Retraining racehorses is as popular as ever, with many of those retired from the track enjoying a second career, whether that be in competition or not. To celebrate the time and effort a huge number of people put into their former racehorses, here is a selection of incredible post-racing transformations…
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“This is my ex-racehorse, Flyjack. He’s 10 years old and I’ve retrained him as a show horse. We compete in Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) and large hack classes and he also had a short career as a polo pony” — Andrea Winstanley
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“This is my former racehorse No Women No Cry, AKA Smokey. He was bred by Sarah Tizzard, and is out of Motown Melody and is by the great Kayf Tara, who also sired Thistlecrack. He raced 34 times and won four despite ripping open his hip as a foal on a gate latch. I purchased him in August 2015 and have since been retraining him. He started competing in dressage with me last July and has since gone from strength to strength. He is now winning at prelim and has just started novice level with a hope to get him to elementary by the end of this year if not before. To add to the story, I had not ridden for over 20 years when I made the decision to revitalise my childhood passion. So for us both to have already got so far is a fantastic achievement” — Angela Gould
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“Hero is a rising five-year-old Flat racehorse. He raced as a three- and four-year-old and I’ve now had him a year and a half. He had never done flatwork or jumped before I got him and as you can see he is amazing at both! He was first and second in his first two dressage competitions in Ireland. He is only a little guy at 15.1hh, but he has a huge heart and I absolutely love him!” — Ashleigh Hughes Lordan
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“This is Desert Sea, a listed race winner, winning approximately £120,000 over seven seasons. He is now successfully competing in British Dressage (BD) and showing classes with placings at major championships. He came to me straight off the track shortly after running at Royal Ascot” — Dawn Bacchus
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“This is my ex-racehorse Bernabeu (Beau). I have had him for nearly six years and in that time we have competed successfully in British Eventing (BE) and shown at county level. He really is my one in a million!” — Elise Clements
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“This is Where To Now. I got her when she was eight, having been in racing until she was four, but after she had had many homes. I’ve now had her for three years and she’s since won a BE100 and been placed in multiple other BE events. She’s been to the British Dressage Nationals and almost got to Badminton for the Mitsubishi Motors Cup while also being an awesome all-rounder” — Ellie James
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“This is Fire Commander, my eight-year-old former Flat racer. I’ve had him for three years now” — Emily Parkinson
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“This is Zak (Hidden Asset) and I have had him for just over a year. I bought him from Cheveral House Racehorse Rehoming where he had just finished racing and had no retraining. Pictured is the first time I sat on him and now. He is competing at novice dressage, has done one-day events and hunter trials and we have high hopes for the future” — Hannah Ward
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“This is Jackers. I’ve had him for almost three years. He is has a huge character and can be incredibly ‘spirited’ at shows so I’ve been taking it steady with him. We have had many ups and downs, but I love him to pieces and wouldn’t swap him for the world. The fact that I can see a huge difference in his behaviour and attitude to work is all I need to keep going with him. Every summer that passes, we achieve something bigger and better. I can’t wait to see where we end up” — Jemma Harding
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“Thomas was deemed not fast enough to race, so we’ve retrained him for the show ring and qualified for HOYS! Riding him through the curtains and into the ring at HOYS was by far the best moment of my life and I don’t think anything will ever come close to that feeling!” — Kara Roylance
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“This is my ex-racehorse, Senator Logan. He came to me straight off the track as a three-year-old in 2010. He had colic surgery at the age of five so we had quite a major setback in his education. We now enjoy hacking and competing at local shows where this year he won overall champion ridden and in-hand thoroughbred at our end of season presentation. The first picture was taken the week I got him and the second was taken at a show this summer” — Katie Nesbitt
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“This is my ex-racehorse, Sirius Chesnut. He has gone from National Hunt racing to dressage diva and we are aiming for BD’s My Quest and the RoR championships this year, and maybe even a Petplan area festival qualification!” — Katy Ferrari
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“This is Pants, or Empire Dancer to his racing friends. I bought Pants in September 2008 and we have done so much in this time, mainly dressage and showing as he isn’t into the whole jumping thing. Although he is rather cheeky, he is the most loving, rewarding and talented horse. We have had a tough time over the past couple of years due to him being diagnosed with a mild kissing spine but after injections into the area and lots of core work he is now ready to get back out into the competition ring” — Kerry Wright
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“This is my boy, Monty (AKA Looks The Business). The first picture was taken on the day that we went to view him in 2011 and the second one was taken in 2016 at an RoR camp. I wasn’t looking for an ex-racehorse, but when we saw him, I had to have him. It has taken a long time and lots of vet visits and physio treatment to get to where we are now but we are finally looking good for the future. He will be 16 this year and he raced until 2010, in over 80 races. We have achieved so much together and I would never part with him — he is one of the family forever” — Kristina McGuiness
