Anyone out there with off track TB's turned Hunter/Jumper?

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thoroughbredchick
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Anyone out there with off track TB's turned Hunter/Jumper?

Postby thoroughbredchick » Sun Jun 19, 2005 10:03 am

I have a seven year old tb mare who was injured at the track while training(severe popped splint). Which is a bummer because she is a Alydar grandaughter and a Majesterian daughter. I just wanted to know if anyone out there wanted to chat about the experiences they have had with their ex racehorses. :D

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TBLADY
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Postby TBLADY » Sun Jun 19, 2005 10:13 am

TBCHICK...you might have better luck at www.exracers.com I work with nothing but OTT horses...sell, train and reschool. But the people at exracers are great to chat with and get ideas from. You may even find someone in your area! Good Luck!
Fins to the Left....

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thorohorse
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Postby thorohorse » Sun Jun 19, 2005 11:17 am

was there something you want to ask concerning the popped splint?
Sometimes the simplest thing can make all the difference.

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skeenan
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Postby skeenan » Sun Jun 19, 2005 6:40 pm

I'm always willing to! :D
We have a rescued mare that we want to breed, but I'm also working on retraining her. Rode her for the first time last weekend.

Send me a PM if no one else wants to chat! :wink:

susanh
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Postby susanh » Mon Jun 20, 2005 8:05 am

I bought a green OTTB for my daughter a couple of years ago. He had run at 2 and again at 4 and was injured at 4 and retired. I don't know where he was between 4 and nearly 7 but I bought him when he had only done 3 schooling shows. He is not a great hack horse; he does wing out abit. He has a lovely canter and he has one over riding redeeming factor: it does not occur to him to refuse a jump. Almost never. This is the 4th year we've owned him and I can probably count on one hand the times he's ever refused a jump and I can tell you it was rider error every time. He is not showing this year due to an injury- we decided to not push him. He is back now but it is too late for show season. He is only 10-lots of time. The first year we had him(within 3 months of buying him), he showed 3' and 3'3" hunter divisions and came 4th and 3rd respectively for the year. The second year we only showed him 3'3" and he came 1st. Last year we showed him the 3' and 3'3" again and he came 3rd and 1st respectively. I had 33 xrays taken of his legs along with my pre-purchase exam. I knew physically what I was getting. I didn't know what his mind would be like. He has the most professional attitude in a show ring. It's like his brain turns on and and he's all work. At home, he can be a moron, especially in the winter if he gets stuck in for a few days- he'll practically take my arm off trying to get to his paddock. He's a big baby- runs to the back of his stall if he sees me coming with suntan lotion, tries to run away when I want to put his fly mask on, etc...can be a picky eater. Took himself off beet pulp last year- he'd eat everything out of his bucket but leave the beet pulp- he had been on it for 2 years but just decided it wasn't for him. Still won't eat it. Didn't like hay high in alfalfa- upset his stomach. We call him our little princess! The least little fly will make him upset. Very sensitive skin, but hates fly spray. Yes, we love him. So much in fact that 3 months ago I bought a second OTTB. He is completely untrained except as a racehorse which he was not good at. He has had 3 months down time, just turned out learning how to be a herd animal (I mean how many times do you have to get kicked before you learn?). He just turned 4 in May, and it is about time to see how he takes to re-training. He's wonderfully cute. I hope he likes a new career. Don't know if he will be with us for a long time or a retrain and sell. I do know that if we end up selling him, I will turn around and buy another OTTB, just coming off and ready for a new life. I have developed a terrible soft spot for the horses. :)

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skeenan
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Postby skeenan » Mon Jun 20, 2005 8:47 am

Bell definitely has some racing wear & tear, I wouldn't expect her to stay sound long jumping or working hard. Maybe she would, I just don't want to push her- I'd rather have her stay sound. I'm only hoping to eventually take her out for a quiet hack on the dirt roads around our house. I'd be happy if she settles into it nicely.

She's been interesting- she will tear around the paddock, pivoting & turning as quick as any Quarter Horse I've seen (she would make a heck of a barrel racer or pole bender!), yet when I started her groundwork, she's been pretty lazy. Wasn't expecting that! She picked right up on longing although I have to chase after her just to get her to break into a trot. She's been very quiet and mellow.

So I said the heck with it and tacked her up last weekend and had my hubby lead us around. Just did some stopping/starting, and she was awesome! I had perma-grin all day. I ordered her bridle & bit last night- I'm getting her a Mylar wide barrel snaffle, I use the same on my Morgan & he goes great. Now that we finally have sun again this week, looking forward to getting back on her- I hope things continue this way!
Last edited by skeenan on Mon Jun 20, 2005 10:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

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briarhalo
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Postby briarhalo » Mon Jun 20, 2005 10:41 am

All my show horses but one have been OTTB's....would be quite happy to chat. And I have one that is retired as of last year that I don't show, and one that was retired from track and show and is now a broodmare. Would still love to show her but alas......she would rather be a broodmare apparently.....LOL
Claire

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Postby thoroughbredchick » Tue Jun 21, 2005 4:30 pm

my mare really took to longing quite easily also. She was a little bit apprehensive, but she was being good. My mare was really sweet the first time i got on her when she came off the track. She just walked around like nothing was going on. The only major problem i have had with her, is that she really overreacts to things. She has gotten better as she has matured, but she is still very difficult to handle at shows. She is perfect at shows that last for like five days, but at a one day schooling show, she tends to get flustered. She is a pretty good jumper, which surprised me because she used to refuse a lot! I think that she just needed to get some more confidence, because now she free jumps 4 ft+ without even batting an eye. She especially enjoys gymnastic work! I was worried about her splint injury from the track, but it really hasnt caused problems. I just make sure i always rub down her legs after a long jumping lesson, i dont lunge her for too long, i barely ever ride her on the road, and i use fleece splint boots so that her legs dont heat up under them while im riding her. She hasnt come up sore once :D

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skeenan
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Postby skeenan » Tue Jun 21, 2005 7:15 pm

That's great to hear that she's staying sound. I rode a TB mare years ago that acted the same way you described- the barn hosted a small show, and she wigged right out. No amount of longing helped- she was utterly hopeless to ride that day. Maybe (and this is a guess) it's like "race day" to her when her routine changes?? Is that the only time you trailer her is to a show?? You did mention she's fine at longer shows, so it sounds like she settles down. Could you take her on short trips once in a while, say, over to a friend's to ride or another riding facility? Perhaps it would help her learn to be more comfortable?? Just a thought... it's what comes to mind if I had the same situation... more exposure... kinda like if the only time you take your dog for a car ride is to the vet, so they learn not to like car rides... take them other places that are "fun", too, and they aren't so apprehensive...

If she's been refusing fences in the past, gymnastics work should help a lot... start smaller and build her confidence, sounds like you're on a good path with her! She sounds very athletic if she's jumping 4 feet! :D Have any pics to share??

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Postby thoroughbredchick » Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:55 pm

I think that exposure is definitly a good thing for her. She is trailered to a lesson every week, and she goes to a pony club meeting once a month. She also goes to different shows, and to our pony club ratings. The exposure has helped, because i dont have to lunge her as long as i used to, and she hasnt bucked or totally had a freak out at a show in a long time. I will try to get a picture on this if i can!