# Common Problems with Ex Racehorses



## tinker512 (4 November 2008)

Just doing at bit of digging for some uni work 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Just wonder if anybody can come up with some common problems with ex racehorses, sorry I'm going to sterreotype them here 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Am just thinking about common problems that might be tackled in alot of ex racehorses when it comes to rehabilitation and retraining....I have already thought about the fact many do not know how to be mounted from the ground or block and to stand still for this, and that they go out in the strings so when it comes to hacking alone this can prove challenging... 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Anybody had experiences of others?


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## annunziata (4 November 2008)

open fields mean GO!!!!!  

They find it hard to canter on certain legs due to favoring one to gallop on


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## Lippyx (4 November 2008)

The most obvious one that comes to mind is retraining them from sticking they head out as far as it will go, to doing the complete opposite, and asking them to flex at the poll!!

Lippy x


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## SillyMare (4 November 2008)

There is a lot of info on the ror website.

Lots of behavioural problems with ex-racers are caused by new owners who simply don't understand them.

Common physical problems (eg. tendons) due to hard work at a relatively young age.


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## Penguinboots (4 November 2008)

Bending and circle work can be an issue.

Oh, and I have a story re. hacking alone. I've recently moved to Germany and have started exerscizing at a race/rehab yard. On my second time out there they put me on an ex racer and sent me off on hack on my own...he was very good...came back and the YO asked me if he was good, I said yes...then she said "oh, that's good, it's the first time he's ever hacked out alone in his life!"


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## ribena73 (4 November 2008)

Being tied up- some of them are tacked &amp; groomed in the stable so aren't used to this ....Also being hot shod can be a bit of a shock if they've only had aluminium plates on (at least that's what my farrier said when my exracer ran a mile backwards first time she was shod)


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## Kenzo (4 November 2008)

Old racing injuries that can go un noticed...some horses put up with a slight pain or twinge here an there but others will show their objections straight away, sometimes people its just because there TB's and have been raced and think its just a behavioural thing, rather than exploring all possible areas and perhaps contacting the trainer/owner to find out their medical history or having everything checked out before starting to re-train them to prevent physical problems turning into mental ones.


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## xspiralx (4 November 2008)

I second bending! Because they are primarily worked in pretty much straight lines it can take a while to grasp the concept of bending around the leg! Also of course they aren't used to the use of the leg in the same way we expect of a riding horse, so it can take time to retrain them to resoind to the leg in the way you want.

Also sometimes they have stress problems associated with stabling, such as windsucking etc.


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## tinker512 (4 November 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
Also being hot shod can be a bit of a shock if they've only had aluminium plates on (at least that's what my farrier said when my exracer ran a mile backwards first time she was shod) 

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you for that, thats interesting and is an area that I had completely forgot to look at!!


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## Heidi1 (4 November 2008)

Socialising with other horses........


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## TarrSteps (4 November 2008)

Cross tying, although that's likely not such an issue here as in North American.  Race horses are almost never cross tied and it's almost a given people will get them home, cross tie them, and then wonder why the horse gets upset.

Sometimes they're not great about people getting on from a block/the ground, as many yards leg up as a matter of course.  It's not usually a problem to teach, just, again, something people used to riding horses take for granted.

Turnout can be an issue initially, if they've come from a yard that doesn't do much of it.  But most have been out in groups as young horses and come around well.

I would also second Kenzo's post.  Some racing operations seem a bit unaware of physical issues many riding people might notice (back/neck pain particularly) initially, but then if the horse misbehaves in its second career people put it down to having been a race horse and don't look as carefully as they might if it had been a riding horse the whole time.


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## Lippyx (4 November 2008)

My mare can't be hot shod. She goes VERY foot sore if she is, so she is cold shod.

Lippy x


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## miss_bird (4 November 2008)

I found a few re-occuring probs with all the ex-racers i have had
1. Loose tying in field for grooming (all freaked when i went out of sight just not used to being tied in a field alone.
2. Trying out canter with a rider first few times is very hard for them and the legs go everywhere normally disunited.
3. Lungeing and long reining no idea, found with lunging stand to flat out gallop, long reining head going all over the show trying to find you as aging not used to doing anything on their own.
There are a few other but they could be the individual horses rather han being an ex-racer


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## marinitagsd (4 November 2008)

We have an ex-racer and it is taking some time to re-school him.  He is slowly learning  but something we have find out is that you need to get the horse's trust on the ground before attempting to mount him.  Once you have gained his trust you are more likely to have a better experience on his back for both of you.
Time and trust is all it takes!
Anita
x


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## Wimbles (4 November 2008)

Socialising with other horses, not a clue how to react to the signals other horses give, can often end up with them getting a hiding as they come across very ignornat to other horses.

