Why are ex-racehorses so cheap... thoughts?

Mariposa said:
If you think the TBs online are cheap don't go to the sales, they literally go for £200 there. I bought a 3yr old at Ascot last year for £200, beautifully bred, a sweet little filly. £200! People pay for for a pair of designer jeans!!!
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They literally nail passports to the doors if they're desperate enough to get rid! I love the sales though. :)

I've never seen a free one at Tatts or I'd have brought it home so probably a good job really!
 
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I must admit that after watching that 'Inside natures giants - Racehorse' program where they dissected a racing TB I would never consider buying or owning a TB. The program was such an eye opener in regards to how they are bred and the impact it has on their health and structure.

It doesnt help that ALL the ex-racing and never raced TB I have known DO have issues. Either temperamental or health wise and these have been owned by knowledgeable owners. That kind of skews your opinion of them but i know there are probably alot out there doing superbly so I dont think they are all the same.
 
jesstickle said:
They literally nail passports to the doors if they're desperate enough to get rid! I love the sales though. :)

I've never seen a free one at Tatts or I'd have brought it home so probably a good job really!
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Mariposa said:
If you think the TBs online are cheap don't go to the sales, they literally go for £200 there. I bought a 3yr old at Ascot last year for £200, beautifully bred, a sweet little filly. £200! People pay for for a pair of designer jeans!!!
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Stop telling me these things! :mad:

I really don't need anymore horses - even if it is a beautiful TB. :rolleyes: :D
 
dominobrown said:
Better that, other than some awful spotty thing or one of those awful Cremellos :P



(Please don't kill me! :D)
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We had a cremello pony. He was a star and won everything, but he was an ugly little thing. He looked permanently grubby and his eyes were huge and a little bit odd... But he would have been fugly whatever colour- he looked like a foal with huge ears and long legs and a fluffy tail...

jess, thanks :D Al is hankering after a Nitty lookalike- steel grey mares are much smarter than lanky bay boys!
 
Paint Me Proud said:
I must admit that after watching that 'Inside natures giants - Racehorse' program where they dissected a racing TB I would never consider buying or owning a TB. The program was such an eye opener in regards to how they are bred and the impact it has on their health and structure.
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I watched that programme too and it didn't put me off them at all. :)
 
jesstickle said:
It makes me sad that we have given up on our own wonderful TB in favour of some weird continental thing that is, in good part, bred from cart horses! I really don't understand why people are so disparaging about TBs. Best horses in the world. And the most beautiful of course :)
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I have no real knowledge about competing or the history of breeding but I keep quizzing people about why warmbloods have just taken over everything and TBs are cheap and written off. I mean arabs are fairly cheap but you could buy 5 TBs for one of them. I think they are so beautiful and the horses that come into our yard (a vets) are always very gentle and sane.
 
Paint Me Proud said:
blimey you must REALLY like TB then :D:p
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I used to have alot to do with them (plus I own one) and if you are doing Riding Club level stuff (which is my limit TBH) you aren't pushing them to the limit of their physical capabilities.

Quite often the ex-NH ones have legs of iron. My one raced NH, then P-to-P, retired sound and was then was a broodmare. Now she's an old lady with clean legs and is just lovely. :)
 
Paint Me Proud said:
I must admit that after watching that 'Inside natures giants - Racehorse' program where they dissected a racing TB I would never consider buying or owning a TB. The program was such an eye opener in regards to how they are bred and the impact it has on their health and structure.
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I'm pretty sure all horses are built much the same. the fundamental anatomy of a racing TB is the same as any WB or pony. When you look at how any horse is put together you realise what a disaster waiting to happen they are. The breed makes very little difference, they pretty much all break the same ways!!
 
bluewhippet said:
I have no real knowledge about competing or the history of breeding but I keep quizzing people about why warmbloods have just taken over everything and TBs are cheap and written off. I mean arabs are fairly cheap but you could buy 5 TBs for one of them. I think they are so beautiful and the horses that come into our yard (a vets) are always very gentle and sane.
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I can see why they have for dressage I suppose. And I mean GP dressage not blimming prelim. You just don't get the real expression and elevation of paces in TBs that you do (through deliberate breeding programmes) in WBs. Plus, TBs do (and I can't believe I'm going to say this) often have a tendency to be built slightly down hill which doesn't make them perfect for higher level dressage.

Hunting, jumping and eventing and a tb is still what you want I reckon. If you need speed why would you look anywhere else? :confused: :D
 
Because racehorses are bred to race - that is their raison d'etre.

1) They need re-training after coming out of racing
2) Many are sharp (because they've been bred for speed with temperament secondary)
3) Many need a degree of pampering. i.e. Are not good doers, prefer to live in etc. Need more food than a typical cross bred, more rugs etc.
4) Some don't adapt well to a life outside racing
5) The sheer number leaving racing each year, makes them cheap

Warmbloods in contract are bred to be competition horses (dressage/show jumping). Many lines are bred with temperament in mind - as the biggest market is the amateur rider.

It's therefore obvious that, for most amateur riders a horse "bred for the job" is going to be an easier proposition than an ex-racehorse.
 
