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Opinions on OTTB?

7K views 33 replies 17 participants last post by  TheatricalAffair 
#1 ·
I unfortunately just gave my young mare to my uncle. She had conformational problems that weren't going to fix as she got older (she's only 3 and a draft cross) and would thus make her unable to jump competitively like I was hoping when I bought her as a baby :( Hard decision but I figured it would be better to give her to family for free rather than a stranger at a price and who's to say she wouldn't end up in crummy circumstances eventually? At least I know where she will live out her years and be a great trail horse (plus I can visit her).

SO ANYWAYS.

I'm considering a retrained OTTB for my next horse. I've looked at a couple rescues with Thoroughbreds that have already started their new careers. I was just wondering what people's opinions are of retrained OTTBs?

Thanks!
 
#2 · (Edited)
TBs are very athletic and can be used for a variety of disciplines once they've been let down and retrained. I have an ex-racing TB. He's my trail/foxhunting/hunter pace horse.

Be very careful with a rescue horse, though. The TBs that go to rescues are generally there for a reason. You might be better off finding an animal that's just come off the track and sending him/her to training. That's what I did with my boy. I got him free from his trainer, and sent him to be retrained with a professional I know and trust.
 
#3 ·
In my opinion...

In my opinion OTTBs are the best. I've ridden several, started several, and now own one. OTTBs that made it on the track usually mean they are extremely athletic and will generally excel in any discipline you put them in.

You have to be careful though, a lot of them will come with health issues and injuries, whether it be something you can fix or not. One that I was starting for someone came off with chronic back issues, they spent more trying to fix his back than the actual horse itself. Another one that I started was dead lame for nearly a year after they bought him and again dumped a ton of money into vet bills for him, but both horses turned out the be some of the best show jumpers I've ever sat on. I just got my girl 6 months ago from someone who started her when she came off the track 3 years ago. Luckily, she had no injuries, at least non major. Except she still struggles with ulcer problems today, like many, many OTTBs do. One of the risks with that is repetitive colic. Another problem I have with her is that she is only 7 and gets tender joints sometimes. So, she gets regular joint injections, Legends injections, and is on a heavy duty joint supplement. But has long as I keep up with her joint care I don't experience any problems, even during the winter.

So I highly recommend an OTTB, as long as you know what to look for it one. As long as you understand that they are trained a little different, even on the ground, and you can handle the typical TB moods and flightiness. Even if you don't at least have someone around who does.
 
#4 ·
I had an OTTB about 10 years ago and I can say he was the best horse ever! Jimmy was a 9 year old gelding when I got him. He was very smart and he had the biggest heart but Jimmy was a hot horse. During the time I had him, I don't think he ever refused to jump a fence with me on his back. He could jump 5' + and was also good at basic dressage. He was a great horse and loved his job! Some people like the OTTB, some people hate them. I currently do not own a horse but planning on getting back into it within the next year. My father had standardbreds that he sold a few years back and I am trying to get my heart horse back from her current owners if they want to retire her from racing... If it does not work out with my heart horse, I will absolutely consider buying an OTTB again. They are awesome but that's just my personal opinion. Good luck with the horse shopping! :wink:
 
#5 ·
I have owned 3 OTTB's, and ridden lots of others. Personally, I love them! But each horse is completely different...it's ridiculous when people say "all OTTB's are hot", "all Thoroughbreds are hard keepers", and other generalizations. Definitely consider getting a Thoroughbred straight off the track, as like other people have said, a lot of the rescues have had serious injuries that will make them lame and unsuitable for competitive jumping.
Look at lots of different horses before choosing one!! Right now I have an OTTB who is 16.2 hands, really light boned and lightly muscled. He's also extremely hot, and a beautiful mover...although he sucks at jumping. :P My OTTB mare is 15 hands, built almost like a Quarter Horse (stocky and muscular, shorter legs). She's a good jumper, but isn't a flashy mover at all...she's more suited for barrel racing and stuff like that. My third Thoroughbred is a 4yo, and she never raced. She's about 15 hands, and is a phenomenal jumper! But she's a lot to handle.
Each horse is completely unique. All OTTB's are not good jumpers... so choose yours by his personal talent. I'm sure you can find one who's sound and retrained already that is exactly what you're looking for, if you take your time.

OTTB's are the best, in my opinion! :D
 
#6 ·
I also have an OTTB and love him. He is very laid back while riding, and is actually pretty lazy. He is trained for jumping, dressage etc.. but would prefer to walk and trot around. I am planning on getting another in a few years. I have always had QH's but am in love with OTTB! I would go through a thoroughbred rescue myself and adopt. You can usually get them for a descent adoption fee and a lot of the times have begun to be re trained.
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#7 ·
Well the thoroughbred rescue I'm looking at is Midatlantic horse rescue. The horses aren't immediately off the track. I would of course have a vet check done before purchasing one but they all seem like nice horses. She says if there are soundness issues and that if something were to come up after purchasing that would prevent the horse from doing the job you bought them for then they would take the horse back.

