TB for endurance?

[Bensmom]

My NZTB was FABULOUS at LD – the only reason he didn’t move up to doing 50s is that I don’t want to.

At least until he tore a suspensory at Yellowhammer last year. He was the only one of our horses that was left going out on the third day and got injured with only a 9 mile loop left – that wasn’t a fault of anything other than bad luck – he got a back foot in a rock hole and twisted it getting it free, ripping off his back shoe and tearing the insertion of his suspensory.

True to his tough TB roots, he trotted the rest of the way in sound, but once the adrenaline wore off, he was VERY lame on it.

He’ll not go back to the sport seriously, mostly because I’m going to have to be sooooo careful about the footing that he is competeing in, but there are a few LDs with safe and good footing that he could do.

The statement about TBs not pulsing down and cooling off like an arab is just plain WRONG. All three that I have done the sport with came down as fast as, if not better than, the arabs that I ride with.

In fact, the NZ horse was considered, to quote a vet in the box, to be a “freak” because when fit, his resting is so low and he comes down INSTANTLY. Even my 16.2 big bodied TB pulses right down with his fit arab friend, so you won’t know until you try.

Shoes and pads were always my friend, though.

Best of luck, and I have always wanted to sponsor an award for OTTBS doing distance, so anyone with any ideas about that, let me know.

Libby

[Auventera_Two]

@Kyzteke;3664244

I read somewhere that “there has never been a major 100 mile endurance ride that wasn’t won by an Arab gelding.” Well, I was sorry to hear THAT, because I love mares. ANd I’m not sure it’s even true.

Not true! :lol:

In 2000, a 13 year old mare won the World Endurance Champion. Her name is Varoussa. Yeah, she’s an Arab, but she’s not a gelding.

[matryoshka]

About the start

The one and only time I competed Butch, we tried to wait and start behind the crowd. But it seemed like everybody had the same idea, so I started with my junior rider in tow. I believe at that ride that all riders had to start within 10 minutes. Then a whole group came behind us, which set off a bucking spree. We were fine while we were in the front. Then we went off trail (stupid mistake) and when we got back on the trail, we were in the midst of a large group (and my junior rider fell neck deep into a stream).

When my OTTB saw all those horses strung out in a field and heard my junior rider’s horse (hot-headed Morgan) gallup behind us, he took off at racetrack speed. It was scary. I got him stopped before we had to squeeze through a narrow break in the trees, but it was close. In the next field, my junior rider’s horse did the same darn thing and my guy took off again. I got him stopped, but by that time, I was sweating bullets. Then Butch cantered at a walking pace. It would have been funny if I hadn’t been so worried about my junior rider being drenched.

He got much easier at about 5 miles, and I think we could have had a decent ride if my junior rider hadn’t started with chills and light-headedness. I RO’d out to take care of her (the mother was not answering her cell phone and junior didn’t want to be left with a radio guy). Bummer.

As for pulsing down, Butch was fine as long as he had a nice canter. Tons of trotting would wind him up.

Keep in mind that OTTB’s have already retired from one demanding career, so their legs might not be in the best shape to start with. If you can find one with clean legs–maybe one who retires just because he’s slow or a mild roarer–you’ve got a shot. I’ve brought a few others off the track who just weren’t leg sound enough to handle any kind of distance. They’d would have stood a shot without the track injuries. Instead, they’ve become nice pleasure trail horses for people who have an occasional need for speed.

I like OTTB’s because they usually have a good work ethic. “Lazy” was not in my horse’s vocabulary. Enthusiasm, yes. Competetiveness, maybe too much. Lazy? Never.

[Kyzteke]

[QUOTE=Auventera Two;3664549]
Not true! :lol:

In 2000, a 13 year old mare won the World Endurance Champion. Her name is Varoussa. Yeah, she’s an Arab, but she’s not a gelding. :D[/QUOTE]

Good! I’m glad to hear this. I remember now – it was from some older (like 10 yrs. old) video on choosing an endurance horse…can’t remember the name of the guy doing the advising, but he was some famous endurance vet, I think.

