Any insights on TB's???? New owner need advice/info

[iluvhorses28]

I recently leased a 20 year old TB mare, and despite her age seems to be active.

Just wanted any info people can give me on TB and general care.
Being a senior horse also must mean a whole different ball game with care in general.

[KarinUS]

My first horse is a TB. :) I think they are lovely. I adore how sensitive they are. Can get very upset if you want to battle it out with them but generally seem to respond very generously if you ask nicely.

Enjoy!

[saldec]

My first horse is Perrie who is a 15.1 TB mare.
She is the most laid back horse i have ever come across.
She is so gentle & caring towards me.
When i put her feed bowl down she lifts her leg as if she is giving me a paw!!
She licks my hand all the time, she snuggles into me for cuddles.
I'm sure she was a dog in a past life!!!!!

I've got her rugged now due to us having such bad rain & galeforce winds.
Where i am we are very exposed.
They don't need anymore care than any other horse breed.

What feed have you got your TB on ??

[iluvhorses28]

I have an older one, and hope that she will be a good starter horse for my daughter and I.

At 20 though, she seems to still have the get go of a horse half her age... :)

[jumper-4-joy]

Most Thoroughbreds, at an older age, seem to have leg problems due to their bone structure. Some are fine, but if she was worked hard in the past, you should give her equine senior feed and put splint boots or protective boots on her legs while riding. Some older Thorougbreds have arthritis, and need glucosemyne (spelling-errr) or bute.

Another thing is feed. Thoroughbreds lose weight really fast, so you have to feed them more to keep them from getting thin.

Since winter is coming,I would get a heavy banket, because Thoroughbreds have thinner coats than most other breeds.

Hope all of this helps!!! :D

[iluvhorses28]

Since winter is coming,I would get a heavy banket, because Thoroughbreds have thinner coats than most other breeds.

Hope all of this helps!!! :D


This is the thing-- She has quite a generous heavy coat.... not sure if that is normal....for a TB...maybe she is a X.I have no papers so I cant say.

I am leasing her and the stable feeds her senior feed. Once I purchase her....will need to do that on my own...

[dcp]

Hello my first horse is a TB too. he is 12. Such a sweet nature very sensitive and can get a little nervy so I find a calm approach always works and if he really misbehaves just raising my voice does the trick. He is thin skinned and hasn't got much of a coat. I would invest in a good rug don't wait. My horse went off his hay for 2 nights and his hips were sticking out they do drop weight quickly and remeber a thick coat can disguise that.

Anyway hope you have lots of fun. :)

[No_Angel]

i have a 15yr old tb ex racer. she acts like a 5 yr old most of the time, and in a veteran classed we were asked how old she was :eek: :D
she does get joint supplement but thats a precaution really, my other, younger horse, has arthritis so they share a supplement.
she gets build up cubes and chaff with sugarbeet and oil now, but when i got her she was a hat rack and build up didnt help, so barley rings and alfa a oil with lots of sugarbeet was good.
shes turning out to be a lovely horse, but did have some issues when she came to me. she doesnt like more than 1 person faffing with her, and shes becoming very clingy to me.
but if you tb hasnt raced you prob wont have any of these problems, they will prob just be sharper than most horses, my idxtb is really laid back and takes everything in her stride, but my tb is a bit more of a worrier, she gets nervous quickly.
I swore i would never have a tb, but im actually quite liking them now, i was thinking of sourcing one of my girls babies and buying one after they finish racing.

[Perfect Pony]

I have a 15 year old TBx and he is the sweetest horse i have ever met! and he is full of character!!!
He really is pampered as he loses weight in the winter easily and is so used to being pampered and looked after, you cant just leave him in the field!
This is what i do! Not saying this is what should be done, just what i do!
In the summer he is out 24/7 naked and loves it,
when it starts getting cold he has a l/w rug on
then when it gets colder, about this time of year he has his m/w rug on
then he gets a hunt clip as he gets very very fluffy and when he is clipped he is then kept in the barn over night with his m/w stable rug on and lots of hay
he is let out during the day with either m/w or h.w rug on (depending on the weather) with a neck cover and vest!
Then i reverse the system when it gets warmer again!!! He is only fed in winter and is fed mollychop or alfa A, course mix, sugar beet and respiraze supplement!
he has one feed a day until he is clipped, then has 2 and when it is really cold he goes in the stable with his h/w stable rug on and lots of hay outside during the day!!!
its a lot of hard work in the winter

[*Sez*]

Source out a book called "buying and re-training the ex-racehorse". It's full of loads of useful info and gave me a great insight into the TB's psychology. Whilst it may not be entirely useful (i.e. the points on retraining may not be appropriate if your mare hasn't raced, or has been off track for many years) but I generally found it a very useful book to have.

[iluvhorses28]

Thanks everyone!

My TB mare is on the timid side...but once you mount her----ooooooh boooy!
She is quicker than a three year old filly!

She love to nuzzle next to people...and just a darling. She is older...but we love her!!! :p