Ex racehorse to riding horse

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Hi tackroom ladies
Does anyone have any experience of taking on an ex-racehorse? I already have a 21 year old TB, I have owned him 17 years and he is my baby, and he is losing his sight (sob!) I won't be able to ride him for much longer....
I have been offered a 7 year old ex National Hunt horse who apparently has a great temperament. I thought the two could be ridden out together (I share my horse with 2 friends) to train up the new horse, while sort of phasing out my old boy into gradual retirement.
Or am I better off getting a cob!

I have loads of experience - the yard I work at quite often has off-track TBs in to turn into riding horses.

First off, it takes a lot of time and if the horse has had its brain fried by training you may never get a reasonably safe riding horse.

Second, if the horse is straight out of training give it 6 months off and when you get it back in go right back to basics, really you need to back them again. Lots of lunging and long reining.

Third, TBs in general have no idea about the natural aids. They are taught to run on a track and that is all the experience they have.

Fourth, don't touch an Irish TB, if it has been trained in Ireland. IME the Irish are very hard on their horses and Irish TB's tend to be headshy, jumpy and don't trust people.

Having said all of this, some TBs are a dream from the start and take very little re-training to become really lovely riding horses. And NH tend to be just a little bit more sensible. Personally, I would always have an OTTB. They can make fabulous, intelligent, safe and athletic horses who can do anything.

Also, beware if the horse has broken down and that it why it's being retired. The horses we get in usually just don't want to be racehorses so their legs and wind are fine.

My friend has an ex racehorse. He has a lovely temperament, and he can be a fab ride,but it's still really hard to get him to bend, despite 3 years of schooling, nd he has early onset arthritis because he was pushed so hard as a youngster - so he's often lame.

I think Callisto speaks sense but at the same time like "dangerous dogs", each horse should be taken on a case-by-case basis.

I took at 4 year old racehorse to Pony Club Camp when I was 15 and he was a sweetie. (Didn't win jack with that attitude though! ).

I have 6 ex-racehorses, all flat racers though so not sure if their behaviour is a bit different to national hunt horses. They vary in their personalities like all horses but 4 out of 6 are safe for total beginners (I actually use them to teach people to ride), the other 2 are more flighty and need a reasonably experienced rider - but no more so than a lot of other horses I have known. Generally, if compaired to other horses I have known and owned over the years I would say they have better manners (all good to box, shoe, clip etc), even though stable vices can be a problem if that sort of thing bothers you. Most of mine came to me fairly bomb proof (straight out of their training yards), all are fine out hacking even though one can get very strong cantering, some jump better than others but all give it a good try, none are what I would describe as perfectly straight when schooling (even after 2yrs) but i'm sure they could all get through a novice dressage test if required.
As Callisto says, be careful to find out why he is retiring, arthritis can be a big problem if the horse has had previous joint injuries.
Personally I would never have any other horse now, many of these horses desperately need homes when they retire and will often be given away to a good home - saves you a lot of money and you can end up with a better horse than you may get for a few thousand pounds.
P.S there are several charities in the UK that help re-homing ex-racehorse's i'm sure they can give you further advice if you require.

Thanks so much for all your replies. He arrived this evening and he is heartbreakingly beautiful! He already seems a sensible type, standing still in his new stable while my aged TB yelled his head off and spun around in he box next door! They are also going to send a jockey down next week to hack him out with me to start him off which will be helpful. Riding out in traffic - I wonder how he will be if he is only used to going out on gallops?

He was born in France, and he comes recommended by my horse physiotherapist, who also treats horses on the racing yard he has come from. His millionaire owner is so thrilled by his wins that he wants him retired to a good home apparently. So he is free! Amazing! I will just have a nice glass of sherry before I ride him for the first time!

Also, have you been able to train yours to hack out alone? And how do you train them not to gallop off when you shorten the reins?!

