The ins and outs of a TB

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myfatpony

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For years and years i have told myself that i should not and will not get a TB. There is no particular reason for this just one of those things.
anyway,i have found myself ringim owners to try their TB in order to buy!!!

so what i want to know is what are the pros and cons of a TB. I want one to event with and there are millions for sale.
i also want to know if there will be a diffrence between a TB thats has raced and a one that hasnt just i can remember reading HHO in the vet bit and it was saying they get kissing spines and flat feet etc....so not sure if its due to whether or not they have raced.

So calling all TB owners... i need your experience in owning and eventing one
 
All I can say is, I was like you, did not want one.,,

20 years ago got a sob story, so took him, difficult and had an opinion, but he was lovely, I lost him last year,,,,,

Would not be without a TB now, they are just a horse in build but more a person in personality.

Go for it!!
 
Right, Reggie is a TB. He's pretty chunky (16.3hh, decent bone) and very smart.

He has poor feet, yes, but not unmanageably so. Shod every 6 weeks, keeps them on. He is pretty hardy, but equally we're pretty careful. He has seedy toe, but that's been sorted- now just has the gaping holes where it was carved out!

He eats a lot. But, any 16.3hh horse would I think! Fed twice a day, lives out with constant access to hay/ haylege and good grass. Looks amazing off it, but to keep him looking as good it's all about muscle. He does not hold any fat, has to be muscle and then he holds condition! Hard work, but not ridiculously so.

Riding wise, he's ridden virtually every day. He's schooled out hacking, and will hack out in an outline with the last 10/15 mins being relaxing time on a long rein. A lesson once a week with a very strict instructor either dressage or SJ. If he's not in constant ridden work he can get a bit more on his toes, but generally he has impeccable manners and is lovely to ride- nannies 11.2hh ponies and their tiny jockeys, and doesn't bat an eyelid if they go rocketing past!

Eventing, he's fab. Scopey, lovely paces and genuine and bold XC. He's doing BE100 atm, and will most likely move up to BE Novice next season- 1m jumps are nothing to him, literally pops from any point without any concern. He's fab, and it would take a lot to convince my sister to event any other breed now!

Reg raced quite a lot, never had that winning attitude- he was fast, but had no desire to overtake. He won/ had top 3 placings though. He's a lovely horse, and a pleasure to own. You can see his journey here:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=491019
 
Nope, never would I buy one again.

Their anxiety can be quite extreme if you don't keep to a very strict routine. Mine can be spooky as hell and so unpredictable on the roads.

She also has bad sep anxiety, but kicks other horses - very hard to cope with as she needs single turnout, but needs to be sandwiched between others.

She eats for Britain and so costs me a fortune, her feet are crumbly without shoes.
Oh and her seasons are so bad that I had her ovaries scanned last year to see if there was something wrong - there wasn't. She kicks the stable walls and injures herself

Depending on her mood she can be a bugger to lead .... and now she has arthritis (Tb's can be more prone, according to my farrier, due to the straight line conformation of the lower back legs).

However, she is a dream to ride - forward going, sensitive, intelligent - a quick learner and has never bucked, reared, bolted, kicked a human or bitten. She is also stunning!
 
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I've had lots of TBs through the years and have enjoyed them all. I still have some TBs now and they're great. Some of mine raced and some didn't, I've never found much difference between those who did and those who never did but I am particular about my bloodlines which always seem to run true to type. Most of the TBs I have are quiet horses to handle. They are variable to ride as some are dopey quiet and others are more lively but not nasty or mean in any way. I've barely had any injuries with any of the TBs I've owned and I'm talking going back quite a lot of years here. Mine have always been healthy sorts with terrific feet (no-shoes on any of them). Mine are all sensible and reasonably smart as horses go. I hope you find a nice one.
 
myfatpony said:
For years and years i have told myself that i should not and will not get a TB. There is no particular reason for this just one of those things.
anyway,i have found myself ringim owners to try their TB in order to buy!!!

so what i want to know is what are the pros and cons of a TB. I want one to event with and there are millions for sale.
i also want to know if there will be a diffrence between a TB thats has raced and a one that hasnt just i can remember reading HHO in the vet bit and it was saying they get kissing spines and flat feet etc....so not sure if its due to whether or not they have raced.