I've been around horses since I was in second grade and I'm now almost 23 so it isn't a new concept. The two kinds of horses I've owned though is a QH (who I've had for about 13 years now and is old as dirt lol. Stubborn as a mule) and a draft cross who I recently gave to my uncle. I trained her from an 8 month old til two weeks ago as a 3 year old.

I just want an athletic horse and it sounds like an OTTB is a good choice if I manage to find a fairly level headed one.

How is their training different in saddle and on the ground?
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#8 ·
Looooove my OTTB

I absolutely love my OTTB! She proves wrong every negative stereotype of them that I have heard! She is sweet, loving, not hot in the slightest, and a practically bombproof trail horse!!! Not to mention expertly put together and strikingly beautiful! She is everything a horse should be!!! And don't be scared of from a rescue. Their primary concern is placing horses in the correct homes so they are usually pretty honest about any injuries or issues if they know about them. My OTTB was the best 400 bucks I ever spent!!!
 
#9 ·
Honestly this totally depends on the horse. I think that there is a lot to be said about the way that the horse was treated on the track. I have worked with a couple of OTTBs that I absolutely could not stand (poor conformation, not a good work ethic etc.) I think the work ethic is the most important thing to look into. Some horses are pulled off the track just because they have a poor work ethic. However I have worked with some other ottbs that are seriously some of the most phenomenal horses ive seen. It is a total toss up and kind of a risky industry to be involved in. just make sure that you have a full track record on the horse and a full medical history. (these horses are also often drugged when they are shown off the track so have a vet draw blood in the pre purchase)
 
#10 ·
Ok, new situation but still sort of an OTTB!

I have been trying to take it easy with the horse shopping so my bank account could have a break and replenish. I of course frequently look at that rescue site but haven't pursued anything. Well, out of the blue, an old friend messaged me on facebook saying that she has a Thoroughbred she is willing to have me check out. I used to ride with her daughter as a kid.

The TB is a gelding who was bred to race but supposedly failed the preliminary race tests or whatever - he didn't have the drive. She got him as a yearling to be her daughters eventing horse but she decided to keep with dressage on her other horse. He's now 5 years old with minimal training. They said he's lazy but when I've ridden him at the walk/trot he had pep in his step. He's been pretty mellow but yesterday I discovered that he seems to have some separation anxiety. The other horses were originally in the ring which is right across from his stall but the owners decided to open the gate and just let the horses run out and free on the property. That made the TB gelding spazz out. I tried getting him to calm down but after probably like an hour, he had only calmed down a smidge. It was weird considering how mellow he's been this last week that I've been with him.

Is it normal for a TB to get that bonkers? Or is that expected of many horses when their buddies are running free around them (horses at the barn I board at typically change for the better and calm down so I never see any of them act like this)? Are TBs extra hard to train? I will have help at my barn in bringing him along if I do decide to buy him but we will see.
 
#11 ·
I agree with what everyone has said about OTTBs, they are THE best horses and I've only owned OTTBs.

I started Second Chance to take freshly retired OTTBs and retrain them. So far we have trained and rehomed one, Eddie. I do have another gelding that we are training, but its becoming very hard to let him go. He's only 5 years old, already been through two auctions before I picked him up, he had a decent race career before he was just discarded. If you wanted, we could find you a horse and restart it. If you're interested in this, PM me, and we will get to work finding what you want. :D

To answer your questions, yes its normal for an OTTB to go "bonkers", same with any young horse. You do have to remember they are still immature. From my own experience, OTTBs are not hard to train. I've had nothing but horses with excellent work ethics.
 
#12 ·
Love my OTTB. Both of my parents ride OTTBs and my FIL has one that he uses for Search and Rescue. But, like others have said, be picky. Make sure it's had time to come down and be a real horse for a while. Don't worry so much about getting a little bit older horse (9-12yrs). TBs don't mature mentally until a little later than other breeds. I couldn't believe the difference in Comic between his 11th and 12th year. It was like riding a totally different horse.

All in all I think an OTTB is a great choice. They are very versatile and usually eager to please. Just make sure you have your vet do a health check and try to find a really good farrier to check them for soundness. OTTB (in my experience) can have a lot of hoof and tendon problems. A good farrier will spot them for you.
 
#13 ·
Choco was very laid. Back when he came off track and was a very good beginners horse, miover on other hand is not so laid back it really does depend on where they came from,miover was baby,ed. And got away with naughty behavior by stable owner and was treated with dicapline by track rider.choco was from another stable and was disaplined fairly and succesful on track,miover refused and was a spoiled bratt. Also personality is a big thing to
 
#14 ·
So thoroughbreds mentally mature around 11? Complete opposite of the draft cross I had. She was three but had the mindset of an older horse haha.

