Where do retired steeplechasers end up?

[SteeleRdr]

I just wrote a long post that was eaten by the internet…anyways…

In short, 'chasers are not often in a position that they need to be “rescued” or cleared out of a barn quickly like horses on sites such as CANTER.

My boss works for one owner who has a lots of 'chasers, and most of those end up coming back to the farm (at least from the one trainer) when they are on breaks or when they are done racing. She just outrode at the Grand National on Saturday on one that was a former hurdle stakes horse. A few others this owner has have either stayed with trainers as hunters, come back to the farm, sold as foxhunters, or donated.

If you look at a lot of hunt clubs, many of the staff horses will have been donated after retiring from racing. I know Piedmont and Green Spring have a few.

A few years ago, the Virginia (North American?) Field Hunter Champion was Gol Lee, who is a former hurdle/timber horse that I galloped and hunted prior to his retirement from racing.

[Platinum_Equestrian]

SteeleRdr, Sent you a PM…

[SEPowell]

I have the Voss’es Pressure King. He’s retired now because of a rotated coffin bone, but when he was sound I hunted him. I’ve never galloped and jumped a horse like him; he was perfect.

The first week I had him here in PA he jumped down the retaining wall in the pasture, his landing was at least 6 feet down. And this spring, even with that nasty rotation, he jumped up the same wall. He’s a wonderful horse to have around and he has a home here forever.

The first picture is of him cubbing and in the second picture he’s packing a kid around a hunter pace course. One summer he took care of my sister who hadn’t ridden in about 20 years. I love him, he’s been wonderful to us.

[beanie_boomer]

My best hunt horse is a retired steeplechaser, who though stakes-placed didn’t have quite enough to be competitive over the long haul. He proved himself to be a little tricky to handle, and was smart enough to intimidate the people around him and avoid doing the things he didn’t like. I took a gamble on him at an auction, and fortunately he has decided that following the hounds is one of the things he will do, all day – any day. Lucky for him and lucky for me!

[Brandy76]

not to change the subject, but has anyone ever heard of a horse names Atchinson Lane? SE PA? This horse would be around 12 now?

[JSwan]

@SteeleRdr;4816407

A few years ago, the Virginia (North American?) Field Hunter Champion was Gol Lee, who is a former hurdle/timber horse that I galloped and hunted prior to his retirement from racing.

SteeleRdr - I know that horse and hunted with his owner for several years. A lovely, classy horse. (owned by a lovely, very classy woman.) You’re very fortunate to have hunted him.

[Tiki]

I knew a couple that ended up as school horses. I learned to jump on them. They are the most wonderful scoolteachers. They went down to the jumps very fast, but the one thing you could absolutely depend on was that they would NEVER stop. It gave me so much confidence, learning to jump, and allowed me to work on my position and learn to see the spots.

I’m a breeder of Warmbloods now and would love to have a good, retired chaser mare for a broodmare to cross with WB’s.

[Seal_Harbor]

I know one that became an equitation horse. He was an opinionated cuss but also carted people to Medal and Maclay finals, and I did him in the adult equitation division a million years ago. He was a lovely horse, opinions and all.

His last trip to the Maclay finals at the Garden he was 21. Then spent the rest of his life babysitting young horses.

[SteeleRdr]

[QUOTE=Brandy76;4819963]
not to change the subject, but has anyone ever heard of a horse names Atchinson Lane? SE PA? This horse would be around 12 now?[/QUOTE]

Only Aitcheson Lane I remember would be 19 this year. I remember seeing him run a few times in the late 90’s early 2000’s.

[vbunny]

With Anticipation is a staff horse. They say he is fantastic as long as you don’t try to pass him :).

[Xctrygirl]

Again, With Anticipation has been fully retired. He is no longer hunting.

He was the Huntsman’s mount, but now has been turned out for the rest of his days.

~Emily

[Equilibrium]

[QUOTE=Tiki;4820165]
I knew a couple that ended up as school horses. I learned to jump on them. They are the most wonderful scoolteachers. They went down to the jumps very fast, but the one thing you could absolutely depend on was that they would NEVER stop. It gave me so much confidence, learning to jump, and allowed me to work on my position and learn to see the spots.

I’m a breeder of Warmbloods now and would love to have a good, retired chaser mare for a broodmare to cross with WB’s.[/QUOTE]

I have a really nice chaser bred mare but she was hurt as a yearling a long time before I got her so she never ran. Her sire has sired a Grand National winner though. She has bred me some very nice babies including an Iroko colt foal this year.

To bad you aren’t in this neck of the woods because you could get some really nice mares with good pedigrees for very little money. PSA - I do not have any for sale in case the mods are wondering!

Terri

[breakthru]

The horse I learned to event on was a chaser, I bought him nearly right off the track as a teenager. He was and is a phenomenal horse, we went prelim for years and years (after years of steeplechasing) and I’ve never met a sounder horse. He didn’t have a stop in him. After he couldn’t run prelim anymore he did BN eventing for a little while with a student of mine, then worked at a lesson barn. He’s 24 now and while he must be very athritic he is sound and enjoys taking people on trail rides (though I’m sure he’s disappointed I won’t let him jump anymore!). He is my dearest possession and a great friend. I wouldn’t part with him for the world.

My current competition horse is off the flat track. While he’s great- my next eventer will be an ex-chaser, if I can manage to get my hands on one!

[Xctrygirl]

Whats his name Breakthru???

~Emily

[breakthru]

Racing Name was “Favorite’s Pride” barn name “Pancho” but I showed him Eventing under “Breakthru” I bought him in Camden SC, in oh… must have been 1996.