I didn’t know which forum to put this in, so here goes. 
Okay, so in the future, I might want to adopt an OTTB! I think it would be a difficult but rewarding challenge. 
I live in Washington, so does anyone know of somewhere in WA that has OTTBs up for adoption? I’d probably do either eventing, or hunter/jumper. Which discipline is more suitable for OTTBs?
Thanks,
HunterJumper<3
http://www.secondchanceranch.org/
There is one.
OTTB’s are out competing in dressage, H/J, eventing. It depends on the horse, his capabilities and those of the rider.
I would choose a discipline, find an instructor well practiced in that discipline and then pick a horse. Or pick a horse, and have a knowledgeable instructor figure out which discipline would best suit him.
Thanks! I’ll look into that place… 
And that’s what I was figuring, depends on the horse. But I’m leaning more towards H/J, since that’s what I’m more experienced in.
In short, it depends on the individual.
The Thoroughbred is a very versatile breed, but individual horses will have strengths/weaknesses, temperaments, etc that make them suitable for some disciplines, unsuitable for others.
Not knowing your own history, ability, etc, my general warning is that if you lack experience with ex-racehorses, then make sure you have regular access to a good trainer who does have experience bringing horses off the track. There was a thread on the Eventing forum not too long about about the new popularity of the OTTB, and how it is the “fashionable” thing to do these days. To piggy back off that, just make sure you get educated of all the pros/cons of taking a horse off the track, be aware of some of the issues that might come with an OTTB, and have a plan to care for and train it. Again, if you don’t have the experience, you need to work with someone who does.
If your ability level does not compliment getting a horse off the track, but you still want an ex-racehorse, look into some of the adoption programs, or local stables to see if they have any older OTTBs that are already experienced in one of those disciplines. There are plenty of seasoned, well-schooled OTTBs out there. They don’t always get the attention they deserve because they’re not a fancy WB, but they’re also not fashionable and right off the track, either.
Bottom line, get educated, and make a smart decision based on your skill level.
Your discipline depends on your horse. OTTB’s can do anything! It depends on the individual horse. I had a great OTTB who was hot. He worked on a cattle ranch before I got him. He was a very brave jumper, but he wasn’t the most impressive jumper. He was safe and reliable, and in the years I owned him we only knocked one rail at a show. He was fabulous. He just wasn’t able to be a hunter, much more jumper material.
I know OTTB’s who HATE jumping. We have had a few run through my old barn (took OTTB’s to retrain as Fox Hunters or Show Horses) that were great movers and terrified of jumping. We’ve had some ugly movers but brave jumpers. We have had some that wanted nothing to do with arenas.
It depends on what you find. I suggest free-jumping a few, sitting on a few, and then going from there. All OTTB’s are not created equal.
Good luck. They are amazing horses. Be prepared to cry, scream, be over joyed, extrememly happy, extremely frustrated, exhausted, and laughing all within the same week! 
I will! I probably will get a trainer, I’ve never worked with TBs fresh off the track… I do know one who has already been retrained, and he’s a really great horse!
Pony up rescue often has OTTBs as well as S.A.F.E. you might also look into the prodigious fund. They just hosted their first ever OTTBs showcase. If you live close to Donida, they are putting on a tb and part tab show on October 5 sponsored by the prodigious fund
Please please PLEASE be aware of the risks that come along with track horses. While I love that the OTTB is becoming popular, I also know of people who took on an OTTB who were nowhere near prepared for it and the horse (of course) ended up getting the short end of the stick (the rider was injured too).
I have experience with my own OTTB (I bought her three weeks after her last race, from her racing owners, at the track) and know of resources that you should look into before you decide to make the plunge.
I totally support the OTTB movement 100%- I have one! And I am a dedicated TB enthusiast, but I fear that there is a dark side to this “fad” that isn’t good for the breed or for riders. Today, many trainers are simply too young to understand how to train TBs (they are different than WBs!) and to develop programs that work for them, because they have grown up and gained most of their experience with WBs. It takes some ingenuity and some MacGyver skills at times to figure out what works for a TB, and isn’t for everyone.
If you want more about my experience, please PM me!
Have you worked with TBs at all? Will this be your first horse?
