Thoroughbreds - Barmy Ones

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Whoopit

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Hi All

I have a thoroughbred. A very docile thoroughbred. A very docile laidback ex-racehorse thoroughbred. I have seen more life in a seaside donkey. You could probably peg him on a washing line by his ears and he wouldn't be remotely bothered. I've had him for two years and everyone keeps telling me to watch out, he'll get sharp. He hasn't and he clearly isn't going to.

Now, there's another thoroughbred on my yard - mad as a box of frogs. It won't turn out without bunny-hop-rearing up and scrabbling all over the floor in it's delirum to get out to the field. It constantly looks as though its eyes are on stalks at the alarm of seeing. . . well, anything really. It has ants in its pants.

Yes, i'd like my steed to be a liiiiiitle bit sharper (I know, careful what you wish for) so for those of you that have the fabled hooligan horse, how in gods name did you find it?! :D

I'm not looking to buy another, by the way, i'm curious how people ended up with their steeds that are clearly a sandwich short of a picnic! :p
 
Sorry can't help you there, my ex racer is so laid back she's horizontal! Cob in a thoroughbreds body we call her haha.. Have known some mental ones though, I guess ours are a rare type!
 
Mine is a Jekyll & Hyde. V laid back indeed at home in the school; gets v giddy v quickly if asked to do anything outside his comfort zone... load; hack out alone; go to a party...

When I tried him, he was v laid back as he was obviously at his home. Not sure how, but he loaded & travelled 100% fine when I went to get him ( am suspecting maybe chemical help ), & then when I tried to load him to go to a lesson a week or two later, all hell broke loose. And when I tried to hack him alone, we got maybe 20 metres before he went absolutely berserk. Rearing, trying to shake me off, threatening to throw himself on the floor...

To cut a long story short, I put it down to 'settling in nerves', but it wasn't. It's how he is. If anyone has the burning ambition to school at home in their field every day for the rest of their lives on a very gorgeous horse, maybe doing the dr comps where you send in a video of yourself, and they want to swap me for something that will leave the yard...!

At least no-one will ever be able to steal him as he won't consider leaving the yard alone, either on foot or in transport...!

T x
 
Many years ago I owned the most lovely thoroughbred. He was bought after a few failed attempts to back him, I paid meat money and bought him out of pity . When I went to see him 3 girls were trying to get a cavesson on him while he boxed for england! I asked for a HC with a buckle nose and figured if I got it on alone I'd take him. I did.

He was bonkers! Not an ounce of malice in him but scared - scared of everything. Breaking him was pain staking and done back end on with the very last thing he was persuaded to accept being the bridle, namely it going over his ears. But, he never did anything other than try to get away, never came at me or anyone and when he'd settled (as all do) he'd follow me like a dog.

I remember one frozen winter on christmas day after ice had them far too long boxed. I took Willy for a walk on the line. Sky high up he went - more like flying a flippin' kite! But I could just loose the line and wait, I'd no more fear he'd harm me than I would worry my dog would chew off my head.

Willy was all heart, all effort, the sweetest boy. His early life had taken it's toll, or maybe he was just like that hence his early life - either way he was a treasure. Once he was 'right' I did as I always had to do and sold him, he went on to be an advanced eventer but that was 2 homes down the line (all good ones - good horse, good home). I turned no profit, he ate it, but had enormous pleasure.

That would be one TB that anyone seeing in the early days or when fresh would think a nightmare, but there are few who'd have so little ungenuine or unkind about them.

It takes all sorts to make a world.
 
Mines so laid back it's unreal. Mine has never bucked with me in 6 years but a friend hacked her out (a very competent rider who is used to riding 3 & 4* eventers) but T-bag was really naughty, bucking and leaping all over the place, Friend expected her to be stupid so she duly obliged :)
My YO has one, a broodmare that is very calm and chilled but when she got her was told that she reared, bit, kicked, barged etc etc (got her from stud so was already a brood mare) We've never seen the slightest nasty streak in her. I think a lot of it is to do with people and how they behave.
 
