Would you take on a 16 yo ex racehorse that was being given away?

Nickles1973

Nickles1973

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A friend of mine has been offered a 16 year old tb ex racer free. The horse in question is a mare who had only 9 starts on the flat and was rubbish so was then used as a broodmare till about 2006. After this we don't really know what happened to her till someone I know found her at a dealers yard looking badly neglected and down trodden. She gave a couple of hundred pounds for her as she couldn't bare to leave her there and she say's fully intended to nurse her back to health and then re back her. She has certainly got the mare looking well, she is handled daily (sometimes by her 10 year old daughter) but unfortunately she say's she has fallen on hard times and can't afford to keep her any longer. She has offered her to my friend that currently shares a pony where I keep my horse. Thing is if my friend agrees to take her on she's taking a big risk imo. She has no idea if this girl has had any ridden career other than racing years ago. I think that my friend is experienced enough to give her a good chance but I am a little suspicious of why anyone would want to give her away. I suggested that my friend maybe gives her a go but keeps her where she is currently stabled so that she has the current owner there for advice but unfortunately there is no school where she is and I'm not sure how easy it'll be to restart a horse in a muddy field. She doesn't come with any tack and so my friend will have to spend quite a bit on a middle aged unknown quantity that she's bound to get attached to which might not ever want to be ridden. This has turned into a bit of a ramble for which I appologise but I wondered if any of you lovely people might have some advice on how to handle this poor girl or should my friend run a mile? Cookies and hot choccie for anyone that has got this far. xxx
 
I wouldnt personally, no. There are plenty of younger ones going free/ very cheap.

But it depends on what she wants I suppose- she may make a nice riding horse or she may not. If your friend is willing to give her a go but accept that she may not be suitable for a ridden career and then will do the responsible thing, the mare deserves a chance.
 
I did take on an 17yo ex racer who was given me. Bizarrly he'd only raced 9times too, he was a right state when I got him and also came with nothing.....not even a head collar, he costs me a fortune in feed, rugs, hay etc but I wouldn't swap him for the world. Even at 17 he is so willing (and quick) to learn. I'd take on another anyday.
 
It is a risk yes and really only your friend can decide. We though did take on an ex racer when he was 19 as his owner couldn't keep him anymore and all the loans he'd been on had failed - the loanees had in general starved him as he was deemed too excitable nd unrideable.

we had previously had him over a summer to recuperate after one if the failed loans. He looked terrible a hat rack covered in rainscald. We knew his owner had ridden him previously - x-countried him etc etc. He had broken down as a NH racer and his front tendons are seriously bowed. Howevrer, he is a nice 'person' and it was because of that we took him on, not with the intention to ride him, we wanted him as a companion for our 36 yo horse. However, we did try and ride him - wanted to see what this 'crazy' horse was like. Well, we soon realised the crazyu bit was a load of rubbish. yes he was a lively ride and yes he had an annoying habit of jogging BUT he was/is about as bombroof a horse as you can get.

We didn't ride him much as we had our other horses but, he is now 26, still pretty fit and happy and I think we could still be riding him now - he goes out on occasion and he loves it.

i guess what i am trying to say is - what does your friend want her for? I personally can't see why she wouldn't be perfectly ok to ride - ok she may need some re-backing sort off but I have always found, in the main most ex-racers are some of the best horses to hack as they don't care about anything, they just want to get on with it! Any horse is a gamble at the end of the day at whatever age and whatever price.
 
We adopted a 19yo ex racer - although admittedly as a companion. But although a little stiff, is more than willing (read jig joggy racer and very excited!) to go on the odd little leg stretch now and then - he's now 26 :)

If they have a function for her she's suitable for, and they're happy to take her on, why not? Could prob do some groundwork etc with her first, to see her reaction, but if she has no physical issues, she's already been broken so why not? ;) :)
 
Yes without a doubt, i got my ex-racer at 16 she is now 31 and ive had years and years of fun with my lovely girl, she still keeps me on my toes!! Dont get me wrong its been a rocky road sometimes but the good times outway the bad tenfold. Would have another in a heartbeat!!
 
Thank you for your replies! My friend would only really want her as happy hacker that will maybe go out and do the odd pleasure ride. She has got two daughters of 10 and 12 and ideally she'd like the mare to be able to ridden by them eventually. I'm inclined to think that she should at least give her a chance as she could turn out to be perfect but I can very much understand her reservations. We are going to see her on Wednesday evening before the light goes and hopefully we'll get a feel for her personality.
 
Well all you can do is go and try her...hope it goes well & at least then you will have an idea. She is not exactly 'old' anyway! and sounds like she deserves a chance:)
 
We took on (well, more he took us on!) a 21yo ex-racer... He had been out of racing since he was 4 though, and had done a lot (he'd been a PC horse, a teamchaser, a nanny, an eventer and always a lunatic!) but was very poor and known to be a bit... silly?!... out hunting and hacking.

He was the best horse ever owned, he gave me so much confidence and although it cost a lot and took a lot of effort to keep him looking well it was worth it. He was naughty out hacking, I could never canter him out and he was almost dangerous out hunting. However, this was just him. My sister's ex-racer is polite as anything out hacking and always pulls up in a snaffle!
 
Yes, every horse deserves a chance. If your friend is willing to put in the time and effort and is well versed on what exactly she may be taking on, definitely.
Our girl isnt an ex racer but she was neglected and rescued from the gypsies in a horrendous state and basically a nasty wild mare who had never been handled ridden or given a kind word. She's the best horse I could ever have hoped for now and it took years of hard work frustration and rewards to get here :)
K x
 
I got my previous ex racer from the northern racing college and he was 15, he;d done well racing then went there to teach trainee jockeys the ropes etc so had pretty much only raced/ galloped all his life, i got him for nothing and i had him over 2 years and he re-trained fairly easily. He was my horse in a million it was just unfortunate i lost him to colic at 17.

I got my second ex-racer (current one!) at 12, again was ok racing and raced til was 9 and apart from the odd hiccup (more his personality than being an ex-racer it think!) were doing ok.

I think it depends what they want to do/ what they want from the horse but i'd say if everything looks ok then why not!

One other thing to try and think is when she's trying things to try and judge the horse as a horse rather than an ex-racer as some people get a bit caught up in 'oh they must do that because the'r an ex-racer/ TB' rather than it being their personality!

Good luck to her and i hope it fits the bill !
 
I think if she can afford it then the mare deserves a chance. Mine is an ex racer and she is pretty much bomb proof (apart from today because she was being an @rse). Racing actually gives them a good start for hacking as they see so much, helicopters landing, big lorries, lot's of noise. Our estate farms christmas trees and we have massive artics to contend with, trees being felled etc. and she doesn't bat an eyelid, also They can be great horses (apart from today) and I wouldn't swop mine for the world. She was meant to be 12 when i got her but found out she was older probably about 15, which would make her 22/23 now. Plenty years left in her yet I reckon.

ets I agree with dirtyd, too much emphasis on the ex racer thing and get a bit hung up on it, they aren't all mad.
 
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