They have a reputation.
Damaged physically and mentally.
Started at a young age to often age quicker.
Are more demanding with looking after, feed, rugs etc

Often had inherited problems as in bad feet etc.
Can be difficult to handle, can't be strong and have breaks issues!
Saying this I love them, have had a few.
Doesn't put me off but it does put a lot of people off.
 
Round my way I find that people have these pre-conceptions of ex-racers, that they are sharp, silly, strong, forward, we've even had people not wanting my horse out with them because they think he'll charge around! how wrong they were.
It's taken a long time to prove them wrong, my boy's a lot more sensible and calmer than some of their warmbloods and cobs!!
I think they're cheap because there are so many of them, some have wear and tear, and take a lot of reschooling/retraining before they can go out and enjoy their new careers. I know mine can be high maintenance at times, but he's worth it. He was a cheapie, had muscles in all the wrong places, nightmare to ride, strong to handle etc, but I wouldn't swop him for the world!
 
I also think that a lot of people that want to buy a horse but dont have a soddin clue about them end up buying them because they're cheap!

My ex racer raced from 3-7 years and he went through a rehoming centre. They sold him onto a teenage girl as her first horse :eek: needless to say her mother sold him on after a few months as he kept throwing her off ;)

He then went onto a lady who again bought for her daughter - the same daughter that was petrified to even get on him (but she did lunge him a few times - well done her :rolleyes:) She said he was wild, uncontrolable and needed to be put down!

So poor horsey came out of racing and went to two idiotic owners - I saw him advertised, bought him for £300 and he's coming on leaps and bounds :D and is sooooooooo in love with my arab its embarassing :cool:

They're a good bargain as long as it's the right owner! :D

set
 
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They are cheap off the racetrack as they are a completly unknown quantity.

I don't agree that they are that cheap once reschooled, I've seen some really expensive ones, especially those that have done a few events. There was one on horsequest that had done one BE90 and was 10k! :o

I always think the horses on horsemart are cheap, I think of it as a bit of a bargain basement website tbh :).
 
I don't really understand it either, surely anybody with a reasonable amount of horsey knowlege will realise that they're not that much different from any other horse. With the added bonus that they've always been handled by knowledgeable people so they usually have perfect manners.
They tend to be sensative & high energy, so you have to handle them quietly & keep your wits about you but surely that's how you treat all horses anyway, I certainly do, so I don't find them to be all that differnt from any other horse.
People seem to think that all they can do is gallup, which is ridiculas - how do people think they've been got fit without doing slow work first? They are also ridden in mild bits, have to have their strides adjusted, moved around other horses, held up/kicked on all at spead in a large group, which makes them reponsive rides. Race course are busy, noisy places which many other horses would find overwelming.
I've got a smashing little ex-flat racer who at one time was an expensive, high calibre horse, I was able to buy her cheaply, it's the only way I would be able to buy such a quality horse.
 
I think a lot of it comes down to fashion.The big continental things are popular. I think the problem is everyone remembers the problem TB's and happily forgets the big goaty warmblood yoke who dumps its rider everyday. As for care, they have the reputation of being hard to keep weight on, and some are, but so many people like to keep there horses overweight, so the sleek fit looking TB looks underweight.
 
Probably due to sheer numbers and possibly because their breeding is less well know than the WB's.

But, I don't mind them being cheap as it means I can afford them :D

Ex-racers are the worlds best kept secret ;)
 
well i would never in my life have thought about a TB let a lone one that had raced for my 1st horse... but look what i ended up with a very green just out of racing scary TB!!!!

hes the best thing i ever bought :)

and im not expert rider either ... came off a riding school after 1 month of lesson (6 lesson all together) could only walk n trot (2yrs ago im 22 now) then started loaning a Anglo Arab (cray mare) learnt to canter.. then decided 5 months later i wanted my own so was looking for simlar to her or maybe a Sec D type.....

did go to see a few TBs but this one i went to see he was stunning and i thought wow then i saw him ridden (very green coudlnt bend but showed potential) then i got on omg he took off with me span and i just couldnt riode him at all....but bought him anyways!!


now 1 year and few months later hes the best horse i have ever met.... the kindest and sanest animal i have ever come across. he hasnt put a foot wrong since i have had him

he does have a vice he weaves at brekky and tea time but this is normal and i can handle it so he doesnt weave :)

hes never really bucked or reared unl;ess in pain or genuanly scared

he never runs off with me in a feild or on a gallop track or with other horses hes not strong and jumps like a top class show jumping horse! (he wasd a flat horse that never ever jumped before i got him) so not what i was expecting :)

hes honest!

hes never been sick either he had colic once (my fault didnt feed before i rode) but other tha that perfectly fine... he did have bad ish feet was lame sometimes but now with a new farrier his feet havent been sore and he hasnt been lame at all in 9 months! :)

hes not sesative to the cold but doesnt like the rain.... he loves the sun on his back and could stand for hours being groomed :)
 
jesstickle said:
I'm pretty sure all horses are built much the same. the fundamental anatomy of a racing TB is the same as any WB or pony. When you look at how any horse is put together you realise what a disaster waiting to happen they are. The breed makes very little difference, they pretty much all break the same ways!!
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no the show made a point of showing how TBs differed from other breeds due to the way they are bred for the track. Very very interesting program.
 
