I’d send him back. But then, I have QHs for a reason. 
Horses are meant to make us happy. Why have a horse who makes you unhappy? (I feel the same way about husbands :lol:).
Seriously, OP, this is your first horse. Your first horse is meant to be fun. Let somebody else deal with this guy. Find one who makes you happy, whom you can also make happy. It’s not this horse.
I’m sorry the OP hasn’t been back.
One thing to remember about this horse is that he doesn’t appear to be just off the track. His last race was in 2012. Unless he was in training at a track for several years without a race then he’s had plenty of time to adjust to post-track life.
My Thoroughbred was a true professional at 67 starts and retiring from racing a few weeks short of his ninth birthday. He was one of those “all business” horses and he had zero vices. He wasn’t a snuggly horse but he had never been treated as a pet before. He was gentle and interested in me when I met him at the track and offered him affection. I have difficulty blaming the track on a lot of these general behaviors because I’ve seen many, many horses that are either working or have come off the track and they are not all monsters. I’d say that out of hundreds of working animals at my local track there would be only two or three “cone” horses to pass in a shed row…the cone being a warning sign that the horse might be difficult in passing.
I do hope that the OP has had some resolution of the situation and isn’t feeling so desperate.
My opinion of Off Track Thoroughbred “re-homers” has diminished considerably after reading the OP.
Why would anyone allow this horse to become someone’s first horse? No one in their right mind would. :no:
[QUOTE=skydy;8215275]
My opinion of Off Track Thoroughbred “re-homers” has diminished considerably after reading the OP.
Why would anyone allow this horse to become someone’s first horse? No one in their right mind would. :no:[/QUOTE]
Exactly what I was thinking. They just wanted to get rid of this one. Can’t believe anyone felt like this was the best match for a first time horse owner (this is what they told OP as per her first post in her other thread).
Anyway, OP - my first horse was an awful match for me. I did NOT send him back or sell him on. So now I am supporting a horse I can’t use for the rest of his life. Or mine - whichever of us outlives the other.
It’ll probably be me, because after years of paying a trainer and taking lessons I finally got where I could ride this beast - whereupon he promptly went lame.
I understand persistence, trust me. But both I and my horse would’ve been far happier had I sold him to someone who was a better match for him. Then each of us would’ve gotten to enjoy the four years after I bought him. Which turned out to be the only serviceably sound years he had left. As it was, they were fairly miserable years for both of us.
So don’t do what i did.
I have a good bit of experience with green or project-type horses. I’ve had biters, kickers, and the like, and I have NO problem putting on my “come-to-Jesus” meeting hat.
I have had one truly aggressive horse (meaning, one that no matter what you did, he was going to retaliate) and I promised myself, after trying every veterinary intervention, and every behavioral intervention for months, that I would never waste my time with one that gave me that feeling right off the bat ever again. And, if you are ended a first-timer, my gut says that this will escalate rather than get better…nothing against you, but it takes experience and guidance to get comfortable and capable with dealing with these sorts of challenges.
It sounds like this horse may be like that. I am frankly shocked that with all of the nice TBs waiting for homes that NV even rehomed this one.
Send him back. There are so many solid-citizen OTTBs out there.
OP, my OTTB is proof positive that you can find one that is a sweet puppy dog right off the track. There a tons more like him waiting for good homes. Please send the one you have there back and find a better match.
Yes, even though I think OTTB’s are not a good first horse for anyone - I know one who is an absolute sweetheart. She’s not her owner’s first horse, but she is a challenge.
The great thing about her though? She never gets mad about being asked to do new things. She never gets mad about anything. She just tries tries tries again. I don’t think you could make that horse bite you or kick you. She’s a cupcake.
Having said that, she’s a LOT of horse, even with her sweet disposition. She loves to jump and loves to gogogogogoGO. Way more horse than I’d want to ride. But I love watching our grown up barn rat/trainer’s apprentice ride her. Zowie!
There a tons, and I mean TONS of good horses out there looking for homes. Tons of OTTBs, OTSBs, QHs, Paints, Heinz57, whatever. There are plenty. Why would anyone want to own one who is nasty and aggressive? Makes no sense to me. None whatsoever.
[QUOTE=skydy;8215275]
My opinion of Off Track Thoroughbred “re-homers” has diminished considerably after reading the OP.
