Trying to contact a racehorse owner- can anyone help me?

[timetoride]

If you feel I'm going too far with this let me know!

Is there any way to get a phone number of a racehorse owner- I have is his name, the horses name, the horses syndicate name and the owners general location, and have no idea how to go about finding his phone number from that... I will PM these details if anyone thinks they may be able to help.

I found a PERFECT ex-racer for me to re-school last Sunday. He has been standing in a stable for the last 8 months after being not great at racing and come out of training. Because he was unfit and no one was interested in him it was agreed I could work with him for a week to get to know his (lovely) temperament rather than make a decision right there on the first day. The trainer and I had agreed a price and I was due to pick him up this morning. I had insurance/field/told everyone at yard etc all set up. However yesterday the owner returned from holiday to see some of his other horses there and decided to enter him in a race in 3 months time (despite him being totally unfit). Trainer told me I could still have him after that time but I really don't want him to be rushed through months of fast work, then raced which will probably break him without a proper fitness program before I've even started with him- so I think really I couldn't have him after that time. If he goes lame he'll probably end up just being pts anyway

I just want to politely explain to the owner that I would love to have the horse now, why I would not want him after that time and why he is very unlikely to be any good racing (he's totally lost the love of racing and feisty-ness/courage needed- he was very happy learning basic dressage this week! Trainer agrees with this but I'm not sure if he has told the owner or not as he will get training fees for him for the next few months anyway) and see what he says... Any help (or telling me I'm crazy and should give up!) very appreciated.

 

[TrasaM]

No advice but I wish you well. Such a shame that owner has decided to do this. There was a filly I was tracking for a while after I'd seen her run badly she came profoundly last no matter what distance they gave her. Then they tried her over hurdles..unseated rider, and jumps..pulled up! I phoned the trainer about her but never heard back from them. I'd have thought that the trainer would help you argue the case but maybe they're viewing it as a few more months money and they won't lose put from it. Good luck. I hope you manage to get him soon.

 

[timetoride]

Thank you I'm even considering asking to work for the trainer for the 3 months just so at least it can be me that does the work with the horse, but I'm not sure 5am starts to ride him and muck out a yard full of horses would be the best thing for the middle of my final year of a degree, or my guilt if he does go lame from too much work.
That is strange they wouldn't want to sell the filly- they wouldn't even want to breed from her if she was that bad!

 

[DonkeyClub]

How ridicolous!! I probably wont know him but Pm me his name& pop this post up on thr jumping for fun forum

 

[TheMule]

I'm amazed the trainer would agree to run her

 

[timetoride]

Thanks donkey club will try the Weatherbys idea too.
TheMule- I know I really don't understand it either, but I guess anything that makes him a bit of extra money I was offering a very reasonable amount (too high compared to other ex-racehorses for sale but I liked his temperament so much that I felt he was worth it to me) but that would have been going to the owner rather than him.

 

[wench]

I wouldn't be contacting the owner I'm afraid.

 

[druid]

Pm me the details. Does the trainer know you're planning to contact the owner or not? You may blow your chances of getting the horse at all of its a covert thing.

 

[timetoride]

I sent trainer a reply when he emailed me to say I couldn't have the horse asking if either I could have the owners number or if he could pass my contact details onto him, so its obvious I want to talk to him and the trainer gave me owners name before, but trainer hasn't replied so far so I guess its a bit covert to find the number myself... hmm maybe wench is right- I just feel sad for the horse and wanted to be proactive today as he will already have been on the gallops this morning, but seeing as this owner seems pretty difficult to find maybe I will make myself wait for this week and see if they (trainer + owner) discuss it more between themselves. Thanks for all opinions

 

[DonkeyClub]

Trainer has prob had a busy week / weekend hope he replies to you soon.
Let us know what happens!! Fingers crossed

 

[amage]

Sounds very much like you haven't been given the full story at all. If horse has been stood in the stable for 8 months with the plan to get rid it would have been gone 8 months ago! There is no point you contacting one owner when the animal belongs to a syndicate....they all have to agree. And quite why you feel you have the right to come between the trainer and the owner I have no idea...it is downright rude. Their business dealings are absolutely nothing to do with you and it is certainly not your right to tell the owner that their horse is not suited to racing....and NB "feistyness" is most definitely not a requirement for racing so even making that statement makes you sound silly. It's not your horse, it's nothing to do with you so leave well enough alone. One owner cannot decide for a whole syndicate. Horses aren't kept standing in a stable in a racing yard for 8 months unless injured. It's too expensive...they are turned away or hacked and let down a bit.

