Comments on: Eventing Radio Episode 40 – Retraining Ex-Racers & the Burghley Report http://eventingradio.horseradionetwork.com/2009/09/11/eventing-radio-episode-40-retraining-ex-racers-the-burghley-report/ Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:07:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Phil Twiss http://eventingradio.horseradionetwork.com/2009/09/11/eventing-radio-episode-40-retraining-ex-racers-the-burghley-report/comment-page-1/#comment-294 Phil Twiss Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:33:07 +0000 http://eventingradio.horseradionetwork.com/?p=2047#comment-294 Being an amateur OTTB rider / trainer, I was more then a little disappointed with the show... Given the prominence of the show title (Retraining Ex-Racers & the Burghley Report)... I though the majority of the show would be themed on ex-racers that are currently or had done well and or training them.... Instead, you used it as a tease, with just a small percentage of the show even talking about the subject... I'm sorry but I live in Georgia, flying off to Maryland for a 1/2 day demo is just not possible... Some follow on questions would have been nice... What are the common problems ex-racers have in going to a non-race schedule? (1 hour work outs and 23 hour stall life)... What are the common issue in de-tuning / bringing down a race horse (Using higher fat / lower carb feed rations to reduce the reactive nature of their minds on a high energy race diet... Waiting out the drugs.... Introducing the racer to life with other horses in the pasture....) What riding / handling skills should potential owners develop before thinking about getting an ex-racer? What are the skills ex-racers bring from the track? (Left shoulder fore - for a quicker turn in and faster tack times, being around traffic at the race track, eta...) I currently have 3 ex-racers, we don't have the money for the Big shows, but they go out to the farm / schooling shows, are working their way up the dressage training scale and even tail ride in the local state parks.... This is a versatile bred... With competent training, OTTBs give the rest of us a chance at blood line quality we could not afford... Instead, your show left any one thinking about OTTBs as dangerous animals that should be left to only the experienced Event Riders least we damage another horse that was on the way to the meat market.... Being an amateur OTTB rider / trainer, I was more then a little disappointed with the show… Given the prominence of the show title (Retraining Ex-Racers & the Burghley Report)… I though the majority of the show would be themed on ex-racers that are currently or had done well and or training them….

Instead, you used it as a tease, with just a small percentage of the show even talking about the subject… I’m sorry but I live in Georgia, flying off to Maryland for a 1/2 day demo is just not possible…

Some follow on questions would have been nice… What are the common problems ex-racers have in going to a non-race schedule? (1 hour work outs and 23 hour stall life)… What are the common issue in de-tuning / bringing down a race horse (Using higher fat / lower carb feed rations to reduce the reactive nature of their minds on a high energy race diet… Waiting out the drugs…. Introducing the racer to life with other horses in the pasture….) What riding / handling skills should potential owners develop before thinking about getting an ex-racer? What are the skills ex-racers bring from the track? (Left shoulder fore – for a quicker turn in and faster tack times, being around traffic at the race track, eta…)

I currently have 3 ex-racers, we don’t have the money for the Big shows, but they go out to the farm / schooling shows, are working their way up the dressage training scale and even tail ride in the local state parks….

This is a versatile bred… With competent training, OTTBs give the rest of us a chance at blood line quality we could not afford… Instead, your show left any one thinking about OTTBs as dangerous animals that should be left to only the experienced Event Riders least we damage another horse that was on the way to the meat market….

]]>