Best Practices for Restarting an OTTB

[Jealoushe]

@MadTrotter

I don’t find them to generally be hard keepers once they settle and adjust either.

Yes but you probably feed an acceptable amount, whereas I see people spending tones on saddle pads and supplements but they won’t spend on quality hay and grain. I can not tell you how many posts on FB groups for OTTBs people are looking how to gain weight on their TBs and almost every answer is some high protein grain or supplement rather than just give the horse more hay or take the net off the round bale lol

I think those in this thread who are saying the thread is making out like TBs can be more difficult to train or harder to keep are just more educated horse people who understand training and feeding etc.

A lot of people who are looking at horses off the track aren’t educated though or experienced. That’s what the advice is for.

[beowulf]

@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’d say it comes from inexperience. It’s the same people saying all Storm Cats are lunatics and all TBs have bad feet. It’s one or two people who have had a bad experience – sometimes their only experience – with TBs and think it’s across the whole breed. They don’t realize that their management, their farrier, or even their riding and training skills have come into play and hamstrung their success.

There is unpalatable truth that the average rider and trainer will never experience a TB bred and started for sport instead of racing. They only ever deal with racing’s cast-offs, so they never get to experience what a normally started sporthorse TB is capable of. All of their experiences and anecdotes are based on a horse starting their second or third career. For better or worse, they base their impressions of soundness, longevity, and temperament on racing TBs. They then equate this to the breed as a whole. Even unraced horses typically are started by racing connections in a way totally different from sport horse starting.

The average trainer in the US and other parts of the world has only cut their teeth on Warmbloods and sport-bred types. Trainers in competition barns look for a horse that makes their program look good or makes money for their program: either by winning ribbons or by them being able to ride the client horse. They’re unlikely to suggest a Thoroughbred. They are more likely to suggest the totally unsuitable 5 y/o warmblood that was just imported (training rides $$).

The few trainers that know how to start a young horse often have experience starting clean slates. They seldom have experience undoing another discipline’s training. This is a distinct skill set from starting a young horse, though some general principles overlap.

Not to mention, a major skill in rehoming TBs to successful sport careers is an eye for lameness and an eye for what is trackiness versus what is a significant clinical finding: good TB flippers are genuinely rare.

With so few people experienced with racing, even fewer experienced restarting TBs for sport homes, and fewer then experienced with starting young horses, there is a big skill gap and the pool grows increasingly small with each successive knowledge requirement. Do we all truly know a trainer that is skilled in all of the above?

These stereotypes perpetuate because the shingle-type trainers and the backyardigans think that the plural of their experience is data. Since it didn’t work for them, it must not work for any others either.

[Synthesis]

@beowulf

I’d say it comes form inexperience. It’s the same people saying all Storm Cats are lunatics and all TBs have bad feet. It’s one or two people who have had a bad experience – sometimes their only experience – with TBs and think it’s across the whole breed. They don’t realize that their management, their farrier, or even their riding and training skills have come into play and hamstrung their success

So much of this. My TB mare just did her first hunt pace yesterday across a variety of terrain including grass field, trail with tree roots, dirt road, pea gravel and shale hills. She’s barefoot, with pony sized cuppy feet and barely had a chip. Her brother from the same dam needs composite shoes in the front. I’m hoping he’ll be out of those by next year but we’ll see? His feet are a bit bigger and flatter soled.

She’s forward going, brave and wants to chew on new things, he’s a push ride, cautious and needs confidence. Both are really sweet with people they trust. There’s such range in the breed from breeding and life experiences.

[Texarkana]

@beowulf

@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’d say it comes form inexperience. It’s the same people saying all Storm Cats are lunatics and all TBs have bad feet. It’s one or two people who have had a bad experience – sometimes their only experience – with TBs and think it’s across the whole breed. They don’t realize that their management, their farrier, or even their riding and training skills have come into play and hamstrung their success.