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“I have owned Debussy for three years having rehomed him from Darley/Godolphin Rehoming in December 2013. As you have to apply for a horse and they match you rather than you go and select one, I asked for one with four white socks and a white face! When I got the call to say they thought they had the horse for me, I didn’t think in a million years he would have been as perfect as he is — he’s my dream horse. Our path hasn’t been easy — he was diagnosed with kissing spines 18 months after I got him but we seem to have come out the other side and I feel we are finally back on track to dip our toe in the dressage arena. He’s the funniest guy to have around — he’s never happier than when he’s throwing things, opening poppers on my coat, tipping over wheelbarrows or generally causing chaos. I love every single hair on him and I can’t imagine ever being without him” — Larissa Murphy
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“This is my exracehorse Celtic Boy. He was originally bought as my point-to-point schoolmaster and gave me my first win, a day I will never forget. After two fun seasons he retired at the grand age of 14. Since then we have had so much fun together and he has particularly excelled in the show ring. He is still as bright and athletic as ever at 19 and looking forward to the season ahead, particularly the RoR National Show at Aintree where he has qualified for a number of classes” — Laura Grey
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“This is my boy, Unrealistic Target (AKA Jack) who will be 10 in May. I’ve had him just over three years and it proves what a little hard work can achieve” — Laura Harrison
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“This is Divine Folly aka Ross who was a National Hunt horse. He came off the track in April 2016 at 11 years old and I got him in May. Ross was very willing to retrain and he was out doing his first one-day event in September coming 10th out of 36. Unfortunately I lost him to colic in October. His trainer Lawney Hill very kindly offered me Joey, another ex-racehorse, who I am now retraining” — Laura Meller
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“This is Wild West who has been out of racing for four years. He was placed over hurdles with AP McCoy riding him, and was owned by JP McManus. He is now nine and he has won the RoR final at Hickstead and qualified for HOYS twice finishing sixth and seventh. He also enjoys being ridden side saddle and hunts like a bunny!” — Lizzie Harris
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“This is Marski (General Samarski) who I have retrained and we have competed to BE90 together” — Lucy Cocker
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“This is Mr Gatsby, a rising six-year-old Flat racer bred in Bramham, Yorkshire and trained at Mark Wolford’s in Sheriff Hutton. He was last in all his races except one where he came fourth. He retired as a four-year-old to become my new event horse. We were placed 15th at Askham Bryan BE80(T) at the end of last season after a lot of fun and rosettes in the RoR showing classes. He has won or been placed in all disciplines we have tried and shows incredible scope and attitude. We love going to RoR clinics, lessons and competitions as well as going eventing. One day we hope to get back to Bramham for the horse trials but until then we have a lot of work to do!” — Lucy Robinson
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“This is my ex-racer Ojoe (Rockville Watch), who I’ve owned for two-and-a-half years after he had a very short racing career. Ojoe is the sweetest boy and is so willing and honest. Last year I competed him at our first ever racehorse to riding horse show and was placed fifth at Iverk in the Racehorse to Riding Horse Retraining class finals. This year we will be back out showing and we’ve also started dressage and showjumping (a new challenge for us both) and I am hoping to get to some eventing competitions soon. Ojoe has come such a long way, and I can’t wait to see how far we can go together” — Maria McShane
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“This is Frosty The Snowman, a five-year-old 17hh ex-Flat racehorse. He won twice and was placed on a number of occasions. This is his transformation in four months since of coming off the track. I am retraining him to be an event horse with help from my university academy trainer Chris Bartle and we have been placed at every competition we’ve been to so far” — Olivia Proctor
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“This is my ex racehorse, Brokeback Ocean. I bought him as a five-year-old and he is 14 this year. He’s been through quite a lot, from having loading problems and not wanting to be shod to having sinuscopy surgery. He’s absolutely amazing and my horse of a lifetime. He’s doing BD this year and is one point away from qualifying for the regional finals” — Phillipa Jones
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“This is an ex-racehorse I used to own. The before picture was taken in April 2014 and the after picture was taken in October 2016, after finishing third in the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Championship which was an amazing achievement” — Sophie Tranter
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“This is my loan horse Danish Blues. I started loaning him two-and-a-half years ago. He is a genuine-hearted little horse who has a lot to give. After lots of hard work and patience we started competing in dressage last year and have hopes to go affiliated. He is such a hard-working and honest horse — he constantly amazes those around him with how much he gives and still has left in him. I was never looking for a thoroughbred, however I’m so glad I’ve found him and wouldn’t change him for the world!” — Stacey Barr
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“This is Our Day Will Come, or stable name Summer — my amazing 11-year-old 15.2hh bay mare on the day I got her eight years ago straight out of racing, and now competing with my 13-year-old daughter Nina. She’s the most honest, gentle, loving horse I’ve ever owned and I wouldn’t swap her for the world” — Stel Whittaker
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“This is the first time I sat on Charlie (racing name Fora Smile) after he had recovered from a broken leg which happened while racing as a sprinter. I was very lucky to be given him, and after eight months of box rest and careful groundwork I finally got on him. The other picture is of us showjumping last summer at our first one-day-event, 11 years after I got him. It was a very long time coming, but he is the most wonderful character and we have had so much fun over the years” — Steph Bull
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