I would not recommend a fresh off the track TB to anyone as either (a) a first horse or (b) a first TB. And definitely not a first horse AND the first TB the person has ever worked with.
If this is your first horse and the first TB you will be working with, I’d recommend finding one that has already been restarted and is already working in a new career successfully and quietly. TBs are great, and CAN be great first horses, but not necessarily when they are fresh off the track. Sounds to me like you would do well to find a TB that has been off the track for a number of years already and is already jumping around little courses and perhaps competing at local shows in a discipline that you would enjoy.
What is your riding experience?
We have one TB. she was never raced, she was a rescue with a defect… she is the goofiest, most unpredictable horse we have. Her heart is kind, her brain says run… she has a home here, but her job is limited to being buddy to my daughter’s Morgan. She is worthless as a mount, but she is kind to those she likes.
From my observations, the average person who just has limited funds, limited time and a goal in mind… I would suggest another breed unless you feel very confident that the prospect you are looking at has specific potential.
Well I am on my third and he is very lovely and gets compliments quite often. He has been in training for two years and is very easy to ride, and is currently jumping 3 foot courses and working on lateral movements.
I don’t think OTTB are difficult to work with, in fact a couple of the young WBs at the barn have been a consistent problem with training and one was just rehomed due to lack of progress. Find a good trainer, they can train easier since they have had riders and generally go well on the bit. However, with any young horse you have to allow their bodies and muscles to develop in order to get the them put together.
TBs excel at anything, you could do hunters one weekend and event the next! I sent you a PM with some information
What they do depends on the TB. Lucky’s a western pony at heart–loathes jumping and really isn’t into “forward”.
Alex was my first TB, and he was off the track about a month when I picked him up. He’d had no “downtime” and was still in racing plates. He had ulcers, an old bow that we watched carefully, and blew abscesses in all four hooves the first month I had him. He had also been on steroids, which we didn’t know and had to deal with.
If you get one from somewhere like CANTER, I think they will have had downtime and some retraining. If you are getting one fresh from the track, I think the most important thing you can do is let them out for a month or so, just to recuperate and be a horse. With Alex, he had so many health issues that it was nearly six months before he went into training. I took him all the way back to the basics and re-started him. He’s been a challenge, and he didn’t really settle into being an “adult” until he was about 7, it seemed like.
As someone else asked, what experience do you have with training a young horse? I’m not sure I would recommend an OTTB for a first-time owner with little experience. I had a lot of young-horse experience when I got Alex, and it was still nothing like starting one from scratch (especially since he was so much smarter than most of the others I’d started, and such a big mover).
My OTTB also was not a fresh-off-the-track fellow. Personally, I know I don’t have the skills to bring one down and then re-train. But for those who do, God love you!
My guy was still pretty hot and goofy when I got him, but with a heart of gold and a loyalty streak 10 miles wide. He didn’t always know what to do or how to do it, but he would walk through fire for me if I asked. He is the smartest, most athletic, most affectionate, kindest, sweetest horse you could ask for. Can you tell that I love him to death?
No horse can do everything. Cooper is not great at trail riding, he has long legs, a fast motor and a quick mind. He gets bored and that is never a good thing. But give him a challenge like dressage, or jumps, or just obstacles and serpentines – and he is all-in. He loves to engage his mind and thinks everything is a chess game.
Again, God bless those who have the skills to help these great horses exit the race track and join the rest of us in the slow lane. I am forever grateful that someone did this for my Coop!
Here’s some really great advice from Lisa Molloy in Virginia.
What Your Newly Adopted Horse Wants You To Know!
by Lisa Molloy
1 I have been shod and pampered my entire life. I’ve walked on manicured pastures and lawns; imported euro footing that costs more than my trainer’s house and rubber brick aisles. Pulling my shoes off can leave me looking like I’ve had a run in with Tonya Harding and her co-horts - crippled! The only rocks I’ve ever seen before are the ones that were on my donor’s wife’s hand. If you wish to pull my shoes off, please think ahead - ask the farrier not to trim me so short the first few times and leave plenty of toe, try to plan on doing it when the ground is soft and most importantly, for the first few weeks please treat my feet to a twice daily brushing of Venice turpentine. It’s cheap, it’s easy and it will leave me with soles like titanium - well almost!
