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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 380
 
| I have not had an ex race horse since I was a teenager but I seen a couple that I like recently and I am just weighing the pros and cons of buying an off the track QH.
Just wanted to get some input from those with more recent experience than I have. Did the horses you got work out? What are some things I should look out for? |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12837
  
| Two things to remember....... make sure you get the horse vet checked by someone who is aware of track injuries and arace track broke horse is not really broke therefore you are basically are going to treat the horse as never been ridden. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 380
| streakysox - 2017-04-26 9:56 PM
Two things to remember....... make sure you get the horse vet checked by someone who is aware of track injuries and arace track broke horse is not really broke therefore you are basically are going to treat the horse as never been ridden.
The one I rode today has had some time put on him. He does stop so there is that lol. He did not feel super springy under saddle, but his ground manners need some serious work. He danced all over on the hot walker and in hand, but he is boxed up all day. Been off the track 7 months.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 618
| I currently run 3. They all have different personality/talent. I just started them completely over. 2 of them are free runner and 1 is more a bit more ratey.
Based on what you just said about ground manners/hot walker issues I'd turn that sucker out and just let him be a horse for awhile. Then I'd spend a lot of time just riding him, wet saddle blankets not in the arena necessarily either. |
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Regular
Posts: 84
| Everyone has different takes on OTT horses of any kind. I have only had one personal horse come through my barn that has NOT been an OTT horse in the last 3 years. I prefer them to anything else. As far as their level of being broke, every single horse is different. It all goes back to how much work was done with them as babies, and while being before they were on track. Ive gotten a few horses that were broke under western saddle and moved off leg,broke at the poll, did everything i asked and only needed a month riding before starting on barrels to put finishing touches on... and ive gotten horses who have never had a western saddle sat on their back.
There are also plenty of other things to look for. I do not vet check any horse I purchase. I KNOW, i'm as crazy as the OTT horses myself. I have enough experience with them that I know what to look for and works for me. Look at the number of starts the horse had etc to get an idea on their mind. As a rule for ME.. if a mare ran more than two seasons, they dont work for me. Where geldings could have been raced 5+ years and can still come back and have sound minds. A lot goes into who trained them etc.. |
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 Namesless in BHW
Posts: 10368
Location: At the race track with Ah Dee Ohs | Depends on how they were broke to start with and ground manners that were put on them. Be selective also as to the trainer that had the horse. Vet check always. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: lone star state | Look the horse up on equibase. There is a goldmine of information there. The less outs the horse has the easier to transition to arena from track. More than 10 is very challenging to transition. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 380
| I have a pedigree of one I can PM if anyone is interested in taking a look? And possibly a photo if I can figure out how to get it in a PM.
The horse I rode broke at the poll nicely and got on the bit well. He was broke in a western saddle. He responds a little bit to leg pressure but definitely needs more work. My mare was the opposite, too responsive to leg pressure and was always too easy to over correct. Drove me crazy.
Edited by SloRide 2017-04-27 11:45 AM
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Nothing wrong with horses off the track if you know what your doing and do your homework on the horse that your looking at. I rather have something off the track myself. They are broke under western saddle and handled everyday.. |
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
Location: Pacific Northwest | My mare had 7 starts on the track. I'm not the one that bought her off the track, my friend is. But she had actually already been restarted and patterned on barrels by the people that bred/raced her. Her last race was as a 4 year old and she was sold to my friend when she was 7.
There haven't been any problems. She's 17 now and still sound. Very soft in the face and sides, she doesn't act like an ex racehorses. She ties well, is good at arena work and a decent trail horse (not my first pick but she tries lol). She's free into her first but ratey at her 2nd and 3rd.
I would just do my research on the horses. Like someone else mentioned equibase is your friend. It will tell you if the horse was pulled up or anything like that. You might even be able to watch replays. I think the quality of care they got on the track is more important than the riding aspect. You can retrain them, but it's really hard to deal with the all physical problems they could have. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | SloRide I like the way this horse is bred that your looking at, If I were in the market of getting another one I would be looking really hard at this one, as long as it's sound got clean legs and the price is right I would take a chance on it.  |
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 Veteran
Posts: 234
Location: Oklahoma | We have had several... They all get a little bit of time before we start to riding them but they just all go back throught the basics and are rode like any other horse we have.. After they have a good handle and I have them started on the pattern they go to my husband and he will use them to doctor heifers and calves and we start team roping on them. We try to get most of our horses more then one job so they have options when they go to new homes. |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| It's far easier than starting a young one from scratch. Be ready for a years worth of abscesses and brain spasms. They both improve with time. |
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | Can you post the pedigree? If he's sound and you like him then pedigree is what would decide for me. Some families just make life a whole lot easier or more difficult. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 705
Location: Weatherford, TX | Personally, I like OTT QHs. They have already seen A LOT. I prefer higher SIs. But I do like them. :) |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I have 2 that ran on the track. Cliff had 8 starts and Streak ran 10 times. Neither of them have any major soundness problems from being on the track, and in fact, so far (ages 13 and 15), the only regular maintenance I do on them is inject Cliff's hocks 1-2 times a year.
