Retraining a nervous TB ex racer

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mich301

New Member
Jul 29, 2009
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Bristol
Sorry this may be a long one ...

I have just taken on a 17.1 hh 12 yr old ex point to pointer. He had an accident in his last race and subsequently he was given to his previous owner while on box rest. She spent loads on vet bills etc, lunged, long reined etc and all seemed good and he was going well until she rode him, at which point he turned into a bucking bronco and she fell off and was quite severely injured. She did try riding a second time and the same thing happened.

It turned out that he must have been in soooo much pain - his pelvis, back and poll were all totally out but the back person has been out and sorted it and I'll get her out again before I start doing any work with him just to double check all is well and also he's got some overgrown teeth (dentist & farrier coming this week).

Consequently, she's a nervous wreck and will never ride again and has completely neglected him for approx. three years in which time he has become quite wild, head shy and very mistrustful of humans.

A couple of people on our yard took pity on him and have been giving him the odd feed and the only way to get him into the stable is by getting him to follow his field mate but once in the stable he's an absolute angel.

So now I'm slowly trying to gain his trust, and I can lead him back out to the field on a morning but I still can't go anywhere near him in the field, although he will come up to me now. He's extremely nervous and everything scares him. :eek:

I know I've got my work cut out for me but I would love to hear any suggestions you may have for calming his nerves, I'm going to try some natural horsemanship with him - I've no experience with this although I've got my Kelly Marks book to hand - does anyone have any really useful exercises for nervous horses?

Does anyone have any success stories on retraining nervous ex racers?

It's starting to sound like quite a daunting prospect but I really want to make a success of it (without any injuries!!) - sorry it was such a long post!

Also, retraining exercises for ex racers would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
 
i think maybe you have to forget that he is an ex racehorse and just treat him as a horse who has been in pain, and injured, and then abandoned and has lost his connection with humans. poor horse, a tb like him would need care and it is sad that he has sort of been fending for himself.

I took on an ex racehorse of similar age who was as stiff as a plank, every bit of his frame was so so sore. I did lots of stretching exercises with him, got a physio out for him etc. His quads were so tight he couldn't lift his back legs to be shod, it hurt him so much.

Seems you are already doing the right things with him, just gaining his trust and suggest you just keep doing that. could you work with him all winter and then in the spring get some help to reback him. maybe keep him in the stable a bit more (since that is probably a routine he is used to) and spend lots of time grooming, stretching, playing with him to build up his trust in you.

If he was a point to pointer, he probably wasn't the spooky scared horses you know now and this behavour is as a result of all the recent stuff. The key thing with racehorses is that they are not used to being mounted, always legged up, so they don't know how to stand still for you to mount from the ground - and if he has had a bad back then would be best to use a mounting block anyway - and also if you shorten the reins then this is a signal for them to go faster. so you have to completely retrain them to accept a contact - they also tend to be very stiff, and not bend well, as they often have never been trained to do so, and they usually don't know how to use their bottom to work from behind, they tend to pull themselves always on the front legs and not track up properly. They often have bad backs as a result of not using themselves correctly and from ill fitting saddles.

i would do lots of long reining with him to build him up and also carrot stretches and stuff like that to supple him up and also get him used to you being close to him. lead him out in hand, just to get a connection with him. and then get someone experienced to help you re=back him, taking great care that he is not in pain and the saddle fits. especially if he is a high withered type, as there is often muscle wastage down from the withers and this all needs to be worked back up. a saddle with a cut back head often fits tbs like this very well as it won't dig into the withers.

feel really sorry for this horse, none of this has been his fault really.

he is lucky that he has escaped, so far, going on the meat wagon as that would be the obvious end game for him.

good luck with him.
 
I agree with what d&t has said, and I think you deserve credit for taking on this lad, too. It sounds as if he'd love to be loved. I'd like to suggest that you have someone out to do either shiatsu or equine touch on him for his nervousness, I think this approach would work a treat, but maybe once he's gained a little more basic trust with you.

Something I've learned over the years with horses of this disposition, is that you can build up a trust with them when they are out in the field. Don't always try to catch them or bring them in when you are in the field with them, sometimes just give them a pat, or a treat, or have a few words with them close by and paying attention, and then before they move away, you do so. Walk back to the gate and leave without looking back. That way they learn that you're not expecting anything of them every time you meet up with them. They then learn to want more from you!
 