ImmyS said:
Sorry can't help you there, my ex racer is so laid back she's horizontal! Cob in a thoroughbreds body we call her haha.. Have known some mental ones though, I guess ours are a rare type!
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Ours is exactly like that, he has odd sharp moments but most of the time he is so chilled. My 21 yr old welsh d is more of a handful than him.
 
Another lazy one here, the only time he looks remotely animated is at meal times. Occasional spook but it happens so quickly it's blink and you'll miss it and he's back to plodding on a loose rein pretending nothing happened.
 
Mine's a 13.2 stuck in a 16.3 body. He likes to play and gets excited in big grassy places and he tells me when it's a bit too stressful by kicking out and bunny hopping but he's the sweetest boy and he tries so hard. Youngest horse on hack yesterday and had to take the lead a couple of times he's so brave. So no I can't help either. Sorry.
 
i wouldnt say mines mental at all, but hes not laid back either!

he took a good few months to be able to mount standing, he used to just trot off as soon as 1 foot was in the stirrup! he boxed walked like anything, wouldnt stand tied, refused to stand at rd junctions when hacking, if he was bored he would decide to canter sideways down the rd!! if he felt he didnt want to do what u wanted him to do he would simply canter on the spot and attempt to mini rear (never actually reared thou!!) still doesnt walk down grass tracks, always thinks hes cantering!!!

but 6 months down the line hes a different boy, can mount from a standstill now he doesnt box walk anymore but still has his little tantrums if he disagees with you!!! so i still wouldnt class him as liad back but hes deffinatly not mental!!

on the other hand my sister had one which was actually mental!!!!!! she had one speed gallop and if you attempted to rectify this she went vertical, i think some ex racers just dont cope with the change in life style

but im guessing we would change any of them for the world... i know i wouldnt :D
 
Lol id like for my mare to be a little laid back .. but she can be very sharp!
I bought her underweight, not fit at all (she couldnt be ridden) then as the weight and the fitness came on she has turned to be very sharp lol!

I have thought about calmers etc but havnt bothered with one just purley the way she is, is the way she is.

She can be sharp to ride, she does like to "spook" at thin air and every now and then likes to have a bronc on the end of the lead rope going to the field (worse when shes in season)

but i had my saddle re fitted yesturday and the lady is also a nutrionist .. she saw how maisie was and was saying she looks great etc but if she was hers then she would chance her feed onto topspec balancer and topspec cooling cubes, because she said the feed shes on at the moment (redmills cool n cooked) has so much protien in there she needs to have the carbohydrates cut out and that alone should calm her down .. but tbh im fine with the way she is, if she got worse and she wasnt happy then id think about changing feed but for now shes happy
 
I have a split personality TB atm. We're hacking out following injury on vets orders and he is 95% of the time a donkey, however if something else starts being a twit he will follow suit.
We ended up almost cantering sideways into another horse and a washing line post as a field of horses trotted up past us a couple of days ago. Went past the same horses the day after same trick and didn't bat an eye... But the stationary bike he went past one way was out to eat him and he plonked us into some extra long grass trying to avoid.

On box rest he was a terror biting people and I had to feed him to muck out, couldn't lead in hand as he was contantly on 2 back legs, now he'll stand without food and I don't need anything to bring him in, he just follows me.

Horses eh? :D I bought him as a skinny 4 yo, managed to get him feeling good and then he got more confident with age and weight and got more personality and cheek! Wouldn't swap him ;) :D *if* I wanted more oomph (unlikely) I think some higher energy level feed would do the job as he's v sensitive to feed and surroundings and he deinately gets wound up depending on company and how I am.
 
I also have a split personality TB, and I have worked out that it is all down to careful management.

Too much grass and not enough exercise, he turns into a complete loony - won't tie, bites, kicks, stands on his back legs, gallops round on the lunge etc

The right amount of grass/feed and exercise then he is pretty chilled and a nice horse to be around!
 
I also have a split personality TB, but I think mine is truly mental. He's Irish too, which I suppose doesn't help.

Feed, management and excercise make no difference. He's a sweetheart to handle - dope on a rope type. But he just enjoys periods of dementia in the field (and under saddle). He's half asleep until my arse hits the saddle, at which point the turbo switch flicks on.

I rather like him :).
 
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