Best Practices for Restarting an OTTB

[Jealoushe]

Two of mine were ear twitched at the track, it happens all the time I have literally seen it happen all the time at the track also. Spend time on the track and you will see it. Its not really frowned upon there. Not bashing the track at all but let’s not pretend bad things don’t happen there. Good things also happen there, there are always bad apples in the bunch though.

One of mine was not given grain at all unless she raced, then it was just for the week before her race and it was beet pulp and a handful of sweet feed. She had the smallest feet ever, like pony feet when I got her and was 300lbs underweight. Her owners were small time and didn’t have money but loved the horses and gave them great care otherwise. Horrible horsemanship in my opinion but they really didn’t there was any issue with it. All of this is straight from her owners mouth.

[endlessclimb]

Ear twitching would not be the reason a horse does not want to be bridled. It would translate straight to haltering, too.

[chestnutmarebeware]

Well, I’m a very small sample of six OTTBs, but they all came straight from different tracks and none of them had ear/bridling issues. So take that experience for what it’s worth.

Now a horse that was hosed off every day at the track for three years that still hated it with a passion? I’ve had it.

Horses that came off the track with poor attitudes about having their feet trimmed and shod? I’ve had it.

Horses that came off the track WITH a trace clip that thought clippers were the devil? I’ve had it.

But absolutely no ear or bridling issues.

[endlessclimb]

Agreed. If one came with an ear issue, I would not mentally jump straight to “he was ear twitched”. Especially if you can halter that same horse just fine.

That said, I think some people are really rough on horse’s ears when they bridle, by shoving the crownpiece over the ears and then prying the ears back forward. Put the ears FORWARD under the crown piece, and even aural plaque horses learn it’s not painful. When you pin the ears with the tension of the crownpiece though, yeah that’s gunna hurt.

[endlessclimb]

I spent considerable time at Arlington (really nice track) and Hawthorne (not so nice track) and I have never seen an ear twitch used to get a horse in the gate. Lots of other questionable things, and ear/shoulder twitching in other locations sure. But not to get a horse in the gate - it immobilizes them.

[merrygoround]

I have restarted many OTTB’s I have always started them on the longe, in the classical (Podhajsky) method. When they are solid in ther WTC, I tack up and hack them out in company. Then re education can proceed aacording the the horse. Some catch on fast, others take awhile.

There’s no cookie cutter formlula.

[Jealoushe]

Just because you have not seen it doesn’t mean it isn’t a thing though. Mine were and as I got the horses through friends who worked with them at the track (different trainers and owners) I know for a fact they were (not by my friends obvs). One has ear issues the other does not. All my other OTTBs do not have any issue with their ears but some did have bridling issues to start.

and I agree there are many reasons a horse does not want to be bridled though. Mostly tooth related or mentally the relation to work they associate with it.

[Synthesis]

@endlessclimb

Also, one of the reasons why TBs bear down to start is they flat out do not have the strength to hold themselves up yet. Totally different set of muscles. So saying “we aren’t going to do that moving forward” is a load of hooey. You need to spend all your time building strength and getting the horse fit physically and mentally for a totally different job. If he starts to bear down, consider that he’s not fit enough to hold himself up and give him a walk break, or finish up for the day.

Yup, that. There’s a reason mine only go forward as much as they can balance. The stronger they get, the more forward they get to go while still holding themselves up front to back and left to right. They need to learn speed isn’t their friend anymore and that softness is a comfortable place to be.

Also that you have to de-muscle the wrong stuff and remuscle the right stuff. That takes loads of time.

[Bristol_Bay]

There’s a ton of fear mongering on this thread. I’ve owned three thoroughbreds, two off track. Of the three, one was as opinionated as a warmblood. He was a lazy spook who had a catapult move that hurt people. None of the other OTTB issues warned about here. My other two were good as gold, would do anything I asked, no spook, buck, or bolt. Hard keepers, yes, but with good feet and always sound.