My favorite thing about them is that they LOVE people. They naturally want to be around people and DO STUFF. They do get bored easily and spanking them doesn't tend to get results. Neither of them was particularly hard to season as far as being on the road and riding at different places since they'd both been hauled before. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 618
| SloRide - 2017-04-27 11:31 AM
I have a pedigree of one I can PM if anyone is interested in taking a look? And possibly a photo if I can figure out how to get it in a PM.
The horse I rode broke at the poll nicely and got on the bit well. He was broke in a western saddle. He responds a little bit to leg pressure but definitely needs more work. My mare was the opposite, too responsive to leg pressure and was always too easy to over correct. Drove me crazy.
Send it to me. I manage a racehorse farm and know enough to be dangerous ;) |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 380
| ThreeCorners - 2017-04-27 4:43 PM
Can you post the pedigree? If he's sound and you like him then pedigree is what would decide for me. Some families just make life a whole lot easier or more difficult.
Sent you the pedigree. Sorry for some reason I sent two pm's |
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 Veteran
Posts: 173
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow | I have had a few, all were very easy to work with, great work ethic. They were used to being handled by a variety of people, travel well, eat and drink on the road well. I would do another one any day of the week, after a good vet check.
You get a lot of horse for the money. They may not know a lot depending on who does the start. but they have a great work ethic and are willing partners.
If they have only a couple of outs ask why. Typically, if a horse is a jerk to work with no one will work them so they go home. Ether that or they just don't like to run. Ask why. If a horse has a lot of outs take a look at how often. 16 outs over three years is not too much. 16 outs over a few months might be too much. See if it looks like they had time to recover between races. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 460
| LOVE love love off track horses! If you are an experienced and confident rider, they will be great horses <3 As said above, be ready for lots of wet towels, and brain spasms though. Be ready for lots and LOTS of slow work. Remember, these horses more than already know how to run. They need to learn how to settle down, pace, rate and turn. Lots of slow and easy work. But, they have seen a lot for sure! Just make sure you do some research on the trainer, and see the horse in person, also have a good vet for vet check. Good luck =] |
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 Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | Everyone I ever had off the track made really nice barrel horses. Love them. |
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Expert
Posts: 1956
Location: Ky | SloRide - 2017-04-26 9:44 PM I have not had an ex race horse since I was a teenager but I seen a couple that I like recently and I am just weighing the pros and cons of buying an off the track QH. Just wanted to get some input from those with more recent experience than I have. Did the horses you got work out? What are some things I should look out for?
I always loved OTT horses. The only real way to break horses is to handle/ride them and at the track they are handled and ridden daily. They have been shod regularly, they have had theior teeth floated. They know the drills.
They have been exposed to crowds, noises and other horses. They have been trailered. They been taught to stand in cross ties.
Biggest taining challenge is you have to get them to learn to give to the bit instead of run into it.
Of course soundness is always a concern. Look for wind puffs and signs of blistering. Also conformation. Problably pretty decent conformation or they wouldn't be spending a lot of time on them at the track anyway. If you don't have a trained eye for that then take someone with you that does.
But, if I were to want to start a prospect today I wouldn't want anything but one that's been at the track. |
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| I bought one for the first time last fall. Gave him a few months off, and have about 25 days on him now. We didnt even really do/train on anything the first week, just rode around while I learned what he was like. I don't know if they're all like this, or if it's his breeding, his trainer, or probably some combination, but he's been absolutely perfect. Just made this video today. Not real exciting, just working on independent moving of hip and shoulder, and his handle.
https://youtu.be/7aepmfVAvxI
www.allbreedpedigree.com/ivory+wayne
Edited by jenagarwood 2017-04-29 7:46 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 618
| jenagarwood - 2017-04-29 7:44 PM
I bought one for the first time last fall. Gave him a few months off, and have about 25 days on him now. We didnt even really do/train on anything the first week, just rode around while I learned what he was like. I don't know if they're all like this, or if it's his breeding, his trainer, or probably some combination, but he's been absolutely perfect. Just made this video today. Not real exciting, just working on independent moving of hip and shoulder, and his handle.