Why would anyone allow this horse to become someone’s first horse? No one in their right mind would. :no:[/QUOTE]
I’m not even an OTTB person but…
I can’t imagine letting this one incident taint your opinion on OTTBs and the people who re-home them as a whole. So much good comes out of rehoming these horses. Sure it won’t work every time. Sure not every person doing the rehoming is going to make the right decision every time. Some might even gasp unload an unsuitable horse on some unsuspecting newbie. Heck, some of those unsuspecting newbies put themselves in the position of being over-horsed by misrepresenting themselves (not saying that is the case here, just saying it happens). It happens, with every breed and every discipline.
As a die-hard Walking Horse gal myself, I say don’t let this one instance diminish your opinion of all the OTTB re-homers because really all that does is trivialize all the good experiences so many, many people have had taking on one of these horses.
The right horse is the right horse, and the wrong horse is the wrong horse. OP has in all likelihood found the wrong horse and that’s about all it boils down to. Did the person who sent her the horse play a big role in it? Yeah, I’ll bet he/she did. At the end of the day OP chose to take the horse and now OP has to make some hard decisions to make even if the person who sent her the horse did wrong. I don’t think that’s a reflection on people who re-home OTTBs as a whole though. Too many success stories out there for that to be the case.
I agree with you GaitedGloryRider, and to a degree, Skydy. I retrained two OTTBs, both of whom were sensitive and a bit standoffish, but both came around. Neither disliked grooming or people or working, both, as it turned out, were good jumpers/eventers and that’s what both ended up doing. I think some of the rehoming organizations are a godsend for TBs yet at the same time I think this organization entirely missed with this horse. And it’s not the OP’s fault watching the horse’s videos. I fault the organization for “hyping up” this horse’s bloodlines and letting him go to a first time owner. This guy needs an experienced person as well as a massive vet check. in that regard, I’m very disappointed in the organization. This is nothing against the OP, who I’m sure can provide a lovely home for a nice TB, but this isn’t the right horse for a first time horse owner and someone who isn’t skilled in claiming dominance in all situations.
[QUOTE=beowulf;8214996]
To be fair, his description really sounds like most TBs post track… …
I don’t see red flags so much as I see a horse that is honestly represented as what I call a “reluctant professional”.[/QUOTE]
There’s a huge difference between not being “lovey-dovey” and “pretty badly” biting two people.
I get that you want to give him the benefit of the doubt it may be something medical that is causing the biting. He sure does seem uncomfortable in that W-T-C video or it could ulcers. I’d only keep him if you are willing to work very closely with a vet and a trainer experienced with biters and can afford to do so. No ifs, ands, or buts…this horse requires professional help if you are going to keep him, and lots of it. Do not go it alone using only the internet for guidance.
Is there a way to talk to any of his previous connections to see if the biting is a new behavior, or if he’s always been this way?
But if it were me, and if turns out it’s behavioral, I’d send him back. I don’t have the experience or the desire to deal with a biter. There are too many nice horses out there I can own, OTTBs included.
[QUOTE=GaitedGloryRider;8215394]
I’m not even an OTTB person but…
I can’t imagine letting this one incident taint your opinion on OTTBs and the people who re-home them as a whole. So much good comes out of rehoming these horses. Sure it won’t work every time. Sure not every person doing the rehoming is going to make the right decision every time. Some might even gasp unload an unsuitable horse on some unsuspecting newbie. Heck, some of those unsuspecting newbies put themselves in the position of being over-horsed by misrepresenting themselves (not saying that is the case here, just saying it happens). It happens, with every breed and every discipline.
As a die-hard Walking Horse gal myself, I say don’t let this one instance diminish your opinion of all the OTTB re-homers because really all that does is trivialize all the good experiences so many, many people have had taking on one of these horses.
The right horse is the right horse, and the wrong horse is the wrong horse. OP has in all likelihood found the wrong horse and that’s about all it boils down to. Did the person who sent her the horse play a big role in it? Yeah, I’ll bet he/she did. At the end of the day OP chose to take the horse and now OP has to make some hard decisions to make even if the person who sent her the horse did wrong. I don’t think that’s a reflection on people who re-home OTTBs as a whole though. Too many success stories out there for that to be the case.[/QUOTE]
I have no problem whatsoever with TBs Off the Track or not. Nor with “re-homing” them. (I have ridden many TBs)
THIS PARTICULAR horse should have never been allowed to be “adopted” as anyone’s FIRST horse and I find it very disappointing that the people in charge allowed this “adoption” to happen.
It gives the horse no chance and will get people hurt. Bad publicity for the horses and for the “re-homers” and a very bad first horse experience for some poor person, when every effort should be made to make having your first horse a GOOD experience.
OP, a few things to consider. His profile states that at most he can only be turned out, housed, whatever, with 1 to 2 horses. What happens if it’s more? How long does it take to find the right horses he can be around? In a boarding situation, these horses have less flexibility, and can be very $ in housing them (own stall and paddock as opposed to pasture, can only be next to __horse, etc).