I so much prefer mares, but apparently there is quite a bias against them as trail horses. I am more a breeder than a rider, but because I stand an Akhal-Teke stallion (a breed noted for endurance), I talk to alot of endurance riders who either want to buy or breed (usually an Arab/Teke cross…it helps that all his foals are either palomino or buckskin) for that sport.

Well, almost ALL of them want a colt (gelding)! I actually offered a buyer a 3 YR OLD Teke sport horse MARE for the same price he was going to pay for a 3 MONTH old palomino COLT.

I like to think he didn’t go just by the color, 'cause this guy is a serious endurance rider, but he told me flat out he wanted a younger horse AND A GELDING.

I know there are gelding people & mare people, but I am surprised there aren’t more mares at the top of this sport. I wonder why.

[Auventera_Two]

I study the AERC statistics with the fervor of a neurotic racoon, and it seems like the split is about 60/40 favoring geldings. I think endurance riders don’t want to deal with heat cycles. What if your mare is in heat and has a sore back during national championships?

But I’m a mare person. I would be hard pressed to form a bond with an easy going gelding. I seem to have a special place in my heart for hard to handle mares. If I ever had a gelding, he’d have to be one heck of a hot one :lol:

I can’t think of any literature or proof that geldings are more sound, or longer lived, or any more likely to succeed than a mare.

Maybe people who own mares are too tempted to breed, which then pulls them out of competition? I’m not sure.

I’ve been on the trail with a few really nasty tempered mares. One lady was yelling at people to “stay back” because her mare was so pissy about strange horses getting near her.

My mare absolutely adores all other horses. She doesn’t care who it is, or how close they get. The closer the better. I joke that if she could crawl into another horse’s skin, she would. She just HAS to be close and touching another horse, all the time.

So this spring when I sponsored 3 juniors, it turned out great, because they could bump her, or ride right on her flank, no problem. I did a trail with my friend’s young 4 yo gelding, and he reached out and bit her right on the neck - pretty darned hard too! She didn’t even miss a step. Kept on walking, barely even flicked an ear at him. Some horses would have cleaned his clock. He kept threatening to bite and kept just “pestering” her so I told my friend - just let him bite her! She’ll teach him a lesson. Well, she didn’t because she loves strange horses way too much.

Mare, gelding, or stallion, I think it’s important to get an endurance horse with a really good mind that tolerates other horses and all the commotion.

[matryoshka]

I didn’t know racoons studied AERC statistics! :lol:

I prefer mares as well, chestnut when possible. I took the little Arab mare out on the trail today for our fourth ride. I had a friend riding my husband’s WB gelding. Darn gelding didn’t want to go first over a bridge, so the greenie led on the trail! It helps that I had hand-walked her on the trail yesterday. I think she’s going to be a good trail horse.

[Ajierene]

[QUOTE=matryoshka;3664778]
As for pulsing down, Butch was fine as long as he had a nice canter. Tons of trotting would wind him up.

Keep in mind that OTTB’s have already retired from one demanding career, so their legs might not be in the best shape to start with. If you can find one with clean legs–maybe one who retires just because he’s slow or a mild roarer–you’ve got a shot. I’ve brought a few others off the track who just weren’t leg sound enough to handle any kind of distance. They’d would have stood a shot without the track injuries. Instead, they’ve become nice pleasure trail horses for people who have an occasional need for speed.

I like OTTB’s because they usually have a good work ethic. “Lazy” was not in my horse’s vocabulary. Enthusiasm, yes. Competetiveness, maybe too much. Lazy? Never.[/QUOTE]

Keep in mind that thoroughbreds, like other breeds, are also individuals. Not all have been to the track or retired due to injury. Two homebred thoroughbreds where I first started riding - one was just never fast at home. His older sister galloped full speed at home, but wouldn’t break out of a trot at the track. We joked that her mom had a discussion with her about racing (mom had heart of a racer but not the body and had multiple chips in her knees due to being injected and raced to many time by the owner/breeder of daughter). Another thoroughbred I rode could beat quarter horses for that western jog and you could ground tie him in a field of clover up to his knees and he wouldn’t move a muscle, have a bomb go off beside him, come back three hours later and he would still be where you left him.