There is unpalatable truth that the average rider and trainer will never experience a TB bred and started for sport instead of racing. They only ever deal with racing’s cast-offs, so they never get to experience what a normally started sporthorse TB is capable of. All of their experiences and anecdotes are based on a horse starting their second or third career. For better or worse, they base their impressions of soundness, longevity, and temperament on racing TBs. They then equate this to the breed as a whole. Even unraced horses typically are started by racing connections in a way totally different from sport horse starting.

The average trainer in the US and other parts of the world has only cut their teeth on Warmbloods and sport-bred types. Trainers in competition barns look for a horse that makes their program look good or makes money for their program: either by winning ribbons or by them being able to ride the client horse. They’re unlikely to suggest a Thoroughbred. They are more likely to suggest the totally unsuitable 5 y/o warmblood that was just imported (training rides $$).

The few trainers that know how to start a young horse often have experience starting clean slates. They seldom have experience undoing another discipline’s training. This is a distinct skill set from starting a young horse, though some general principles overlap.

Not to mention, a major skill in rehoming TBs to successful sport careers is an eye for lameness and an eye for what is trackiness versus what is a significant clinical finding: good TB flippers are genuinely rare.

With so few people experienced with racing, even fewer experienced restarting TBs for sport homes, and fewer then experienced with starting young horses, there is a big skill gap and the pool grows increasingly small with each successive knowledge requirement. Do we all truly know a trainer that is skilled in all of the above?

These stereotypes perpetuate because the shingle-type trainers and the backyardigans think that the plural of their experience is data. Since it didn’t work for them, it must not work for any others either.

Amen. And sometimes I think we (meaning horse people) cling to these stereotypes to make ourselves feel better. Cognitive bias and such. I mean, we’re only human.

[Jealoushe]

Horses can also be more difficult to understand or handle than others, without also being the stereotype of a crazy TB.

[merrygoround]

Many OTTB’s have never been ridden except in a racetrack or traing track situation. This isn’t England, where they are riddden through town to get to the “downs”.

This is why I find going back to the longe, which many surprisingly have never properly been, if at all. Onthe longe you establish basic communication and you hope, trust.

Also, all exercise riders are not created equal.

[sami-joe]

@MapleBreeze

They love to think.

Had to laugh.
My 2007 NMitttTB (Never Made it to the Track TB) definitely has thoughts.

He expresses them in the first few minutes of schooling, and they are always an alternative to, or more generously, a version of, what I’m asking, usually in the steering department. When I re-adjust, he rarely resists beyond a check of my reflexes. Yesterday, however, he threw his brand of hissy fit when I insisted (tap, tap) he go forward – head shake, shoulder drop, prop, & semi-wheel. It was the ninth morning of super-heated Southern California, and I think he had had it. As usual, after the expression of that thought, he was foot-perfect.

(And, yes, I have tried various types of warm-up. It’s in that first consistently bending line at the trot or canter, that he tests the Emergency Broadcast System.)

Perhaps he’d have preferred a cross-country steed life. I’m a 63 y.o. near-daily rider w/ little opportunity (translation: $) for additional coaching. So, unless I do something radical like lease or sell him or move to a less expensive state, this less than perfect life is the life I can offer him.

I’m glad he has thoughts. We horse people tend to enjoy opinions.

[kaya842]

What are the things that set up an OTTB for success post-track and during the transition to their new career?

A good diet, a really good farrier (like ACTUALLY good not just my friends recommend or all the show barns use them or even sometimes the vet recommends), as much turnout with others as possible. Pretty much the same for other horses!

