Congrats on your new horse! I think restarting an OTTB inevitably comes with plenty of questions like this. I love the plan you have, but I also looked back to two Ride iQ Ask An Expert episodes that are about Restarting OTTBs - one was with Aubrey Graham (Retired Racehorse Project) and one was with Kate Rogers, an Australian rider who has trained two OTTBs to the 4* level in eventing.
Those videos have a breakdown of all the topics covered in the video description.
Kate talks about starting with groundwork (including voice commands and moving over in response to pressure), lunging, leading, and desensitizing (by not micromanaging their environment so they can see new things) first with her OTTBs. She then gets on in a round pen to establish the basics (forward, left, right, stop) and to introduce them to seat aids. She does this groundwork and round pen work for 3 weeks before doing arena rides. She talks about this at 13:00 into her video.
I think the most relevant answer to your question about appropriate work based on your horse’s age actually comes from Grand Prix dressage rider Lauren Sprieser in an Ask An Expert episode called Green Horses 101. That convo is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XaeKfQDyzA and again there’s a breakdown of topics in the description.
The TL;DR is that all these experts seem to be talking about true 3 year olds when talking about training under saddle.
Ride iQ also has a full 60-day lesson program starting with the first work off the track - groundwork and lunging, and moving through mounting, initial rides, and ultimately basic lateral work and intro to jumping. That was developed in partnership with RRP and New Vocations. I can send you that program if you’d like - just send me an email team@ride-iQ.com.
Your plan is essentially how I started my horse when I bought him. He was a week shy of his (legitimate) third birthday when he came home, after having done two timed workouts on the track and then being stuck out in a field for a few months at his trainer’s farm while they found him a new (non-racing) home, because he just didn’t seem very interested.
He’s always been a very leggy boy (he’s long everywhere except in his back) and definitely looked like a 2yo when I got him, plus he’d just gone through a growth spurt and was a bit all over the place, so I was in no hurry to get on. We spent our first month together hand-walking around the farm, both outside and inside, sometimes just in a halter, sometimes in full tack. He learned to walk over a tarp, he learned to cross-tie, he learned to stand at the mounting block, he learned what poles and logs are (I’m an eventer primarily), he learned to load up on and get off of the trailer (he had only ever been hauled with ramps so we had to figure out how a step-up worked).
The first time I got on him was about a month after he came home for about five minutes. We spent a few weeks just walking while we ironed out our communication in regards to turning and stopping, and then started doing a couple laps of trot each ride. 90% of our rides the first year were less than 40 minutes, and the longer ones were usually me taking him out to walk around new places while my barnmates schooled. We also took it slow because he kept growing and every time there was a growth spurt he needed a week or two to get used to his new proportions. He’s always been incredibly level-headed so I was never really worried about him from that perspective, although he is too smart for his own good so that’s where most of our problems come from.
We’ve had a myriad of soundness issues over the almost five years since I bought him but they have nothing to do with his track time/how I restarted him and everything to do with bad farrier work that we finally untangled and addressed when I moved to my trainer’s barn about a year ago. My trainer has a 4yo in right now and she’s handled him pretty similarly—the first month and a bit he was turned out and only handled for normal grooming and such, then she started short rides in the arena, then short walks around the farm and a bit of lunge work, and now he’s doing a reasonable length of work (though still only small amounts of canter since he’s still getting stronger and is currently rather bum-high).
To me it’s less about the riding and more about giving them things to keep their brain busy, especially when they’re that young. Every issue I’ve had with my horse has been due to his aforementioned poorly-handled feet, and that time we took at the beginning really has paid off in regards to our ability to handle new things as a team. I’d trust your gut on this one. You can always increase workload but you can’t take it away once it’s been rushed.
While we’re talking about irrelevant points - what about all the horses that DIE on the cross country course every year? What about those?
In an eventing thread you boast about how your horse was competing1.3m as a five-year-old and is perfectly sound now in his 20s. I can all but guarantee your horse wasn’t started under saddle as a late three-year-old.
If he was - one year to go from unridden to going 1.3m? Sounds pretty physically demanding to me, especially for a horse that still isn’t done growing.
More likely, he was started as a two-year-old.
And yet, either way, he’s still sound in his 20s. Hmm.
Wow calm the heck down there mmeqcenter. First, Horses that die on the racetrack, die due to injuries. That was part of my point about starting them really young, so not irrelevant. In eventing, obviously those that die on course are also due to injuries, but I’m pretty sure they aren’t out there jumping a cross country course at 2.
