been offered an ex-racer tb

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pmcc

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May 26, 2009
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just interested in what experience you have had of ex-racers.

I have a friend looking out for a horse for me and because I'm quite a nervous rider and with loads still to learn I wondered why they have come back with a ex-racer tb for me as an option?????????.
She is 8yrs old, has bred one foal when she was 5, last race was sat past. She's approx 15.1 and just isnt cut out for racing. He said he's actually had her for 8 months and been training her for the owner and says she's the most placid horse to be around and can be ridden 'normally' without her wanting to take off.
Don't think I'll be considering it too seriously- who ever heard of a nervous novice and an ex-racer tb finishing up as a happily-ever-after story?????
 
Agree it doesn't sound a perfect match but saying that my friend had an ex racer that was very calm and laid back but know this is the exception rather than the norm. I bought my horse having returned to riding after 25 yr break and only riding for 3 mths - he was ex polo! wasn't great at first and I needed a lot of help he is 7/8th TB. Had him now for 4 years and he's fantastic but we have had our ups and downs.

Why not go and see the horse and try him/her out a few times might give you a better idea.
 
was up to see her last night and despite still being fed corn rations she wasnt that silly. Couldnt ride her as I'm off work at the min with a bad back and pelvis trouble again (not riding related- I hope anyway:)).
Was thinking last night of getting my RI to try her out but then thking this morning 'wise up pmcc' if a irish cob can take off with me an ex-racer is even more risky?no?
 
Ex racers aren't all crazy or stupid, or likely to bolt off. Actually, the way they are trained to race, they might be skittery if thats their breeding, but they often aren't ones to 'tank'...

I'm a bit dubious about her background though...what type of racing has she done, and from what age? At 8, you'd think they'd have cottoned on a while back if she just 'wasn't cut out for racing', unless the owner has just bought a TB and decided to see how it did on the track...?
I don't know a huge amount about racing so I could be totally wrong but it sounds weird to me. My sister has an ex racer who didn't race until he was 4 as he hurdled...and that was late to start. He wasn't cut out for it so stopped that same year...

If you are considering an ex racer even if it seems to be of calm disposition, make sure it's ridden in the open and with other horses during a trial. A normally laid back tb can be very settled alone, but try trotting or cantering in a group/with another horse, in open space and they hit 'racing mode'. Not what you want to accidentally buy without knowing it if you're a nervous rider.

Also, it depends what job you want. Depending on her life before this racing stint, if racing is all she has ever done undersaddle, she should really have some proper re training to teach her a little more of the aids as you might use for basic dressage, hacking etc.

Personally I like to see ex racers turned out to grass for at least a few months when finished racing, before doing anything much....gives their heads time to chill and adjust to the different lifestyle, but that's just me...

I don't want that to sound pessimistic, and I only have experience of a few ex racers, and only 1 directly off the track, so somebody else will probably have better/more accurate advice and experience...
It's true though, that although it's not often a good idea to combine nervous/newer riders and ex racers, but sometimes it can just work...ex racers isn't so much the issue, it's the OTTB and those that aren't retrained...So much depends on the horse as an individual really :)
 
Hmm I would be inclined to say dont go there- a novice friend of mine bought one and its been disastrous to the point where she doesnt ride him anymore!If you do go ahead make sure you get a 5stage vetting and bloods taken, she might be a calm, nice natured horse but could also be doped up to the eyeballs! Dont get me wrong, I love tbs, I had an absolute darling one on loan last year, she never put a foot out of place and always tried and was never marish, however she was high maintainence and in a care sense was not a novices horse, she was also lame quite a lot for no apparent reason so in the end she went back to her owner.
However there are also a lot of nut job horses of all types out there so go with your eyes open, good luck :)
 
I wouldn't think just because a cob took off with me a tb would do worse. Hot cobs can be worse in some ways (IMO) than other types when carting off, they are heavy and strong, my old loan cob would not be stopped once she went.

I think you should look for a horse that will give you confidence and disregard looks/breeds for the mo (its hard to do I know) Not every TB is flightly and not every cob safe look for adverts that state suitable for nervous rider

there will be one out there for you

Good Luck:)
 
I had am 10yr break from horses due to haveing my son and work etc, It was something that i always wanted to continue with when the time was right for me again.
To cut a long story short.
My sister had a ex racer and had sold her as she couldnt continue to look after her.A yr later she got a phone call asking if she want her bk:eek:
My sister asked if i would have her as she didnt have the time, I agreed and ended up takeing 2 instead of just my sister one. They were severlly under weight etc and mistreated.