Are there things to avoid doing?
Avoid doing too much too fast. They are super athletic and can deceive you into thinking they are ready and able to do advanced work when they really need more time on the basics (when shopping - if looking at lightly restarted be aware they are easy (ish) to man handle / manipulate into a false frame/ over face with a fence to get that snappy knee look/ etc essentially beware they may not be as polished as they look). Avoid bitting up. Every single OTTB I’ve had and have worked with could go around quite nicely in a loose ring or d ring or egg but snaffle with either a double jointed or Mullen mouth. Avoid focusing on their head - they WILL travel inverted, that’s how they’re trained on the track. With good aftercare/ let down and a focus on relaxation the head will come down. Contradictorily - avoid thinking they know nothing and you have to spend years retracting them everything. Most (not all) get a really great start at the track. Assume they know little but give them the opportunity to show you what they do know. Again not TB specific - avoid buying a youngin if you want to be competitive in the next 12 - 18 ish months or so. I’ve had several 3 yr old OTTBs and they’ve all been lovely but they can take a bit to get to a place mentally where they can handle the show lifestyle (even smaller shows). Same can be said of the older horses but IME it’s less of an issue. I find 5-7 yrs old to be the sweet spot. Avoid buying a chestnut mare if there is any chance you will need to resell. It’s dumb but it is what it is.

How long would you provide let-down rest, and what sorts of things would you do to help during this time?

I don’t have a set time for let down, rather I try to address any physical issues and run through my “new horse program” which entails a few appointments before really getting them into work. I want them seen by the dentist, seen by the chiropractor, and get those race plates off before I put anything in their mouth, on their back, and ask them to do anything. Because I use the best professionals in my area, this can take a few weeks before the horse has seen all 3. In the mean time, I try to focus on letting them settle into a routine. Keep in mind a lot is changing for them - new feed, new people, new routine, new rules, new location/ climate, new freedoms (turnout), new friends/ neighbors. It can be a lot for a lot of ponies and giving them a week or two to adapt is always good. Then add in the ground work and such. I would also have your trainer and/ or saddle fitted look at your saddle on the horse and he’ll you come up with a plan to shim/ pad/ reflock the saddle to suit your budget and the horses needs. I really like a 6 shim half pad for this reason. I also fit my bridle to them and ensure it really fits - the brow band isn’t pull the crownpiece onto the ears, the buckles aren’t in or too close to their eyes, etc. Check you have a girth that fits, and get an idea of their bit size and what shape their mouth is to get a bit for them. IME they often have less room in their mouths than WBs so prefer a slightly thinner bit. I like to start all of mine in either a loose ring or egg but/ d ring for those who don’t like or can’t handle a lot of movement in the bit. Making sure everything fits is kinda a no brainer but is easily over looked as people get so excited to work with New Horse and everything fits “well enough”.

Good farrier work and diet, of course.
This wasn’t a question but is such a large portion of being successful with ANY horse that I wanted to touch on it. This isn’t OTTB specific. Please, please educate yourself on both nutrition and hoof health. Study what a healthy hoof should look like and what different hoof abnormalities/ deformities (such as flares, bullnosing, low heels, forward foot syndrome) look like so that you can spot them early on and work with your farrier to address them. I highly suggest the group Hoof Talk for the Barefoot Horse even if your horse will be shod as it is very educational. For nutrition these forums and the FB group Equine Nutrition and Wellness (or similar) is helpful as is The Horse and Kentucky Equine Research I think it is. Learn what is necessary and what is hype/ marketing, focus on low sugar, offer free choice forage (hay, grass, etc).

What about chiropractic and/or massage, and what frequency?
Yes definitely. Frequency is horse dependent and my bodywork professional and I come up with a plan for each horse. Typically it may be 1-2 times a month for a month or two and then I do everyone every 6 months proactively.

Would you do a course of Gastroguard as a precaution, or only if I notice symptoms?

• I would do the course and be sure to wean properly as soon as the horse arrived, potentially doing 45-60 days of treatment depending on if the horse shows a lot of symptoms or is a very stessy type (which is likely to be the case at first as so much of their life is changing all at once). I do the same for any new horse.

Prior to this, what can I do to make the new TB feel good and ready to work?

