a little colt-ish - he's 8!)

Despite this he has the best personality and everyone who meets him loves him. He is also fantastic to ride and has taught me a lot, will jump anything and loves to learn.

We are currently working on his ground manners together and he's coming along nicely so hopefully soon he will be as close to perfect as I can get. I must admit I don't think I'd ever want any horse other than a TB now :)
 
Mine is split into
Two love and hate relationship , he's gentle we'll mannered and affectionate and will do anything to please BUT he is an endless vets bill with one thing and another and he doesn't like being turned out !! But I love him and wouldn't be without him !! Dodnt think i would want another though !!
 
My first exracehorse Sam, I knew him from racing, he was the first horse I took up the gallops and when he finished racing at 3 he came back to me, this horse really is my whole, I love him so much,he now 11 and has evented up to BE100 showjumped up to 105 and done polocrosse he just tried his heart out for me, at what ever I ask him to do, there really has been alot of blood, sweat and tears with him but this year he really has grown up, I can not ride him for 3 months and then get in him and he'll be just the same, my oh has leant to ride on him, he took my SIL round be90 he really is safe as houses.
My new horse Roo- he came out of racing in July and he 5, he already won his first prelim and jumped 2 clear rounds the other night, his first time seeing a course, he seem to learn everything really quickly ( unlike Sam) the plan with him is to do more showjumping then cross country school him in feb with the aim of doing poplar park next year but this could all change.
My sister eventer Larry- we got him 5 years ago from the ascot sales, he went novice eventing within two and half years, he also found everything so easy, he could of gone higher but we lost him this year out eventing.
Quam- we have only had him 6 weeks but he had 6 months of before we picked him up, he has been a star and has done everything we have asked of him so far.
All of them are fed competition mix and oats just for them not to be donkeys, all of them have really good feet as well and none of them have cost alot with the vet
 
First ex racer – I was about 18/19 – he was 4/5– I didn’t even think about reschooling or the possible dangers, he was a fruit loop, so was I, we galloped everywhere and jumped everything … not a care in the world – my friend has him now.

I got another racer 18 months ago – he was 9 and had been out of racing two years with inexperienced owners – at the time we took him on but he did have serious mental issues – he wasn’t safe but with time we were hacking him out – I never would have sold him/had him PTS as he was a good companion for my pregnant mare … but I never felt 100% safe with him due to his ‘explosive’ reactions to silly things. Unfortunately fate took him away from us recently following a freak accident. We have had to look on this as had this not happened then a more serious accident would have happened in the future with us both so maybe fate did have a big role to play?

We picked up a new four year old straight from the track this weekend – last race only a few weeks ago – a complete darling and seems to be settling in really well – enjoying some well earnt playing out time … she’s like a little lamb finding freedom for the first time … amazing to watch and spent the first twenty mins of her first turnout splashing in a massive puddle … then galloping about … then splashing in her beloved puddle x
 
I had one ex racer. He was wonderful. Lovely horse, did have a habit of pulling shoes and knocking himself about though. He was great fun loved galloping him in open fields, he was lovely to jump and xc, nice to be around and lovely on the flat. Sadly he was a bloody mess in the field. Sold him to a lovely woman who keeps in touch and loves him to bits!


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