Windsucking

Windsucking ( for the benefit of any non-horsey uninitiateds dropping by here) is NOT an new Extreme Sport, nor a racy party game, nor any kind of expletive deleted. It is, though, a very irritating, and occasionally dangerous, bad habit picked up by bored horses.

It involves the horse grabbing hold of almost anything sold – stable door, manger, fence posts, gates, wooden bars or sparring, even metal bars – and then arching his neck and gulping down air with a big grunt. This action forces the air down the gullet into the stomach, instead of into the lungs. There are two direct effects. Firstly, the air in the stomach impedes good digestion. Over a period of time, this makes the horse unthrifty – a ‘bad doer’ – because much of the food taken in is in effect going to waste. Sometimes, the horse can ‘binge’on the gulps of air and actually give himself colic.

Secondly, the grabbing hold with the teeth ( called ‘crib-biting’, for obvious reasons, though by no means limited to mangers ) gradually wears down the teeth in an unnatural way. This can be easily seen by checking the teeth – one reason why it really is a good idea to ‘look (even) a gift horse in the mouth’; at least you’d know what you were getting. The uneven teeth mean that food may not be chewed properly, leading to increased digestive and thriftiness problems. And all that chewing can wreck your stable, fencing and gates !

The primary cause of windsucking, as I said, is boredom, but ( like so many bad habits, equine and human) it can also be sparked off by nerviness and fretting. Some people say it is ‘infectious’, in that other horses in a stable yard, especially youngsters, will copy the windsucker/crib-biter. ( Just as ‘weaving’, that other nervous/boredom habit, will be copied by others.) I have never actually seen other horses copying windsucking myself – it isn’t, in my experience, as ‘infectious’ as weaving. But if a had a valuable youngster I dare say I wouldn’t want to risk it by letting him hob-nob with any horse with these habits.

Sadly, the ‘cure’ isn’t as simple as giving the windsucker more work and mental stimulation – though this will certainly help. Giving up your regular gulps must be like trying to quit cigarettes. Not easy. Traditionally, people have fitted ‘cribbing collars’ –basically a stiff leather strap that is fitted around the horse’s throat, with a heart-shaped piece ( of leather or metal) fitted close by the gullet, to prevent the sucking in of air. Bright horses suss this out quite quickly, and wriggle their way round it.

There is also the surgical approach – by piercing two holes, either side of the mouth. This makes it impossible for a vacuum to be created in the mouth to force down the air. But surgery is surgery – expensive and only to be considered in consultation with your vet, for sound medical reasons.

Unless your windsucking horse is really suffering , you may well decide to settle for removing as many chewable items as possible in the stable ( or at least the ones you want to keep !) and daubing Cribbox , or even something like Jeyes Fluid, on the rest. You can feed your horse off the floor ( more natural anyway) and then keep him as physically and mentally occupied as you can, with work, companionship, regular turnout-and-play sessions, and maybe even stable toys. ( I’ve never yet seen a horse able to crib-bite one of those huge footballs.) Windsucking is manageable – but it can be a darned nuisance.

Not surprisingly, windsucking ( along with crib-biting, and weaving) is officially a stable vice and technical unsoundness. It must be declared up-front by the vendor of any horse with the habit ( however slight or infrequent) – or else the hapless purchaser, on making the discovery, has every right in law to return the horse and demand a full refund.

Not that there was any hint of doubt where Count was concerned. Not only was it right up there in his catalogue entry (‘Has been seen to windsuck’), and announced by the auctioneer as he entered the ring, but Di pointed it out to me personally in the stable, even as she was extolling Count’s many virtues. “He does windsuck – but not all the time. Only a bit. He doesn’t do it when he’s turned out.” Di had a very winsome, winning smile. “And he’s such a sweet horse, he really is.” Hmmn… I had a look at his teeth. Not too bad, actually. And after all, there’s no such thing as the perfect horse…..Sometimes you just have to chose what you are prepared to compromise on.