Most of ours go out alone now, but it takes time sometimes and depends on how confident the horse is. I haven't really experienced a TB galloping off with me - they usually have fairly good brakes. However, I would recommend taking him right back to basics and doing lots of schooling.

Good luck, he sounds lovely.

I'm so happy for you, he sounds a total sweatheart and it's great the yard is sending a jockey to help you!

Regarding hacking out alone - I find little steps the best way, get him used to short routes with another horse around so he can get used to anything scary then try the same route but by himself - I know this sounds a bit odd but the first time you go out 'alone' see if you can find someone to accompany you on a bicycle just for a bit of back up if you need it, if you're calm he will be too. In my experience most ex-racehorses are quite independant and happy out alone but it will depend slightly on the training set up in the yard he's been at.

As for short reins, just lots of schooling, ride with little contact and lots of seat and gradually increase the contact you take up as his schooling improves. It sounds like you are an experienced and confident rider so I don't think you'll struggle with this. In my opinion the horses only get 'hot' on a short rein if you shorten your reins and hang on to their mouths everytime they speed up - just relax, sit tall and all will be fine.

Wishing you the best of luck and hope he turns out to be your pefect horse and a great companion to your current horse!

Thanks so much Callisto and Dappleton, I feel more reassured! I led him out in hand today alone along a lane and a road passing lorries, binbags and a power washer and he did not bat an eyelid, which seems a very good sign. Fingers crossed for a happy ending!

Ah yes, but my retired racer sauntered past a telescopic loader shovelling much into a spreader with nary a quiver, but leapt about 20 foot in the air when a squirrel rustled about in the undergrowth. I remember being told by someone that by the time you think a TB might do something, it's already done it! They are as quick as lightening, and just slightly irrational at times. My old TB couldn't cope with road markings, but didn't give a damn about the level crossing - no logic at all.

I think they need loads of downtime to relax and unwind, and don't forget they are used to an incredibly strict routine - when I first let mine out in the field for more than his usual two hours, he was completely bemused and stood by the gate waiting to come in. It's taken a while for him to adjust to my slightly erratic time keeping, but he's getting there, and is a million times better for being out pretty much all the time. Have fun, they are a fab breed, and I'm not sure I could go on to anything else now!

Ha ha, that rings a bell. We had a 3/4 TB on loan for a while and he was a sweetheart to handle, good in traffic etc, but he never got used to the squirrels in the trees in his field, he would leap in the air every time he heard one. Poor thing must have been exhausted.

The last ex racehorse I knew was a total novice ride; he was quite happy to plod along at the back, even when cantering in a group. Presumably that was why he was an EX racehorse

You could put a complete beginner on him and he could be relied upon to be sensible.

However on the ground he was the most evil horse I've ever met.

Well this one Tabaran (have had great fun watching him on www.attheraces.com) has perfect stable manners he puts our other nags to shame! The problem we have here is a few busy roads to traverse to get to the lovely sand dunes and beach beyond and I decide what is scarier atop an ex racehorse - a busy road or an empty beach!

does anyone know if they ever lunge racehorses?

We lunge ours, both the ones being retrained and the babies who are being broken. We do lots of lunging and long reining with the youngsters in for pre-training, though we may be a little unusual. I know there are yards where 'pre-training' means chucking a racing saddle on and going up the gallops every day.

Hi, I work in a racing yard and ours get lunged, not very often but when they are being broken in and the older ones if they have been out of work for a while, before we ride them.

Quite a few of them have gone to private homes when they have retired and it's really nice to know they are going to a nice life as someone's pet and not going to the sales where they could end up anywhere :(

Your new horse sounds very lucky to have a lovely new home, I hope your both very happy together :)

I have 2 ex-racehorses and I lunge both of mine before I ever got on them. Mind you, they were both very mistreated and no-one could really ride them until they'd built up enough muscle.

I'd recommend taking them back to basics too. You'll probably find they're bombproof when you've worked with them a bit.