So calling all TB owners... i need your experience in owning and eventing one
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To be honest if you have to ask these questions in the first place, I would give them a miss.
 
If you look at my previous threads there are competition reports from myself and my ex-racer including our first forays into eventing :).

My TB is brilliant!! He raced once on the flat. He didn't have a good reputation at his racing yard. He used to throw off his jockeys and they thought he had a nasty streak.

I got him not knowing any of this and honestly I have not had a problem with him. I think he just needed a one to one with someone who understood him, he is a bit of a joker but there's no malice it's just his sense of humour! He is very willing and eager to please and he loves doing a good job of his work.

He has very good feet, hard! He eats lots of hay and grass but he doesn't need much hard feed. He gets scoop HiFi, 1/2 scoop fibre nuts with a mug of baileys lo cal balancer twice a day with
sunflower oil. He eventer on that and he's def a bit porky at the moment!

He's sound and he's tough. He gets checked by the osteopath every 6 months at least, because of his early racing career I like to keep his back good.

He's a doll to handle. He doesn't need to be sedated for vet or dentist and you can do anything with him. He can sometimes get excited coming in from the field so I use a chain or a bridle if it's cold/windy/dark but he is only 6 still.

He adores working and is very easy to train. He has fab paces and is good at dressage, he enjoys dressage and he gets good marks. He concentrates very well. My dressage lady says he has potential to go all the way as he has the ability for passage and piaffe.

Jumping he loves too! He has never refused a fence and he's careful, if he does knock a pole he won't do it again. XC he's a machine. He is happy to chip in a little stride and get me out of trouble and he won't hold it against me.

We've done a couple BE's and he's got good dressage (early 30's), done good SJ and clear XC, I'm a bit of a wimp and I just kick and pray and he jumps everything, ditches steps water everything. Sometimes I think he must have been here before in a past life!!

He can be sharp at times. He is spooky to hack alone and he can leap around a bit in the jumping warm up but I think that's more because he can sense my nerves and adrenaline. Once we are in that ring though he is 100% focused and 100% on my side.

He is sensitive and he picks up on what I'm thinking but he is a good boy and try's his best to look after me. I wouldn't swap him for the world, he's the best horse I've had!

I've had other TB's and so has my mum. They are sensitive and intelligent (which I think is a good thing!). They are genuine, honest, athletic and brave.

Pick one with nice feet, good conformation and a nice personality and you can't go far wrong but that's the same for any horse isn't it :).
 
I have one..an ex-racer...intelligent, clever, good at every discipline we tried. she is very well bred, not that I knew that when i got her as a rescue! She was very aggressive and defensive when i got her but this was due to how she had been handled out of racing I am sure. she raced 2-5 year old and when I got her aged 9 I did realise I would probably have arthritis to deal with at some point. She is not big or small but a good all round 16hh, a good doer, brilliant feet. she had blown tendons on the front which ended her racing career but I have never had any problem with them and they were obviously well tended too as you cannot tell at all.
she was excellent to ride and wonderful to hack out.
I would have another tb without even thinking about it twice...they are lovely horses and I am privileged to be with her. I have learnt so much from her.
good luck in you horse search
 
I also said I would never have one - but I have ended up with one!

She's exceptional in all ways - rode past farmers shooting today, dirt bike & quad last week, through a herd of cows, bikes, tractors, you name it and she's good as gold!

She's given me the confidence to enter xc competitions having never even schooled over xc fences and show jump having only jumped twice since April.

The positives far outweigh the negatives which are: hooves - she came to me with a chunk missing but its growing well & maintaining her weight.

Personally I think you shouldn't necessarily base your decision on breed. It should be based on their personality and willingness to work.

Good luck :)
 
Love my tb's, I think they need a special kind of owner though lol. I have known, owned and ridden many over the years and they all vary greatly. Ones that have raced I have found to be far calmer and more sensible than unraced. Some have bad feet, some have bad attitudes, you can tell pretty quickly what yours is like. Would never turn my nose up at a tb, give it a go!
 
