Thoroughbred Ex-Racers
I have noticed a lot more people are getting Thoroughbreds, ex racers. We recently rescued one and I have never had the breed before, we’ve only had quarter horses. Some suggestions from experienced owners would be great! Like I know they have thin hoof walls, how do you deal with that? We trail ride and there are rocks in his pasture so they chip easily. Bell boots? 24-7? We ride western, what type of saddle do you use? Having a hard time fitting him, tried on ALOT! Any other advice for the beautiful breed would be greatly appreciated!
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I’m glad you’re in the know about TBs and their hooves – so many people ignore that part of the buying process!
TBs have weak hooves and weak legs. This applies especially to racehorses or ex-racehorses. Many former racers leave the track with bowed tendons, joint strain, premature arthritis, etc, because they are run too much on legs that aren’t strong enough. So definitely watch your new horse’s feet and legs in these first few weeks. If he seems a bit lame, then put him on some bute for a day or so and see if it clears up. With time, he’ll adjust to his new territory and won’t hurt his legs.
As for the boots – bell boots or polo wraps might be a good idea now while he’s adjusting, but he probably shouldn’t wear them forever. For one thing, I hate bell boots on western horses. Just looks awful. For another, it’s better to let him get used to his surroundings rather than trying to protect him from everything.
The saddle part is usually pretty hard with TBs. They normally have sort of skinny backs and butts, which is not ideal in a western saddle. First try using a riser pad or lifts under the saddle to keep it sitting properly. If this doesn’t work, consider looking at alternative saddles – I think they make special “skinny” western saddles, you’d have to look online to see for sure. A thicker pad might help too.
My best advice for you is to spend lots and lots of time with him! Thoroughbreds can be a bit neurotic when left to their own devices. Plenty of exercise and attention will solve this quickly. They also feel better when they have a very steady relationship with their rider.
Best of luck!
I have had 2 of them and both have been wonderful ex-race horses. They didnt’ have thin hoof walls, I would talk to my farrier about what to do on that. I turned my horses into great cow horses and barrel racing horses. I use a Billy Cook barrel saddle and I have not had any problems with fit on them, I have had to change the pad but that was it. They do tend to be “hot” blooded meaning they can be tempremental and when they get worked up they can be hard to get calm again but just working with them they get out of that.
My kids took over both of my horses and they worked out great for them.
Good luck!!
Congrats! My they are beautiful horses but yes tricky to fit. Buy arab sized saddles with narrower trees, they fit better than saddles with quarter horse bars. As for hooves, they are thin, feed biotin supplements and allow your horse access to pasture, they are one of the breeds who benefit from wearing shoes, especially if the horn cracks easily. My mare foundered and her hooves split half way up her toe. Shoes have definitely saved her feet, but I know that she was not well fed by her previous owners and since her nutrition has improved, so has the condition of her hooves. Bell boots 24/7 will be necessary with shoes as they easily step on them with their hind feet and pull them off. Have fun and Good Luck.
Congradulations! Im huge in taking in ex-racehorses & i love it and i hope you have a great time.
For their hooves — constant picking of the feet; constant moisture/lotion oil for them. Nothing can really make them thicker or stronger than constant attention. No supplement will do the trick either, so dont fall for that. You dont really need bell boots unless they are clipping themself. Always use polo wraps on the fronts and optionally on the back. Throughbreds are known for having tendon problems from racing — more support .. the better.
As for saddles — i have never ridden my thoroughbreds western lol. That is just me, but my thoroughbreds are very thin and they cannot keep weight on for anything. I ride my horses in a gel close-contact saddle pad, with a 16 1/2 pessoa A/O close contact saddle. A western saddle is a little harsh on his spine if they he is thin thin thin.
If you are thinking about re-training him for either jumping/cross country; make sure you ALWAYS have liniment on his legs after you work. A horse can jump only so many times and canter around in a circle so many times. The liniment will save his tendons and spare his muscles for years later.
If you have a heavy/high post.. try to lighten it. Thoroughbreds are known for experiencing sunken in backs by the time they are 10 or 11 years old. It is usually from heavy posting and driving too much with the saddle when you canter/ gallop.