Consider what kind of riding you want to do. Do you want to trail ride with others? Could you trust your horse to be around others? There is a girl who boards her horse where we board ours, and is on a team with my daughter. Her horse bites and kicks. She has to sit with her horse at a distance from the other horses and kids. She rarely gets to really socialize with the other kids because she’s nervous at what her horse might do - she isn’t comfortable letting someone else hold onto her to talk to friends, isn’t comfortable getting closer to the other girls to hang.
We are first time horse owners too. My absolute must haves when shopping were the ability to live in pasture with a herd and that it had good ‘people’ skills. Every horse we looked at I would purposely stand within stretching reach of it’s head (without being in it’s space); the owners with mouthy horses always immediately say to back up, probably out of habit. And some we saw I’d never get near.
Just like there are certain people you click with, you click certain animals. There is nothing wrong with admitting that you just aren’t clicking, and hopefully the right person for him is out there. It’s not giving up on him.
[QUOTE=skydy;8215275]
My opinion of Off Track Thoroughbred “re-homers” has diminished considerably after reading the OP.
Why would anyone allow this horse to become someone’s first horse? No one in their right mind would. :no:[/QUOTE]
Agreed. Sadly, it happens often, all in the fuzzy wuzzy name of “rescue”!
New Vocations has a 60 day money back return policy. Instead of bashing the rescue, why not suggest that the OP simply send the horse back and let them know it wasn’t a good fit? The videos are from May so he can’t have been adopted that long.
If the horse has been adopted for longer than 60 days but less than 12 months there is a zero money back return policy as long as the rescue has an empty spot.
Many people HAVE suggested she send him back. The OP has not been back to comment. I am in favor of TB rehoming organizations, but I’m even MORE in favor of TBs themselves. I saw the videos of the horse and read the descriptions of him. I remember when the OP was posting about getting the horse and could see from here, behind my computer, that it wasn’t a good idea. I do think New Vocations could have done a better job in this case. Sending a high maintenance TB off with not only a new TB owner, but a brand new HORSE owner isn’t generally going to be great for the horse or the person.
[QUOTE=Laurierace;8215109]
Track manners are bullspit. I never had a single horse that a toddler couldn’t have petted in over 20 years on the track. The horse is likely in pain and has been allowed/forced to express his discomfort with his teeth. [/QUOTE]
I’m going to agree with this. I haven’t been to the track in ages, but I spent most weekends for years going up and down the barns at Charles Town, and the vast majority of horses I came into contact with were friendly, alert, and happy to mug us for treats and attention, just like any other horses anywhere. In a barn of fifty horses, we might run into one or two who would pin their ears at us or act nasty. They might be more businesslike than fluffball pet horses, but actual bad behavior was something I found notable/unusual.
I hope OP is doing OK and either has help figuring her horse out. Please come back OP, I know it might feel like a pile-on but I think people are worried for you. Nobody wants your first ownership experience to end badly.
[QUOTE=Anne FS;8212471]
OP, I’m so sorry you’re going through this.
For the rest of us, here’s how we learn what ads really mean. Descriptors of this horse on New Vocations:
“Crotchety old man” (even though he’s not old)
“Doesn’t care for the carousing” of the other horses (so what is it he does when they “carouse”?)
Have to turn him out with only 1 or 2 others (or else???)
You can’t touch him: he’s perfect for photo shoots (sure, nobody’s touching him)
He “could really do without grooming and tacking.” So he’s most definitely a noli me tangere personality. Not fun for the amateur.
“Every touch is magnified.” Yikes.
“Tough shell”
“Still pretty tight” Could read this two ways.
Sired by “one of the hottest sires in racing currently.” I’m thinking they didn’t mean by hottest the most popular. 
“Certainly destined…like his sire.” LOL, I’m thinking whoever wrote this can make a living writing descriptions of sketchy houses for sale. It’s an honest description there for all to read. If you really read.
Good luck, OP. Track manners can be overcome; you’re doing the right thing by involving a trainer.[/QUOTE]
What about his horse made you want him?! There I literally nothing about any of these descriptors that make him seem ammy friendly. Take him back- there are tons of lovable cuddlebug TBs that need homes and training!
I am pretty experienced with OTTBs and difficult ones, at that, and I agree with TBH, above, there is nothing about that description which makes me want him in my stable.
Unless the OP has Black Beauty syndrome, and things she’s going to be the one to make this horse love her and bond with her when no one else can.
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