I can no longer ride my retired TB, but he’s my soul mate horse. So tractable, even at 19. I got him a few weeks after his last race. No let down, no 24/7 turnout. He went straight into dressage training, showed six months after I got him. As @endlessclimb mentioned, it took him almost a year to develop the muscles to carry himself properly and go on the bit. One day he just could.

Best horse ever.

[JenEM]

They’re not all difficult horses who take 10# of grain per feeding.

I currently have a 5YO who is the most Ammy Brained horse I have ever sat on. Even when I got her at 3 she was a solid citizen and I had to remind myself regularly that she was still a baby and we didn’t want to do too much, too quick. She’s also an air fern who gets half a scoop of grain and people have been astonished to realize she’s a TB. I’ve done OTTBs before, but any half-decent ammy or jr with a trainer could have restarted her. If you buy the brain, it’s absolutely possible for you to restart yourself–sending to a colt starter would be total overkill.

IME, they like a fair, consistent rider. They are responsive to aids. They like good footing. This one is especially particular about saddle fit; my previous mare was very particular about bitting. They’re really used to a routine, and to work.

[MadTrotter]

I don’t find them to generally be hard keepers once they settle and adjust either. There is the occasional exception that must have alfalfa etc continuously fed into it to keep weight.

But if you don’t have the connections and experience, and you’re buying directly OT, maybe just off a video, which the OP seems to be (horse will be shipped 1k miles), and you don’t have any experience starting them, or anything else, how can you possibly know how to “buy the brain”? You’re at the mercy of whatever agent is selling it, and I guess we should recommend good sources like Benchmark!

That’s why I suggested a good 30-60 days with a colt starter. Not a hardass drag em out old skool cowboy type, but someone who has a tried and true program for returning a horse that understands WTC and moving off the leg, and that a little pressure on the bit does not mean “AND THEY’RE OFF!”

I personally am out of my 20s and don’t have the sense of humor for risking broken bones with juvenile, unpredictable horsefeathers of a 3-4 year old I did not personally raise, but I know many still enjoy tha challenge!

[It_s_A_Mystery]

@MadTrotter

You’re at the mercy of whatever agent is selling it, and I guess we should recommend good sources like Benchmark!

I second this! I just bought one through Benchmark for dressage. She has been so much fun so far. I know many others who have also bought through Benchmark and have been quite happy.

As for restarting - I grew up riding OTTBs as a former eventer so I enjoy a good TB. For dressage you really want to find one with uphill tendencies and who’s neck isn’t set on too low. With my new one - I didn’t do any letdown time, just waited until the race plates were replaced with steel shoes. Every horse is an individual - some will need down time first if they are super body sore but many don’t and are used to routine. Just trying to get as many groceries as possible during the transition to off track life - High fat grain (14/12/20 and low nsc), oil, flax, free choice hay (grass/alf mix). I did 30 days of nexium as a precaution. Lots of turnout with a buddy. Went right to work, mostly just trying to work on changing her body - relaxation, rhythm, connection, bending/straightness. Mine is coming along much faster than I anticipated but she is a 5yr old who ran a whole bunch, so not a super young baby.

[Warmblood1]

Why send to a colt starter? The horse is broke to ride. And those saying don’t send to a colt starter because colt starters are too rough - you need a new colt starter.

Also, someone being a dressage trainer doesn’t automatically make them heavy handed or inappropriate to train an OTTB. Dressage doesn’t dictate that. Being a poor rider dictates that. There are many excellent dressage trainers who work well with OTTBs.

I would treat them like a regular horse. Probably the only hard and fast rule I have with OTTBS is don’t automatically assume they hard tie.

I also treat for gastric and hind gut ulcers at the start. Check their teeth, have a good farrier.

Outside of that, treat them as a regular young horse. Go on hacks. Put them into work, they don’t necessarily need let downs unless they are mentally sour or need recovery time for physical issues IMO.

