Theoretical question - ex racer

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rachmacypixie111

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If you were to get a 3 yr ex-racer straight from a racing yard - to be re-trained as a general riding horse/hack - what would initially do with him?

My thoughts would be to give him 1yr off - just letting him get get to know you and lots of love, grooming, handleing and cuddles! Then begin the re-training?

Your thoughts please?
 
rachmacypixie111 said:
If you were to get a 3 yr ex-racer straight from a racing yard - to be re-trained as a general riding horse/hack - what would initially do with him?

My thoughts would be to give him 1yr off - just letting him get get to know you and lots of love, grooming, handleing and cuddles! Then begin the re-training?

Your thoughts please?
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As you have said, not sure about the cuddles though, it wont be a poodle!
 
I ride them straight off- I like to sit on to work out what I have, hack it quietly, introduce the idea of contact and yielding and then give the time off.
 
Depends on time of year, if you were getting now you could compromise, spend time handling (they do need a bit of retraining from the ground) learning how to tie up, lead in hand properly, groom etc. Many will never have had bandages, boots on etc. perhaps turn out in day and in at night. Bring up into work in the spring, personally I would start with lungeing, long reining, many wont have had those basics and you might find only lunge in one direction etc. this will also help them to learn to accept contact. Then start hacking out and seeing the world.

Good luck
 
jacmac said:
Depends on time of year, if you were getting now you could compromise, spend time handling (they do need a bit of retraining from the ground) learning how to tie up, lead in hand properly, groom etc. Many will never have had bandages, boots on etc. perhaps turn out in day and in at night. Bring up into work in the spring, personally I would start with lungeing, long reining, many wont have had those basics and you might find only lunge in one direction etc. this will also help them to learn to accept contact. Then start hacking out and seeing the world.

Good luck
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Yep, I would do exactly this, but I think I would do a few weeks of the above and then turn away for the rest of winter and bring back April/May time.
 
What TheMule said!

Horses that have been in full training cope much better when they are let down gradually - hacked out and kept ticking over for a few weeks so that you aren't just turning out a fully fit and fresh horse into a field and giving it a huge routine and lifestyle shock. Plus it makes sense to know what the horse is like, where your starting point in terms of riding/schooling actually is.

Many racehorses are excellent rides (better than most peoples hacks) and are well handled and trained. Again, often many have much better manners than most peoples spoilt rotten pet horses.

I would want to turn them away for a few months, but not for a whole year.

I certainly wouldn't spend that time cuddling him/her and letting them learn that I am not going to be very disciplined. By all means be nice, but FIRM and FAIR is definitely the way forward with most TBs. They have led a very structured life with a very regular routine and consistent handling. Introduce a lack of routine and inconsistent handling and you have a recipe for trouble.
 
jacmac said:
Depends on time of year, if you were getting now you could compromise, spend time handling (they do need a bit of retraining from the ground) learning how to tie up, lead in hand properly, groom etc. Many will never have had bandages, boots on etc. perhaps turn out in day and in at night. Bring up into work in the spring, personally I would start with lungeing, long reining, many wont have had those basics and you might find only lunge in one direction etc. this will also help them to learn to accept contact. Then start hacking out and seeing the world.

Good luck
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Thanks - this seems like a good plan!
 
RachelFerd said:
What TheMule said!

Horses that have been in full training cope much better when they are let down gradually - hacked out and kept ticking over for a few weeks so that you aren't just turning out a fully fit and fresh horse into a field and giving it a huge routine and lifestyle shock. Plus it makes sense to know what the horse is like, where your starting point in terms of riding/schooling actually is.

Many racehorses are excellent rides (better than most peoples hacks) and are well handled and trained. Again, often many have much better manners than most peoples spoilt rotten pet horses.

I would want to turn them away for a few months, but not for a whole year.

I certainly wouldn't spend that time cuddling him/her and letting them learn that I am not going to be very disciplined. By all means be nice, but FIRM and FAIR is definitely the way forward with most TBs. They have led a very structured life with a very regular routine and consistent handling. Introduce a lack of routine and inconsistent handling and you have a recipe for trouble.
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Thanks - whatever i do i will take this on board!
 
RachelFerd said:
I certainly wouldn't spend that time cuddling him/her and letting them learn that I am not going to be very disciplined. By all means be nice, but FIRM and FAIR is definitely the way forward with most TBs. They have led a very structured life with a very regular routine and consistent handling. Introduce a lack of routine and inconsistent handling and you have a recipe for trouble.
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I agree with this whole post but especially this part. It has been 2 1/2 years since my mare has been at the track but she still likes a bit of a routine. It doesn't have to be exact at this point but she does best with lots of work - TB's like to work - and a loose routine.

