Training an ex-racehorse

[Hayley&Henry]

Hello All,

Could anyone give me an idea from their own experience how long it will take to train an ex-racehorse. My boy is 4 years old, 15.2 throughbred gelding. Lovely temprement! I knwo it's probably asking how long is a piece of string! I just want to go hacking on him really. Could anyone advise of how often he should have his training to start with just any general advice from people that have been there and done it would be grately recieved! He has been rested since he retired from racing in February. I need to create a training plan for my new companion!

Many thanks in advance,


Hayley&Henry

 

[humblepie]

Have a look on the retraining of racehorse website (ROR) which has a lot of information from their consultants.

It really is each horse to his own, as to temperament, what they are used to, how confident or competent you are, what sort of help you have, other people to hack out with etc, facilities.

Generally and this is very generally they are more used to doing things with other horses and hacking out alone will be alien. I say generally as you do see racehorses out on their own but normally they are doing things with others. If you have a sensible friend with a sensible horse they will be invaluable.

Patience I think is key, they are unlikely to understand leg aids. It took me a lap of the school to get him into trot initially just because he didn't know what I wanted.

Don't set time frames in concrete, be flexible. Some will get it very quickly, others will not. It makes no odds. The ones that take longer could well be as good if not better in the end.

There are lots of people with racehorses on here so you can always get help.

Enjoy!

 

[Lolo]

Some pick it up ridiculously quickly, and others take their time... Reg was a safe hack from the get-go, the years of working in a string and things had made him safe and reliable. He also understood vaguely that kick meant go faster and pulling the reins meant stop. But it then took 2 years of hard work for him to really understand the canter aid and be able to reliably produce canter...

Bee sounds a bit more like your boy in terms of where she was when she left racing, age wise and things. She picked everything up very quickly, was able to produce a sweet prelim-level test just 2 months after being re-backed to score 65% or so and took to being a normal pony with the level of 'I can do anything' we came to expect from her. However, she was never a safe hack- she liked following in a string, and without someone in front of her was very nappy and backwards...

So yeah, treat him like any other horse, take it slowly and he'll most likely take to it easily and well.

 

[RachelBristol]

how long is a piece of string!

They are all different, however there are a few things that I have always done with each that I have retrained.

a. No galloping for 6 months to a year!

b. First 4 weeks in WALK ONLY... lots of decreasing circles getting them to understand that they can bend, and listen to your leg and hand.. by the time you get to the end of this 4 weeks, I would expect a much rounder, softer horse who has its legs under it, and understands basic lateral movements like shoulder in and leg yield etc.

c. Teach canter in and out of the corner of the school or field, which helps keep the correct bend, using a pole coming diagonally out from the corner towards the middle of the school as a helpful trigger, which also helps the horse strike off as it helps create the moment of elevation needed in canter. I also teach them out side leg only to start with until they have got the strike off going well, then I bring the inside leg in to play, finally bringing it all together.

 

[anna22]

There's an interesting series on youtube about bringing the ex-racer on. I would always give them a (much deserved) holiday... allows them to chill out and be a horse.
The length of the holiday depends, my current project is coming up to a month out and is so chilled and laid back I probably will start ground work with him next week. Depends on the horse, some need 6months some need a few weeks.
Take it steady, expect hiccups, and remain calm and consistent at all times. They're amazing horses, and I can't speak highly enough of all the ones I've had but they are intelligent so vary as much as you can to keep their brain ticking over

 

[Pigeon]

To be honest, it's not something you want to rush!! I have had mine two years, and only now is he really starting to feel supple and working to a level I am happy with on the flat (to be fair I am a massive perfectionist!) It can sometimes feel like two steps forward and one back, but it's worth it in the end!!

Here's how his flatwork has changed. The main thing that took a while is building up all the right muscles, especially in his back and neck.

ETA: He was 8 in the first picture and 10 in the second. He looks like a baby! The other strange thing is both riders (my sister in the top one and me in the second) both weigh the same and are the same height. So the way he carries himself and balances under the weight of a rider has changed a lot, he looks about two hands bigger!