Thoroughbreds...

V

Vicki1986

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 May 2006
Messages
3,160
Location
Maidstone & Fawkham, Kent
Visit site
Alot of the TB's I know these days, are either broken or have a lot of physical issues on/off.
Can people who have TB's that are usually sound and healthy please reassure me they are out there.
Only as I am getting a brain stigma about them which may be a little unfair?
 
They are out there
smile.gif
 
one of my favourite riding school horses was a Thoroughbred called Master! He was 75% TB, but he had the brain of a pony-he was so patient and willing, and he taught me how to jump
smile.gif
he was so reliable and was never off ill
 
I have a TB and he's a legend! Has never been lame with me (touch wood) and he's only wears front shoes! He's a lovely gentleman and looks after his rider, my friend is even learning to ride on him! And, he has no mental issues!
smile.gif
Does that reassure you a bit?!
tongue.gif
 
I have had several TBs. ALL have been very sound horses bar my first who suffered from degenerative joints from his early teens as a result of racing so young.

I have a 22 year old that just retired this year as slightly unsound behind but from the age of 8 when I bought him as an ex NH horse till then I can hand on heart say he has never been unsound and has never missed a days competition in his life. He is tough as old boots and cuts and overreaches never stopped him - I had one that was a bit of a drama queen if he got anything like this!

I actually know of far more injury and unsoundness issues in big young supposedly purpose bred sportshorses than TBs
 
we've got a tb X quater horse who is one of the most laid back things I've ever met, a tb X ISH who is lovely but can be a bit of a nut, and 2 full tbs, one of whom is just plain odd, but that may have something to do with the owner, and the other is fidgity as hell on the ground but wonderful under saddle- 3/4 have injured themselves at some point, but none 'go lame' if you know what I mean.
 
Mister Monty - legend in his lifetime. Nearly 30 years old and is still ridden. He lives out 24/7. He has lost a few teeth and is very stiff now but this is him end of February this year:

Image002.jpg


Zoom has also never been lame and hunts/jumps/hacks with no back shoes on. She is fab! I never wanted tbs but have ended up with two of them and they are great!
smile.gif
 
my previous mare was TB, un raced but had been in training. i owned her from 4yo-8yo and in all that time she only saw the vet for annual vacs and once for a cut that needed antibiotics. she was never lame in those 4 years and was was working hard-competed up to advanced medium, schooling all the GP stuff.

current boy is a 4yo who raced 4/5 times as a 2/3 yo. he has never been lame and although iv only owned him for 10months,he's had no self harming issues at all-one bout of cellulitis and a spot of mud fever but he's tough as old boots and never lame.

they both worked barefoot, hacked barefoot,jumped barefoot and both had excellent feet.

out of all the horses i know, its the warmbloods that are the self harming wimps!!!
 
Me! Me! I have a nice healthy tb. He’s been lame once, we think he tweaked himself hooning and he was fine after a couple of days off and a bute. Due to limited winter turn out he spends three days a week turned out 24/7 with no hard feed. He has nice feet for a tb too. When he arrived he was underweight but since he’s put on weight he’s not been as accident prone, his coat is shining and so far this winter he’s not only maintaining weight I’m sure he’s gaining!

When I went to America (and then caught swine ‘flu on the way back) in late October/early November he spent two weeks living out, just grass, no hard feed, in a l/w turnout and he came back in perfect condition, no cuts or scrapes, four shoes, fully intact rug and he hadn’t dropped a pound of weight, he looked glowing.

Plus what other horse would be so kind as to blow warm air down the back of your neck so you don’t get cold whilst chatting to your RI?
 
I had an OTTB in Cyprus. Strong as an ox, never a day ill or lame and that was despite a 2 hour fast ride every other day over very rocky terrain (he had fronts only on) and regular schooling and competing in Dressage and jumping.

He had raced till he was 8, a friend of mine picked him out from a starvation paddock (don't go there
frown.gif
) and he was re-trained as a riding horse, he jumped 1 metre courses and competed and scored in the low to mid 60's in Novice Dressage.

He was a one in a million horse sane (ish) and the best fun ride I have ever had in my life the only reason he is not with me in Holland is I did not want to subject him to a 10 day land and sea journey and frankly bringing a horse who was born and bred in an average temp of 30 degrees transplanting him to the wet and cold would have been wrong.

