Thoroughbreds who have never raced

NikKnock

NikKnock

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Hi. Whenever I want to do a bit of fun, informative reading on owning and/or the characteristics of thoroughbreds, every article/answer out there on the web talks about ex-races without exception. Consequently people considering owning a thoroughbred could well be put off in a lot of cases. I personally own a tb who never raced and wasn't bred on a racing yard, and am having the most fun i could ever wish for. There must be others out there. I'd like to ask do people breed TBs just as pleasure riding horses at all? And most interestingly I'd love to hear anyone's experience of owning one of these UNRACED beautiful animals. 😊
 
Back in the 90's I had a beautiful TB mare. She was by a group one winner and out of a TB mare who had been successful in the show ring. She was born and bred at Broadstone Stud and bred to be shown as a riding horse.
With me she had a very successful career has an eventer, although we did sometimes get time faults for speeding - she was unbelievably fast! She was a fantastic hack, always sensible, and competed up to medium in dressage. Most importantly she was the nicest, sweetest horse to look after.
Regarding soundness she was sound her entire life and retired at the age of 24 when she started to show signs of arthritis in her hocks. She as actually quite a good doer but really always seemed to stay the same weight without any really effort.
 
I think any research would need to be into three categories so bred with the intention of being a competition horse, bred with the intention of being a racehorse but either not sound enough or identified as too slow in training to progress with and those bred to race. There was a horse a few years back now that I don’t know whether he was bred to be an event horse or bred to be a racehorse. I think the former as he was on a different register initially. He evented and then as I think a seven-year-old ran one race pulled up in order to become an RoR horse then after a year or two RoR showing went back to being an event horse. I know a few people felt it wasn’t in the spirit of things.
 
First Frost said:
Back in the 90's I had a beautiful TB mare. She was by a group one winner and out of a TB mare who had been successful in the show ring. She was born and bred at Broadstone Stud and bred to be shown as a riding horse.
With me she had a very successful career has an eventer, although we did sometimes get time faults for speeding - she was unbelievably fast! She was a fantastic hack, always sensible, and competed up to medium in dressage. Most importantly she was the nicest, sweetest horse to look after.
Regarding soundness she was sound her entire life and retired at the age of 24 when she started to show signs of arthritis in her hocks. She as actually quite a good doer but really always seemed to stay the same weight without any really effort.
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She sounds not unlike my little guy. I don't know why there isn't more said and done towards TBs not destined for racing.
 
My old boy was a TB that had never raced. He was backed at 4 as a riding horse and I got him in the September of that year. He was an amazing horse. He had a lovely long stride, he was forwards going but so laid back most of the time. I could gallop him anywhere and ride with any combination of other horses and he always stayed in control. We did lots of miles together over the years both endurance and lots of long hacks and later trek comps. He gave me the opportunity to go at speeds I would never dare on any other horse. He felt so safe. Over the 21 years we had together there was never once an occasion that I couldn't stop him. He really was one in a million 💙.
 
I've had several ex racers but also had a tb mare that never raced. Went to view her 3 weeks after she was backed. Hacked her out in company on the trial and she was foot perfect. Got her home, hacked out solo, still perfect. Took her to a show 3 weeks after she arrived and she won her class. Jumped anything she asked to. She was so calm and laid back.
 
I used to ride a lovely French tb who had never been raced.

He was beautifully schooled with a huge extended trot, beautiful changes etc. I don't know what level because I don't know anything about dressage, but he was one of the most fabulous horses I have ever had the privilege to sit on.

Competed SJ over a metre regularly. I jumped him a bit but he wouldn't go on a miss and I can't see a stride so only really did bigger fences with him on a grid so I couldn't mess it up 😅

He was in his late teens when I was riding him. Fit as a flea and sound as a pound.

If I could buy a TB and know it would be like him, I would be very, very happy....although would have to ride a bit (a lot 😅) better to do such a horse justice.
 
Some TBs are wasted on racing. I don't know if many are bred purely for sport, but more should be. They can be such amazing rolls royce rides.

The stallion Presenting should have been used as a sports horse sire.
1768672855653.jpeg
^ Presenting

I've known and ridden several of his off spring and they have all been beautiful movers, amazing scope jumping and really nice people. They would have been top class horses in any career.

Two of them were pretty good racehorses in their day.
 
I guess when producing a sports horse or all-rounder you try to cherry pick the best attributes of different breeds which is why there are fewer ‘pure’ breeds in this sphere in general when you look at other breeds that often make up a sports horse too e.g. ID.

I’d imagine specifically with TB’s as well the market is flooded with so many already being churned out by the racing industry either retired from racing or who didn’t make the cut in training, there’s significantly less of a market for dedicated breeding.
 