Second, " I can all but guarantee your horse wasn’t started under saddle as a late three-year-old." Well, no you can’t. He was born and bred in Germany. They tend to push them fast if they want to sell them. And as a rule they start them as late 2 year olds, give them a bit off until they are 3 and then continue. I’m certain he wasn’t backed before then (as I was in touch with his breeder and knew his entire backstory). That’s how I knew what he was doing when he was five. She was bragging about it. Maybe she exaggerated, I have no way of knowing.
Third, “Talk about a double standard.” Nope. I didn’t own the horse when he was young. When they did or didn’t start him was not up to me, and by the time I owned him it was moot. Plus, I never jumped him. All I did was dressage. Furthermore, race horses are frequently started at 18 months, not 2. I don’t know any other discipline that recommends that. In racing, it’s all about the money.
Finally, since you seem to be in a “gotcha” frame of mind, looking up my posts on other threads, I’ll thank you to read my latest posts in this thread wherein I did some research, Bluey and others posted some articles, which I also read, and said “I stand corrected.” So please climb down off your high horse and stop with the attacks. Sensitive much?
I have some concerns about the study cited. They looked at the difference between TBs who started or at least trained at 2 and those who first raced at a later age. I think they used historical racing data for this. My concern is that in the usual way of doing things, the vast majority of trainers of TBs are aiming to get the horses to the track at 2. If they do not, it is often due to an injury or am exceptionally slow growing and developing horse in caring hands. So doesnt that stack the not trained or raced at 2 group with more horses with problems going into the racing career?
Are there enough racing TBs in a program that starts ALL horses later to make a fair comparison?
The first studies decades ago that were determining what happened if horses were started at two or at four that I read about were TX A+M studies in quarter horse colts.
They seemed to decide those started at two were considerably better physically for the demands of being an athletic horse later and mentally they were much easier to train if started early, so their brain was developing already with working with people right off.
They seemed to decide all around those started early, compared with those kept out to pasture until four, had an advantage as a riding horse.
Later studies were trying to repeat that and find out why.
I grew up in Continental Europe and there we never would start a horse before 4.
I remember only two mares we started at three that fall.
One went on to be a school/trail horse, the other one we convinced the owner she was too young and after about 5 rides we started driving her double with an older farm horse and started her back under saddle next spring as a 4 year old.
In general, horses were turned out until four, in some barns taken in the barn at times to work a bit on basic manners, but not backed until four and in a regular program in a riding center.
Once in the US, I was surprised how many horses were backed at a young two and so many OTTB’s were very young when we were retraining them for the hunter/jumper market.
Some of those the BNT I had been working with would tell me to also keep galloping them, as some of the buyers may take them back to the track.
The main difference starting the two year olds compared with the 4 year olds I had been starting since I was 13 was how much easier it was to teach them, how willing they were to work with you, how to them learning about the human world and their place in it was a great game.
We had to slow them down, do other at times, as they wanted more of the good stuff that they were not quite ready for, overachievers.
The 4 year olds in Europe we used to ride them long and low for six months before we asked any more of them that to carry a rider, then we could go right on and they could take more work physically that we would want to do with a two year old.
When we started feral horses from the mountains, we only started them from four years old to whatever age, mostly topping about 8-9 years old, best we could tell.
Those horses we could train intensively and in about 3-4 months they were already most of them used as school and trail riding horses. They made wonderful school horses, the older ones very smart Steady Eddies, brave and nothing much bothered them.
I still think, a good trainer can do much with any horse at at age, even the youngsters, just as a bad/uneducated trainer can do wrong to any horse at any age.
Right.
Which fits the description of “not started as a late three-year-old.”
Not really moot whether you owned him at two or not.
You vilified the entire racing industry based on the same, or at least extremely similar, training practices that you turn around and “support” in sport disciplines by buying that horse and acknowledging he’s sound at 22 after such an early start. If those training practices are so abhorrent to you, I would have expected you to search for a horse you knew wasn’t started until a late three-year-old. Or bought a yearling and waiting that long yourself.
I’m being the sensitive one, when you responded to my comment disagreeing about OTTB soundness with (abbreviated) “what about the ones that DIE?” Puh-lease.
I agree with your plan OP. I 100% will not start a horse until late 3 and usually will wait until 4 with no real heavy work until 6. I don’t care if people think that is waiting too long.
Why do you have such a chip on your shoulder about me? I said they push them fast to sell them to the US, meaning jumping high and starting p/p and other “tricks.” Also you picked part of the sentence. They back them at 2, work them very briefly, then put them out to continue growing up. They aren’t started at 18 months and ridden regularly from then on. Warmbloods mature slower than Tbs. Again, why do you have such a hard-on about me? You are entitled to your position. And also, if you bothered (which clearly you didn’t) to read when I wrote after doing some legitimate research on the subject you would see that I changed my mind about starting them super young.