If hee is easily spooked at random things, try a b-12 supplement. It works VERY well with newly released racers. I have always had the ‘luck’ of getting the retarded thoroughbreds who are friggen nuts. B-12 is like a miracle.
Trail rides are good to calm their minds, just always be aware. Make sure his feet are nice and soft so they dont crack. If you are paranoid about him getting a bruised frog, stuff his hoof with clay or play-doh before you take him out so it absorbs all the shock then take it out after your ride.
Best of Luck!
i have a appendix(QH/TB) and i ride westren with her, shes been a trail horse for 14 years. just whatever saddle you have for your QHs should work
mines hoof walls arent thin,but im not sure if thats because she does ave QH in her.
well, i live on an ex racer TB farm and we train them hunter jumper(well my mom does) they really aren’t supposed to be western. they are very narrow and have extreamly thin skin. maybe you should sell your horse to an english rider. wester saddles can cause rubs on their backs and yes, it will be very hard to thind a saddle narrow enough for your horse. if you get a saddle that is too big the tree will touch the horses spin which will cause back problems in the future. trust me, i have a TB and a tried to take up barrel racing, i gave it up because there was no saddle narrow enough and now my horse needs chiropractic care.
Hoof Flex every day You can get it at almost any tack shop
The only way to get a perfect fitting saddle is to get a custom saddle made or try a tree less saddle (google or yahoo Bare Foot Tree Less Saddles)
I got an appendix Quarter Horse (half Q.H half Thoroughbred) and I ride with a Bare Foot Saddle (you can get them in western style)
Once you try it you and your horse won’t want a treed saddle again.
The Thoroughberd is no different than any other horse except he’s bred to run. You don’t need bell boot unless he runs douwn in the back or hits in the front . The hoof walls are not normally thin at all. I’ve had race horses all my life as racers and just plain riding horses, of course you’ll need to have them shodded like any horse,as for tack it will depend on what you want to ride western or english they will go either way by the way they do make excellent jumpers and dressage horses with training. Good luck
well, saddle fitting is an issue with thoroughbreds because their narrow and often times their withers are high. i know with english saddles you can get pads that compensate for their withers and help the saddle fit better. you can probably get the same things for western saddles. look in a tack magazine and i’m sure you’ll find something that will work for you. you could start your horse on a supplement for hooves that will help them toughen up and ask your farrier what he recommends. not neccessarily all thoroughbreds have thin hoof walls so your new horse may be fine. have fun with your new horse
Really? I have noticed quite the opposite (not saying your wrong) but the trend lately around here, ESPECIALLY English Pleasure, is going for the more stocky look. I have noticed that the dainty thoroughbred types, and don’t get me wrong, I love thoroughbreds, have even but going in more of the western events than ever, so you should fit just fine. It seems like it’s getting harder to find them though. I have a Thoroughbred and her hooves crack so easily! I put her on a biotin supplement and use hooflex about twice a week, and they hold up quite nice. I would recomend using SMB boots, it seems like they trip or nick themselves more than any other horse I’ve had. Good luck and great choice!
I have had an ex-racer for a couple months now, and i too am new to the breed as i have always ridden Arabians.
I have found there one of those kinds of horses that need to be “lead by the hand” They really want to please, but are very young minded and just dont know what you want. It takes a while to get it through their head.
I have tried mine western, she just isn’t made for it. Her speed and extended gates just dont match it.
I wouldn’t use any really harsh bits because i have too found that they have soft mouths.
Mine never really acts up unless there is a reason. They just really really want to please and they are just wonderful animals.
I cant have chosen a better horse, then one off the track. Mine is a complete sweet heart.
As for the saddle, I have tried alot, built up pads, The one thing I havent tried is a semi-QH bar with a flex tree. That’s what everyone keeps telling me to try, but the $$$ just isn’t there.
Hope that helped, and enjoy your ex-racer they truly are great horses.
I have been successful with using Venice Turpentine on hooves, it hardens them up on the sole. Don’t do the heel though.
I’ve looked at the food I am giving to make sure it’s not too hot a food for the temperament.
