Any thoughts or experience with the Retired Racehorse Project and the Thoroughbred Makeover event held in KY?

I've been looking for a horse for a while now after I sold my main mount earlier this year. Now all I have is a 30 year old retired barrel horse that is sound to ride around, I obviously dont ask too much of him but I do think he enjoys being ridden bareback in the pasture or slow loping through the barrel pattern from time to time (he still gets all prancy in the alley like we are about to make a competition run, LOL).

Anyway I have been looking for something older than 4-5, started, loping the pattern, breeding doesn't really matter but never hurts. I'm not looking to spend mid 6 figures on something finished, I'd rather finish one my way. I'm not one to resale unless we just don't get along like the last one I had.

Today it popped into my head to maybe get an OTTB to enter into the TB Makeover for 2020 if I can not find what I'm looking for by Sep- Oct so that we can do some ground work, round pen exercising, legging up, etc. within the rules so that we would be on track to start actual basic off track horse training by December 1. I do have the experience to start one, but not much experience with one fresh off the track and would love any thoughts or input anyone has. Thanks in advance! 

My neice runs a nice OTTB, she has a lot of quirks and although some I believe to be common off the track habits, I think she got the short end of the stick in several ways. She doesnt tie, is cinchy and was very finicky about her face when we first got her. She has been vetted to the nine, keep in mine shes 15 now and got her when she was 3. Shes a 2d/3d barrel horse.

I think the biggest thing is them detoxing off whatever theyre on at the track. Maybe thats not the best word to describe it but dont know how else to. I see a lot of them, my old barn was a jumper barn before i got my own place. So we saw a lot of them. They got ugly and battled a lot of soreness issues in the beginning. Bad feet usually (not always) but definetely I think need a few months to decompress. 

I trained one several years ago, he came with gate/alley issues (to the point of the gate to the trails)... nothing unmanageable but it was there before he saw a barrel pattern. However, he took to the pattern so well. Neither one of them were stupid, they're exposed to so much. The check rein was tricky and a first for me when I trained him. Took some adjusting. 

I love the idea of those OTTB programs. 

I think it is an awesome idea!  A friend has gone to the TB makeover for the last couple of years but they mainly focus on the hunter end of things.  Her daughter did enter the barrel race last year and did ok considering she was riding an old warhorse who was super quirky and many considered him dangerous when he was on the track.

I know you can pick up an OTTB for way less than a QH and if you are picky about what you get, you may end up with a pretty respectable barrel pony in the end.  Keep us posted if you do it!

I judged the barrel race and Ranch Horse class about 3 years ago. I suggested to them I thought it might draw more entries if they made it strictly a timed event.

It’s a very well run event with a lot of participants and and a lot of volunteers that help it run smoothly. Kentucky Horse Park is a great venue. 

My friend and I did it last year. We both did western classes. I did barrels.   It was a fantastic experience. Riding around KHP, seeing and meeting so many different people. We had an absolute blast. Would I do it again? No. 

I grew up on TBS. Do I feel TBs make fantastice all around horses? You bet I do. But just like the QH certain lines and builts are better for certain diciplines. 

My mare came from a fantastic trainer 1 week after her last race. She was fit, shiny, with good body.She looked fantastic! Looks can be deceiving. We gave her about 10 days to adjust to civilian life and we went to work. She was not used to constant turn out and needed to come down from the "track crack"feed high. 

There is a lot more acclimation and gaps to fill than you will ever realize until you live it. The feed change takes a bit and a lot more feed than even your race bred QH. Alfalfa is your friend! A lot of them are harboring ulcers or develope ulcers shortly after they enter their new career, you need to be proactive.

The fact that most of these guys do not cross tie, many have some head shy issues, most do not have a tolerance for flies(especially if the came from a controlled facility) most have not been hosed down as they usually get sponged bracing. Lots of them have never seen a step up , slant load trailer(My mare!)

Then there are the feet. I am lucky enough to have a farrier who has been with me for years and has a load of experience with OTTBs. Barefoot is not a good option right out the gate unless you have the time for a lame horse. My mare steps under herself to the point of passing her front feet at times and interfers. We were setting  a shoe every 2wks. When she finally got to the point(about 9 months post race) that her feet would hold a steel shoe(they race in aluminum or a very very light this steel) we couldn't go any longer between resets than 4-1/2 wks. She went out with bells and tape. She pulled a shoe 10 days before we left and came up quite lame She is now finally barefoot but we still struggle a little with thin walls and low heels. The point here, we missed a LOT of training time due to feet issues. 