What do you want from me? An apology that I mentioned that horses die in racing on a very frequent basis? Not going to happen. I stated a fact. I’m sorry if that flew all up in your face, but how you react is is not my responsibility. You must be into horse racing. Good for you. I hope you have much success. I don’t like the sport and if starting them young is harmless then great. I still don’t like the sport. YMMV
“Extremely similar”? Not at all. Also, you seem to be confused as to when I acquired the horse I mentioned. He was 15 when I bought him. I contacted his breeder in Germany to find out his history as his previous owner couldn’t answer some of my questions. So yeah, what he was doing as a 3, 4, and 5 year old was pretty moot by the time I owned him.
Thinking of horses ridden and competed that young just boggles my mind.
Then again, I was taught to ride with the thought that a 6 yo horse was still a young horse.
“Young horse official competitions” in my home country are for 4, 5 and 6 (yes SIX!) year old horses and ponies.
Yes, we could not even show jumpers before 6, in special classes and 7 in open, or participate in endurance rides.
I just think, all those early years we missed, that would have made horses happier if they had learned early that is what horse lives are, to be ridden and work with humans, eager to all their lives, not just later becoming a mere job, after years of being a horse.
Then, we know so much more, we care for horses much better, fewer wives tales diagnostic and medical protocols.
If something was wrong with a horse it was anyone’s guess if we could help it or not with what we knew.
Today horses are raised and managed and trained all around better, wonderful knowledgeable vets help, with so much more proper resources, that also makes lives nicer today, at any age we care to work with them.
Those early years were not missed. The horses were handled daily from birth, groomed, shod, tacked up, and worked lightly mostly long reining, when they turned 3 or so, depending on the horse. I remember hacking the 4 / 5 year olds out on the trails, fields and woods, with no other demand than going where we wanted them to go at the speed we wanted them to go. By then they all understood basic seat, leg and rein aids, but there was no demanding riding.
And I just checked - those guidelines still apply today.
There are many great responses here, I couldn’t keep up with them all. But I think this comment by Bluey is important to highlight, because unless you’ve started a lots of “babies” and lots of 3-4-5yos, you won’t appreciate the absolute EASE of teaching/learning with two year olds.
I’m fully aware I will get blasted here, but this is my program. I breed TBs for racing AND sport; I raise them and start them myself. I’m an upper level eventer who also gallops racehorses; I am experienced at BOTH ends of the spectrum. I start mine the same, whether they are going to the track or to sport, at around 20 months of age. The first 30-60 days is basic w/t/c; build up to jogging 10-15 minutes and a lap of canter each way in the field, learning to pick up the correct lead and do a flying change. (A racehorse change, y’all, not a proper back-to-front dressage change with lift and expression). From there, the racehorses bound for 2yo sales or racing will start jogging and light gallops on the track. The sport horses (as 2yos) will get a month or more off, and go into a rotation of work 2 days/week for 4 weeks, and then another month or so off. I don’t push them, I don’t rush them, they do what is comfortable for their mental/physical stage of development. They hack around the farm, or 10 minutes (total!) of w/t/c in a big field. NO 20M CIRCLES. NO ARENA WORK. NO ROUND PENNING. Basic obedience: carry the human around, go to fun places and do fun things. My “honor students” will load up and go on field trips to trail ride or hang out and watch others school XC.
“BUT YOU WILL BREAK THEM! YOU ARE A HORRIBLE PERSON FOR STARTING THEM SO EARLY!” Studies say otherwise. I bring my horses along carefully; perhaps not as “slowly” as some people would like, but I treat them as individuals. My two colts that I prepped for the 2yo sales in June had beautiful, clean xrays after their sale works; despite “breaking them as yearlings” and working them relatively hard in the spring. It wasn’t “hard” for them, though, they were incrementally brought along and I put a SOLID foundation on them, and I worked them on good footing (including a lot of turf gallops). One of the 2yos failed to meet his reserve and we kept him to race ourselves-- I like him a lot as a future sport horse. He didn’t earn his keep at the track and after 3 starts we brought him home in October.