Beautiful horses, hours and hours of fun and companionship. I’ve had 3 of them.
None of them liked western, so English was the way.
Never used bell boots. Never used Easy boots. Shoes on front when necessary, [fresh off track and feet needed regrowing] barefoot all other times.
Yes saddles are tough, that’s a trial and error thing, I just got a cheap all purpose saddle. Trail riding saddles work too.
good luck…
I had one, loved that horse immensly. The hoof wall thing, I couldn’t keep shoes on him. If I did, it would rip the walls with the nails. I used easy boots on him when we rode and I had the keepers attached to him also incase he through one. He was cocky when he had them on, he loved his boots.
Saddle fitting- in the end, sadly thats why i sold him, he was rearing badly, and I had him to the vet and chiropractor and they couldn’t figure it out. It was saddle fitting doing that and the new owner didn’t have any trouble with him.
He was a great horse and had a great heart.
I’m a huge fan of this breed and I’ve worked with them for years, on and off the track. You should know going into it that this is not a low-maintenance breed. Also, you need to let any horse that comes immediately off the track have at least a few months of just being a horse again. That means turning him out for a couple months and not doing anything with him except maybe a bit of ground work (like leading or hand-walking). This horse won’t know how to lunge and won’t know how to be ridden under saddle in anything resembling a normal way. They respond to pressure by going forward, especially pressure on the mouth and a restricting leg. You need to be aware of that sensitivity right off the bat and do your best not to hang on the horse’s mouth or send conflicting signals. I highly recommend hiring a professional trainer with experience retraining racers, at least for the first month or so as you start working the horse again. I’ve started horses under saddle and worked with those with behavioral issues, both cases are much easier than re-training an ex-racer. They need a total reeducation and most of the time their brains are a little fried from the atmosphere of the track. On the track, they had a very rigid schedule and little stimulation. There was no turnout and very little interaction with other horses. That’s why spending a month or so in a pasture among other horses can do wonders for them mentally. It can help them unwind and learn how to be a horse again.
Now, as far as health issues go, you’re right that TBs have thin, soft feet. They have difficulties in any environment where there’s a lot of water, and can be prone to abscesses and thrush. If you live in a dry area that’s also a bit rocky, I recommend putting pads on underneath the shoes. These will help protect against stone bruises and abscesses, but they can also trap moisture between the pad and the foot. That’s why you shouldn’t put them on some place with lots of standing water or rain. Most TBs have soft feet, and for that I recommend sole paint. It’s expensive, but it really toughens their feet up and can help prevent most of the problems associated with weak feet.
TBs also have sensitive skin, so you’re going to want to use high quality brushes, preferably made of softer fibers as opposed to harsh plastic. They may be prone to bites in the summer fly season, so make sure you use a good quality fly spray. You can also try mixing in a bit of apple cider vinegar, which will raise the natural acidity in their blood and skin, which is a deterrent to the flies. If your horse DOES get a lot of bites, you can try putting on some witch hazel. This will numb the pain and keep them from picking at the bites, which allows them to heal much quicker.
You also want to check the legs of any TB you adopt off the track. Many of them come with old injuries, either splints, old bows, wind puffs, or even arthritis. X-Ray any horse before buying or adopting so you know exactly what you’re dealing with. You may need to invest in hock or joint injections down the road to keep the horse sound.
I bought an ex race horse straight from the track. I got very lucky and found a diamond in the rough. I bought him for $1,500 and now he’s an “A” hunter. He shows all over the east coast and I’m now selling him for $35,000.
I’ll tell you they’re nothing like quarter horses. The best way to describe them, is that they’re sensitive beings. They need to be ridden/exercised at least 5-6x a week. You might think about getting pads when you get his feet done. Ask the farrier what he thinks. When they’re turned out use bell boots and splint boots on all four. You must remove them at night and wash their legs(knee down) with dish soap daily.
Be patient with him. If he’s new, right off the track then he’s known nothing but his stall for 23 hrs. of the day. The other hour was on the track. They don’t even know what turnout is. The people(grooms/stall muckers) on the track don’t treat horses like animals, they’re more objects that move to them.
Sorry I don’t know much about western!!