Thoroughbred (exracehorse) owners...

[marley and danni]

if any of you are new owners and cant hack you TB out in company with out it blowing its brain or you cant canter in open feilds for the same reason...

with a little time and and loads of confidence it can be done!

my little man use to bomb off with me all the time and i couldnt even dare canter him with other let a lone practiaclly anywhere.

and now hes a completly difference horse i can canter him at the font back or middle and side by side and be over taken and hes a ture gent its only too 6 months of learning how to understand him properly!

some tips if its an exracer and you want a short term fix or to keep this method forever use the jocky way to keep them steady and at same pace stay up out stirrups but sitting up on a slight angle with your reins bridge or resting on their withers, and if you want to increase the spead raise your hands and tug slightly and lean on more on an angel ... to stop lean back up straight be brave and let the reins go slightly you should feel him calm down and come back to yur slowly

my boy thankfully has learnt to slow down the normal way to but i like to use the jockey way as he responds much better

just wanted to let you all know you can have fun hacking on your exracers

xxxx

tell me your stories

 

[Traceyhr]

Hi

I have owned an ex race horse for the last 2 years and the one thing you have got to have is an immense amount of patience.

For the first year I spent slowing her down, teaching her that not everything has to be done at 100 mph. This last year has been spent on re-schooling her which again requires an immense amount of patience Nothing can be done in a hurry if you want to do it right take the time to train them properly it's worth it in the long run.

If you are considering buying an ex racer I would recommend that you do your homework first, this is not your average horse and has different commands to your standard ridden horse. Once you have mastered all these you're on the right road.

I would have another ex race horse as they are (I think) the most wonderful horses and give all they can. My girl is 10 now and if you were to see her you would never believe she raced, she is the most laid back ex racer ever and chesnut into the bargain.

I applaud anyone who gives these horses a home, time and patience is the key and they will give you an abundance of love and hard work back.

 

[Perfect-Piaffe]

See theres hope for these crazy creatures I have an ex racer who like yours with time and a lot of work (and broken bones...mine not his!) now hacks out alone, with others and has even taught a complete beginner to ride a bit! I dont think I could ever be without at least one crazed TB

Well done on getting there in the end and finding the best way that works for you!

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

the caveat being they are all different and a lot depends on why they are an EX racehorse!

Fig is sharp, and buzzy, a real live wire, but loved his racing and was good at it. His reaction to potential cantering/galloping is excitement and adrenalin and thus your advice regarding staying calm and doing things slowly, would/will eventually work.

CS is totally different having been tricky and naughty and never really enjoyed racing. Thus for him its a "get stuffed i dont want to do it reaction" and if he thinks he's going to gallop he will rear and spin AWAY from the track/other horses etc. Standing bolt upright in front of cars is no fun for anyone and no amount of sitting still and repetition is going to stop that (we tried until it became dangerous).
he doesnt hack at all and is a much more relaxed horse for it.

 

[Emilieu]

My chestnut ex racer is a big laidback sweetheart who does what he's asked when he's asked - including stopping - and very very rarely gets hot.
I feel like a fraud when I read these threads

 

[Florrie]

Glad to hear you resolved your problem

My two ex-racehorses are at two very different ends of the spectrum.

My mare, very firey. Responsive and giddy but safe.

My gelding, calm and collected.

I wouldn't dare hack my mare out in company a few months ago and I'd dread taking her back home down the gallop track because she would literately bomb off. We tried "babysitter" horses to hack her out with but instead she made them giddy too! All 3 of them we tried

After one long argumentivite hack which involved her snatching the reins and trying to eat the grass and canter at the same time I had enough.
Everyday I would walk her in hand around our regular hack route. Then in company I would get a friend to ride and then have one walking beside her. We would ask the other horse to canter home and I would ask her to stand. The first few times she did dance about on the spot and if she bolted we would make her walk up all 1 1/2 mile and make her do it again until she did as she was told

In the end I started halting her in random spots on the hack route and she wasn't fussed. She didn't mind having other horses canter or gallop past her.
We've even taken her Someford on the Farm Ride and she behaved around a bunch of hyper 7 year olds.

Then after that I competed her XC.

A lot came out of it.