My beautifull girl i have now(luxor) was the other one, I would of not gone out to buy a tb ex-racer but i have got to admit she is the most loving, careing, horse i could ever want. She is not a dope on a rope but she is not a silly horse that is nasty.

I think any horse you will have something you might need to work on, or there will be one day when it can spook etc... They all have there own brain regardless of breed etc.
All i would like to say is plz plz dont discount it because you know it is a ex racehorse.
 
I totally agree with Wibble and Ladyluxor, horses should not be catagorised just because of their breed. my tb is the sweetist, loving placid thing in the world, and i'd much rather ride him than my friends fiesty cob! :D
Look at the nature of the horse and be honest with your abilities and you will be on the right track! Good luck with your search :)
 
Im not sure that was clarified, someone suggested it as he said she wouldnt stand still when he tried to mount, but not sure now if she was...:confused:
I rode an ex racer at my RS last 2 lessons, very alert and abit spooky but a perfect gent:)
 
hi i have a ex racer iv owned him for about a year now he is spooky he has tanked off with me he wont stand still on mounting he is a handfull but please dont let that put you off becouse like said by others ther not all nutters lol i infact sold one that i had a mare ex racer at the end of june and she was brilliant good as gold a bomb could have gone off in front of her and she wouldnt bat a eyelid i would have kept her as she was to me a dream horse to own but money time and my current horse ment i had to sell her like i say please dont be put off with what iv said about mine they are not all mad :) good luck
 
I'd judge the horse and not the breed....

My first ever horse was an ex racer, and he was the sweetest gentleman you could hope to meet. If I wanted to gallop, he could really go for it, but if I didn't want to go that fast I'd keep him away from grassy fields. :D

I've been tanked with and bronced off by a 'ploddy cob', so it just goes to show that you really can't make assumptions based on breeding alone.

I'd go have a look, get an experienced friend to try the horse out in lots of different situations and keep a completely open mind.

Good luck!
 
my mare sounds like she has a similar background to this horse. She raced as a 3 year old then had two foals and we re-schooled her as a 7 year old. She is by no means a novice ride, very green and takes a lot of handling to work properly. Obviously other horses can be more chilled out but I'd been keen to get your RI's opinion, it may be that she's being under fed or works quietly on a loose rein but pulls when you take a contact (I find this happens a lot!)

Judge the horse as an individual rather than with the labels 'TB' and 'ex racer', obviously they have some inpact on the horse's background but all horses and circumstances are different
 
eml said:
It is quite unusual for a horse to race after having a foal and still to be racing at 8, at 15.1 she would normally be sprinter and have raced as a two or three years old. What sort of race did she do last week??
Click to expand...

think it was point-2point racing she was involved in. Was surprised myself that they have only just realised that she isnt fast enough now although I think she did better when she was younger.
 
I helped out at a point to point yard earlier this year before i bought my tb, and yes some of them were complete nut jobs, but as the trainer pointed out to me, these horses were living in 24/7, fed racehorse mix and the only exercise they had was on the walker on on the gallops... so you cant really blame them for being a bit doolally! :D :p
There were some though who i had the pleasure of riding and were so gentle and honest, in fact theres even one which my friend wants to buy when he retires and shes an extremely nervous rider! So judge each horse as an individual :)
 
I had a pure bred tb as my first horse. He was 17.2!
He wasn't an ex racer, and to ride he was so safe I actually got on him without a hat, but on the ground it was a different story.

Very nervy, and jumpy, and would get himself in a tizz over small things. He injured me quite a few times on the ground.

He was also hard to get weight on, and keep weight on.

Edited to say it really didn't work out, he wasn't at all suitable, and I sold him to a friend after 8 weeks.
 
She is quite small to have done PtoP and out of season but generally if they have done they will have had more education than most as they have to be seen out hunting to qualify and generally are trained in smaller yards often being ridden alone or with only a few others.

Have a look and as others have said view her as a horse not with labels!
 
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My first horse was an ex race horse, chestnut mare too.
Absolutely perfect in the heaviest of traffic. Manners to burn and as cool as a cucumber until her feet touched grass :eek:.
 
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