 

[JenJ]

So basically you want to tell the owner that if he continues with his plan to race his horse in 3 months time then you're no longer interested in having him?

I suspect the owner won't be too bothered

 

[DonkeyClub]

What unecessary posts from both of you- I wouldn't judge when you don't know or understand the whole story!! The horse has not been raced for over 2 years so will no longer be owned by a syndicate.. Who knows the reasons why the horse has stayed in a training yard for so long or what the real story is.

 

[timetoride]

I'm sorry, you're both right and I have not/ will not try to contact him. I was just frustrated by time wasters having been told he was for sale, driven there and tried him for a week then told he was not for sale by email not even a phone call. But I see I am now in the wrong and apologize.

 

[timetoride]

thanks donkeyclub x

 

[JenJ]

Sorry, but you did start off your post by saying 'if you feel I'm going too far let me know'. Your op did sound a little unfair to the owner.

But I agree with you that timewasters are very frustrating, especially as you've had a week to fall in love with him. I hope things work out for you.

As an aside, if he does continue training, and you decide to look for another racer, feel free to pm me - my yard does rehab/rehoming and many ex racers come through our yard. We're in Surrey.

 

[Charliepony]

Tbf, I don't think you're in the wrong, you've been messed around!! Trainer sounds shady.

 

[Lolo]

I wouldn't be contacting the owner I'm afraid.

Yeah, I probably wouldn't be either.

It all sounds seriously dodgy. Do you work for the trainer/ have you? It's silly money to have a horse in training- think the cheapest round us is £250/ week, not including entries and things. Pretty sure they won't have had a horse stood in for no reason for 8 months at that money.

If the horse is mega unfit, I'd be thinking injury... Even the genuinely useless one that Al got after training was mega fit and in full work despite only being aimed at a few bumpers that season. Something doesn't add up, and I'd walk away. Plenty of nice ex-racers without a odd story to pick from.

 

[timetoride]

JenJ- I did, and I've got honest answers which I really needed! No offence taken by you or amage yes it is the liking him that is hardest out of any of it. I'm not too far from Surrey so will bear that in mind thank you.

Thanks Charliepony and Lolo- wow that is expensive, no I'd never heard of him until last week and yes he was very unfit and out of shape, so I'm just going to walk away. Thanks all!

 

[druid]

What unecessary posts from both of you- I wouldn't judge when you don't know or understand the whole story!! The horse has not been raced for over 2 years so will no longer be owned by a syndicate.. Who knows the reasons why the horse has stayed in a training yard for so long or what the real story is.

Why on earth would it no longer be owned by the syndicate? I can think of several in syndicate ownership who have had long layoffs.

OP-
The vast majority would have let the horse down or sent it away when it was injured. We've kept some top ones in the yard when inured because handing a group one winner over to someone else is a bit daunting!

 

[timetoride]

druid- tbh I don't know if it is still syndicated or not. I'm just totally embarrassed that I wrote this post now! (I've never tried before but guess there is no way to delete threads?) I think I just got a bit caught up in the moment/annoyed at time-wasting and now feel like a complete idiot having seen sense (or rather my lack of sense previously...) Sorry all

 

[druid]

Hey,

You realised your mistake that's more than many do!

 

[TarrSteps]

You can contact admin and ask them to delete the thread but, if you can bear it, maybe leave it up a bit for others to see. I don't think you're the first person to think like you did at the outset and the through process might help other people. Sometimes the divide between the racing world and the regular horse world can be very and unfairly judgemental. It works the way it works and it's not all full of uncaring/ignorant people who don't see the error of their ways.

 

[amage]

OP I am sorry if I caused offence that was not my intention however I stand by every word I said. You would not ring one of William Fox Pitt's owners and say I think Seacookie is sick of eventing and shouldn't do it anymore. This is the same thing. What is to you a hobbyhorse (and I do not mean this in any way derogatory it is a hobby horse in the same way me having a showjumper is a hobbyhorse) is this trainers livelihood. That being said I do think this trainer sounds to be a bit of a fool in the way they handled things with you. I do not doubt that you would be an excellent home for any former racehorse but until such times as the owners of the horse (or any horse in any discipline for that matter) choose to move the horse on it is their's with which to do what they wish. Maybe the trainer spun you a line saying it's running in 3 months, maybe its done more lately than you were told, maybe the owners owed a sum of money and you were a pawn in getting them to pay up...who knows? Keep an eye on the results over the next few months...who knows what it may do when it runs again....If it wins know that your week of different work played a very small part in the process whether that was the intention or not. Chin up...the right horse is out there.