Tightening of reins often means go! to many ex racers, not stop.

Obviously stable vices are much more common

They can be quite "one sided" due to the direction in which they preferred when they raced

Standing still has been an issue with some of mine

Horses that have hurdled sometimes find it hard to make the correct shape when jumping poles and will often take a fence with them


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## tinker512 (4 November 2008)

Thank you for all your replys, has been very useful, must say al the ex racer horses I have had experience with have been diamonds, sound like little horrors you lot have had to deal with


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## TGM (4 November 2008)

A lot of racehorses are fed a low fibre, high cereal diet with little or no turnout, which can lead to gastric ulcers, which in turn can effect behaviour and performance.


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## KeyHold (4 November 2008)

A problem I havent seen anyone else say - mine was scared of going out on her own. It took a while to get her to understand she didnt need to be in a string to be safe.

Other than that, i've not had any major problems with her. Infact Id say she's been better behaved and easier to train than many of the other horses ive had and (touch wood) no probs with her tendons or feet either.


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## Bosworth (4 November 2008)

I have come across a few including mine who have serious problems with a whip being held near them. Mine freaked when I first got him when I picked up a schooling whip. apparently when horses are raced the jockey picks up the whip and waves it to increase the effort in the closing stages, the horse should immediately move on. Mine didn't so the trainer took a whip into his stable and beat the living daylights out of him to make him whip shy so he would move on.  We have sorted the problem and he is now fine with a whip. 

Fantastic in traffic, will go out alongside any horse, but does not like them to pass him, he will speed up in all paces to ensure he remains in front.


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## Nailed (4 November 2008)

ex racers who have flat raced more than jumped find it difficult to stand fo long periods to be shod as when plating, a set on a tb racer can be done in 15 mins as littl eor not foot is removed, and as they are shod as often at every 2 weeks, there is littl work to go into it other than nail on and clench.
So when they are left for 6 weeks then shod and it taked a hour they get restless.

To be honest ive have a lot of ex-racers. they are very rewarding and each present a diffrent challenge.

I find the best way to go about things is to let them tell you why they do stuff.

Lou x


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## CracklinRosie (4 November 2008)

Going backwards when confused. I know 2 who have done this.


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## toomanyhorses26 (4 November 2008)

With mine I have found small horses present a bit of an issue when I first turned my current ex rcer out with a pair of 11hh welsh ponies he was terrified of them and wouldnt graze any where near them!bit odd I know and also with mine I found they had a dull few weeks soon after moving change of routine, turnout,different diet etc they then perked up and as they say therest is history!


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## Chestnuttymare (4 November 2008)

mounting can be another problem, jockeys are usually 'flung' on and off they go. It took a bit of practising to get mine to stand still for mounting and wait til told to move.
building a relationship with 1 person is quite alien to some of them.


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## VLHIEASTON (4 November 2008)

Kissing spines and rubbish feet !


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## Bosworth (4 November 2008)

oh yes - I forgot the getting on fun and games, forget leg ups - too exciting. Mine has now been trained to stand by all sorts of things for me to get on - but I cannot be legged up he is far too fast away for someone like me who is crap at getting on from a leg up due to previous injuries. First leg up at a competition - he bucked and set off in Gallop, I was thrown over his shoulder, landed on the floor and he trod on my jacket right in my arm pit - he stopped dead and looked at me - really confused. My OH had to rescue me as I could not move as pinned down and he could not walk forward without stepping on me. 

He now stands like a rock by anything I want him to.


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## jesterfaerie (4 November 2008)

Rubbish feet.
My word I must have a good one as he isn't fussed by the majority of things people have mentioned.


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## Bossanova (4 November 2008)

Hot shoeing is a definite first for many

Having a proper, consistant contact will often be an alien concept

Lunging, some wont have been

Physically and mentally theyll oten have a vice and will be more likely to develop ulcers, navicular an other concussive conditions


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## Puppy (4 November 2008)

I would ditto the issue of being turned out with others can be a problem, stable vices, and also the hot shoeing, and being tied up.


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## Jules19 (5 November 2008)

When they first come out of training they are incapable of stepping up or down a kerb/step.  So used to having everything sloped and 'horse friendly' they don't understand the concept, at least all the ones that have come out of Nkt that I know of have been like this.  Have to set them up and make them look at what they are doing or they just stumble over.

Oh and ditto rubbish feet.


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