My mare also never raced and, unlike matryoshka’s gelding, she would trot all day for you and barely break a sweat.

I don’t think thoroughbreds as a breed are the best choice for endurance - that isn’t what they are bred for, but if you see one you like, there is no reason it is not up to the challenge.

[system]

OTTB Can Do Distance Riding

I’ve recently started riding an Off-the-Track Thoroughbred for distance riding, and both she and I are loving it! She’s very focused and fortunately has great feet.

When I got my first OTTB about six years ago, everyone told me that I was making a mistake to think that he could be used as a trail horse. Three OTTBs later and lots of trail miles says otherwise.

Yes, you may need to work hard to erase some bad memories and retrain, but it can be done. Most of the OTTBs have only known rough handling because of their size, high protein feed, and lifestyle. With some patience, OTTBs can be good distance horses!

[KlawPaws]

I have an OTTB and she is an excellent trail horse. I trail ride every week (in groups and alone). Yes, she is a bit ‘looky’ sometimes but all-in-all she is great. She is even used as the role model for the youngsters sometimes. I have done a 25 miler with her and she did fine. I have also done quite a bit of “training” rides (15-16 miles at ‘pace’) and she has never broken down. As a matter of fact as soon as she knows what her expected job is for the day she falls in line accordingly. The only reason I am not pushing her for a lot of distance riding is because she is a little older (16). I do keep her conditioned and fit though.

There is no reason for a TB not to be in the trails, IMO. If they are not good on the trails then that is an individual characteristic that can be found in any breed of horse. Again this is in my opinion only.

KlawPaws

[Mukluk]

Glad to find this post. I have an OTTB and we haven’t tried endurance. However, she is a great trail horse and never seems to run out of energy. We also show english, western trail classes, do some team sorting, and just joined a drill team. It sounds like there are some TBs that do well and perhaps she could be one of them. I imagine if I did endurance, I would only do the shorter distances anyway. We are always looking for new things to try.

[AlfalfaGirl]

[QUOTE=Auventera Two;3658716]

A Paint horse was 6th place at Tevis in 07. (Skipa Slipa On Ice). The horse has an impressive record with 2BCs, and over 2300 competition miles so far. And as far as I know, he’s pure registered Paint, which is essentially a QH. He’s got that big tall butt with downhill build.[/QUOTE]

That is wonderful to know as I am conditioning my QH!! I am taking the “to finish is to win” attitude. My training buddy is on a young Arabian mare. Our horses HR are about the same when doing the same ride and my gelding pulses down just as rapidly as she does at this time. That may change over time but he seems to be doing well. I just want to make sure I don’t kill him!!

As for the OTTB…my first trail horse was an off the track QH. Red was essentially 50% TB and built like what he was - racing bred QH - high in the back end! He had little tiny feet (like size 0) and they were thin walled, contracted, slightly clubby on the front right. But he loved to go out in the woods and trail ride and I think had he not developed anhydrosis he would have been a really fun horse to compete on. I think it is like an other breed - each horse is an individual and can be exceptions but Arabs are leading the pack as far as top notch endurance horses.

When I was growing up I only had mares…now I have two geldings. My mares were never “marish” but wow wee…another lady I know has an old Arab mare that could make Ghengis Khan want to go the other way. Not that she is particularly mean - but oh my God…she squirts while swinging her tail which is then slinging that EVERYWHERE!!! Gaaaaaa!!!

[wildlifer]

[QUOTE=Steady Wins the Race;3655559]
You do not see TB doing endurance because they are not bred for that type of raceing. They do not pulse down and cool off to meet the criteria needed to get through the vet check. [/QUOTE]

This is certainly not true. TB’s can and DO win 100-mile races. Ask Denny Emerson. They are easy to get fit and pulse down very well, they are bred to be athletes! The “hot” TB is an old myth, can we let this one go?

Take your TB out there and have fun! With a big, open stride and long legs, mine can clock along at a 10 mph trot without even feeling like he is trying, while the 15 hand Arab is behind me going for all he’s worth. After racing three years, he is tough and sound as the day is long, having survived all that! There is definitely more than one breed that can be successful at endurance and like many disciplines, it’s most often about the horsemanship of the person on their back.