Paint Me Proud said:
no the show made a point of showing how TBs differed from other breeds due to the way they are bred for the track. Very very interesting program.
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In what way?

The thing that freaked me out the most was the bit where they cut the tendon but that would be a problem with any horse. The rest hasn't affected us I don't think...
 
i think i did take a huge risk as i heard all the horro stroies about them and only been riding under a year i shouldnt have really but hes made me and amazing rider for it :) and i said yes because he was just so calm and pretty and his owner rode him so well.....how could i say no :)

thanks hes a little angel.... im always getting comments out competing or on the yard saying how hes the quietest TB they have come across and has a lot of hear to give :)
 
I will be honest mine isn't 'straightforward' but i've found him to be much more willing, intelligent and 'on the ball' than warmbloods or similar that i've re-schooled.

I am quite keen on part breds too, as my first horse was a tb x id and he is the reason i kept Major instead of selling him on (which was the intention) as they are so similar.

Really interesting to read varying replies, but it does seem to me people go on stereotype and don't take each horse as it comes. Every horse is different, regardless of breed and whilst everyone is so quick to point out the floors at what are people going to start looking at the positives of these animals? I'm not a cob fan but i wouldn't totally dismiss one because of the stereotypes surrounding them.

Supply and demand isa big point though, there are a hell of a lot of them.
 
They are cheap for one reason and one reason alone, because supply outstrips demand.

Supply is high because so many are bred in the hope of producing a superstar and there is of course wasteage at every stage. Demand is low because TBs have a bad reputation (some deserved, mostly undeserved) so less people want to buy a TB than say an ISH.

However I think they are well worth considering for an amateur, as long as they know what they are getting themselves into. I think often they are a better bet than say a welsh D or a Cob for a slightly novicey owner (obviously an older and thoroughly well schooled one), they can be a terrific option for someone wanting a top level RC horse, a hunter, or an eventer and can be cracking all rounders.

They have normally been well handled and trained from the ground, they normally have impecable manners, load and travel well, can be clipped, have seen traffic etc.

I've ridden plenty, I shared one that had not been reschooled but had been turned away as a broodmare for several years after racing. She had perfect manners in the stable and was a dream for feet clipping etc. She hacked reliably alone, the only issues were she would not stand to be mounted and she would not let you do gates mounted although those things could have been tackled with a bit of work. I have also ridden at riding schools that have had a substantial number of their horses straight off the track, again they tend to be mannerly and well suited to going out in a string. Most settle well to the work too, often being used as a staff ride at first until they settle.

I wouldn't hesitate to consider one if it wasn't for the fact that my husband shares my horse and he is too tall for your average TB. They might not be good doers, but then our WB is a terrible poor doer, she also needs lots of rugs, and is accident prone.

All those TB haters (especially the person who said they wouldn't pay more than £1500 for one) might want to go and look up PS and NMT's posts about CS and Fig. Beautiful horses, worth substantially more than £1500, showing great promise in dressage and working barefoot!
 
Mine is lovely to deal with, but typical TB to ride. She has her moments but then most horses do. She goes anywhere, does pretty much what you ask of her and she's safe enough to put my daughter on. She gets herself in a pickle sometimes, but she's 4, thats to be expected.

TB's have always had a bad press, people love them or hate them. My friend finally took an ex racehorse after 30 years of owning cobs and said 'don't know why I didn't have one before'.

I personally think there are plenty that end up in good experienced homes and you'd never know it had raced. There are also those who end up with totally the wrong owners and it all goes wrong, those are the ones you hear about the most.

I didn't pay very much for mine, but she was thin to the point of disgraceful, lame as she still had racing plates on that should have been removed months before and I had to see through all that to see what she could be.

When she arrived I was so embarrassed to have her on the yard, I kept a rug on her so nobody could see her, and I still had people tell me she looked ill and wasn't being looked after. She didn't have any idea on how to be a horse, she couldn't form relationships with me or other horses. She windsucked all day and all night.

A year on, you wouldn't recognise her as the same horse. She's had farriers, back specialists etc, so she's has cost a few pennies on top of her purchase price but she's still worth more than she cost. She doesn't windsuck anymore either, that just stopped on its own, I'd never say she doesn't as the tendency is clearly there, but she doesn't do it now. She's one of the nicest horses i've ever owned.

If the horse has the right owner it will be fine, but I think that applies to all horses not just ex-racehorses or TB.
 
Goldenstar said:
It's simply supply there's just loads of supply.
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This ^^^ the market is flooded with ex-racers - which in one way is good - not so long ago the retraining/homing of racehorse charities were very small, people generally didnt do the whole reschooling, and sadly far more racers were PTS after their career ended - not so these days. However, a fresh of the track ex-racer needs an awful lot of time and experience to do the work - a lot of people dont buy horses to do the work, because they have neither the time or experienced required, they buy them to be able to get on and go
 
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