In fact, Di was totally accurate. He doesn’t do it when he’s turned out – so all fence posts and gates are safe at our place ! But that’s not all. During the few weeks at the end of the summer that Count was able to be out 24/7 ( between winding-down from full training and then coming back inside for autumn nights) he didn’t windsuck at all, neither outside nor in the stable. Even when brought in for saddling-up etc, and for feeding and handling, he never even thought about grabbing and sucking during the weeks he was living out in the field full-time. Now it’s winter, though, he comes in for the night and gets straight in to windsucking for Britain .

This all makes me think it’s partly an anxiety-thing, related to his racing days, and that daily stable routine reminds him of this and triggers the habit. Which then makes me think that, with time and relaxation, together with interesting new work, he may well grow out of it. Certainly hope so; he’s doing terrible things to the stable door !

A Count and a Gentleman

Count settled in quick and easy. He didn’t fret or fuss during his 48-hour quarantine and worming, and then was friendly and polite when introduced to the other horses over the field fence. When he was turned out with them, he tactfully slotted in to his lower-pecking order new-boy place and got on with grazing in perfect contentment. For the first few days he was only allowed a couple of hours grazing per day, to help his digestive system gradually get used to a new, high-fibre diet. But, despite the fact he was obviously enjoying the grass and sunshine, he was perfectly easy to catch again. In fact, he would walk up to me with encouraging friendliness and confidence – he obviously liked humans.

He was just as relaxed when the time came to try him out under saddle. ( That’s one of the drawbacks of buying a horse at the sales – you can’t have a test-drive first to see what they are like.) I cobbled together a bridle from my bag of bits-‘n’-bobs ( it’s amazing how much scrap leather you can collect over the years – but some of it always comes in useful in the end), and found a plain snaffle bit that would fit. ( Racehorses are usually ridden in simple snaffles, often loose-ring. So, it makes sense to start off an ex-racehorse’s reschooling with a bit they are familiar with, even though you may need to try something different later on.) Then I tried a couple of saddles before finding that Big H’s fitted, more or less, when perched on top of a cotton numnah, sheepskin fleece and prolite pad. Ah well …. At least nothing would rub !

Then it was off to the school with a lunge rein, a hard hat and a spirit of adventure . Plus, of course, a noble assistant – ostensibly there to scrape up the pieces if anything went wrong, but actually chiefly occupied with making rude comments about my saddle-padding and then taking photos.

Thankfully there was no need for First Aid. Count was the perfect gentleman. He didn’t quite see the point of lunging ( few racehorses do) but he humoured me obligingly. Then, when I went for broke and climbed aboard , he was positively courteous. He actually stood still as I got on from the mounting block ( something I’m still asking Big H to do after two years!) and then carried me round the school in walk and trot ,on both reins, with ears pricked and not a hint of awkwardness. He had lovely paces, did what I asked when I asked, and all with no hint of either jogging or arguing with the bit. He even consented to do circles, both ways, though he clearly thought it was a weird idea.

It looked like I’d found the perfect horse – quiet, kind, intelligent, obedient and good-looking . And definitely one of the most chilled-out, laid-back characters I’d come across in a long while. But why, then, did he windsuck ?

A new Account

The dismal, soggy summer we suffered in the UK this year put paid to so many shows, displays, and similar outdoor events – so many cancellations due to rain and mud and haycrops not yet cut ( never cut, in some cases ! ) All that planning and training and preparation – from organisers and would-be participants – was wasted. No wonder some of us felt the need of a little cheering retail therapy occasionally…..

So one drizzly day in August, I took myself off to Doncaster Bloodstock Sales – to meet up with friends ( people converge on the sales from all round the country, so they are good get-togethers), to buy a stable rug from the tack-shop’s bargain box ( always something good there), to ogle celebrities, and to simply gaze at beautiful horses. I did NOT go to buy another ex-racehorse. Emphatically not.

