Another option might be to do some networking and find out who else in your area likes to start young TB’s from the track, and find one who’s been in work for a year or so. More expensive up front, but you might increase the odds of getting a horse who enjoys the sport you enjoy. It’s hard to think of putting in the time and getting attached to a horse, only to learn he hates the sport you love. On the other hand, at 4’11", you might be just the right person for the smaller TB’s that are harder to place.
[QUOTE=Sansena;8946817]
“I will also take lessons in the future with my new OTTB once he is trained a bit.”
This is the only statement you make that gives me pause. OTTBs can be a dream or a handful. If you’ve trained one from track to regular riding, you’ve trained one. Each one is different so I’d like to see you have a board AND training package in place after horse is let down from track. IOW, from your first ride on him, you’ve got trainer supervision.[/QUOTE]
I am confused about what you are saying. What I meant in my post was that I don’t want to take my OTTB to my lesson barn (not the boarding barn) if he hasn’t been let down and retrained for his new career.
I will be working with my OTTB and my trainer but I will be riding him before I take him to my lesson barn once he is let down and retrained.
OP I would say go for it and here are some pieces of advice, based on my experience over the years with 3 horses of the track.
Obviously make sure you can afford the horse in terms of board, etc but also note that ulcers are pretty common so I’d budget for treating ulcers and it’s just a bonus if you don’t have to. I would also factor in a couple massage/chiro visits.
Assuming the horse is fresh off the track and hasn’t had much come down time, I would plan on giving the horse time to relax into it’s new life and settle down before trying to start re-training.
Key word in the previous paragraph is re-training. Horses coming off the track do have training and you’ll have to undo some of that and teach the horse new. Quite different from starting a greenie from scratch but very rewarding.
A round pen, IMO, is your best friend. I find they are often unevenly muscled so working them in a round pen can both help with building the different muscles they have to use for their new job and it’s also help you get the horse listening and responsible to you.
Knock as much of the grain out of their diet as possible feed as much hay as the can pack away.
Also, their feet are usually awful. First thing I did with my current guy was pull his shoes and start him with a good barefoot trimmer. Took quite some time for his feet to come right.
Some quirks I noticed with mine:
One had never been turned out before and FREAKED out in a big open space. Had to start off with turnout in a smaller area with a buddy then build it up.
Another one didn’t know what it was supposed to do with a carrot, once he figured it out he’d do about anything for he newly discovered favorite treat.
The thrive on routine, more so than other horses, perhaps that down to the regular as clockwork schedule at the track.
One consideration that I’d toss out after years of boarding horses with varied needs: Your lesson barn or your boarding barn may not be the right fit for any horse you purchase–OTTB or not. Some horses do great on 24/7 but many barns don’t offer it. Some horses do great stalled overnight with turnout during the day. Some don’t get along well in groups. So much depends on the horse and you have to be prepared to find the right situation for that horse as the primary with your needs/wants as secondary.
So if you want to be able to work with your trainer at “lesson barn” and intend to move the horse there at some point, I’d be looking for a horse that is already thriving in that same kind of environment. Else, you may find that you have to move him/her to another facility thus losing access to the trainer you prefer which could have implications on his/her training (and yours!).
Just a thought. I might guide you towards a horse that has already been off track and in work with someone else for a bit.
[QUOTE=BuddyRoo;8947169]
One consideration that I’d toss out after years of boarding horses with varied needs: Your lesson barn or your boarding barn may not be the right fit for any horse you purchase–OTTB or not. Some horses do great on 24/7 but many barns don’t offer it. Some horses do great stalled overnight with turnout during the day. Some don’t get along well in groups. So much depends on the horse and you have to be prepared to find the right situation for that horse as the primary with your needs/wants as secondary.
So if you want to be able to work with your trainer at “lesson barn” and intend to move the horse there at some point, I’d be looking for a horse that is already thriving in that same kind of environment. Else, you may find that you have to move him/her to another facility thus losing access to the trainer you prefer which could have implications on his/her training (and yours!).
Just a thought. I might guide you towards a horse that has already been off track and in work with someone else for a bit.[/QUOTE]
Many barns in my area offer both stall and field board so I won’t have a problem. If my horse is better off being in a stall or out 24/7 then I’ll do what is best for him.