https://youtu.be/7aepmfVAvxI
www.allbreedpedigree.com/ivory+wayne
It's also because he's an Ivory James. I've handled quite a few and own one who has been the absolutes smartest, easiest horse I've ever thrown a leg over. You're gonna love him!!! |
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| iloveequine40 - 2017-04-29 8:07 PM
jenagarwood - 2017-04-29 7:44 PM
I bought one for the first time last fall. Gave him a few months off, and have about 25 days on him now. We didnt even really do/train on anything the first week, just rode around while I learned what he was like. I don't know if they're all like this, or if it's his breeding, his trainer, or probably some combination, but he's been absolutely perfect. Just made this video today. Not real exciting, just working on independent moving of hip and shoulder, and his handle.
https://youtu.be/7aepmfVAvxI
www.allbreedpedigree.com/ivory+wayne
It's also because he's an Ivory James. I've handled quite a few and own one who has been the absolutes smartest, easiest horse I've ever thrown a leg over. You're gonna love him!!!
It's going to be tough to get on anything else then! He is super smart and attentive. Makes my job easy for sure. I'll get spoiled :) |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 618
| jenagarwood - 2017-04-29 8:09 PM
iloveequine40 - 2017-04-29 8:07 PM
jenagarwood - 2017-04-29 7:44 PM
I bought one for the first time last fall. Gave him a few months off, and have about 25 days on him now. We didnt even really do/train on anything the first week, just rode around while I learned what he was like. I don't know if they're all like this, or if it's his breeding, his trainer, or probably some combination, but he's been absolutely perfect. Just made this video today. Not real exciting, just working on independent moving of hip and shoulder, and his handle.
https://youtu.be/7aepmfVAvxI
www.allbreedpedigree.com/ivory+wayne
It's also because he's an Ivory James. I've handled quite a few and own one who has been the absolutes smartest, easiest horse I've ever thrown a leg over. You're gonna love him!!!
It's going to be tough to get on anything else then! He is super smart and attentive. Makes my job easy for sure. I'll get spoiled : )
Yes you will. They are so user friendly. Want to please and fast learners. Mine is a social butterfly too. LOVES people particularly little kids. I'm actually eye balling anothero ne that a local race vet has. He's too pricey for me right now but I added him to my virtual barn on equibase. He sticks him in another $5k claimer like he did last year to get an out on him. I'll snatch him up.
Edited by iloveequine40 2017-04-29 8:42 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 380
| Would anyone like to check out some xrays? I can PM them. |
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | SloRide - 2017-05-04 2:02 PM Would anyone like to check out some xrays? I can PM them.
I'm not a expert x-ray reader. Can you just tell us what the vet says about the x-rays? |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Bump |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 380
| The xrays are on a different horse I looked at. The vet noticed very slight rough spots on the outsides of both knees. Vet thought it was strange they way it was bilateral so he got a second opinion and I got my regular vet to look. The horse tested completely sound everywhere. He just has those two spots. Vet did say that once you start digging you are bound to find something. So I ended up with three different vets looking at thease xrays and none of them were seriously alarmed but obviously could not guarantee anything. So basically he has some very mild arthritis that doesn't cause discomfort. I really like this horse. Great personality, comfortable to ride, has a great start on him. Another 30 to 45 days on him and he should be ready to run barrels. Mind you I might run barrels 3 to 4 times a year. I do not ride my horses hard. So far the vets think with what I do this horse would be perfectly suitable. Was just told to be proactive and pay attention to his knees going forward.
Anyone here knowingly buy a horse with mild arthritis?
As far the gelding this post was originally started for... My trainer and I decided against him. He was going to need too much time off to settle down. He was down right dangerous on the ground. Not that it could not be fixed, but I did not want to commit to it. I board and there are lots of little kids at the barn and did not want to worry my horse was going to barrel over some poor kid. But if anyone else is interested in can give you the owners information lol.
Edited by SloRide 2017-05-05 12:17 AM
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | I would be OK with the knees, as long as there are no chips you should be good. Congrats on your new horse!
?As far as the other horse with bad ground manners, that is not the norm with OTT horses. Most race horses are handled a lot everyday, baths, grooming, picking feet and tacking up is done just about every day and if it takes more than one groom to do it that wastes time and energy that could be put towards another horse. Sounds like you made a good choice. |
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Experiences with off the track QH's