Comments on: Starting Over With Off-the-Track Thoroughbreds

By: Tami

Tami — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 01:50:40 +0000

In reply to Steph. Did you ever get a reply because I’m having the exact same problem!

By: RideonaSunset

RideonaSunset — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 14:51:57 +0000

Thank you so much for this invaluable information! As a first time owner of a freshly retired turf racer I am forever grateful! post more! thanks again

By: Donna

Donna — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 17:20:14 +0000

I have had much better sucess with training OTTB’s when they do not “sit” for a year or an extended period of time left to be a horse without being messed with. Keeping them in some sort of routine of handling is best. They do need rest after being retired from the track but they are very fit coming off and are already work minded so keep a routine of some sort of work while resting them. Hand walks, lunging, grooming and routine daily turnouts are super important. My newest OTTB in for training ran his last race Jan 30. He was given two weeks of stall rest then I started turning him out daily for 12 hours. I began lunging him 4 days a week and hand walking him around jumps and the arena. It is March 6, he lunges nicely and he is now cantering under saddle both directions with correct leads, learning tempo and trotting ground poles working on getting him on to the bit. He enjoys his riding time and I do not work him over 30 minutes each session. He is improving every single day. So far, no bad habits have been displayed and he is very willing. I do not allow him to lean on my hands…he will get dropped by my inside reign and i hold a steady outside reign so he has a comfort reign to move in to in time with my inside leg. I allow him to make mistakes and give exaggerated rewards for everything he does good. He loves it and tries it again. Be firm on the ground. Be forgiving and soft in the seat. Be extra soft with the hands.

By: Elise

Elise — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 00:38:05 +0000

I have 2 ottbs as if one wasn’t enough I adopted another one! They are such sensitive souls, extremely hard work, frustrating at times but so worth it! This is a great article and extremely helpful. Thank you, it all makes sense now!

By: Galadriel

Galadriel — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 23:49:00 +0000

It’s a lot of work but so worth it!

By: Carleton

Carleton — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 08:33:53 +0000

Hello – we have had our 5 year old 17hh ottb for 2 months. Last raced over 1 year ago. He has a lovely relaxed walk and trot now with consistent work but no improvement at the canter. (This is true both under saddle and lunging – he hates to canter on lunge and throws his head around) He picks up the correct lead – I use outside leg, leading inside rein and a cluck and the word canter. But he cannot hold it together. If we canter up a straight hill I think he is fine but in the ring he falls out and cross canters – both directions. Almost always on the turns, always on the downward transition to trot. But he can also fall apart on the straightaways. We do lots of trotting. Transitions, bending, ground poles in the ring. We trot up and down hills to build muscle outside (with a couple of canters up for fun). But he has not improved at the canter at all. I did have him vetted before we bought him paying special attention to this – vet did not see anything, felt like it was lack of strength and big and young. Chiropractor is coming next week. I am so worried that we haven’t seen any improvement in this. Any insights would be appreciated.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Sun, 19 Oct 2014 18:34:14 +0000

Just thank you for this info…I just got badly thrown and was wondering what I had done wrong….I put on Pelham bit. I am very used to these as I ride side-saddle so I was not overusing it, but thought I could at lest keep him from wheeling and racing for home. Is just upped and bucked me off and went home on his own…I now realize form your article that he needs to ne retrained not to lean on the bit…he was doing this and off he’d go. Now it all make sense and I’ll start over getting the longeing going properly and not missing any step,

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 06:57:37 +0000

Thank you so much for this article!! I have recently starting working with an OTTB and this is very helpful advice.

By: Jayne

Jayne — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 13:50:47 +0000

This is a response to Kelly’s post…. always encourage your horse to move away from pressure. A horse should always move into weight and away from pressure. But moving and running away are not the same thing! Pick and nice, big 20 meter circle and encourage your horse to bend correctly (inside leg to outside hand followed by inside hand). When she goes to run from your leg be ready to catch her with your outside leg and then praise. This says “My inside leg is saying move away and bend, but my outside leg say you can’t run away.” But make sure to tell her she’s wonderful when she does it correctly! Also when doing lateral work such as leg yielding, ask her to move away from your leg, but use your outside leg not to move too fast. Hope this helps.:)

By: Liz

Liz — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 14:37:07 +0000

We started working on canter transitions and now while trotting my ottb will throw in a hop intermittedly like he’s going to pick up the canter? Is this confusion or resistance or just being green?