What are some best practices for letting down a racehorse once he or she moves to a new home?
One of the most important things is establishing a routine. All creatures crave routine, even without realizing it, and it is particularly important with these animals early on. Their day was undoubtedly like clockwork at the racetrack and it is what most are accustomed to. Feed at the same time daily, turnout in the same paddock, use the same stall. I usually tell people to back off the high concentrate feeds to start- they don’t have the same high energy demands like they did racing and therefore will not require as many calories. Get a buddy for them if amenable to it- another horse, a donkey, even a goat- many horses adjust better with a companion. Provide stall rest if required. If healthy, being turned out to “just be a horse” for a while will help many settle down, however their personality and behavior must dictate this decision. When all else fails, some horses do well with a 30 day tranquilizer to ease the transition, but as with all drugs there are potential side effects, so ideally they can do this drug-free.
One of the most important things is establishing a routine. All creatures crave routine, even without realizing it, and it is particularly important with these animals early on. Their day was undoubtedly like clockwork at the racetrack and it is what most are accustomed to. Feed at the same time daily, turnout in the same paddock, use the same stall. I usually tell people to back off the high concentrate feeds to start- they don’t have the same high energy demands like they did racing and therefore will not require as many calories. Get a buddy for them if amenable to it- another horse, a donkey, even a goat- many horses adjust better with a companion. Provide stall rest if required. If healthy, being turned out to “just be a horse” for a while will help many settle down, however their personality and behavior must dictate this decision. When all else fails, some horses do well with a 30 day tranquilizer to ease the transition, but as with all drugs there are potential side effects, so ideally they can do this drug-free.
Trail riding with your OTTB!
So What Is the Secret to Trail Riding Success?
Getting an ex-racer accustomed to trail riding can be a process, though some seem to take to it very naturally. First and foremost, it’s good to keep in mind the horse’s mindset and experience when embarking on a retraining project.
At the track horses are exposed to a great deal of man-made activity, but often have little exposure to “the natural world”…So walking behind a tractor with grading equipment is no big deal; but encountering a rabbit on the trail for the first time might be heart-stopping!
Here are some ideas to consider:
My Horse Is Racing Fit, So Why Take It Slowly?
Although your OTTB may be racing fit (and don’t assume that they are–if the trainer “gave up” on the horse it may have been out of training for days or months before you brought it home), a trail horse is using new muscles and moving in a different way than they probably did on the track.
They need to learn balance, to stretch through their back and neck and develop stamina (many OTTBs run only 6 furlongs–3/4 of a mile, so a 4 mile trail ride is quite a different endeavor).
Things to Keep in Mind
Remember that your horse will change shape a great deal over the first year: so saddle fitting is important, especially if you hope to go on long trail rides on a regular basis. An ill-fitting saddle can cause behavioral problems and cause a horse’s back to be damaged. Consider getting your saddle fitted to the horse when you first get your horse, then have it checked 3-4 months later.
At the track horses are galloped in small, treeless saddles that are, essentially, just pieces of leather designed to hold the stirrups. Riders are not on the horses back and they are moving over level ground. There are no tree roots, clumps of grass or the like. They must learn to pick up and place their feet. In order to do this, you must allow them a free enough head to see where they are going!
Often racing Thoroughbreds have a “long toe, low heel” angle to their feet, and they may be more prone to over-stressing joints if you do too much, too quickly. Talk with your farrier about a plan for getting the horse’s feet in shape and discuss your riding plans with him/her.
Finally, if you get your OTTB during a season where there are biting insects be sure to use fly spray and consider an ear bonnet. There are few flies at the track as manure is removed frequently, so horses are not accustomed to being bitten. Venturing into the woods without adequately fly spraying can be a recipe for disaster if your horse is very sensitive!
Happy trails–and remember that OTTBs, like any breed of horse, are individuals. While some may thrive in the ring and shrink from the trails, the majority are happy to learn a new job and their athleticism makes them a wonderful choice for cross-country rides.
So What Is the Secret to Trail Riding Success?
Getting an ex-racer accustomed to trail riding can be a process, though some seem to take to it very naturally. First and foremost, it’s good to keep in mind the horse’s mindset and experience when embarking on a retraining project.
At the track horses are exposed to a great deal of man-made activity, but often have little exposure to “the natural world”…So walking behind a tractor with grading equipment is no big deal; but encountering a rabbit on the trail for the first time might be heart-stopping!
