Those with ex racer experience

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pixiebee

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I have a lovely ex racer who came off the track last may and has been on and off work since then really. He has now come back into work and is doing v well. I have found though he is more spooky than he used to be but maybe he will settle with regular work? Anyway, he is quite tense when being ridden in the school with other horses. If one comes up behind him faster than a walk he leaps in the air and tosses his head, he does chill after I just sit and ignore it. Should I ignore it? I get a little nervous and shorten my reins-guess that doesnt help!! Also when he decides he has finished he decides to become dead to the leg and spook at stupid things! I have lket him get away with it til now as I have been weary of reprimanding him, I dont even carry a whip. Now is the time for me to be more confident and work though it. I have a dressage clinic-group lesson in 2 weeks as i thought it would give me something to work towards. It is a group of people that are still working on outline and rhythm. Any advice please?
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You're not doing much wrong, and he looks superb!
Some horses are spooky,some not. Its not just a racehorse thing. Be firm when explaining what you want, and quick to explain he's done correctly. As for the horses behind and passing bit, if he's listening to you he'll not notice them as much. So teach him to do shoulder in or the like, so you can push him into it when a horse comes along and he'll be less able to leap about.
You're right about the rein shortening, I find if you relax the contact and whistle you tend to not anticipate and neither do they... most the time!
 
My lad is spooky as he's coming back into work following an injury and feels really well in himself! My instructor has told me to keep his attention with things like just turning his head one way or another, riding very shallow loops, changing pace, etc, so he doesn't know what's coming next. Then he seems to forget to spook...
 
A racehorses routine is to be worked hard each day by being taken out each morning for a nice gentle active hack to the gallops and then a nice long gallop on the gallops and then a gentle hack back. All this is done in the company of other horses

He is now in a different routine where he is getting very little work compared to what he is used to and not doing what he is used to be doing.

You need to keep him in a strict routine but with a lot of work including at least 2 hours hacking a day.
 
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You need to keep him in a strict routine but with a lot of work including at least 2 hours hacking a day.

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omg! I dont have the time to hack 2 hours every day. I dont think everyone with an ex racer hacks 2 hours every day. Do they?????
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No they dont. Thefirst part of Peters post is correct, but you want to retrain your horse not continue what he was doing previously ( but without the races). He is correct in saying that regualr hard work is what they are used to, however its not necessary to ride them for 2hrs (in fact most racehorses arent ridden for that long when in full training!). Some horses will just be spooky, but by getting him into a routine and giving him a reasonble amount of moderateto hard work maybe 5days a week you may eable to combat his spookiness (especially if you find he is far more likely to spook when fresh).
 
Hi, I've got an ex-racer - had him for 8 years now, this winter has been the worst for keeping him calm. He is used to a routine, he is ridden almost every day, usually in the morning but not for 2 hours and I have 3 sharers. He doesn't like other horses too close to his backend especially in the school but then he's used to being in front! A whip never goes anywhere near him - a complete no, no. And, yes tightening the reins is telling him to go faster - but it's easier said than done to keep the reins loose. Have found the main thing is to stop him getting bored, keep his attention, do something different each day if you can. Hack to a different place - not the same route every time, school one day, join a group lesson, lunge another day - ex-racehorses are usually pretty intelligent & have a lot of natural energy - how would you like to watch the same TV programme every night - a lot of horses are basically doing that - no wonder they're bored to tears. And most of all (and the hardest thing to do) keep relaxed and calm yourself - lots of deep breaths - he will learn to respond to you feeling safe & so will he.
Good luck & enjoy him as much as I enjoy my boy.
 
in your lessons and clinics, work with the instructor to get his attention and get his brain working. Mine will throw anything in if he gets bored so just keep doing different things- shoulder in, bending, flexing, circles, shallow loops- dnt leave him alone for a second.

If he does something, relax your hands, go with it and continue with what you were doing before as if it never happened. relax and think happy thoughts (so much easier to say I know) as can imagine by shortening your reins your tensing, making him tense too.

trust your ability and him and keep going, u'll get there. best of luck with it all
 
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A racehorses routine is to be worked hard each day by being taken out each morning for a nice gentle active hack to the gallops and then a nice long gallop on the gallops and then a gentle hack back. All this is done in the company of other horses


[/ QUOTE ]
That is what some racehorses do yes, but not this one. He was last trained by a permit holder and was worked on commons and through woods, alone (well maybe sometimes with the daughters pony).
You should not generalise your advice when you know nothing about the individual horse.
2 hours hacking a day?
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Most racehorses will do about an hour a day give or take but remember they are also getting a lot of hard feed. They just need to learn the new system. They are not necessarily used to horses working in different directions so those around need to respect that and give him a chance to learn. A clinic with others sounds ideal. I would suggest riding him with a neckstrap so you don't come up against his mouth when he leaps which will make him more tense, then you will be in a position to help him. Variety, turn out and consistent work will get him more worldly and used to his new regime.
 
agree very much with duggan. If you can get him listening to you and at the same time relax yourself he will be less likely to be silly. Going to the clinic should really help as it is working with others but in a more controlled environment than warming up at a show for example. Good luck.
 
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