He is now 16 on loan to a teenage daughter of one of my friends and still competing and acting as her school master, when I go back to Cyprus to visit I take the opportunity of taking him for a massive blow out ride which he still loves.

Never had a bill for this horse apart from annual shots and normal farier bills, my chunky 4 year old W/B on the other hand has made full and constant use of his insurance
grin.gif


martinif.jpg
 
I owned a TB last year, had im for just over a year, never ever off lame!!! Was a diamond.
I have a new TB and Im not going to mention anything as Il probably jinx myself. x
 
Trooper, the racer in my siggy, is 15 years old, raced on the flat, over hurdles and fences more than 100 times. He injured himself once at 4 and has run ever since.
He'd live out happily, has good feet, I used him to teach on even during the pointing season, and he's now on loan to a first timer and they get on like a house on fire. He went 2 weeks after his last race.....
Come and see my lot, mainly ex racers and not one like the other.
There are a huge amount of tb's out there, and they are easily grouped together. But I don't think they have any more problems than other breeds. Give me an ex racer any day!
 
I've had a few and I honestly think that those who didn't come from racing have a much better crack at a sound life....just a personal opinion though.

I've also know really laid back TB's but unfortunately alot will be prone to injury as they lose their marbles occasionally!
 
mine is all tb or 99% tb, and can be a bit of a twit and a drama queen and times is one of the best horses at the yard!
 
My last share horse was a TB. The kindest and most gentle horse i have met. He was 19yrs old but to look at him you would have thought he was no more than about 10. He did have typical tb feet though. Unfortunately we just didnt bond so that share came to an end. But he definately changed my opinion on TBs!
 
my tb mare is tough as old boots i think she would have to break her leg before she would go lame, my boy on the other hand can lose a shoe and be on 3 legs.

depends on the horse really i no newforests that are really tough but at the same time i know newforests that are really wimpy. its the same with every breed.
 
[ QUOTE ]
one of my favourite riding school horses was a Thoroughbred called Master! He was 75% TB, but he had the brain of a pony-he was so patient and willing, and he taught me how to jump
smile.gif
he was so reliable and was never off ill

[/ QUOTE ]

was he black?
 
chestnut in my sig was 21/22 when she was pts (about a week after photos taken) until the injury that caused her to be pts she had never ever needed the vet whilst in my ownership (12 years +) other than for vaccs. they do exist...
 
We have a couple of TB's and I have to say they are really tough, never had a days lameness. I hope the comments from this forum restores your faith in this lovely breed.
 
Wouldnt personally touch a TB given the choice, as like a leg at each corner, but a friend had a lovely boy who was as kind as could be. He was great fun, never sick and sorry, taught her kids to ride and she was sorry to see him go.

I think we do generalise sometimes - after all these horses are bred for racing and by nature have to be fairly tough. Personally I wouldnt have one as a gift, but there are a lot of people who would do.
 
I have an absolutely beautiful boy. He is an Irish TB, 17hh. He was bought for my daughter who has since lost interest and is now having to put up with me. So uncomplicated, you could bring him in and put him out with a length of cotton and he had been so well handled in Ireland he is a true gent in an out of the stable. He isn't a novice ride but he tries so hard. Wouldn't swap him now for the world.
 
My ex racer is fit and healthy thanks. She is knocking on a bit and has a few miles on the clock so has a bit of arthritis in her hocks but since it was diagnosed and she went on a supplement, she is spot on again.
grin.gif
 
My chestnut is a full TB, raced 11 times, 7 years of polo, still going strong, not had a lame day in all that time and not a mark on his legs. He's a real tough horse - I attribute this to his front leg conformation, he's got big well shaped feet and really nice short cannons. But he isn't silly and doesn't go looning about. TBH I think a lot of the TB rep for duffing themselves is a management issue - they're bred for speed and athleticism. If you coop them up, stuff them full of feed and haylage and they only get an hour's turnout, I should think they would go ballistic and duff themselves pretty quickly.
 
i have had several tbs all diff types of temprements and to be honest god or bad i do love them. My irish Tb was the best also very quiet well mannered and generally laid back. I do agree with management but also the owners! i am laid back and i believe a calming influence on the horse i have seen many a laid back horse changed with owners who just dont suit a TB!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top