Well my girl is brilliant! I was looking for my first ever horse, even though i was quite experienced, i wanted a safe cobby type about 10 years old. And i ended up with a 5 year old tb, i just fell in love with her! She's a crib biter, has sarcoids and is a head shaker, but i've never met a such a lovely horse.
She has good feet, her shoes last 9ish weeks and shes very willing. I do love any breed, but a tb is by far my favourite!:)
 
You get good and bad, sharp and quiet tbs just as you do with any other breed, but they are bred to have faster reactions and more about them than many other horses and generally behave as such.
I've had many- both ex-racers and 'normally' produced and they are my sort of a horse but they're never totally straightforward. I'd gather some experience riding/ handling them before looking at buying. Mine thrive living out on a loose routine but they have very clear boundaries within their work.
 
Mine isn't a full tb, only 7/8 (1/8 hannoverian) however he is very tbish. I love him to bits and wouldn't swap him for the world, even if sometimes I wish he were a bit less sensitive!

Pros:
Very intelligent, sensitive, quick learner, affectionate, almost human personality!
Really nice to ride, very forward going/doesn't need leg, but not strong or fizzy, sort of just right :)
Good at dressage and SJ and XC because athletic & has stamina - although he can get very excitable when he sees jumps, hence why he goes XC in a grackle & dutch gag :rolleyes:
Very attractive! Always get complemented on how handsome he is, has won lots of showing because he's a real eye catcher
Easy to manage, really easy on the ground, will let dentist/vets etc pull him around, doesn't get attached to other horses but is very friendly with them.
Not at all nasty, never bucked, reared, bitten or kicked. Very sweet natured & loves to please.
Good feet, doesn't pull his shoes, never lame
Cons:
Can be quite spooky, especially hacking alone, or if it's windy...or if he's in a spooky mood...this is mostly because he's so intelligent, if he's concentrating he's less likely to spook.
Can get anxious & tense up, needs lots of reassurance/confident riding
Can be quite excitable/fresh if hasn't been worked for a while (like more than a few days), or if doing something fun like jumping/galloping, not really a con, but sometimes when i'm out with friends on quiet cobs and we go for a canter, he will zoom off at about 100mph :rolleyes: :D
Needs lots & lots & LOTS to eat, he's 16.1 and has 1 scoop alfa a, 1 mug conditioning mix, 1 mug feed balancer & pink powder, twice a day, lots of grass and loads of hay...he's looking good on it, but it can be difficult to keep weight on in the winter. Also he doesn't hold fat, it's all got to be muscle, so lots of working in an outline & hill work to keep his topline looking ok.

So yeah, I think that mostly they are a lovely breed, yes you do get the odd one which is just plain nasty, but you get that with all breeds. They are probably spookier & livelier than some other breeds as they're bred for quick responses, but a good tb is really amazing :)
 
If I could clone the TB I lost a week ago, I would. Ten times over. He had knackered legs, crap feet, enjoyed taking chunks out of me in the stable, fretted when he was out on his own, fretted when he was in on his own and would not have his legs brushed without trying to collapse on the floor. But put the tack on and get on board and he was the safest horse I have ever ridden. He would hack for miles, did a bit of dressage and was just a wonderful character.

I still have a TB mare - nine years old with navicular, a suspensory ligament problem, but a temperament to die for (providing she gets a few hours turnout!). When she was being ridden she was showing fantastic potential, but is having the winter off for rest and treatment. We'll see what she is like next Spring when I start her again.

Would I have another? I always said that I would never have anything other than a TB, but this weekend I've been riding a connemara and to be honest, I've totally and thoroughly enjoyed it. I wouldn't NOT get a TB, but I would now consider lots of other breeds as well when looking for another horse.
 
I have 2 (well they're my daughter's really) and they're as different as chalk and cheese. One is quite hardy, the other needs more in the way of rugging, feeding etc, one loves being in his stable, one really hates it and prefers to be out as much as possible. One is very laid back at all times, the other can become very stressed in competitive environments. They don't mind not having a timed routine but they do seem to thrive on consistency and boundaries. On the whole though they both are terrific horses and I don't think my daughter would own anything else :D
 
icyfreya said:
Mine isn't a full tb, only 7/8 (1/8 hannoverian) however he is very tbish. I love him to bits and wouldn't swap him for the world, even if sometimes I wish he were a bit less sensitive!