So, I was heading back from my lunchtime sandwich in the grooms’ canteen ( cheapskate that I am, I eat there because it’s cheaper than the main café. And, of course, I can eavesdrop on gossip.) As I wandered up and down the rows of spanking new looseboxes in DBS’s new sales complex, gazing over the doors at the horses inside ( all in this row having now been through the auction ring), I almost stumbled over a girl sitting on the floor, reading a book. It was only polite to chat.

“What kind of horse are you looking for?” she soon asked.
“I’m not!” ( I’m hardwired to say that these days – though it is usually totally meaningless.) “And even if I was – which I’m not – it wouldn’t be a horse for racing. I’m only interested in ones that have finished their racing careers and are looking for a new type of life.”

“Oh, this one, this one!” The girl jumped up and pointed to a chestnut inside the stable.
“AND, “ I added, “ temperament is absolutely key. I can’t do problem horses these days. I need kind, genuine and good-mannered, so…”
“This one, this one!” she said again, nodding vigorously and making her curly hair shake.

And so I was introduced to Count. Proper name King’s Account, a six-year-old gelding by King of Kings out of Fighting Countess. Born in America, he had raced on the flat in UK quite successfully as a youngster – a couple of firsts and seconds, clocking up nearly £13,000 winnings. But then, as so often with young flat-racers, early promise faded, and neither a change to hurdle racing nor a tie-forward operation to help his breathing improved his form. Basically he was just too laid-back for the job. He had last raced just 3 days before, and flopped again, coming 9th of 13 after his jockey lost a stirrup and Count happily slowed down. Now Count’s owner was ill and having to sell. But it was a poor sale-day, bidders were few, and choosey. Count had left the auction ring unsold, attracting not a single bid. Now his trainer’s Head Lass, Di, was stationed outside Count’s stable, doing what she could to attract a new owner from idle passers-by like me.

She did a good job. She told me how gentle, kind, and quiet to ride Count was, how easy he was to look after, what a nice personality he had. She coaxed me inside the stable to meet him close-up…. She brought him outside and trotted him up and down for me, made him stand, turned him in tight circles, picked all his feet up…. Then she told me that the only other person who had expressed any interest was someone who wanted him to do ‘flapping racing’ – racing not under Jockey Club Rules, and a bit rough-and-ready. “And poor Count really doesn’t want to race any more,” she said. “ And we don’t want him to have to race any more, either. And certainly not flapping. The Boss asked me to see if I could find anyone else, do a bit better for him ….” She gave me a LOOK…

And so Count’s trainer was phoned, and after a short conversation a ( very modest) deal was done. Count came home with me.

Ex-racer Parade and Open Day - busy weekend ahead !

Lots to do for ex-racer fans this coming weekend. On Friday 12th September, ROR ( Rehabilitation of Racehorses) is holding a parade of ex-racehorses at Doncaster Racecourse, as part of the grand St Leger Meeting. The parade will be held at lunchtime ( 12.00 noon-ish, animals and weather co-operating). With ex-racehorses coming from all around to demonstrate how well they have adapted to new lives, it should be a great sight to see.



Then on Saturday, 13th September, the Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre , at Whinney Hill, Halton, Lancashire, is holding another of its Open Days. From 10.30am -1.30pm visitors will be able to look around the centre and its facilities, watch demonstrations of rehabilitation work and progress, and of course meet the equine residents. Although entry is by advance booking, I'm told there are still some tickets left, so hit the phone (01524 812649) if you'd like to go. Tickets cost £10 and include refreshments. This will be your only chance this month, as unfortunately the second scheduled day, ( Sunday) has been cancelled. But the two days for October ( 18th and 19th) are still going ahead.