She also needs that firm but fair handling - because she will take advantage if she can.
 
okay so if i was you and was purchasing right now(this month) I would take home, get on after a day, walk around on a long rein for 5 mins and thats it with no discipline(relaxed but racey style ie leg up not making them stand at such an early point) do basic lunge work and long reining each time walking on a long rein for increasing amounts of time up to about 20 mins ridden 5/6 times a week. I would also work on lightly picking up a contact but SLOWLY. Do this for 2 months then leave them to think over with lots of love though not wrapping them up in cotton wool for about 2-3 months then start again with what you finished on and build from there... that what i did with both my racey boys though one was long out of racing and just unused and ive found it foolprrof though obvs adapted to individual horses...
 
lydia_markwick said:
okay so if i was you and was purchasing right now(this month) I would take home, get on after a day, walk around on a long rein for 5 mins and thats it with no discipline(relaxed but racey style ie leg up not making them stand at such an early point) do basic lunge work and long reining each time walking on a long rein for increasing amounts of time up to about 20 mins ridden 5/6 times a week. I would also work on lightly picking up a contact but SLOWLY. Do this for 2 months then leave them to think over with lots of love though not wrapping them up in cotton wool for about 2-3 months then start again with what you finished on and build from there... that what i did with both my racey boys though one was long out of racing and just unused and ive found it foolprrof though obvs adapted to individual horses...
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Thank you - this sounds good!
 
Give him the winter off, to get racing out of his system. Bring back in spring and treat him just like any other youong green horse.

School for long and low, rhythm and work on circles, serpentines and loops, transitions within and between paces. Quiet hacks to get him used to traffic.

He is just a horse with a sharp brain and long legs. He will enjoy the one on one handling too.
 
rachmacypixie111 said:
If you were to get a 3 yr ex-racer straight from a racing yard - to be re-trained as a general riding horse/hack - what would initially do with him?

My thoughts would be to give him 1yr off - just letting him get get to know you and lots of love, grooming, handleing and cuddles! Then begin the re-training?

Your thoughts please?
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If he's comming straight of the racing yard, and therefore training, you're going to need to ride him 'down' up until November. I'd then turn him away till the spring and get him back up in to quiet work.
 
I wouldn't give him a year off.

I'd get on straight away, and do maybe a month's work of light schooling, lunging and hacking - teaching manners like standing at the mounting block etc, and working on basic stretching and flexing - and most importantly really establishing a respectful relationship.

Then mid-end Nov I'd turn him away until Feb/March time before bringing him back in with hacking, lunging and light schooling, letting him build up topline and muscle before asking too much.
 
xspiralx said:
I'd get on straight away, and do maybe a month's work of light schooling, lunging and hacking - teaching manners like standing at the mounting block etc, and working on basic stretching and flexing - and most importantly really establishing a respectful relationship.
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Racehorses do have manners - and I'd be horrified if one came to me without being able to do any of the above. It's part of their basic education..............
 
amymay said:
Racehorses do have manners - and I'd be horrified if one came to me without being able to do any of the above. It's part of their basic education..............
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I know they have manners - I am talking about manners that they will not have been taught - things like standing at the mounting block, as given in my example.

Many racehorses simply do not understand this because jockeys are always legged up onto them whilst walking.

And what do you mean by any of the above?
 
xspiralx said:
I know they have manners - I am talking about manners that they will not have been taught - things like standing at the mounting block, as given in my example.

Many racehorses simply do not understand this because jockeys are always legged up onto them whilst walking.

And what do you mean by any of the above?
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They are taught to stand to be mounted - not all have jockeys legged up.

As for the above:

and working on basic stretching and flexing
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Most can do this too.........;)
 
Has this horse raced or just been galloped and not good enough? You'd be amazed how sensible they are....outt of everything in our yard if you came to me to go hacking I'd put you on our new two yr old who just arrived from UK. he is staying in training but is bombproof and a little pet. Hacks in a lovely outline, very easy to do anything with, stands to be mounted from block, foot in stirrup leg up or jump up. Don't have a set idea in your head of what he is going to be like....wait and see! My OH who trains finds the whole "ex-racer" thing a bit mystifying....as he says at the end of the day they are all horses!! Wait and see what he is like. I would def not leave off for a year, ride straight away for at least a month-6 weeks till he is settled into his new home. Especially for the first week try and ride in the morning....this has been their routine all along so don't alter it too much, also do not pump in feed straight away. The horse if fairly fit will be light looking, even more so if you are not used to looking at racing fit tbs but if horse is very fit adding loads of conditioning feed will be a recipe for disaster. Get some Naf Pink Powders and get that into the diet
 
amymay said:
They are taught to stand to be mounted - not all have jockeys legged up.

As for the above:



Most can do this too.........;)
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Okay - but you agree that plenty of them DO have jockeys legged up and therefore are not used to standing by a mounting block. The point is that in lots of cases there will be differences in the way they have been trained between a professional racing yard and an amateur riding home and those are things that will need working on. I'm not the only one who mentioned that so I don't quite understand why you've jumped on my post...


As for your other point - I said I would work on basic stretching and flexing - not that racehorses can't do it. :rolleyes: The point is to work on fairly basic flatwork - I'd have thought that was a fairly standard thing to do.