Lucky you to get such a fantastic horse! And lucky horse to get you!

Thanks so much for all your lovely replies! It is very reassuring having such experts here to talk to.
I am very proud of him and me, as this weekend my more brave friend got on him and walked him down the lane and around the field with not a sniff of trouble. Then yesterday I had a nip of sherry and climbed aboard and we hacked out around the lanes with my friend on my old horse (having to wear my Western saddle as we haven't got a saddle for Tab yet) but we did have to go on the main road for a little bit meeting a caravan, motorbike and many cars. It was helpful to have my old horse as I think they gave each other confidence and being tow abreast made the traffic slow right down to pass. He was superb. I must admit I am stunned as I feared the worst.
Whatever happens next at least we have had a good start!
I plan to do some very basic schooling in walk in the field tomorrow, as our field is quite rutted and hard and I would worry about lungeing him on it as he is starting out from being rested.

You'll often find that ex-racehorses, particularly those that have been trained in Newmarket are pretty sensible in traffic.

If you are interested, and not already aware, Retraining of Racehorses, the racing industry's retirement charity, hold lots of clinics for ex-racers and organise competitions for them. You can read more here

I've just had a look at your boy's record on the Racing Post website: a long and varied career and bred by no less than the Aga Khan!

I used to work at the stud where his sire, Polish Precedent stood. He was a grumpy git had a few temperament issues so glad to hear that your boy is good to handle!

Sounds like a great start!

LOL @ having sherry before getting on. Not very BHS, but needs must, eh? Been there, done that....

Thanks guys - it is great knowing so many experts are just a click away.
Cavemum - I feel the phrase "My horse was bred by the Aga Khan" may slip out lot after a few glasses of wine.
Calamity - lovely to hear you knew his sire and that he has not inherited his temperament!
His great grandsire was Mill Reef, and even I had heard of him!
Can recommend sherry as an aperitif to riding - works a treat!

Mill Reef's great grandson! Very cool.

Hi

Funnily enough, my sports horse is descended from Mill Reef!

I have an ex-racehorse. I used to look after and ride him while he was in training, then the owners kindly retired him to me on long term (forever) loan.

He is very sweet, genuine, lovely attitude to work, not very bright (but then my mare has enough brains for the both of them! ) and a joy to own really.

He retired from flat racing aged 6 (in the october) and came straight to us. He spent about 10days roughing off, then we turned him out (still rugged up to the eyeballs) in a field with a field shelter and lots of others in next field. He was there for about 2 months, then we moved a pony in with him. He had around 5months holiday.

We brought him in, started long reining (not a success) lunging and then took him for short hacks with one other horse for company. Unfortunately i was involved in an accident and so he had to be turned away again for another 6m.

When we got him he was a terrible mover, but we only wanted a horse for DH to be able to hack out, so it didn't matter to us how he moved.

He now moves beautifully! He was just very jarred up and having the best part of a year off was the best thing for him. We have done a bit of dressage, a mini hunter trial, some showjumping and hacking with him and are hoping to do some ex-racehorse show classes this year.

The main things that needed work in the early days were his diet - he would never really eat hay, now he has a very high fibre diet. Getting him used to being tied up outside, and getting on him. You forget they have never seen a mounting block before! He now stands still while you mount, and is happy to stay standing while you faff about doing stirrups etc.

There is another ex-racehorse at our yard, and both him and ours tend to get very attached to their fieldmates and hate being left in/out without them.

I hope this helps at all

Yes it does Supersonic - thanks - perhaps this decision wasn't such a nutty one after all!
Am going to hack out again tomorrow with a friend on my horse so fingers crossed x

I used to ride an ex race horse (when i was a teen), he was a grumpy horse (took a chunk out of my knee whilst tacking him up) but was ok to ride, managed to hack out on him and a bit of cross country, when he was in the mood he jumped well but when he wasn't i knew about it (several bad falls).