Pros:
Very intelligent, sensitive, quick learner, affectionate, almost human personality!
Really nice to ride, very forward going/doesn't need leg, but not strong or fizzy, sort of just right :)
Good at dressage and SJ and XC because athletic & has stamina - although he can get very excitable when he sees jumps, hence why he goes XC in a grackle & dutch gag :rolleyes:
Very attractive! Always get complemented on how handsome he is, has won lots of showing because he's a real eye catcher
Easy to manage, really easy on the ground, will let dentist/vets etc pull him around, doesn't get attached to other horses but is very friendly with them.
Not at all nasty, never bucked, reared, bitten or kicked. Very sweet natured & loves to please.
Good feet, doesn't pull his shoes, never lame
Cons:
Can be quite spooky, especially hacking alone, or if it's windy...or if he's in a spooky mood...this is mostly because he's so intelligent, if he's concentrating he's less likely to spook.
Can get anxious & tense up, needs lots of reassurance/confident riding
Can be quite excitable/fresh if hasn't been worked for a while (like more than a few days), or if doing something fun like jumping/galloping, not really a con, but sometimes when i'm out with friends on quiet cobs and we go for a canter, he will zoom off at about 100mph :rolleyes: :D
Needs lots & lots & LOTS to eat, he's 16.1 and has 1 scoop alfa a, 1 mug conditioning mix, 1 mug feed balancer & pink powder, twice a day, lots of grass and loads of hay...he's looking good on it, but it can be difficult to keep weight on in the winter. Also he doesn't hold fat, it's all got to be muscle, so lots of working in an outline & hill work to keep his topline looking ok.

So yeah, I think that mostly they are a lovely breed, yes you do get the odd one which is just plain nasty, but you get that with all breeds. They are probably spookier & livelier than some other breeds as they're bred for quick responses, but a good tb is really amazing :)
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Sounds like my IDxTB but without the weight problem. I also have a full TB mare that when asked a question says "make me" :D
 
I have an ex racer, had her 2 years shes now 6. she was trouble to start with, fiery mare, stubborn and had to have a say in everything but on the ground shes a donkey! she came to me and looked like a rescue case, skeleton with no personality. shes totally different now!
She has chunked out and looks more like a warmblood than a tb! no one believes that she is 100% full tb. She is an absolute pleasure to ride, has her stubborn moments but when she is working nicely she is absolutely gorgeous if i may say so myself!

She doesnt have to have routine, she is totally laid back. My YO always laughs at how she is! last week her field mate of 2 years was taken away for training at a different yard - she had never been left without her in full view and she just watched as she left and started munching away!

Yes they are hard work but once you get them on your side they do everything in their power to please you!

Problem is lots of them look scrawny before you take them on!
But with lots of hard work and commitment you will get your perfect horse!
 
If you like intelligent, sensitive horses that are quick to learn, respond to sympathetic (I don't mean "soft") training and handling, dislike bullying but respond well to negotiation and will try their hearts out for you until they drop, then YES!

If you can't cope with the odd spook at "silly" things, aren't prepared to stand back and let him unwind when he gets confused, don't like forward and prefer kickalong, then NO.

Ex racers generally only know walk and race so you may have your work cut out to teach him to trot and canter properly and standing still to be mounted.

But I wouldn't get anything else!
 
I don't think you can generalise tbs. No two are the same.

Anyone who has worked in a racing yard will tell you there are some with god awful feet, some with strong feet, some that are complete headcases to handle, some that will follow you around like a little dog on the end of the rope, some that buck, some that rear and some that you could send your 90 yr old blind/deaf gran up the gallops and know that she'll come home just fine. Some are poor dooers, one of the ones I looked after resembled an overgrown welsh d and was constantly on a diet! Some were teddy bears, others would try and take your head off.....