I have not said that racehorses are nuts and/or badly handled - in most cases they are neither, and are capable of w/t/c in the school, hack out well and generally are good to do in all ways. But that doesn't mean there aren't differences in the way they are ridden and handled - hence "retrained" racehorses.
 
xspiralx said:
Okay - but you agree that plenty of them DO have jockeys legged up and therefore are not used to standing by a mounting block. The point is that in lots of cases there will be differences in the way they have been trained between a professional racing yard and an amateur riding home and those are things that will need working on. I'm not the only one who mentioned that so I don't quite understand why you've jumped on my post...
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Oh yes, of course plenty have jockeys legged up.

And actually the differences in training between yards will actually not be that different.

Each horse is expected to have manners to burn, and actually it is in the amateur home that things can go wrong - because those manners are not insisted on. Their training will be the same as any other horse - in most cases actually far more thorough, with great care taken in their education.

They are not simply backed then galloped off in to the sunset.

There's no time in racing yards for fannying around - horses are well educated from the word go - and the insinuation from many that they need 'retraining' is complete rubbish.

They actually go a lot better than your average 'ned'.

I'm not jumping on your post - just pointing out misconceptions.
 
Each horse is expected to have manners to burn, and actually it is in the amateur home that things can go wrong - because those manners are not insisted on. Their training will be the same as any other horse - in most cases actually far more thorough, with great care taken in their education.

They are not simply backed then galloped off in to the sunset.

There's no time in racing yards for fannying around - horses are well educated from the word go - and the insinuation from many that they need 'retraining' is complete rubbish.

They actually go a lot better than your average 'ned'.

I'm not jumping on your post - just pointing out misconceptions.
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To your first point - yes - hence my point in my first post about the need to establish a respectful relationship. Of course the horses have good manners as I said, but they are used to being handled by firm professionals, and can easily take advantage if these manners aren't reinforced in an amateur home.

I am perfectly aware that horses are not backed and then galloped away - again as I said most are perfectly capable of w/t/c in the school and hacking out etc. But I would disagree that most do not need reschooling to some degree.

I've reschooled quite a few ex racers, and they are quick to learn, and lovely to work with. But they have also needed schooling to go really nicely on the flat.

I've not met one straight out of training yet that could immediately go and win a dressage test with no work - perhaps I've been getting them from the wrong places.
 
I've not met one straight out of training yet that could immediately go and win a dressage test with no work - perhaps I've been getting them from the wrong places.
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You have completely missed the point of my posts.
 
If you get a horse out of training now, any age, and it's not injured then hop on after a day or two and trundle around the place getting used to the horse. Don't ask for work or outlines or any of that flumf until you trust your horse to plod along on a loose rein and get the feel of them. Let them down gradually and just give them a month or 2 off - who wants to ride in the manky depths of winter anyway?!?

They are very worthwhile horses if you have the knowledge and capability to retrain them.




I can categorically state that 95% of our horses stand rock solid at the mounting block or for a leg up. And it's not something we have to teach them when we get them in from other yards becuse they all know how to do this. The 5% that don't are the freshly broken babies that are still learning about their craft. All of our get worked int he school in outlines, go out hacking along busy roads, canter and gallop round stubble fields and are a darned site better behaved that most peoples generic horses. They have to be.

If you think about it flat yard have both colts and fillies. You can't have a string of anything up to 40 colts messing around - it would be carnage! They HAVE to behave, no nonsense is tolerated. And it's not just the strings of colts. It's all strings of racehorses because you really can't afford to have the huge volume of expensive horses out messing around incase they get injured.

Yes some are pains in the backsides but it's usually because they are bored.
 
As some of you have said, they are just horses! Racehorses are backed the same as normal horse, ridden away and instead of doing a lot of school work they start canter work. Like most newly backed 3 year olds most won't have been worked in an outline or much in a school. They will however been backed in a 'big' saddle and should have the basics in there somewhere!
At the point to point yard we sometimes school them, whoever broke my pointer did a good job. When asked he will happily work in an outline in walk trot and canter. Depending on the yard you will also find a lot of racehorses do quite a bit or roadwork so often can be quite good to hack.
If the horse is just out of training it will be fit so it will need to be let down slowly. As others have said get it going, slowly rough it off and best to have a holiday for a bit as it will have been worked hard physically and mentally. :)
 
jacmac said:
Depends on time of year, if you were getting now you could compromise, spend time handling (they do need a bit of retraining from the ground) learning how to tie up, lead in hand properly, groom etc. Many will never have had bandages, boots on etc. perhaps turn out in day and in at night. Bring up into work in the spring, personally I would start with lungeing, long reining, many wont have had those basics and you might find only lunge in one direction etc.
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This makes it sound like all racehorses are loose in their stables whilst dressed over, tacked up, they are all lunged and long reined when being broken - how else do you break a horse? The majority will wear/have worn boots/bandages and certainly know how to be lead - parade ring - sales ring..... Sorry I disagree with your post! You are making them out to be bad mannered, poorly handled and this isn't the case at all.
 
amymay said:
You have completely missed the point of my posts.
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How so?

I really don't understand why you've jumped on my posts, when all I said in my OP was that I would spend a month or so doing light schooling and working on basic training for things the horse may not be used to - such as standing by a mounting block.

Who knew that was so controversial...:rolleyes:
 
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