Point to Pointers tend to be schooled quite conventionally as they also have to hunt. This poor chaps problems sound to stem more from his post racing experiences than being a 'retraining' issue.

The problem with this is dealing with the pain /trauma in the horses mind. We have one who was involved in an accident on the road and even when physically healed would not be ridden.

I would plan on getting the horse mentally and physically right and all the 'on the ground' things sorted before contemplating rebacking and then start as if he were an unbacked youngster.
 
i know some of how you feel as ive a 14yr ex ptp. :D
with thw back use a big padded fleece numnah and always warm her back muscles(some lunging/long reining) first before you mount and always with mounting block. my boy has "cold back" which causes much back dipping, bucking and kicking out if not stretched and warmed up!! :D

have you tried sitting in the field with her, with a pack of polos? just spending time,(with a headcoller for company.) if she comes towards you for a polo, give her alittle pat and walk off a few paces. She'll get used to being around and will become more trusting of you when she realises you mean her no harm. let her see headcoller and maybe sniff it but dont attempt to put it on. its a longish process but has worked a treat with my boy. keep doing this daily and each time stand alittle longer before you walk away.
with headcoller, i have to do top strap up round bottom of neck then gently slide it up his neck and then slowly do nose strap while whispering good boy good boy!:eek::D but it works! if i try to put it on normally he rears and reverses very fast!!

and as above lots of bending neck exercises like circles, Ros can do pretty good dressage now!(late 60's) leave stirrups loose so he can feel them on his sides as he wont be used to long legs.
ive had a hell of a problem finding a saddle to fit him as he is extremly high withered and narrow but have found a very narrow cut back saddle thorogood griffin! fits great with above mentioned numnah ;)

if youve got very quiet lanes,roads you can use, bridle up with headcoller and leadrope and hack inhand, this will build up neck and back mucles and also get him used to roads, area etc.also its you spending time with him and gaining his trust. ive found this immensley helpful as my boy is very spooky. he can go round out smallest hack with me riding and a friend walking now with no bunny hopping or bolting! :D

good luck, and good on you! theres many an ex racer who do not get a good home after with love and kindness. i hope you can help the poor boy x x x x x
 
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Kieffer saddles do a cut back head version which is good with high withered tbs with muscle wastage.

Agree with other comments, when we had a rescue timid donkey, not the same thing but similar issues, we used to just sit in the field with her and read a book till she got nosy and came over. Horses are generally nosy so if you ignore them they get encouraged to check you out!
 
Feel your pain on this one, my sis bought an ex-racer who hadn't been off the track long when we got her and was ultra depressed. Once she learnt that she wasn't being kept in an opressive regime anymore all her pent up nerves came out and she got silly to ride, she was always very unbalanced and had alot of muscle wastage.

Sounds like you're going to have a reasonable job on your hands but I wouldn't say an impossible one. I think you need to take into account his previous job so much in the sense that once you've got him to trust you more you'll need to go back to basics to re-train for a different job.

In the field, personally I would just wrap up and just sit down in his near vacinity, don't try to go up to him, just let him get used to your presence - over time this will worry him less and you can move a little nearer as and when you think he won't mind. After a while he'll realise you aren't after anything and you should be able to get near him (a little treat or carrot may not go amiss for the first few times, literally just give him one then walk away and sit somewhere in the near vacinity)

Once you are in the situation where you can work him, I really can't stress enough how much basic groundwork helps - it really helped my sis' horse get over alot of confidence issues that she had. Other than that ask a physio to show you exercises you can do on a daily basis to help him out and stimulate muscle development.

If he has muscle wastage you might want to consider a vitamin e based supplement and vegetable/corn oil to encourage his muscle growth.

Have to say he sounds like a real sweetie though - keep us updated!
 
Thanks for all your replies, really really helpful.

I totally agree with eml, I really think he needs to get over the mental issue initially and hopefully I can work on the physical aspect after.

I had a HUGE break through today, I managed to get him in from the field - he actually just followed me, I'm so chuffed - there's hope yet! I've been adding Top Spec Calmer to his feed, I wonder if that had anything to do with it?

I really like the sound of shiatsu too, definitely going to give that a go.

He's absolutely beautiful and I really hope it all works out with him.
 
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