A Thoroughbred’s Life After Racing
Out of the thousands of thoroughbreds bred to race on the flat and jump courses each year, only a small percentage are successful enough to go on to breed from after they have finished racing. A racehorse’s life is by no means over when it finishes racing as there are other disciplines which these horses can be retrained for. An experienced trainer can potentially retrain a racehorse to become a successful dressage horse, jumper or eventer. Horses are intelligent and highly athletic creatures and can form great partnerships with their trainer.
What is important to remember when attempting to train a racehorse for a new job is the past training it has received. For many years, it has only known how to race. Working with an ex-racer requires patience and experience. Inexperienced handlers or riders should not attempt to retrain a racehorse. The combination of a novice rider or trainer with a high-strung animal taught only to run can produce dangerous situations for both people and horses.
Several months of downtime and relaxation can really benefit these horses before they start retraining. The horse must also adapt physically to these changes. It is no longer being asked to run as fast as it can for as long as it can with a minimal weight upon its back. The new activities required of the horse such as hacking, jumping, flatwork and even pleasure riding require very different muscle groups than racing on the flat. All horses should be allowed to adjust physically before they are pushed to achieve in new careers to ensure they remain sound.
Racehorses will also need time to adjust mentally. Most new homes will not have the sort of structure or routine the horse experienced while racing. A big difference will be the length of time they are expected to carry riders, this will be considerably longer when the horse retrains.
There are numerous charities and organizations committed to taking in, caring for, and retraining ex-racers. Such groups also work to promote racehorses and their suitability for a number of other disciplines within the horse world. The goal is to find the right horse for the right role, and eventually the right owner. These charities endeavor to train a racehorse in order that it may continue to have a happy, rewarding life even if life on the racecourse has ended.
If you are considering buying a racehorse, look for a racehorse trainer who has schooled a good number of winners.