Here are some ideas to consider:
- Make sure that you are comfortable in an enclosed area before you venture out; if you are tense you will telegraph that to the horse, who will associate the trails with tension and (by extension) may become nervous
- Consider working the horse on the ground first; if you have a field off the farm that you traverse to get to the trails, think about walking and lunging the horse there until they feel comfortable in an open space and will still pay attention to your commands
- Engage a quiet trail buddy for your first rides! If you have a calm stablemate that can–literally–lead the way, and model proper trail etiquette, take advantage of your good fortune. Just make sure that your trail mate is tolerant: you may find that your OTTB rushes to stay very close to his trail companions
- If you are lucky enough to have hills on the trails, consider trying your first upward transitions while moving up a slight hill; this should help to keep your horse from rushing the first few times that you trot or canter
- Remember: do NOT grab the reins and keep pulling if your horse gets quick. In “OTTB-speak” this means “Go, go, go!” If your horse gets quick, try half halts until s/he relaxes a bit. If that doesn’t work it often helps to put one hand/rein down on the wither and pull the other rein back; this will turn the horse’s head and help to stop forward momentum
- Try riding in full daylight the first rides, until the horse relaxes; if you avoid shadows you can often minimize spooks
- Use your voice: it’s reassuring to your horse and you cannot hold your breath and tense up if you are talking! Just remember to modulate your voice and be calm
- If you are not confident, you may want to put a grab strap across the front dee rings on the saddle, or even put a stirrup leather around the horse’s neck; if the horse does act up you have something to hold onto. Your instructor may also want to review emergency dismounts; it is important to know how to get off as safely as possible if something does go wrong
- If your horse gets “stuck” and won’t move forward, try moving sideways for a step or two to get them “unstuck”…often the horse will be fine once you get moving again
- Remember that even seasoned trail horses can spook–so be sure to wear the right safety equipment both for you and your horse. Hard hat and vest may mean the difference between a bruise and a serious injury. If you are going through uneven terrain consider bell boots as it is common for OTTBs to be a bit unbalanced at first and catch themselves. And if you ride in the woods in hunting season, think about adding a reflective vest or other warning marker
- Keep your first rides short and consider going back to the ring/arena to finish up in an area where the horse is already used to working. You want to keep things uneventful until your horse gains some experience
- If you want to master trail riding, keep in mind that you may want to work at it consistently in the beginning: riding several times per week for a month or two until the lessons really “stick”. An OTTB, unless it has been ridden on the trails, is a green horse. Think about the retraining process as if the horse were a youngster–no matter what their chronological age
My Horse Is Racing Fit, So Why Take It Slowly?
Although your OTTB may be racing fit (and don’t assume that they are–if the trainer “gave up” on the horse it may have been out of training for days or months before you brought it home), a trail horse is using new muscles and moving in a different way than they probably did on the track.
They need to learn balance, to stretch through their back and neck and develop stamina (many OTTBs run only 6 furlongs–3/4 of a mile, so a 4 mile trail ride is quite a different endeavor).
Things to Keep in Mind
Remember that your horse will change shape a great deal over the first year: so saddle fitting is important, especially if you hope to go on long trail rides on a regular basis. An ill-fitting saddle can cause behavioral problems and cause a horse’s back to be damaged. Consider getting your saddle fitted to the horse when you first get your horse, then have it checked 3-4 months later.
At the track horses are galloped in small, treeless saddles that are, essentially, just pieces of leather designed to hold the stirrups. Riders are not on the horses back and they are moving over level ground. There are no tree roots, clumps of grass or the like. They must learn to pick up and place their feet. In order to do this, you must allow them a free enough head to see where they are going!
Often racing Thoroughbreds have a “long toe, low heel” angle to their feet, and they may be more prone to over-stressing joints if you do too much, too quickly. Talk with your farrier about a plan for getting the horse’s feet in shape and discuss your riding plans with him/her.
Finally, if you get your OTTB during a season where there are biting insects be sure to use fly spray and consider an ear bonnet. There are few flies at the track as manure is removed frequently, so horses are not accustomed to being bitten. Venturing into the woods without adequately fly spraying can be a recipe for disaster if your horse is very sensitive!
Happy trails–and remember that OTTBs, like any breed of horse, are individuals. While some may thrive in the ring and shrink from the trails, the majority are happy to learn a new job and their athleticism makes them a wonderful choice for cross-country rides.
Retraining your OTTB
One of the first things you'll notice when you climb aboard the typical OTTB is that he is practically clueless about traditional rein aids. Rather than yielding to rein pressure, the OTTB is more likely to lean on your hands and go even faster. Or worse, he may raise his head like a giraffe. It's not that your ex-racehorse is being defiant. He simply hasn't been trained like your average show or pleasure horse.