• The same things I would (and do) do for any horse to ensure they are comfortable, sound and happy to work: dental done by an equine dentist not veterinarian, chiropractic work as advised by chiropractor (mine does other work such as cupping, cold laser, acupressure, massage, etc which I think are all beneficial), get them on a good feed program (noting here that “good feed” is different to almost everyone but I’ll outline my program that works for me), get them on a 4-6 week preferably 4 at first farrier program, give them as much turnout as possible, and have a vet evaluate them (such as a PPE) if at all possible and at the first feeling of any issues. I am running through this same “program” with a well trained 18yr old WB currently and she is benefiting from it just the same as the 3yr old OTTB that I did it with last. I also own therapeutic devices such as a Bemer set, EquiVibe, Red light therapy and cold laser. I use them all on all of my horses, mostly prophylactically, to keep them all comfortable. I do believe they help but if they are out of budget they aren’t a deal breaker. The PEMF in any form (Magnawave Bemer etc) is the most beneficial “add on” therapy, IMO.

My diet that works well for my horses/ climate/ daily routine (aka disclaimer that nothing works for everyone)

• beet pulp, no sugar added
• free choice hay, alfalfa and grass mix
• Coolstance Copra
• Horse Tech Arizona Copper Complete
• Gut X

I’m sure there is more I’m missing, but in short the things that I would change if I could do it over with my first OTTB are basically the care/ management side: correctly fitting tack, WAY better diet, better dental work, using a body worker from the start, and prioritizing relaxation.

[Tha_Ridge]

@kaya842

Contradictorily - avoid thinking they know nothing and you have to spend years retracting them everything. Most (not all) get a really great start at the track. Assume they know little but give them the opportunity to show you what they do know.

Yes! This is what I often like more about my OTTBs versus my young WBs—I understand what they know and what they don’t. With my young warmbloods I import, it’s a total crapshoot as to how they were raised and by whom, but the TBs often have a very similar baseline of knowledge from which to start. (And, of course, some have more which is just a cherry on top.)

[MapleBreeze]

My expectations at the mounting block differ for 3-year-old warmblood versus ottb. For my 3-year-old warmbloods if they choose to not line up at the block or if they choose to walk off from the block we revisit that lesson until they understand we that good ponies stand quietly at the block and stand quietly while mounted.

I think that would be a very unrealistic expectation of an ottb and yet a very common expectation of naive ottb owners, especially if they are coming back to horses and aren’t quite confident in the saddle yet. A lot of OTTBs need to walk off from the block right away and will get unnecessarily excited if you try to contain them and hold them at the mounting block to stand quietly. It’s something to work on and develop over time and it depends on the individual horse however I think some people sometimes expect them to stand like three year old warmbloods and that is just not how they are programmed.

Then they pull, and the ottb gets excited, and it goes down hill from there. But as the ottb gets more confirtable and relaxes you can teach them to stand.

[Mander]

@MapleBreeze

A lot of OTTBs need to walk off from the block right away and will get unnecessarily excited if you try to contain them and hold them at the mounting block to stand quietly.

I always walk them near the mounting block and then just stand there, maybe scratch their withers a bit, until I actually see a little relaxation. If they shuffle or try to walk off I just go with them and bring them back around without a fuss. Once they stop walking off/shuffling/looking around, then I can adjust the placement of the block (if they shuffled away from it a bit) and get on. They still usually walk off fairly soon and I don’t throw a fuss over it - as you say, eventually the relaxation comes. For horses who are ready to GO GO GO, taking those extra 2-3 minutes (OK it usually takes much longer the first few times, but sometimes you gotta throw your agenda out the window!) is almost like a mini meditation session for both of us and I feel like it really helps get our rides started from a much better place.

As you mention, quite often I see people just try to hold them until the feet stop moving, and then trying to get on as fast as they can before the moment of “relaxation” is gone. Still feet =/= relaxation!

