Race Horse Training

Has anyone ever worked with a race horse? I'm going to start working with a late 2007 yearling thoroughbred filly. I would love some feed back.
This filly puts my big mare to shame. She is easily going to be over 17hands when full grown. I would put her at about 15.2 right now. She is built like a tank. I will get some pics of her soon. The owner is hoping to get her on the track when she's a three yr old. What he wants me to do, is start her from the ground up. And eventually break her to saddle. I am going to break her to my western saddle because that's the saddle I feel the most secure in.
I would love any opinions or suggestions that you guys have for this big girl.

Yup! My horse is an ex-racer. She's been off the track for years though and she's really calm. She's an amazing all-rounder.

I think Dimmers is going the other way -- training FOR the track. I haven't got a clue though. Every race horse I have met has terrible ground manners, bad experiences with people in general and no security. However, a race horse is bred, raised, trained and maintained for one purpose -- to win! And many trainers don't have time or the owners don't have the money to spend on the trainers to "waste" on itty-bitty things like ground manners!

IMO, since the horse may be handled by many different people, I would try to find consistency in what MOST race-trainers do. Also, when you are ready for saddle, ask the owner for a racing saddle. They are way, way different than your western. Might as well get her used to what she'll need.

The wife of an old business partner was a trainer at Philadelphia Park. What I can tell you is that if the owner expects his horse to do well racing, then he needs a professional. It would be great for you to apprentice under the trainer but to learn as you go and expect that horse to have some success, I can tell you that it is not the job for an beginner.

BTW to actually train a race horse you need a license. You can work with one but the actual training has to be done by a licensed trainer. I can also tell you that a late 2007 filly is at a very big disadvantage. According to the Jockey Club that horse is a 2 year old this coming January and 3 in January of 2010. That puts her well behind those horses she will race against in both real age and training.

This isn't meant to discourage you but only that you need to learn from a trainer if the filly is to have any success.

Concerning the Western saddle, there are a lot of starters that use a Western saddle so that is fine. In fact there is an article in Western Horseman in either the Sept. Or Oct. Issue about just that.

If what you are trying to accomplish is just to teach her ground manors and such, that is fine and would be no real difference from starting any filly. Once she is under saddle then a licensed trainer needs to come in. You could learn a lot from that person as well if that is a career choice.

Interesting. I don't get that mag -- what's the thought process behind this?

NM, I went looking for that article and found that it is in the August issue not Sep or Oct.

The starter works for Calumet Farm which is one of the largest and certainly the best know of all Thoroughbred racing farms. It goes on to explain that he wants his colts to start out being riding horses, to be comfortable with people aboard; the real training comes latter as the horse nears 3 and is ready for the track.

The article even has the horse going into a starting gate in a Western saddle. He starts each of his horses no differently then any cow horse. He'll work with them for 90 days then they get 30 to 60 days off before race training begins.

Oh, haha. Sorry, misread the question.

I am not going to train her to race. I am not that experianced. I am training her so the Race TRainer can train her to race. I have broke horses to ride before. I just wanted some ideas because she is so big for how young she is. She looks like a 6yr old on 2 yr old legs with a yearling head. I will get pics of her tomorrow when I go out to seperate her from mom.
Her owner would like me to work her from the ground up. I will be working with her for 6 to 8 months. The training will be slow but productive.

I just want to be safe as she is the biggest horse that I have worked with and it doesnt help that she is still a baby. I know how to train nad break horses.


Thanks

This filly will be raced as a three year old because she was a late baby. The owner plans on turning her over to his race trainer wants she has been under saddle 30 days or so. Size wise you woulg guess her age as being much older. I agree with you tough, she is a late 2007 baby. I will really be focusing on her legs and to make sure her legs can support not only her massive weight but being worked like this. That is why her training will be more on the slow side.