Ex-Racehorses / OTTBs

TwoDaysTooLate

TwoDaysTooLate

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Mar 12, 2017
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Hi :)

I have recently been looking around for horses to buy etc as after riding for about 11 years, I have finally reached a point in which buying my own horse might be an option.
I've loaned horses for three of these 11 years as I wasn't really experienced enough to loan before then as I spent most of my time at this riding stables which just taught us to walk and trot and basically do nothing for 6 years.
I was looking into possibly getting an ex-racehorse as I am an individual that isn't scared of hard work and although I know it will be a struggle, I am willing to do whatever it takes...

However, I am very curious to ask - would you say that this is an appropriate idea? I am 16 years old and at a walk, trot, canter, jump up to 1.20m level and have full loaned for two years, so have a good idea of having full responsibility for a horse.

Thank you,

Julia :)
 
WE have five currenty and have had TB s staight from racing for years.Some come straight out of racing with no issues and are no harder to start than any youngster, others, like many horses, come with baggage! I would say that with your experience you would not have enough knowledge to bring one on from scratch without help. Why an ex racer? They are not cheap to keep nor these days are good ones cheap to buy unless you have contacts with trainers and the knowledge to start them yourself, although we have spent beteen £250 and £1000 buying unstarted horses, some of ours who are now out competing would be worth around £5000+ if for sale, others have proved difficult and have taken years to progress to safe to handle or ride.

Having said that if you are a quiet , confident rider and handler one that has been started may well suit you. Perhaps look at some the rehoming societies which will start horses and match them to appropraite homes
 
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eml said:
WE have five currenty and have had TB s staight from racing for years.Some come straight out of racing with no issues and are no harder to start than any youngster, others, like many horses, come with baggage! I would say that with your experience you would not have enough knowledge to bring one on from scratch without help. Why an ex racer? They are not cheap to keep nor these days are good ones cheap to buy unless you have contacts with trainers and the knowledge to start them yourself, although we have spent beteen £250 and £1000 buying unstarted horses, some of ours who are now out competing would be worth around £5000+ if for sale, others have proved difficult and have taken years to progress to safe to handle or ride.

Having said that if you are a quiet , confident rider and handler one that has been started may well suit you. Perhaps look at some the rehoming societies which will start horses and match them to appropraite homes
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Thank you so much for your opinion :) I'm keen on an ex racer because several people at my yard have had them in the past and I've always been enamoured by them. Furthermore, I have always wanted to take on a horse that would be more of a project rather than a go-to schoolmaster as I have spent a lot of time on schoolmasters and have ridden and brought on a handful of youngsters for my barn in the past. I have mainly looked at ex racers that have already been started and that hadn't been raced in quite a few years as I know that I wouldn't be able to start one completely from scratch.
 
Just wanted to add my pennies worth really. Personally. I wouldn't go for an exracer as your first proper full horse only because its been a massive steep learning curve ( I have a very 'rare' tb) shall we so who litrally has an arm list of medical problems! Again why an ex racer? I can tell you now, atleast from my experience you would spend much more on their upkeep per month then many other breeds out there. My tb wasn't 'cheap' really but the monthly upkeep of him is quite high. Your talking 300-350 per month, easy.
 
It's like everything horsey, a horse's own individual personality plays a huge role. Some of the kindest, most sane horses I have met have been OTTBs, but that may have been down to handling, I don;t know. Some of the maddest I have ever worked with have been hairy 13.2hh Icelandics, ..

A TB will cost more in time and money, but the rewards are there.
 
The rewards are huge but the cost can be also.
Mine eats and I mean eats can easily go through a bale a day in winter plus two large feeds. Plus gut supplements as most ex racers have or have had ulcers which is another expensive mine field.

He cuts just looking at paper lol. He can be a handful one day the next a dream. He has built my confidence and smashed it the very next day. He is loving and kind and kean to learn I love him with all my heart.

But man its hard work
 
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Unless you've got a budget of £6K or more, pretty much any horse you buy will be a project! You don't need to worry about that!
 
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