They vary so much, just like any other breed. Although I will say that if you research bloodlines you can see which lines produce stock that make suitiable riding horses.
 
dont go looking at these horses and putting labels on them. Go and see the horse as a HORSE. Dont go try it and judge it thinking 'its good to handle...for an 'ex-racer'' judge the horse on its own merits, if its good to handle then it is good to handle whatever breed it is and whatever work it has done before.
If you like they way it handles, if you like the way it rides, if you like its charactor, if you like the conformation etc etc then you like the horse.
Judge the horse as a horse, not as a label.
 
Make sure you get one wit h good limbs and feet, a nice head, the National Hunt type not flat racing type. Go to sales at Cheltenham or Doncaster to see the right type.
You could ring up some of the big trainers to see if they have anything suitable, but they would cost quite a bit of money, get bloodlines from NH types not flat racers.
You could try Darley homing where they select the right type for you & there are other retraining centres,
 
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I got a TB he excellent but he a one of i think hes very calm good doer and kind and better behaved than my cob sometimes. He came to me as a rescue so had a hard life before so might be why is like this.
 
Have had heaps of them as the owner of the school I leased was an ex jockey with brothers still training and a ready supply of rejects.

Of all only three were a problem, one I put down as he was mental when it came to having anything done with his feet. One I sold to a very patient quiet rider who loved his silly behaviour, the third I had never liked from the day he arrived, their was something about him. When he was nappy he went up on his back legs and would then launch himself. We found a home for him but never heard any more.

Of the others they have been fantastic, one made its way to UK - Donahue 2* eventer. Many became great riding school horses as laid back as any other horse. My favourite I owned for 10 years. Loved him to bits.

First and formost they are horses, with a brain that is quick. If they are treated like horses rather than a 'potential fiery monster' they are great horses.

As with any horse their conformation can be correct or have problems, because they have arabs in their bloodlines their are some with straighter hind legs but that can appear in any other breed.
 
My Tb gelding was a lesson horse at some time after leaving racing, he's so clever and aware of his rider he's able to carry a total beginner with care and patience ,yet spark right up for a more experienced one. If you got one like him you'd be made up!
 
cuppatea said:
dont go looking at these horses and putting labels on them. Go and see the horse as a HORSE. Dont go try it and judge it thinking 'its good to handle...for an 'ex-racer'' judge the horse on its own merits, if its good to handle then it is good to handle whatever breed it is and whatever work it has done before.
If you like they way it handles, if you like the way it rides, if you like its charactor, if you like the conformation etc etc then you like the horse.
Judge the horse as a horse, not as a label.
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I agree. There is NO such thing as a standard TB! I have known very lightweight 15 handers, I have owned a couple of big boned NH types. I have known who was definately the poo bear of tbs- no brains and others who are highly intelligent. I have even, shock horror, owned a lovely well bred TB who was the least talented jumping horse I have had sat on - yet one of the kindest and went to go to a very novice owner who he really looked after. I can't get the whole " need shoeing frequently". Hmm.. 6 weeks is not frequent in my book. My TB x cob and ISH are shod religously every 5 weeks. For every TB with poor feet you will find the same number with great feet - etc etc Also, (sadly) you cannot assume anyTB will make the perfect event horse either. As Cuppatea says - you need to look at these horses and judge them on their own merits.

My personal preference was to look at either unraced or very very lightly raced horses (who are more expensive) as that would just mean less wear and tear on their legs so logical. If you take on a horse that has been raced you must also bear in mind its previous training and way of going and work with that - even down to silly things such as road sense. I bought an unraced chaser who had been at Lambourn. He was really hard to keep to the side of the road and had absolutely no respect for traffic whatsoever!
 
cuppatea said:
dont go looking at these horses and putting labels on them. Go and see the horse as a HORSE. Dont go try it and judge it thinking 'its good to handle...for an 'ex-racer'' judge the horse on its own merits, if its good to handle then it is good to handle whatever breed it is and whatever work it has done before.
If you like they way it handles, if you like the way it rides, if you like its charactor, if you like the conformation etc etc then you like the horse.
Judge the horse as a horse, not as a label.
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^^^ this is really good advice. Ex-Racer is only a job description - and proves the horse is bred with a certain potential athletic ability. Good luck with your horse hunt.
 
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