"Most people are not aware that racehorses are actually taught to gallop at a certain speed, At the track, when just galloping normally, riders will place their hands firmly on the horse's neck and ‘bridge’ the reins, thus keeping a steady hand and letting the horse pull slightly against himself." Bridging the reins is accomplished by crossing or folding the slack in the reins, then placing that fold across the horse's neck. The rider then presses down on either side of the horse's neck, removing any slack from the reins. The bridge is held approximately where the neckstrap of a martingale or breastplate would be located.
So it's no wonder that an OTTB will often elevate his head and increase his pace when you initially take a feel of his mouth. "Any change in the rider's hands indicates a change in pace to a racehorse,If an exercise rider lifts and shortens the reins, it temporarily breaks that steady contact on the reins. By increasing the horse's impulsion at the same moment that the exercise rider lifts his hands, the horse learns that a shorter rein means more speed. Because we have increased the horse's speed, the weight of the new contact on the bit is increased, and that creates leverage for the horse. So in short, "the harder a rider pulls on a racehorse, the more leverage and speed that horse will give to you."
Hence, you must attempt to connect with your OTTB in a different way than you would with another horse. One of the first steps is to teach your new horse to longe. That's not such an easy task, as most racehorses aren't taught to longe at the training farm. While teaching your OTTB the basics of longeing, include simple voice commands, especially the meaning of the word, "whoa." You can also teach him to respond to the words "trot" and "canter" by using distinct vocal intonations for those words. Reinforce the verbal cues with a cluck or a snap of the longe whip if necessary. When he complies, praise him. When you are riding your horse, you can associate
the verbal cues with subtle leg and hand aids during transitions.
Use ground work, which many of the OTTBs have never had, and teach some voice commands." Once the ex-racer comprehends the basic voice cues and is comfortable with ground work, Boyd hops aboard. Right away she begins teaching the OTTB that there is a difference between pulling on the reins to go faster, and a definite half-halt to regulate and establish the desired pace.
Use simple repetitive requests, such as half-halts with big releases of the rein pressure, in conjunction with the voice commands. First, at the walk, and then as the horse improves move on to the trot and canter." When your new student responds, be prompt with a reward. "make sure you use lots of 'big praise' and lots of pats on the neck."
As an example of how to accomplish this, the OTTB is worked in a large circle at the trot, approximately 20 or 30 meters. By using the voice command for "trot" and perhaps a simple cluck to achieve the upward transition, the horse will begin to trot. If his pace increases beyond what is desired, a half-halt is applied to steady the horse back to the optimum pace. At the precise moment the horse complies, however, there is an immediate reward: a softening of the rein. "Sometimes just a two-minute ride with one good transition at the walk is worth more than an hour of pulling at the canter. Praise goes a long, long way with a Thoroughbred."
Since your intention is to educate your OTTB, don't take the perceived easy route by resorting to a harsher bit to gain some short-term responses. Instead, stick with a bit the horse is used to: the simple smooth-mouth snaffle. Then work from there by asking the horse to carry himself without leaning on your hands for support. Institute half-halts liberally, but don't forget to reward your horse for any response by relaxing your feel on the reins. Less is much more when it comes to teaching rhythm and pace. "If you let go of the horse's face,". "The average OTTB isn't going to run off automatically, he's going to start slow and build."
Don't try and force the gait up or down into your preferred speed right away. If your OTTB's comfortable canter is a click or two above where you ideally want it to be, spend the first few weeks or even months teaching him that a self-sustained rhythm is what's important." Such a concept may be difficult for some Thoroughbreds. "This might be the first time the horse has had to carry himself."
Be consistent, and don't lose patience. You have to tailor your rewards to any response, not just the perfect response, on the part of the horse." In the early stages, focus on letting your horses understand the basic tenets of riding. You makes a request. The horse responds, even if just slightly. In turn, the horse is rewarded. You goal is to set them up for easy success.
Proceed logically, and don’t rush ahead. Until you can get your ex-racer to carry himself in a balanced manner without lugging on your hands for support, and maintaining a steady pace with infrequent half-halts as reminders, there's no sense in going on to the next steps: leads and circles.