My trainer will be at my boarding barn so I won’t need to move my horse to my lesson barn, just a short trailer ride away. I mostly prefer a fresh OTTB to work with even though it will take months of training but I am fine with that.
OP, just to clarify, because I too got confused for a sec…your “trainer” and your “lesson barn” are two different entities, right? When you say trainer, you mean the initial person training your horse after he’s let down? And then you will not take lessons from Trainer, you will ride with a different coach at the Lesson Barn?
When I say trainer, she is the person who will help me train my horse and we will be working together. I will take lessons with my trainer because she is at my boarding barn.
My lesson barn is where my riding instructor is located. This barn let’s people bring their own horses in for lessons and I would like to bring my horse a few times for regular lessons if that makes sense.
Trainer time is primarily to work on horse, lesson time is primarily to work on rider…if I understand you correctly.
Got it! Yes, makes perfect sense. Sorry, carry on! And um, post lots of pictures of the contenders! It’s a COTH requirement. :yes:
Yes that’s right. I still need work on a few things with my riding, I’m not perfect lol.
I will try to get some pictures up soon. 
My daughter had OTTBs as a teenager and in college. Despite good vettings, they had lots of soundness issues. They were also not easy to work with. After she got an Irish horse at the end of college, she decided she prefers easier horses. No more OTTBs. Be sure you are ok with a high maintenance horse before you get an OTTB. A quiet, sturdy, crossbred can be so much easier if you have a busy lifestyle. She did all of the training with her Irish Draught/Arabian cross. He was more laid back at 2 and 3, than her OTTBs at age 15.
AKB, not all OTTBs are unsound or crazy. The older ones with tons of starts, they know the routine and tend to be good citizens, and if they’ve held up that long in race training then they’re probably going to last.
And more generally, to the OP, study up on the more common bloodlines in their pedigrees. Know which ones throw unsoundness!
I wouldn’t worry about someone being unwilling to sell to you, and I don’t think you’re crazy at all. You sound like you have some experience, have examined your budget, and have good help lined up. Very responsible! Definitely have your trainer/instructor or someone with OTTB experience help you when selecting a horse. There are some dishonest people out there that might not be entirely truthful, and it’s always nice to have a second set of experienced eyes.
Where are you located? I would second the recommendation that you check out local resellers as well. There are plenty of places that take horses off the track, give them letdown, and hop on them a few times before they sell them. The prices are still very reasonable, and the big benefit is that you’ll get to try them out before you buy them. The horses are still green and a “fresh slate” for you to train yourself, but it’s a bit less of a risk. I’ve bought a number of horses straight from the track, and since you generally can’t ride them there, it’s a toss-up as to whether you’ll get what you’re looking for. Since it’s your first horse and you’re not planning to sell him/her, you want to make sure you two are a good fit, and the best way to do this is to have a test ride. Plus, the horses will have already had some letdown and turnout, which will make their adjustment to your barn much smoother.
[QUOTE=Ruth0552;8946633]
Turned out, the horse had a rather serious bolting issue. Not a spooking bolt, just running with no sense of rider preservation. …
Just saying, despite a great mind and a PPE at the time of purchase, this horse still ended up with a lot of issues. It could happen with any horse, not just a OTTB, but I feel like the chances are worse with an OTTB.[/QUOTE]
We have one TB mare, she was injured as a foal so never ever, ever saw a race track, not even seeing one of TV… Her mind is wired to run forward at great speed, even with only three good legs this horse can and does out run everything we have here… there was no unwinding from the track because she never saw a track
the problem may be just her but she is flighty, less focused on her handler and easily looking for a reason to be off to the races, even though she never was there
I hear of these programs to unwind a horse, but there is no magic eraser to remove what is basic to the horse and a TB is breed to run
I am located in Maryland. I would like to have my second choose be an OTTB that has already been let down but I don’t know where to find resellers.
Well, you’re in a perfect place. Check out the WIHS site for their next installation on OTTBs. That should be coming right up.
You should contact monalisa she has a TB mare 5 years old she wants to remove. She is in Virginia. Mare is too much for her to deal with. She might be just right for you.
Check out the giveaway forum.