F&B said:
My old boy was a TB that had never raced. He was backed at 4 as a riding horse and I got him in the September of that year. He was an amazing horse. He had a lovely long stride, he was forwards going but so laid back most of the time. I could gallop him anywhere and ride with any combination of other horses and he always stayed in control. We did lots of miles together over the years both endurance and lots of long hacks and later trek comps. He gave me the opportunity to go at speeds I would never dare on any other horse. He felt so safe. Over the 21 years we had together there was never once an occasion that I couldn't stop him. He really was one in a
Click to expand...
 
A part from not being raced you also have to factor in is has it ever been in training. They are born as early in the year as possible with an eye to racing on the flat as a two year old, and their official birth date is the January 1st, so if they have been preped to race the chances are what ever you buy in months is a lot younger than it has sold as. and may be used to being kept in a group. Horses bred NH can not go in a jump race until three and tend but not always are a different type.
If you really want a TB I would take a trip to the sales in Newmarket, just to get your eye in, because there are hundreds. Its easy to find and if nothing else it's a day out.
www.tattersalls.com

February Sale - Tattersalls

www.tattersalls.com www.tattersalls.com
I have bought a PB by a well known ID stallion direct from the stud and they have no real interest apart from racing.
 
F&B said:
My old boy was a TB that had never raced. He was backed at 4 as a riding horse and I got him in the September of that year. He was an amazing horse. He had a lovely long stride, he was forwards going but so laid back most of the time. I could gallop him anywhere and ride with any combination of other horses and he always stayed in control. We did lots of miles together over the years both endurance and lots of long hacks and later trek comps. He gave me the opportunity to go at speeds I would never dare on any other horse. He felt so safe. Over the 21 years we had together there was never once an occasion that I couldn't stop him. He really was one in a million 💙.
Click to expand...
Exactly! It seems like a missed opportunity. But as someone else has said, the market is so flooded with ex racehorses that to breed them for general use might be a risk.
 
YourValentine said:
Some TBs are wasted on racing. I don't know if many are bred purely for sport, but more should be. They can be such amazing rolls royce rides.

The stallion Presenting should have been used as a sports horse sire.
View attachment 171704
^ Presenting

I've known and ridden several of his off spring and they have all been beautiful movers, amazing scope jumping and really nice people. They would have been top class horses in any career.

Two of them were pretty good racehorses in their day.
Click to expand...
I'm glad between us we're promoting the love for the tb. And maybe a look in for the unraced tb too.
 
Yes, that makes sense.
KikiDee said:
I guess when producing a sports horse or all-rounder you try to cherry pick the best attributes of different breeds which is why there are fewer ‘pure’ breeds in this sphere in general when you look at other breeds that often make up a sports horse too e.g. ID.

I’d imagine specifically with TB’s as well the market is flooded with so many already being churned out by the racing industry either retired from racing or who didn’t make the cut in training, there’s significantly less of a market for dedicated breeding.
Click to expand...
 
honetpot said:
A part from not being raced you also have to factor in is has it ever been in training. They are born as early in the year as possible with an eye to racing on the flat as a two year old, and their official birth date is the January 1st, so if they have been preped to race the chances are what ever you buy in months is a lot younger than it has sold as. and may be used to being kept in a group. Horses bred NH can not go in a jump race until three and tend but not always are a different type.
If you really want a TB I would take a trip to the sales in Newmarket, just to get your eye in, because there are hundreds. Its easy to find and if nothing else it's a day out.
www.tattersalls.com

February Sale - Tattersalls

www.tattersalls.com www.tattersalls.com
I have bought a PB by a well known ID stallion direct from the stud and they have no real interest apart from racing.
Click to expand...
Interesting thank you.
 
NikKnock said:
Exactly! It seems like a missed opportunity. But as someone else has said, the market is so flooded with ex racehorses that to breed them for general use might be a risk.
Click to expand...
There are Sporthorse TBs about you just have to look for them and they are a bit of a different type to racing bred ones as often a little more chunky or uphill.

There is also a number of specialist stallions who are 100% TB for sporthorses.

Presenting goes back to Busted which is why they make great sport horses. He also has Bold Ruler and Riverman on damline. Again names you see time and time again in the best eventers.
 
Personally I love the thoroughbreds as a breed, so many of the racers have the temperaments you're mentioning but yes, they do need reschooling and you don't know what wear and tear they have had. Anything that promotes them as a breed has to be a good thing.
 
I love tb’s and would actively chose one that hadn’t been damaged by being the racing industry over anything else.
I currently have a 5 year old mare that never trained or raced. She makes a noise in her wind which happily for her meant she got her pass out of the racing life. She is the sweetest quietest person and is so willing and comfortable to ride. Beautiful long paces. she feels super safe aswell. A child could happily ride her. No world beater but the most pleasant person. Love them x
 
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