Those of you with ex-racers - taking them out for the first time

[Stenners]

Those of you that have ex racers, what do you do with them? How old?

What did you do with them when you took them out for the first time?

I've had mine a year now and he had the winter to settle and is now in good work and we are having regular lesson.

I really want to take him out to a clinic or to do a dressage test but my main concern is how he may react and what people might think!

 

[Northern]

I event with my two

My first mare is quite hot, and the first few times I took her out her behaviour was disgraceful! I had no transport at the time, so usually rode up with her paddock mate. As you can guess, that was fun when they had to be separated... She gradually got better with each outing, and these days is pretty chilled. What worked with her was being consistent, and calm in handling and riding her. It's not always easy to stay that way, but it really helps. Also the first couple of events I took her to, I went with the aim of a positive experience, even if it meant not competing on the day.

My young mare was the complete opposite, a real breeze to take out. She doesn't really change behaviours, and is also not as clingy as the other mare. So for her first outing, I just cracked on with it and we had great fun

Try not to worry about what others think. As long as you can keep your horse under control and not interfere with the other riders, it is none of their business! Alternatively, if they are rude about your horses behaviour, ask them to hop on the horse, they'll soon shut up I think many riders out there who have had young horses would have dealt with first time outings plenty of times

 

[Stenners]

Thanks Northern!
There is an ROR clinic near me at the end of August and thought it may be a good opportunity to take him - even if I don't take part and just to walk round!

 

[nikkimariet]

I do BD, we're at Inter 1 currently, hoping to move up to Inter 2 next year.

He's 13yo and finished racing at the end of his 7yo year. He's very very hot, quite hysterical really lol.

I got him used to working with horses at home, then a few arena hires on his own. A couple of lessons. Then a first competitive outing at a quiet outing who were very helpful - put me first in with a break straight after bless them so I could have a quiet warm up.

Wouldn't worry about what others think, you're doing it for you not for them.

I did use a calmer for outings for a while to break the cycle of him over reacting, he doesn't have any now (though sometimes he makes me reconsider this!!!!).

 

[Stenners]

Luckily mine is used to working with horses at home - he hacks with others, schools with others. We are on a polo yard so he's used to seeing lorries, hearing noise etc and always lots going on around him and he's so chilled out.

He does get his moments though where he will throw himself about and have a tantrum! I have been advised by his trainer he was always really chilled out at races - if that's true or not I don't know!

 

[claracanter]

I don't know if this is something you would be interested in but Retraining of Racehorses (ROR) is a great charity that runs clinics and events for ex racehorses and their owners. Have a look on their website http://www.ror.org.uk. They might have some clinics near you and all the horses there will be exracehorses

My ex racehorse has always been very well behaved at shows and showjumping or dressage clinics. They are used to going to a racetrack so its not like taking a completely green horse out. XC clinics have always been a bit much for him though!
Having said that they do have a bad reputation in some peoples eyes which is usually unfounded. Often my boy is the most chilled one there.

 

[Stenners]

Thanks claracanter - The reason for my question is because exactly what you just said - I found an ROR clinic down the road from me at the end of August so it got me thinking! I have booked him into ROR Autumn Camp at the end of October and would like to get him out before then!

 

[timbobs]

Those of you that have ex racers, what do you do with them? How old?

What did you do with them when you took them out for the first time?

I've had mine a year now and he had the winter to settle and is now in good work and we are having regular lesson.

I really want to take him out to a clinic or to do a dressage test but my main concern is how he may react and what people might think!

I have had mine since the end of March and we have been out and about a few times so far. He has only just turned 6 and I got him straight from the trainer after he had a few months break from racing.

First outing was an arena hire 10mins down the road where I knew it would be quiet and gave myself plenty of time. We arrived really early and I hand-walked him around the place so he could get his bearings and realise we weren't going racing!

I also booked the arena for longer than I needed so that I didn't have to rush and feel any time pressure. I was much more relaxed knowing I had bags of time which meant he was relaxed too.

When I took him to his first dressage test, I let the judge know it was his first time and he was an ex-racer as we were going in and she was really lovely about it and was very encouraging. He found the white board quite scary and she gave him the time to look at them, rather than beep us and scare him.

I've found everyone really lovely so far when I've been taking him out- people are a lot less judgemental than we think!

I really recommend an RoR event/clinic if you get the chance as it is a fantastic organisation and really really supportive!

 

[Stenners]

This is great timbobs I'm glad you found them helpful also!