2 Losing weight and condition are not a part of the letting down process regardless of what you’ve been told. You can still pack on the pounds leaving me with a robust, svelte like figure without making me as fizzy as an Alka Seltzer. Talk to your local feed store and select a high fiber, high fat, low sugar, low starch feed - if you stuff me with sugar and starch, I’m going to behave like a 5 year old that just ate a box of Twinkies. Fiber is as good for my tummy as it is yours. Fed correctly, I’ll have the hair coat to match the shine of a Pantene hair commercial and curves in all the right places - nobody finds skinny attractive right?
3 I’ve been around, I’ve seen a lot, some of us are even world travelers however just like you, I operate and function best in my comfort zone. My trainer never feels comfortable without her boots and I feel the same about my saddle. You might have visions of being Lady Godiva riding the beautiful Thoroughbred naked but me, I’m a little more conservative and like to go out tacked up. I like to feel accessorized. Attempting to ride one of us bareback immediately upon welcoming us into your home may result in a rocky ride which neither of us will enjoy.
4 So some of the boys have had the “op” and you might not think they are really boys anymore but keep that to yourself because as far as they are concerned, they are all male! Recently gelded horses should not be near mares or turned out with mares and even some of the older boys haven’t forgotten those heady days of youth when they had all their functioning parts. An older gelding that is out with mares and becomes herd bound and aggressive needs to be separated from his harem immediately. He may think he’s the sultan but he needs to go back to being the eunuch. Separating mares and geldings can prevent many behavioral issues both in and out of the saddle.
5 Let’s talk about playtime - I like to go out, socialize, chat with friends but it’s not for everyone. Some are homebodies that like to just venture out for an hour or two, some like to go out with one special friend, others like to mingle in large groups and some of my wild friends stay out all night just coming in for breakfast - they use this barn like a hotel! Finding the right social situation is vital for both our physical and mental wellbeing. What works for one might not work for another. Take the time to watch and see how we are adjusting and interacting with our friends. I’ve lived in a stall 23 hours of the day and may be a little socially awkward. Tossing me out in a field 24/7 is like leaving the Ritz to sleep on the streets - scary, bewildering and very overwhelming. Ask my facility manager for more details on my current social schedule.
6 You find me irresistible, who wouldn’t? Look at me, I’m stunning! You find it hard to keep your hands off me but when I’m eating, this Thoroughbred says hands off and if you persist, this policy will result in me strictly enforcing it in a way you won’t like! Just as you don’t like to sit down to eat with children tugging at your sleeves and rubbing your face, neither do I. As I have underdeveloped vocal skills, my only way to let you know that I find your behavior unacceptable is to react in what is frequently construed as an aggressive manner. I’m trying to give you a hint, I want to savor my yummy dinner in peace and quiet - it’s hard enough to eat with the Oldenburg that only gets a handful of grain glaring and drooling at me through the bars without someone wanting hugs and kisses. It’s not that I don’t want to be your friend or don’t appreciate your attention; I just want to eat in peace and quiet - period!
7 Grooming and spa day - seems like the perfect time for a bit of R & R, something I will surely appreciate and love. Mmmm no, not quite! At the track, I have been roughed up vigorously with a stiff brush especially on my big glut muscles that hopefully will power me to a winning finish. I’ve been strapped and brushed hard to enhance muscle tone and blood circulation. With my thin hair coat it’s akin to sitting on top of a vehicle and letting the brushes and rollers run over you in a car wash naked - it can hurt! It’s what I’ve known all my life and the anticipation of being brushed is like you waiting to have a Band Aid ripped off, this is not going to be fun. Please be gentle while I learn to adjust to the soothing rhythm of the brush strokes and a softer more finessed touch. Hush me if I wave a back leg once in a while. I am not trying to kick you, I’m just suffering from post-traumatic stress related to hard grooming.
8 Tying - now there’s a conundrum! I have been tied all my life, only not in cross ties but to a wall. The wall and I are familiar friends, I know every knot and nook on that wall. I have spent many an afternoon tied to the wall being groomed - the wall and I are very well acquainted. But what’s this - cross ties??? I feel trapped, my head cannot move but my body can. The walls are closing in on me, I feel claustrophobic, my heart is racing, I’m panicked, I am an animal with a flight response and my instinct is to flee, break out of these things you call cross ties. We are not familiar with cross ties - you need to be aware of this and take your time to teach us to stand there and overcome our desire to have a nervous breakdown.
