New horse *just* out of racing (yes that does make 6!)

Sexy Sietske

Sexy Sietske

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Aug 18, 2006
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So horsey number 6 will be on her way next week, she ran her last race in july and has been doing nothing since. When she comes home I will be wanting to get her into a new routine straight away which is what she will be used to at the training yard but not sure how to go about it :p

I had a racer before but he had been out of training for about 8/9 months before I had him, not a couple of weeks.

I dont intend to do any ridden schooling with her for the rest of this year, just hacking and groundwork maybe on a pessoa/pessoa type to build up riding horse muscles and not race horse muscles.

Also how do I go about changing her diet, i was going to try her on alphabeet but heard it doesn't agree with some mares.

What are your opinions and what would you do if she was yours, I dont really want her out of work completely as thats when TBs start to look poor IMO because they dont get fat :p
 
Hi SS

We got our OTTB 2 months off the track in Nov 07. Her diet has evolved as she has put on weight and the grass came through.
Diet:
She started on Molli-Chop Apple Chaff, sugar beet and economy mix
we added conditioning cubes, then as spring came and she put on weight we gradually changed to small amount of conditioning cubes and Alpha A Oil, now she is having Happy Hoof, apples and carrots. when winter comes we'll prob add a cheap mix and sugar beet again. Supplements: Pink Powder and Garlic.
Looking at hoof and moody mare type ones going forward
Work:
Slow walk and trot hacks a few times a week Nov-Feb
a tiny bit of schooling in Feb
now in monthly training sessions and we are thinking of sending her to the trainer for a month as she is quite a challenge and we want to make sure that she is trained correctly to try and ensure she has the best chances in the future if we can't keep her for any reason.

We are also trying to work on setting boundaries which has been the biggest error we've made with her., Mainly my fault for spoiling her with treats and affection. She isn't mean or sneaky, just kind of careless....she's kind of like
" Look, it's me, aren't I cute, ooops was that your foot? Sorry, didnt see ya down there, I look like a giraffe don't it? have you got treats in your pocket? I'm gonna check, hmmm lets see, maybe the other pocket? Ooops, who knew humans don't bounce off of walls easily?" Her trainer says she needs an ASBO.
You sound like an experienced owner though, so I doubt you'll make that mistake!
Below are 2 pics, one taken Nov 07 second taken July 08. Hope you can see the difference.
 

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As you don't know the horse really well yet, I would probably put her on a fibre based diet to start off with - the dengie website is really helpful!!
 
My ex-racer was in terrible condition when I bought him. I used Baileys Topline conditioning cubes (No.7), chaff and soya oil which I was really happy with. Second winter I added Baileys Outshine to the above which meant I didn't need to feed as many cubes. I've since tried A&P Calm and Condition, but didn't find that worked so well for my lad - even with the Outshine.
 
Mine has Calm & Condition with Alfa A Oil - he needs very little at this time of year, and he looked great coming out of winter.

Would start off avoiding cereals & sticking with fibres. Then add as you need too.

NAF Pink Powder is great for their insides - you can feed a concentrated rate to start with to get everything settled down.
 
you need to remeber to wean her off whatever she is already having [im sure you already knew that but just thought i'd add]
it depends on their body condtion when she comes as to how much to feed her etc iguess
but i'm not expert ;)
x
 
Tia was slightly underweight when she arrived - but not excessively so. I have put her into regular work straight away, and since she is used to being fed cereals, I have continued to do so. She is out 24/7 on moderate to good grazing. She is fed once a day on 1 full scoop of mollassed alfa-a, 1 scoop of pasture cubes (moderate energy), 1 scoop micronized barley, plus linseed oil and pink powder. She is full of energy, but not boiling over, and her coat is great. Condition is going on steadily and sensibly. I like them to feel energetic and well in themselves, but appreciate that some people would find her a bit scary like this.

She has come out of racing as a confident young girl with very good manners... so it's imperative that they continue to be handled in a professional way.

She last raced at the very end of april, and I got her mid june. She had a few weeks out to settle, but when I got her I cracked on straight away - she is not a stress head, and has seemed to appreciate regular work to keep mind and body ticking over. She is from a jump racing background, which means she is a lot less green than a flat racer - with a flat racer you pretty much need to start from scratch, but the jump types have done more, and will understand the basic aids. She is hacked twice a week (lots of hills, mainly in walk, good for building up the muscles), lunged once or twice a week in a chambon, schooled two or three times on the flat and over jumps. She relishes the variety and is a confident character - with a nervier or stressier horse I wouldn't be doing quite so much.

We've been out doing walk and trot dressage test (scored 62% in the last one, very pleased!) and doing clear round SJ and XC schooling - she will be ready to event at a low level in the autumn.

I do not see a reason to avoid schooling for 6 months - i would school probably twice a week, keeping it simple, sessions short and very relaxed - this way you will be building the muscles up from the start, and setting a precedent for what you expect. If you've got a brainy one like T, it actually gives them something to really think about, and she seems to appreciate this.
 
I think it's fine to work 4 year olds - 20 minutes schooling in walk and trot is not strenuous. TBs are fast developers compared to most horses, so at 4 they're generally capable of this level of work. In some respects working them on the lunge is a lot more strenuous - since it is on a circle, and if you are working on pessoa, they are essentially held in position.

I am of the belief that establishing the basics schooling makes EVERYTHING easier for the future - whether thats hacking out, jumping, dressage etc.

As I said, a lot depends on temperament ... some horses are ready to take it in, others need more time to settle.
 
Well speaking from experience... my last TB was so unbalanced undersaddle that he got nervous going anything faster than a jog with someone on his back on a cirlce or bend and he was 5, so I did a fair bit on the lunge with him which seemed to help him with his balance, newbie could be different though I guess :p

I suppose daily varied work will be more like her current routine and might help her to settle better.

I am hoping to be doing dressage with this one :p
 
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