There are the underlying injuries that you do not know about that raise their ugly head. When they stop running hard and trying, most trainers do not put the money into finding out why. They chalk it up to "they don't want to run or be a race horse anymore".  We found out after a good bit of on and off ever so slight lameness and a trip to the specialty vet that my mare had a fracture in her left front ankle that was healing very slowly. She is a gritty thing and would muscle through it but man that made me feel like an idiot. I also learned that no matter how well conformed one looks from the outside, inside there can still be conformational issues. 

The event, was great and it was chaos .Dressage and Jumping reign supreme which I knew going into it. 

The were some issues with the judging specifically to the western events. They used AQHA judges(which I agree with) but many of these folks entered in western events were either english people with little to no experience with anything AQHA so the rules of the judging made no sense, or they were just trying to fit their inexperienced horses into an event were they felt they could gather good experience and stand a chance at placing. The obstacle event in the big areana was particularly contentious and took FOREVER!! The lady who helped do most of the organizing for the western events has stepped away from it this year. 

Be prepared to take a load of hay and bedding unless you are independently wealthy. If you go, pay NightWatch to check on your horse through out the night. We had one in our group who was body sore and a bit colicy most of the time. It was in the 90s with excessive humidity the entire time we were there. Take a golf cart! My mare definitely can back a little lighter. 

Book an Air BNb EARLY! Like as soon as your application is accepted. And if you can split it with someone DO! We were 3 miles from KHP. We did not have time to really see the attractions at the park or any of the studs. 

If you go, have fun! Ride the park as much as you can because it is a fantastic experience. I definitely learned while there my mare does ANYTHING I ask her. And she is more than fast enough for me. I opened her up on the steeple chase course. 

If you go, have fun make the most of the exposure and experience.

If you go with the intent to sell your horse be prepared. There were very few looking for western horses. And the prices are a bit disappointing compared to what you invest.  If you have a 17h grey gelding that has floaty motion and excels in dressage or jumping you may make some money.

As to the "can you make a barrel horse out of a TB?" Absolutely. I know several doing very well in the barrel pen. I know 2 girls running Sebra  and First Frontier on TBs and getting it done. They are remarkable smart. Some lines have their issues just like some QH lines. I personally love anything Storm Cat  or Honour and Glory bred. I have a friend who will not touch a SC mare. And my specialty vet laughed right at me as soon as he knew who my mare's daddy was but said you better work well with that type.....which I do. 

I know several TBs doing very well in polo, trail obstacle, and my friend's mare is a mounted shooting horse. I know one that is a wicked team penner. 

They are smart and trainable. They are not everyones cup of tea.

If you are looking to get one on the cheap, well yes that is quite likely. My initial expense to aquire my mare was  very reasonable.  I would caution you about the thought of getting one cheap to save money. In the long run you may be spending far more that you realize with feed, feet, saddle fit. etc. 

Thank y'all so much for the input!

I had an of OTTB that did fairly well in the barrel pen, but he was already "de-tracked" and started on the barrel pattern so all I had to do was finish him out and season him. He was a big gelding (around 16.3) but could really sit down and turn a barrel for as big as he was and OMG that long smooth stride was a dream to run. He ended up having a chip removed from his front fetlock and only ended up being trail sound after about 3 years of his barrel career. I ended up selling him to a young girl for trail riding. Nothing seemed to bother him, never required exhibitions and handled the rodeo/ county fair environment quite well, he was not spooky and extremely level headed. Aside from his size and power I would consider him a very gentle puppy dog kids horse type personality.

If I do end up going this route I will certainly do a PPE including x-rays to make sure there are not any known soundness issues, but I'd do that with one not off the track anyway. I'll continue to do more research while looking for a QH as well. I know everything happens for a reason, so I'll just have to be patient and see what comes along. 

Thanks again for your responses. 

I would say go for it! 

I am doing the thoroughbred makeover this year, we were a little behind the ball since I wasn't able to start riding until March, but I am happy how we have progressed so far. 

I was picky in the horse I wanted- nice hooves or the potential to have decent hooves, had to have a good brain, no major soundness issues, conformation, mare, and semi decent pedigree. I purchased my mare for the competition last July and turned her out so she could have some let down time. She wasn’t expensive by any means, but I still completed a PPE as well as had basic x-rays completed, specifically the feet to make sure everything was ok. Did a round of ulcer medicine right when she arrived, pulled her shoes and turned her out. I started doing some ground work with her in October and then took the winter off. I put shoes back on her and started riding her in March.

TBs will work for you all day long and are really smart, with that I do believe they tend to be more sensitive. On both of my TBs I can’t be too nitpicky or they tend to shut down. I try to do a lot of different stuff with her so she doesn’t get bored- poles, jumping, we go on lots of trail rides and she is surprisingly cowy and will move one with a good nip if need be!