OP, this is where my story is similar to yours; I brought my 2yo off the track in October. He went right back outside 24/7 with his childhood buddies. I could just leave him out and forget about him for a year. But why? I know this horse loves to do things, he has an amazing mind, and he has an excellent foundation (I know, I put it there!!). He got 2 weeks off, and then I sat on him to see if he’d changed due to his 8 weeks at the track. He was understandably tight, but mentally the same good boy. I gave him more time, but rode him a couple times here and there just to hack around the farm (minimal rides prior to Dec 1 to keep him RRP eligible). He enjoys having a job, and frankly he doesn’t need any “groundwork.” I continue to get on him once or twice a week when I have time, and occasionally I throw him on the trailer and go to a local state park for trail rides with friends. That’s all he needs right now. We’ve done 2 rides in the arena (video of the second ride), and could do a respectable Intro dressage test tomorrow. This horse has beautiful feet, he’s fat on hay and ration balancer, lives out 24/7, has excellent manners, and athletic potential to do just about anything you want. His legs are pristine, 0 injuries anywhere, and I have no doubt he’ll xray clean today.
Do whatever makes you happy, but there can be great benefit to “moving on” with a young horse and keeping them engaged and active. Going for walking trail rides and hacks once or twice a week won’t harm them, and can benefit them so much more than just groundwork in the ring. And 30-60 days off in the heat of summer or dead of winter is fine too. I don’t believe you should force an artificial timeline on a horse, whether that’s rushing them or holding them back. Listen to them-- give them small, achievable challenges and set them up for success without boredom. I actually HAVE seen someone “go too slow” with her young 3-4yo OTTB; she did a lot of ground work, long lining, VERY minimal expectations of him physically and mentally. He turned into a spoiled rotten monster, lacking work ethic, and eventually had a bunch of soundness problems.
I’ll echo this part too. A close friend of mine bought a 4yo mare directly off the track. Stunning horse - every bit of 17h, built like a tank, a bright bay dripping with chrome. Beautiful mover, athletic as all get out.
This was an older adult amateur who wanted to tinker around at intro/training dressage, trail ride, generally enjoy her horse. This mare was arguably an inappropriate mount right from the start, but the trainer involved convinced her it would work. Months of “groundwork” and in hand dressage work, no opportunity to stretch under saddle or go faster than a trot, very little variance or mental stimulation in her training. She ended up with a complex stifle injury that took a year to rehab. Between the goofy training program and prolonged stall rest, small paddock turnout - this previously lovely mare turned into an absolute basket case.
She ended up being rehomed to one of my trainers, who spent another year unpacking all the baggage. Let her relearn that she could be bold and forward, realized she didn’t particularly want to event. Found her a home with a young amateur as a 2’6” hunter and they’re cleaning up our local circuit.
Gosh this sounds eerily similar to the situation I’m familiar with: an older AA desperate to do right by her big young OTTB, Go Slow to “preserve” him and theoretically create a good foundation. Also arguably an inappropriate mount, with bad feet. Also ended up with a stifle injury, confinement, small turnout (and attempting to jump out of small turnout causing additional injuries), more months of “groundwork” to rehab, and ultimately becoming a most unpleasant horse to ride and handle. Retired at age 7; VERY (!) expensive pasture pet for another 7 years before sadly PTS.
I wonder if the stifle weakness/injury would have improved (or prevented?) with regular, correct work under saddle? Going forward, outside over hills? Vs in circles in an arena or roundpen? This particular gelding was a gawky, growthy, 16.3 3yo lacking muscle…the exact type likely to have stifle weakness, who may have benefitted from some long trots on hills (and definitely some stern Git Going).
Sounds like a page out of the same unfortunate book, for sure. It became a vicious cycle - the constant in hand work and never being allowed to go forward under saddle made the mare pent up. The more pent up she got, the more owner and trainer backed off or jammed her up on small circles trying to avoid the inevitable explosion. It wasn’t a good situation for anyone. I definitely think the very limited movement and lack of cross-training could have contributed to her eventual injury, as well as the overreactions when she finally had a chance to run in the pasture or kick up her heels on the lunge line.
My trainer took her and spent an entire summer letting her trot/canter/gallop however she wanted with a loop in the reins. Once she realized that wasn’t actually a punishable offense, she took a breath and settled into a really lovely lopey hunter.
i don’t longe, and i don’t long line either. I do ground-drive, and i’d do that. with a surcingle and also with a saddle. I have NO IDEA about whenTB’s reach maturity, but that graph in the link shared above is permanently on my desktop. I wouldn’t ride any horse before 4. And even then it would be in short intervals…10 mins at a time, then i’d dismount, do something else with them, then maybe get on again in a few minutes. That’s just me. Even though i’m old, i figure i have enough time to allow bones to finish growing before i start riding. There are so many things to do with young horses that are fun and not damaging. As far as people at the barn…meh. I’d pay them zero mind. None. My horse/my way.