The horse I'm looking at now was bred for the track but since he didn't have the drive in the preliminary testing he never had any starts. Since then the people that have him now have barely done anything with him. He's now 5. So he was given a chance to physically mature. It's like teaching a baby though since he doesn't know too much. I'm fine with it since I raised my draft cross from when she was 8 months old. Plus, I have my trainer helping me out. I actually have a lesson on him today.

So before buying, I'm definitely getting a vet check done but should I also have my farrier check him out first, too? Casino, the horse, has always been barefoot and the farrier excels at that. She's amazing at what she does.

Casino also paddles a little bit in the front. Do you guys think this would pose a major problem if I want him to be a jumper (and also do some flat classes)?
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#15 ·
To answer the question about TBs mentally mature at 11 is not always the case. My 5 year old OTTB is VERY laid back. He could become a beginner lesson horse. My previous OTTB is also 5 and he's not as mature but he's about a year from maturity. He still likes to play around and be silly but he's easy going. My friend's 7 year old OTTB has finally hit maturity. He's come into his own this year. He still thinks "dragons" live in the woods next to the ring when he doesn't want to work.

Each horse will mentally mature at their own pace. I wouldn't disregard a TB. A good, solid, stable TB is hard to beat. :)
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#16 ·
I'm definitely finding out that they're great horses. I had bad experiences on them in the past so I was never a huge fan of them until this past year. Now I've been on some pretty cool TB's. Casino is turning out to be a fast learner and very willing. He also has a nice personality which I like. I never thought I would potentially be a TB owner but it's exciting. It's just a big change because the QH i've had for the last 14 years has always been fairly laid back and lazy. My draft cross that I just gave to my Uncle was the same as my QH. So it'll take some adjusting to get used to a horse with pep :)
 
#18 ·
We love our TBs here. Considering as that is about all we deal with it's a good thing. And I can honestly say while I have had some "skittish" ones the majority are such that I can trust to let my child be around. And that goes for a few that are fresh off the track - either on lay-ups or retired.
My TB gelding heart-horse is 18 this year - and he is one of those "good old guys" who can sit in the pasture for a year, throw a saddle on him and nothing has changed. Our TB stallion was the same way - so gentle and calm.
Nuttiest horse we have ever had was a TWH/Standardbred mare who was just plain "nuts" as far a spookiness went.

So big fans of OTTBs here - same as with any horse, each are individuals, most have been well-handled since birth (I did say MOST as I have seen some crappy handling around the racing world as well). They usually have a work ethic that makes them a lot of fun to work around.

((oops! just realized this was a month old thread)) - hope you have been finding the TB you were looking at a joy to work around!
 
#20 ·
What are their prices like? When I click on the For Sale tab it only has one horse with two pictures but no description.

I'm definitely looking for an OTTB to be my next horse. I don't have a high budget though so I don't mind a little bit of a project. I just don't know where to look that is somewhat near me. I'm in central Virginia.
 
#21 ·
I'm definitely looking for an OTTB to be my next horse. I don't have a high budget though so I don't mind a little bit of a project. I just don't know where to look that is somewhat near me. I'm in central Virginia.
I am in the Northern Virginia area. There a few tracks that work with CANTER Mid Atlantic from West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. I've had nothing but good experiences when inquiring about a horse.

Mid Atlantic Home Page

There is also Thoroughbred Placement Resources in Upper Marlboro, MD. I bought my first OTTB from Kimberly Clark. I highly recommend these guys. They work tirelessly to raise awareness and they put on a ton of programs and clinics.

Home Page

Hope this helps!
 
#23 ·
If you have an impeccable eye for horse meat, an OTTB is currently the way to go. They`re dirt cheap and coming out by the millions right now, try the Southern Ontario ones as our tracks are failing and lots of beautiful flesh is being put to waste. DO NOT SKIP THE VET CHECK. Unless you have someone who can breed a top level warmblood such as i have been blessed with (my aunt) use someone with a certified degree to help you... your vet. If you look on my page i have a textbook example of a great OTTB, my late horse Hercules. But you NEED to double triple check, even go as far to have a month after return policy due to any bouts of lameness as some people will do ANYTHING to cover up a broken horse. I have seen way to many girls have their hearts broken by bringing their dream TB home to have him put down a month later due to unseen lameness, and they all skipped the vet check.
 
#24 ·
Get a Vet check, and don't buy injured.
Spend the first week training your OTTB to stand tied, bc they DON'T teach them this at the track.
NO member of any breed is representative, so be picky. The racing industry has ALWAYS thought that they could rid themselves of any horses that didn't make money by dumping them on the sports horse world.
Honestly, you might look into the few TB breeders who breed for sport, and start with a 2-3yo.
 
