Has anyone had success with an off the track qh for running barrels? I have re trained two ottb's (who were a handful lol ??) and I am lightly contemplating getting a qh from off the track. 

One of the ottb's I got had soundness issues, so I sold her. That's the one thing I'm worried about - no guarantee of long term soundness 

Ive had a couple. Both started to be NFR caliber and eventually their brains just fried with speed. When they are started so younbg with speed its hard to get them over it. If they were ever raced, then its super hard on their joints etc. 

It really depends on what horse you get. Do your research. Vet them before purchase. A horse that's had 2 outs and didn't win is much different than one who's had 15 outs. Xray. Only buy from trainers that don't dope. Go meet the horse and see their temperament. If they have been on the backside a long time they might have issues...like ulcers, weaving or just plain old ****ed off. 

I've purchased a good bit of off track horses and one thing I have really had trouble with is getting them accustomed to a new life. It generally takes a year to get them to be horses again...whatever the reason...like getting drugs out of their system or letting them heal or just letting them calm down and get used to a different life. My purpose is mostly for broodmares,  but I can say that putting one off the track immediately into barrels will most likely blow up in your face.

I just realized what your profile picture is and says. 

lololol....good ol Jimmy lol.

We had a really nice off-the-track QH. We had to go really slow with her. When we first got her, she wouldn't even walk flat-footed--always prancing. We took about a whole year calming her down before we started fooling around on barrels with her and even then, we went very slow including trail rides and moseying around the property, getting her head right. We got her to the point where she was walking calmly into the arena. She was quickly hitting the 2D when my daughter stopped riding due to nursing school, etc. 

I have had several. They were fantastic. The first thing, look them up on Equibase. If their last races were slower, chances are they were injured. Get a good pre pjurchase exam to avoid future problems. If you remember that these horses are NOT broke and get them really broke BEFORE you start training for barrels, chances are you will have a really nice horse. That takes time and a lot if riding. If you aren't willing to spend the time on basics you will have a race horse running barrels instead of a barrel horse. All of mine are race bred now and they are the same way.  You have to get them broke first. That is really true with any horse. 

Soundness can be an issue. HOWEVER; research has shown that exercise and work during the younger years (2-3) leads to greater bone density and strength in the later years vs a horse that hasn't had any form of training exercises until they are say 4-5. Thereofre, a horse off the track should in theory have a lower chance of injury down the line. 

That being said there are risk of injury across the board of all disciplines and a good PPE will help you mitigate what is worth the trouble or not. The bonus of OTTB is they have so much exposure, its easier to get them competing once they are retrained. 

I had one.  She raced enough to get a speed index of 91 but owner kicked her off the track at late 3yo year because she was OK being 2nd.  :)  She was a sweetheart.  She got a year off being bred (by them).  I got her at 5yo and she trained to barrels easily but her decision to run was hit or miss.  She could win a rodeo or just lope one every now and then.  She loved people and her 'invitation' to show her some attention was what drew us to her to start.  She was a little hot the first couple of years, maybe just being green to the world.  Randomly spooked and tore the tie rings off the trailer a couple of times.  She loved pleasure rides and after a couple of years was 'normal', put up with chasing/roping pasture bulls, swimming at the lake, riding city streets, hauled in anything, stayed tied to the trailer all night at the rodeos, etc....  She was good enough I kept her for life.  I bred her when she was 18 to get me another one like her.  The 2nd one was even better with a 110% work ethic. 

I love the OTTQH's..

They know what pressure is, they've been vetted, hauled, and pushed.

If they have any brain left, they do well in my program.

Here's Brother Dave, 9 starts, 84 SI.

He's accomplished many goals, won many buckles, and a few buckles.

He's16 now, and has track related issues.

Big heart.

I love the OTTQH's..

They know what pressure is, they've been vetted, hauled, and pushed.

If they have any brain left, they do well in my program.

Here's Brother Dave, 9 starts, 84 SI.

He's accomplished many goals, won many buckles, and a few buckles.

He's16 now, and has track related issues.

Big heart.

I'd take a barn full of them. You have to know the trainer they came from. That's going to be key. Do your research on the trainer and the horse. 

Not ribbing you at all, but this sounds like a copy and pasted answer lol. Believe me, we'd all love a nice track horse, but the reality is that a whole lot of them aren't sound. You have to be very careful, know the trainer, get the horse xrayed and look at past performances. Don't live in Fairy Land thinking that them coming from the track is a good thing. It can be a great prospect or it can be a dump. Be careful. I love OTQhs, but......I realize what I might get if I don't do my homework.

So who are the good trainers? Where does one look? 

Totally. I just like to put that information out into the world because lately it *still* feels like people are against starting horses at a young age (2/3). When in reality it should make them more physically resilient down the road. Definitely realizing that there are a good few number of horses that come off the track potentially unsound. Due diligience is the key. 

Sorry, I don't come here often, but the good trainers I know are Mr Kenny Robert's and his son. Leonel Hernandez, I believe is honest. Kenneth Weeks seems to be trustworthy too. I'm sure there's more. I just don't know them.

Get xrays before you buy off track. That's the bottom line. Get a video of them if you can't see them in person. 

Also, watch their runs when they raced. I've seen the race that the horse started having issues before, like chipped, bowed or splinted. You can usually find their old runs on Equibase or the track itself.