Is your OTTB relaxed and comfortable with transitions and halting? Will he remain at a steady pace, with a definite rhythm without you constantly reminding him? If so, it's time to teach him to move off your leg and to bend slightly around his turns. Turning to the left and bending left won't be much of a problem. Although your ex-racehorse might not be trained to respond to leg aids, he generally won't resent your legs being placed against his sides. Begin by circling on a large circle of about 20 meters (about the size of a circle made on a longe line). Start by tracking to the left. As you press your inside (left) leg into his side and pick up more contact with your inside (left) rein, your horse should make a fairly decent circle to the left. That is only natural. Racetracks in North America are comprised of left-hand turns, and virtually all mechanical hotwalkers on the backstretch work counterclockwise. As you apply a little more pressure with your left leg, your horse should spiral out or move out on his circle.
Reward him for this. However, when you reverse and track to the right, you'll probably encounter a much different animal.
Asking an ex-racehorse to make a circle or a smooth turn to the right is sure to incite some resistance. The horse is simply unbalanced in that direction. For example, your OTTB might manage some jagged formations, like pentagons and hexagons. But circles or ovals? Forget it.
To re-educate your OTTB, you may have to resort to some tips inspired by western riding. In western terms, teach your horse to follow his nose. When tracking in a large circle to the right, use an inside (right) opening or leading rein—hold your right hand out to the side, approximately even with your horse's shoulder, and slowly bring your right hand back to your hip. Your horse should oblige with his nose following the soft contact on the right ring of his snaffle bit. As he curves ever so slightly in a half turn to the right, bending his neck, release the pressure and pat him.
Eventually, add pressure with your inside (right) leg as you gently guide his nose—and thereby his head, neck and body—around to the right. Your inside (right) leg will keep him from simply falling in on the circle. By pressing his ribs gently "out" on his turn, but leading his head and neck around to the right, you should be able to create a reasonable circle. With a lot of praise for an honest effort, your OTTB will begin to realize that there are two directions in life.
Despite your progress, when you begin to canter, be prepared for your horse to have some difficulty picking up his right lead. You must remain patient. One method for introducing a departure onto the right lead is to quietly circle your horse to the right at a slow trot. Make sure he is correctly bent to the right. Then, as you return to the arena rail, nudge him into a canter using your voice command, a cluck and a squeeze of your outside (left) calf. Some ex-racers will pick this new trick up quickly. Others are much more reluctant. Just be patient and consistent, and in a few rides, your horse will have his right lead. And he'll be well on his way to a new career.
One of the first things you'll notice when you climb aboard the typical OTTB is that he is practically clueless about traditional rein aids. Rather than yielding to rein pressure, the OTTB is more likely to lean on your hands and go even faster. Or worse, he may raise his head like a giraffe. It's not that your ex-racehorse is being defiant. He simply hasn't been trained like your average show or pleasure horse.
"Most people are not aware that racehorses are actually taught to gallop at a certain speed, At the track, when just galloping normally, riders will place their hands firmly on the horse's neck and ‘bridge’ the reins, thus keeping a steady hand and letting the horse pull slightly against himself." Bridging the reins is accomplished by crossing or folding the slack in the reins, then placing that fold across the horse's neck. The rider then presses down on either side of the horse's neck, removing any slack from the reins. The bridge is held approximately where the neckstrap of a martingale or breastplate would be located.
So it's no wonder that an OTTB will often elevate his head and increase his pace when you initially take a feel of his mouth. "Any change in the rider's hands indicates a change in pace to a racehorse,If an exercise rider lifts and shortens the reins, it temporarily breaks that steady contact on the reins. By increasing the horse's impulsion at the same moment that the exercise rider lifts his hands, the horse learns that a shorter rein means more speed. Because we have increased the horse's speed, the weight of the new contact on the bit is increased, and that creates leverage for the horse. So in short, "the harder a rider pulls on a racehorse, the more leverage and speed that horse will give to you."
Hence, you must attempt to connect with your OTTB in a different way than you would with another horse. One of the first steps is to teach your new horse to longe. That's not such an easy task, as most racehorses aren't taught to longe at the training farm. While teaching your OTTB the basics of longeing, include simple voice commands, especially the meaning of the word, "whoa." You can also teach him to respond to the words "trot" and "canter" by using distinct vocal intonations for those words. Reinforce the verbal cues with a cluck or a snap of the longe whip if necessary. When he complies, praise him. When you are riding your horse, you can associate
the verbal cues with subtle leg and hand aids during transitions.
Use ground work, which many of the OTTBs have never had, and teach some voice commands." Once the ex-racer comprehends the basic voice cues and is comfortable with ground work, Boyd hops aboard. Right away she begins teaching the OTTB that there is a difference between pulling on the reins to go faster, and a definite half-halt to regulate and establish the desired pace.