[Texarkana]

I also don’t understand why it’s popular to utilize a colt starter with OTTBs. No comment on their methods or anything, it just seems unnecessary for an already broke horse.

Every once in a while you get a TB that’s explosively reactive under saddle, but the overwhelming majority of them are accepting to a rider and basic aids. Yes, you have to reschool them to understand their new job, but that’s usually well within the wheelhouse of capable riders who have experience with TBs or any green horse for that matter.

Something I think is very helpful is understanding what’s similar and what’s different in “a day in the life” of racehorses vs. dressage horses. Racehorses are out there being solid citizens day in day out. They aren’t feral beasts (not saying anyone on this thread implied that, it’s just a common misconception). They have to lead, tie, stand, be ridden at the walk, trot, canter, gallop, deal with all sorts of scary atmosphere, ship all over the country, etc. What’s different is the manner in which they are asked to do all that. Plus there are just more hands on deck at the track.

[Cat.J95]

I am not sure how people came to have the thought that OTTBs are these super special horses that require this whole new way of handling and riding. It’s like they are talking about a completely different animal other than a horse.

I also don’t like the term restarting because it implies everything that the horse has done up until that point is wrong. Restarting is rarely used when teaching a horse a new discipline. People don’t say they are restarting their reining horse for dressage. They typically say I’m starting to to do dressage or jumping or whatever the new discipline is.

People need to look at the animal in front of them. Anything different I have done starting any of my horses is because of what that particular horse needs. The basic principles remain the same though.

[MapleBreeze]

Crazy to think they wouldnt want dressage first. I would think they would want to send it to 3 months of dressage training to get the horse straightened out and not feeling like a pogo stick 2 x 4.

I know several event trainers that would just slap on a running martingale and then the horse doesnt know how to truly move the shoulders and steer. Its a very odd feeling to ride their ottbs they have recognition for starting.

Gotta move those shoulders and step with that hindleg.

Its 2022 you can watch videos of trainers riding and see if they pull them together or not.

[MadTrotter]

I guess my point is…it isn’t the horse necessarily, it’s the potential owner. OTTBs, unless you really know the background and trainer, are just somewhat of an unknown. OP could buy from Benchmark or similar and be able to trust the horse has been evaluated as with a good brain, has some buttons installed.

Buying blind without connections is just that. Blind. The horse can be 100% very safe and predictable on the ground, great, but once under saddle it really is a crapshoot. A rider who has never ridden a very sensitive forward horse can quickly create a compounding crisis. We can argue from past experience that OTTBs are just like any other horse but they are bred, built, and trained to be reactive and fast. So I go into every new horse with that assumption. If you are not ready for it, it’s scary.

I just recommend the good colt starter for anyone who has a horse of unknown background to give a very good and quick appraisal. If the dressage instructor has experience, and more importantly likes restarting, then great. I don’t think that dressage trainers are unqualified at all.

I have several very advanced trainer friends who won’t do this kind of training because they are not willing to risk it. It has nothing to do with skill, but just being experienced enough to know they won’t risk riding unpredictable and possibly explosive.

[Cat.J95]

I agree with this and why I think of people are looking at OTTBs because they can’t afford a warmblood or whatever than they should just save they money for lessons.

People should never over horse themselves and so when people ask the question in a way that makes me think they don’t realize it’s just a horse, tells me they have no business buying one. They aren’t looking at unbroke three year olds probably because they don’t have the skill set. So why would they then look at pulling a horse off the track? Money. Very few people IMO look at these horses to get the skills. They look at them because they can’t afford something that is in their skill set.

[MapleBreeze]

Oh my goodness that is so true.

[SuzieQNutter]

It is always said on here, buy the horse that is already doing what you want to do. You are talking about getting a horse and sending to a trainer. That is the opposite.

Have you retrained other horses who need your help? Start with older, quiet horses that need retraining. You learn from every horse. Then you can start getting younger horses to retrain.

Remember always. How can I do something safer?