Cross Breeds

Is a retired race horse a good horse to own?

I am only 13 and i am getting a horse in a little while , as long as my parents don't change their mind. Mt dad has friends that own race horses and they say that adopting a retired race horse would be good. My mom says they are high strung though. I have friends that own retired race horses and i ride one at my stables and they are great. I think if i find the right one it would be perfect. What do you think i should do?

Public Comments

1. Some Ex race horses make good horses after about 6 months of training by a Professional trainer, otherwise they are animals who are going to hurt you at some point.With ex race horses who do not under go complete retraining it is not whether they are going to hurt you its when and how bad.
2. you might want to get a old retired horse
3. Sure, most race horses are high strung, but if you find the right one, then I don't see why not. just make sure that if you plan on riding him, you test ride him first to make sure he is not to much for you to handle. also it would be best if you have a trainer, to bring him or her with you while you go to look and test ride. my cousin bought a ex-racer that was going to a slaughter house, and she turned out to be such a sweet heart, even my 4 year old nephew can sit on her and walk around. just remember, don't be to quick to make a purchase, if you take your time and really look for that special one, you will later find it very well worth the wait :)
4. Yes!!!! My mare is an OTTB. She is wonderful. The only thing about them is that they want to go fast. Good luck.
5. Some race horses are high strung, not all. I have 2 and one is and one isn't.. Both are rescues. They give so much more back from just buying one from a breeder, or at least thats how i feel. Most are broke to ride so the trainings already done for you, and because they're trained for speed and grace they're great for just about anything.
6. Don't. Just don't. Your mom is right, they would be too high strung for a first horse, not a good idea.
7. hi, thanks for answering my question! I am looking for my first horse too. I want to get a fresh retired race horse, because I have experience training a horse. For you, all it depends on is how much horsey experience you have. If you are new to riding you can get an older retired race horse that has already had some retraining. If you'd like to do the training, you can get a fresh one. My tips are too go see the horse before you buy it. If you can bring an instructor you have been working with and ride the horse. That way you will find out if you can handle that horse. I am not sure however, if all laces will let you ride a horse before buying it (e.i. buying straight from the track). GoodGood luck you have anymore questions you can e-mail me at e.disanti@comcast.net just make sure you sa something like horse ? so I know it isn't spam
8. Yes. I own a horse named Jeff and I got him when he was afew yrs. off the track. I love him so much. Ex racers are the way to go!
9. Some retired racehorses are very difficult and high strung, others are pretty laid back. But a horse fresh off the track is an unknown quantity. Even if he is pretty quite in many situations, you never know what might "set him off" and bring out his wild-and-crazy racehorse side. Plus many horses from the racetrack actually have far less training than you would think. They know how to run fast down a track and that's about it. Without a track (and other horses) to follow, some barely even steer. They generally only know 3 speeds: walk, trot, and gallop. Canter at a reasonable pace is something that can be difficult for them to learn. I think that if you find the right one, a retired racehorse could be the right horse for you. But I would look for one that is a bit older and has some additional training since leaving the track. You don't necessarily have to buy a TB from a professional trainer, you could easily find one that a more experienced rider has been working with. Responsible rescue organizations may have retired racehorses that they have spent some time riding and training. They should have spent enough time with the horse that they have a pretty good idea of it's personality, and how the horse responds to different situations. I just think that at 13 and with this being your first horse, you don't want to deal with all of the "unknowns" that come with a horse straight off the racetrack. I am a big believer that your first horse should be experienced enough to teach you, so that down the road you will have the experience to teach green horses later. Good luck!