Use simple repetitive requests, such as half-halts with big releases of the rein pressure, in conjunction with the voice commands. First, at the walk, and then as the horse improves move on to the trot and canter." When your new student responds, be prompt with a reward. "make sure you use lots of 'big praise' and lots of pats on the neck."
As an example of how to accomplish this, the OTTB is worked in a large circle at the trot, approximately 20 or 30 meters. By using the voice command for "trot" and perhaps a simple cluck to achieve the upward transition, the horse will begin to trot. If his pace increases beyond what is desired, a half-halt is applied to steady the horse back to the optimum pace. At the precise moment the horse complies, however, there is an immediate reward: a softening of the rein. "Sometimes just a two-minute ride with one good transition at the walk is worth more than an hour of pulling at the canter. Praise goes a long, long way with a Thoroughbred."
Since your intention is to educate your OTTB, don't take the perceived easy route by resorting to a harsher bit to gain some short-term responses. Instead, stick with a bit the horse is used to: the simple smooth-mouth snaffle. Then work from there by asking the horse to carry himself without leaning on your hands for support. Institute half-halts liberally, but don't forget to reward your horse for any response by relaxing your feel on the reins. Less is much more when it comes to teaching rhythm and pace. "If you let go of the horse's face,". "The average OTTB isn't going to run off automatically, he's going to start slow and build."
Don't try and force the gait up or down into your preferred speed right away. If your OTTB's comfortable canter is a click or two above where you ideally want it to be, spend the first few weeks or even months teaching him that a self-sustained rhythm is what's important." Such a concept may be difficult for some Thoroughbreds. "This might be the first time the horse has had to carry himself."
Be consistent, and don't lose patience. You have to tailor your rewards to any response, not just the perfect response, on the part of the horse." In the early stages, focus on letting your horses understand the basic tenets of riding. You makes a request. The horse responds, even if just slightly. In turn, the horse is rewarded. You goal is to set them up for easy success.
Proceed logically, and don’t rush ahead. Until you can get your ex-racer to carry himself in a balanced manner without lugging on your hands for support, and maintaining a steady pace with infrequent half-halts as reminders, there's no sense in going on to the next steps: leads and circles.
Is your OTTB relaxed and comfortable with transitions and halting? Will he remain at a steady pace, with a definite rhythm without you constantly reminding him? If so, it's time to teach him to move off your leg and to bend slightly around his turns. Turning to the left and bending left won't be much of a problem. Although your ex-racehorse might not be trained to respond to leg aids, he generally won't resent your legs being placed against his sides. Begin by circling on a large circle of about 20 meters (about the size of a circle made on a longe line). Start by tracking to the left. As you press your inside (left) leg into his side and pick up more contact with your inside (left) rein, your horse should make a fairly decent circle to the left. That is only natural. Racetracks in North America are comprised of left-hand turns, and virtually all mechanical hotwalkers on the backstretch work counterclockwise. As you apply a little more pressure with your left leg, your horse should spiral out or move out on his circle.
Reward him for this. However, when you reverse and track to the right, you'll probably encounter a much different animal.
Asking an ex-racehorse to make a circle or a smooth turn to the right is sure to incite some resistance. The horse is simply unbalanced in that direction. For example, your OTTB might manage some jagged formations, like pentagons and hexagons. But circles or ovals? Forget it.
To re-educate your OTTB, you may have to resort to some tips inspired by western riding. In western terms, teach your horse to follow his nose. When tracking in a large circle to the right, use an inside (right) opening or leading rein—hold your right hand out to the side, approximately even with your horse's shoulder, and slowly bring your right hand back to your hip. Your horse should oblige with his nose following the soft contact on the right ring of his snaffle bit. As he curves ever so slightly in a half turn to the right, bending his neck, release the pressure and pat him.
Eventually, add pressure with your inside (right) leg as you gently guide his nose—and thereby his head, neck and body—around to the right. Your inside (right) leg will keep him from simply falling in on the circle. By pressing his ribs gently "out" on his turn, but leading his head and neck around to the right, you should be able to create a reasonable circle. With a lot of praise for an honest effort, your OTTB will begin to realize that there are two directions in life.
Despite your progress, when you begin to canter, be prepared for your horse to have some difficulty picking up his right lead. You must remain patient. One method for introducing a departure onto the right lead is to quietly circle your horse to the right at a slow trot. Make sure he is correctly bent to the right. Then, as you return to the arena rail, nudge him into a canter using your voice command, a cluck and a squeeze of your outside (left) calf. Some ex-racers will pick this new trick up quickly. Others are much more reluctant. Just be patient and consistent, and in a few rides, your horse will have his right lead. And he'll be well on his way to a new career.