[eightpondfarm]

@Mander

As you mention, quite often I see people just try to hold them until the feet stop moving, and then trying to get on as fast as they can before the moment of “relaxation” is gone. Still feet =/= relaxation!

i don’t even get on until they are relaxed. What all of mine do is step forward until they are in a perfect position, and i often will step back away from and ‘admire’ and compliment (as you would a parked horse in a Morgan show). Then i get on the mounting block when i’m sure they are secure. They all stay until i encourage them on. Now…sometimes, in the case of very smart mule or horse, i’ve overdone and have to slowwwwwly wean them off a solid stand-stay. For me, and my horses (mustang off the range, or domestics) mounting block is a whole-thing. It’s a building-block (so-to-speak) of all our riding. It comes first. It’s one of those basic obedience things. Such as walking politely on lead, standing for farrier, taking a halter or a bridle, getting fly-spray. It’s foundational.

[joliemom_again]

Chiming in late, but wanted to add a few riding suggestions.

They like your leg, which sound conterintuitive for a sensitive horse, but adding a bit of leg when they’re nervous can be calming. Think of it as a hug.

Use a grab strap, something like an old stirrup leather, around their neck. Not because you’re going to fall, but to place your hands on if you’re a nervous rider.

Many OTTBs trot like sewing machines in the beginning, so learn to slow your post by a half beat to help them relax into a slower rhythm.

Speaking of nerves, learn to relax all your body parts. Loosen your butt, thighs, shoulders, elbows, hands, etc. Check in while you ride by asking yourself where’s the tension.

Try to find a field where you don’t have tight turns, they’re trying to find their balance.

They’ve never been asked to bend. Groundwork, and undersaddle at the walk, is a good to teach them to move away from pressure and saying over.

PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE.

Don’t drill. If they’re getting something right, it’s okay to repeat it a few times, then move on to something else. If they’re NOT getting something, take a break, then return to the exercise. If they’re still not getting it, break the exercise into smaller components.

If they’re distracted, break it up by. Change directions. Change gait. Make them look at something else.

And last, enjoy! They truly want to please you, which means you have a great partner. And what could be better than that?

[meupatdoes]

I completely agree that not all OTTBs need a let down.
I’ve never bothered with a let down period.

The horse was in full work in its prior life, not on Mars.
Somebody got on and rode it around every day. It was in a routine with grooming and riding.
A racetrack is a racetrack, not an alternate universe.

Why give it 30 days to go feral?

Get on and ride the horse around for 20 minutes.
May as well start retraining it.

[Bristol_Bay]

Agreed, and not only that, but their track workouts include walk, trot, canter. They don’t run like hell every day, and when they do, it’s because they’re asked.

[Mondo]

@meupatdoes

I completely agree that not all OTTBs need a let down.
I’ve never bothered with a let down period.

The horse was in full work in its prior life, not on Mars.
Somebody got on and rode it around every day. It was in a routine with grooming and riding.
A racetrack is a racetrack, not an alternate universe.

Why give it 30 days to go feral?

Get on and ride the horse around for 20 minutes.
May as well start retraining it.

I agree with this. But with a letdown period, my thinking is twofold: 1. as you note, they have been working every day for all of their lives. I think it’s nice to give them a little time to just be a horse. It puts a period to the end of the racing career. 2. Some of the training will be new information and a brief letdown allows the horse to get new information with less confusion. At least that’s been IME. YMMV. <3

[Tha_Ridge]

I think it’s important to look at each horse as an individual. Before my current horse, I was fully in the “no let-down” camp, but my current horse physically needed let-down, and I’m now reaping the mental benefits of two months spent being led around our farm, led over jumps, hand grazed next to the road, walking around the ring during lessons, and so on. So, yes, now I absolutely agree with both of the points you make. I think it’s possible to keep them active and engaged while letting them be a horse and transition to their new job too.