9 Oh it’s the moving box on wheels - are we going somewhere? I’ve been hauled coast to coast, I might have even traveled more than you across this fair country but what’s this - it’s a small metal box, it has a ramp/no ramp, there doesn’t seem to be much room for my head. Putting me in there is like trying to squeeze a sumo wrestler into a sardine can - it ain’t going to work - or at least it won’t if you don’t convince me otherwise. We all load but we have traveled in different ways. Some of the posher guys have only traveled in air ride 18 wheeler rigs, some of us only traveled previously in box stalls - the 2 horse trailer is an alien concept as is the open sided stock trailer which rattles when I try to get on. Spare a moment and consider my new mode of transport. I’m not asking for a limo but a nice ride with at least 7 foot of head room, rubber matting or shavings in a stock trailer to muffle the rattle and some good hay is all it usually takes to convince me to board and I promise I’ll make it much easier for you the next time around!
10 The girth, oh the girth - I wasn’t going to go there but perhaps we should for both our sakes! I’ve spent most of my life having them rather rudely and somewhat abruptly jerked up as tight as they will go. It’s like trying to put an elephant in a corset, sticking your knee in its back and yanking the strings hard enough to puncture a lung - beware adverse reaction will quickly follow. Saddle me by all means and if you are not on me and going to spend another 10 minutes gossiping with the barn manager and searching for your gloves, does the girth really need to be this tight from the outset? Leave it loose, walk me in a circle, let me catch a breath and then go up another few holes. It’s like following the instructions on a shampoo bottle - rinse and repeat only in my case. tighten slowly, walk a few steps and repeat. Some of my friends can blow themselves out like a puffer fish and be just as lethal if the girth is hauled up to their ears. These guys need to be walked around, maybe let them do a few circles on the lunge line and then tighten the girth a little more before mounting. Taking a few extra minutes can save you and I departing company in a rather spectacular, rapid fashion.
11 Oh the mounting block, the bane of my life. Can you people really not jump onto a moving target? Firstly, our pilots have always been hoisted up there on our backs - oh the tales I could tell about leg ups that have gone seriously awry! However I digress - they are legged up while we are moving, there has never been some strange box from which they launch themselves onto us while we stand stock still. Never before have we had the sensation of the weight in the stirrup while we are expected to stand motionless like a statue in the Louvre with someone that was substantially shorter a few minutes ago now towering above us. Practice walking me by the mounting block or tack trunk, stand on the block or trunk, pull the stirrup iron down, using your hand press weight down on the iron to simulate the weight of your leg, bang about on the saddle with your hand. Have someone to assist and for the first few times, as soon as your leg is going over the saddle, have your assistant walk me immediately forward to help with that trapped tense feeling. Practice makes perfect and if you have gradually tightened the girth as explained previously, I’m already in a more relaxed frame of mind and more on a level to accept these new random ideas you keep throwing at me.
12 Ulcers, ulcers, ulcers - not all of us have ulcers and many by the time you have adopted us will already have had them treated. However for those of you unfamiliar with ulcers, let’s go over a few of the symptoms. Just like you they make our stomachs hurt, they dull our appetite, they can cause us to grind out teeth and become rather surly when handled or messed with. Some horses become extremely “cinchy” and I know one or two chaps that have even tried to bite their rider’s legs when pressure is applied. It hurts, it makes us miserable and in turn we make you miserable. Some horses just act dull and depressed. While everyone else is banging their walls and feeder eager with anticipation at feed time, I stand solemnly at the back of my stall. I might venture to look at what you’ve given me but it hurts to eat. A few may even exhibit colic like symptoms repeatedly during feed times or shortly after. Talk to my doctor - your vet! Ulcers can be treated quickly and effectively and have me eating like a horse (pardon the pun) in just a few days. Just three tubes of Gastrogard spread over a 7 day period is all it takes in most cases. Horses like most animals will gorge themselves rather like Augustus Gloop at the Wonka Factory - they should not be dismissed as “poor eaters”. Lacking appetite is normal within the first 24 hours of arriving at a new home however if it persists, please take the required steps to get us back on track!
