Ex Race Horses

My husband for once found a horse he really wants and instantly
Fell in love with after reading about him and seeing pictures.
The horse happens to be a 16 hand 15 year gelding ex race
horse who is trusted to lead kids bareback being led around
On his back. When I talked to the guy on the phone he said he
Is very calm , well broken, and a gentle giant, and still has some
Speed to him, but can easily be held back. My husband wants a
Tall horse who will be fast, and the horse sounds great and looks great.

I was just wondering what I should ask about him and if I should
be cautious considering this horse? The horse is for my hubby,
I will not be riding him.

Is you hubby wanting to do events, like barrel racing with the horse or just trail ride?

He wants to do more of eventing, but we also very occasionally trail ride.

Ouch !!! Uummm how should I say this nicley????.....i'd back away from the horse all together if I where you......oldest trick in the book let's put a few kids on the horses back to hide the fact that it's swayed backed and in need of a big weight gain......

I seen him without kids on his back and he the man right now
Is putting weight on him because he was a rescue horse. I
don't think he looks to terribly bad honestly, weight gain is no
Problem seeing how my grandpa feeds the horses and a small sway
In his back is just because of age maybe? But I don't see any
Serious problem with it.

I was asking about if I should be cautious due to his racing past,
If he might be too much to handle or something...

Also, I would be seeing and more than likely riding the horse
BEFORE I purchase him of course. :)

It's just a horse that I would stay away from in the end....it could get costley in the end...one thing I would ask him is if the horse is from a recue who can this name sell the horse?, most rescue's will only adopt out to forever homes

He wasn't an adoption, but the man who owns him bought
Him from a person who wasn't taking good care of him at all
And he was hardly fed. I was actually going to trade a horse for
This one. I will still look at him, but maybe hubby will find something
Else he likes.

Since the horse is 15 it's very, very, likely that he's been off the track for a LONG TIME. Possibly ten years, plus. I wouldn't worry about anything about him being from the track... I got my racer fresh off the track and after rehab the only race-track like tendency he had (besides being skittish because he had been abused) was that when he got scared, he would run left. Like I said, Mac was fresh off the track, but this guy probably hasn't seen the 'glory' days for a good while. I wouldn't be too worried.

I'd just ask about his history on the track, if he broke down, etc.

Otherwise, he seems like at least something worth looking into! =)

Thanks, that really helps seeing you have experience with
A race horse!

Also, the first picture may look like he's got a bad sway back, but
Look at this picture from the side.




I also don't believe he wasn't trying to hide the fact the horse
Had a sway back, the reason he had pictures of the kids on his
Back was to show me how trusted and gentle the big boy is.
I know his confirmation is definitely not the best, but we can
Definitely put major pounds on him if we bring him.