 

[timbobs]

This is great timbobs I'm glad you found them helpful also!

You just need to remember to register your horse with RoR and get his registration number from them to be able to take part in RoR activities

I haven't used it myself but they also have a helpline and you can contact them to ask questions about management, outing etc. http://www.ror.org.uk/care-training/ask-the-experts/

I'm sure they would have great advice about getting your boy out if you wanted professional advice

 

[Northern]

Thanks claracanter - The reason for my question is because exactly what you just said - I found an ROR clinic down the road from me at the end of August so it got me thinking! I have booked him into ROR Autumn Camp at the end of October and would like to get him out before then!

This sounds like a great plan I was a procrastinator with my hot mare, but in the end just bit the bullet and went out as much as I could with her. Book yourself in and have fun!

 

[humblepie]

My current one was in training until he was 8. Our first outings with him was to hire a local indoor school and take him and my older horse, with a friend coming along to ride the other horse. We did a couple of those and then took him to the same place on his own - there was a lot of neighing, not helped by a horse out in the field neighing back! Then I went to some local riding club clinics which were brilliant as we were generally in a group of 3 so working with others but also having to go off and do his own thing within the lesson. First dressage was local unaffiliated just an intro and we went backwards up a grass bank when asked to leave he other horses and neighed quite a bit in the test! He came on in leaps and bounds, now competing elementary hoping to medium next winter. Just go for it and explain to the instructor that first time out and work around the others. Good luck and enjoy

 

[Stenners]

Thanks all - I'm excited!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

If you don't stress and panic he wont stress and panic! Going new places is all part and parcel with a racehorse. If you load and unload him like you expect him to be dope on a rope then they generally will be quieter than you expect. If you get all razzed up about unloading somewhere new he will get anxious too. Keep it all calm.

Most racehorses don't travel with leg protection (Shock horror I know given how many thousands of pounds people have spent on them!) So if he isn't used to wearing travel boots I would either leave his legs bare or bandage them instead.

Give yourself more time than you need so you have time to walk him about to settle him when you get there and just get on with things like you would with a normal horse. The more faff you make the worse they get. Racehorses aren't used to being mollycoddled at the races. They get unloaded, walked for 10-15mins depending on how far they have travelled and then put in a stable. Ok you wont have the stable option but yeah just treat him like a 15yo been there, seen it, done it, got the t-short school master and you'll be fine. Same when riding him. Don't make a fuss.

The ROR are great if you aren't in Scotland. Up here it is naff.

 

[xDundryx]

I've found my ex-racers to be the easiest out and about, my youngster was in training until last year I turned him away for 5 months when I was 6 months pregnant, brought him back into work and have been out doing BD. He is an absolute superstar to load, travel unload the otherside even when I'm stressing about things. Stands tied to the trailer merrily as long as hes some hay to nibble. Loves watching everything going on. He can be quite hot to ride but hes young and gets over himself pretty quickly. He won't have any boots on his back legs so I just put wraps on his fronts and off we go. My last ex-racer was a star to take out he was young and so laid back at venues he was horizontal. They take everything in their stride I guess they're exposed to so much from a young age it's old hat by the time we get them.

 

[Akkalia1]

I did use a calmer for outings for a while to break the cycle of him over reacting, he doesn't have any now (though sometimes he makes me reconsider this!!!!).

What calmer did you use? My mare has a tendency to overreact and she does get anxious, we've just done a couple of shows but there has been a fairly ridiculous explosion at each one.

 

[humblepie]

EKW - that is a really good point about leg protection. Ours didn't like anything other than brushing boots or overreach boots and still doesn't travel with more than overreach boots as he sweats up. We took the approach of get there, get on, do what we had to do leave - so as you say the minimal approach. He probably does more walking around now he is used to going out that he used to first times out.

 

[nikkimariet]

What calmer did you use? My mare has a tendency to overreact and she does get anxious, we've just done a couple of shows but there has been a fairly ridiculous explosion at each one.

The magic syringes are good for on the day, as are the confidence EQ sachets. I had the most success with relaxin (every day feed calmer), that I just increased for the few days leading up to and on of a comp/outing.

 

[Irishdan]

I was pleasantly surprised at just how well mine coped at her first outing. It was just a dressage test at a local livery yard. Took us a few attempts to get her into the warm up arena and she had a few moments when horses came towards her in canter but that was it. Im lucky in that my mare seems to get very laid back away from home in the company of other horses . ��