13 So you wanted a racehorse but are now a bit worried that the racehorse may have raced a little too much? Every time you mount, the lyrics to Life in the Fast Lane run through your mind? I’ve retired after 79 races and just like most people, retirement is usually warmly received after so many starts. My trainer has visions of retiring one day and kicking around the barn playing My Pretty Pony with her own horses interspersed with vacations in Mexico and just like her, our joints are feeling it a little more and our mindset isn’t quite what it used to be (her eyesight is fading too but we shall not mention that!). Just as drag racing the main street no longer holds the same thrill it did for you at 18, hauling our butts as fast as we can peddle our little legs no longer holds the same appeal for us. Learn to relax, no need for the grip of death on the reins and sink your weight deep into the saddle and most importantly - breathe.
Heavily raced x good handling and schooling = well rounded, well exposed confident horse with an appreciation for the slower things in life. That’s an equation we can all get our heads around!
14 Ally McBeal I am not but take a moment to refer to your contract. I know, I know - load of legal jargon and you just want to get me home and have fun and test ride your new horse, show me off to your friends, show the new gelding who wears the pants in this barn by making him wear a pink polka dot sheet but wait a moment! What does it say there - please wait ONE week before riding me? Really wait a week before riding me? You are by now foaming at the mouth like a 5 year old on Christmas morning, you just want to get me tacked up, lunge me, ride me, jump me, haul me to a friend’s arena and ride me again in yet another strange place. At this point, one needs to place a chill pill under their tongue and let it dissolve slowly. Now - if you had just sat in the moving box for 12 hours, been displaced from your friends, given strange food to eat, made to sleep in an unfamiliar place and in many cases are subjected to massive changes in climate - how do you think you’d react? Tired perhaps, maybe a little anxious? Unsettled, nervous, upset, overwhelmed - the list of adjectives can go on and on and most have negative overtones. I don’t think the people wrote this into the contract just to be party poopers or to see how long you can suffer through the waiting period before you explode under pressure. It’s there as a reminder to let us get moved in, settle down, get into the schedule, adjust to the new menu of delights you offer, meet and greet new buddies, become familiar with our new surroundings, new smells, the cows that lurk behind the fence and most importantly let us relax. You’ll make the whole transitioning period a lot easier, safer and more enjoyable for both of us by containing that urge to jump straight on. Patience is a virtue and when adopting or buying a new horse and allowing us some breathing room and time to catch our breath, it can pay big dividends.
15 We know our jobs, we know what is acceptable and what is not. Try looking at it from our perspective - it’s like being dropped in a foreign land and trying to understand that a sausage biscuit is not a sausage link stuck between two chocolate chip cookies - yuck! It may make perfect sense to you but when you’ve been raised a different way, some things need to be explained in a clear and concise manner. Time and patience will yield the greatest results and you will reap what you sow. One day we hope that you’ll be able to look back and say to us “wow, thank you for giving me the ride of my life!” and we can respond “it was my pleasure!”
^^^^^
I’m on my second OTTB––Lisa Molloy’s advice is spot on!!
Love TBs, had them all of my life, but they are not for the novice.
My experiences with OTTB’s (have 3 currently, have in total had 6) is that they were all VERY easy to start after their track or training career. Take it slow, and they will come along very nicely. Most have far more common sense than unraced horses at the same age as they have “seen it all”.
Sure, some will be more difficult than others, but you can find some with great brains that transition very easily into new careers. I would go OTTB over greenie WB any day. I have one who has been 100% totally bombproof and beginner friendly since day 1. Green yes, but never ever put a foot out of place. He is 13 now, and got him as a early 4 year old after his last race (ran 3 times). Another one is a higher level hunter, and while he is not a beginner ride (he can buck) he totally knows his job and does it well. The new young one I have was not raced or trained - and within 2 months of being broke he went out and played over some small xc fences like it was nothing. Best brain ever.
None of mine have ever had an issue transitioning to cross ties, trailering, girthing, grooming and some were easily transitioned to barefoot while others do need shoes. None thankfully, have had ulcers and all started putting on weight (some quicker than others). Just don’t be in a rush for anything, and you wont have any disappointments. I would make sure you get one that comes from a reputable trainer, talk with the trainer/assistant trainer too - they will tell you the horses habits and if they feel they would be a suitable match for you.