#25 ·
Well, I'm looking now at a OTTB. He last raced in November. He was born and raised at a farm in West Virginia. After retiring from the track he was sold to someone but the breeders bought back the horse because they didn't feel that person could provide a good enough home for him. He just turned 7 in april. The breeders have been letting him mostly relax since his racing career ended. They worked with ground stuff and trail rode him around the barn. They recently have him to his current owner. The current owner and breeder have been working together for the last year to retrain and rehome their former racehorses. When a horse has an old injury she tells this girl and she finds an appropriate home that the horse can still accel in and enjoy (the last horse she had was sold to her friend as a trail horse). She said this horse has no injuries but of course I would still get a vet check and everything.
I saw him yesterday. He stood in the cross ties like an angel - didn't move AT ALL. He tacked up and untacked really well. He was just letting me rub his face while he nearly fell asleep. He didn't move at the mounting block either. He's a very calm thoroughbred. We had him go over a ground pole and it was his first time seeing one. He just looked at it in the beginning but would still step over (didn't get frustrated, didn't rear/back up/buck) and continue on. Within a few minutes he was trotting over it no problem. He seems very willing and a quick learner. The only downfall was that his hooves were sore. He had the racing plates removed only a few weeks ago and has the usual low heel and long toe look. Bad trim job. That can be fixed though. Other than that everything was great about him. Sweetest personality and very eager to please and try his best
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#26 ·
Keep in mind that sore feet can be a lot of things. Also what looks like sore feet can be other leg problems. I only mention it because a lot of OTTBs have tendon injuries so just be aware of that. Also chipped or fractured coffin bones can be a problem sometimes. I'm not saying it's the rule, just something to keep in mind.

Sounds like a great guy other than the soreness. It's amazing how calm some TBs are since you always hear they are so hot blooded. I don't think there is anything better than an OTTB with a good mindset. I personally think 7 is a great age. You'll be amazed at how much his mind will mature still. If he works out you'll have a solid companion I think.
 
#27 ·
Every OTTB I've had, I've gotten right off the track- and it's worked out well for me so far! I looked at a TON of horses before I found the guy I have now- and while he's not perfect, he has a fantastic mind and is just the sweetest little lovebug. In my personal experience, I have gotten exactly what I was looking for every time temperament wise by observing the way the horse acts. I look for the ones that seem proud, alert but not nervous, and interested.

I'd have to say, the key (for me) is not falling in love with every OTTB I see. And while I have met a few wonderful racehorse owners, I have met a few REALLY nasty and untrustworthy ones. Just something to keep in mind!

ALSO, as others have said, DO NOT buy injured. I took in a free OTTB last year and while she was the sweetest and most wonderful tempered horse I've ever seen in my life and I don't regret making her last few months the best she had in her life, injured is always a money sink. I look for good conformation and a short career. Like I said, it's worked out well for me thusfar. :) Good luck!
 
#28 ·
ok! update! so i went to visit that ottb gelding again. i spoke to his former owner/breeder and found out that he has an old bone chip in his knee. X-rays were taken and the vet said he should have 6 months rest. Once through with his time off the gelding would be good as gold for anything. The vet didn't even want to both removing the chip because it's stationary and would cause more problems rather than help. The breeder told me she kept the gelding in a stall for 3 months then turned him out for the remaining 3 months. She has no gain if this gelding is to be sold. She told me that he should be sound because the vet was very optimistic as far as prognosis. She was upfront and honest about everything.

After seeing the gelding again on Friday, I'm even more in love. He's very level headed. I was able to ride him out in the open grass - not in a ring - and he was an angel. When he would start getting quick I'd ask to slow down and he would do so immediately. VERY responsive and kind. I felt safe and totally comfortable on him. He felt and looked great. I watched the current owner ride him twice - once in the ring and once in the grass - and he never looked off. She did w/t/c, circles, direction changes, etc. I did the same after her (minus cantering because I was content with just w/t for the timebeing.

I'll keep in mind about the tendon/ligament issues but you can blatantly see how desperately he needs a trim. Although he never moved awkwardly or gave a hint of unsoundness, he moved better in the grass where it was softer. He was more forward.

I'll be having a couple vets look at his x-rays to give me their opinions. I'm just IN LOVE with EVERYTHING about this horse - temperament/personality, great conformation, kind and pretty face, willingness to please, etc.

I've heard with minor bone chips horses have still gone off to jump in the hunters circuits no problem. I've also heard of some bone chips, if small enough, adhering and mending themselves naturally. I just know that most OTTBs have an injury, whether we know it or not. I'm paranoid, not going to lie, but I will be truly upset if it's a no-go considering how perfect this horse is and how nicely we worked together/how responsive he was to me.
 
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