And for anyone hoping to brave the mud and rain on England's soggy showgrounds, there are two shows scheduled for Saturday 13th Septemeber which ( if they go ahead) are holding showing classes for ex-racehorses. Bowes Agricultural Show in County Durham may have to cancel its livestock classes because of the mud, and Rampton Show near Cambridge has yet to make a decision. So- best check with the organisers before setting out.

Good luck to all involved with these events - which take so much planning. Here's hoping the weather is kind.

Additional livestock! - Magic and friends

Magic arrived from the sales on a Friday evening, and seemed to settle happily into a warm stable and plentiful grub. By Saturday, though, it seemed that I’d bought more than I bargained for – it looked like Magic had brought some little friends along with him; ear mites ! The insides of his ears were covered in thick white crusty deposits.

I knew it could be one of several things, some more serious than others. I had not wanted to poke about too much on his first day, to avoid unsettling him further, but we had a yard quiz to guess what the condition could be. Suggestions ranged from a fungus infection to rain scald to cradle cap (?? Not sure about that one !) I thought it was plaques, but top votes went to ear mites – especially when, the next day being warm, Magic started shaking his head Was it flies, hayseeds – or pesky little mites jigging around in his ears ?

By Monday morning the white crusts were turning distinctly yellow – which signalled infection to me. Maybe the stress of going through the sale ring and moving house had lowered Magic’s immunity a bit, allowing the germs to set in ?

And so the vet bills for Magic started early ! And, it turned out, were a complete waste of time, and money. The young locum vet who came along (holiday relief for the main man) was very sweet. She was no doubt great with cats and dogs, and quite possibly a world expert on rabbits. But she knew very little about horses, it seemed. She was only little, and Magic is very big – so she didn’t actually touch his ears at all! Despite my offer of a standing block, she simply perched on tiptoe, murmured a bit, and then announced it could be one of several things ( well, whatdyknow!), she couldn’t be sure what, but it was infected and needed ear drops, three times a day. And, yes – (in reply to my immediate query) – it WOULD make him head-shy.

Well, she was right about that, anyway. Within two days Magic wouldn’t let me near his head, never mind touch his ears. ( And before the treatment started , he had been perfectly relaxed and happy about both.) Another two days and I gave it up. The treatment was proving worse than the illness – and in any case the yellow crusts had gone and more white ones taken their place. I was quite glad to see them !

Magic still has his crusty ears – it is plaques. They are caused by the papillomavirus and are related to warts, though clinically different. And, though they can look untidy, lots of finer-breed horses get them and generally present no real problems. Plaques are usually caused by flies biting, ( which is why hairy ponies, with hairy ears, seldom get them – because the flies can’t get past the hair to do the biting.) Once established, plaques are difficult to shift. Some people scrape them off and douse with iodine – but obviously risk head-shyness developing . Magic’s previous owner told me, ( some time later) that twice a year they would twitch Magic and then clean out his ears with baby oil, which seemed to keep on top of things. I did this recently, when Magic was sedated for having his teeth done. ( so we didn’t need a twitch.) .

And it has to be said there have been no more problems. For a while in the summer there were a lot of flies around, so I covered Magic’s ears when he was out in the field to prevent them bothering him, but I’ve had to do nothing else. Some horses do get very irritated and sore in their ears, especially if more flies get in, and then soothing ointments, like Mentholatum, can help. Dermofas is said to work wonders for soothing, and even helping reduce the plaque crusts. Thornit powder is also said to be good at reducing the crusts. The problem is always, how to apply such treatments without making the horse upset, sore, and increasingly head-shy? I only tried medication for a few days, but it took Magic several weeks before he would let me touch his ears again, and I had to find ingenious ways of putting on his bridle.

But he’s fine now, crusts and all. Magic has learned to live quite happily with his little plaquey friends – and so can I.

Magic Moments

Blow in my ear and I'll follow you anywhere!

Wonder what the food's like here ?

Well, folks seem friendly enough....

Magic comes to my life

I went to York Horse Sales to buy a riding jacket, and leadrope. Maybe two. (These nylon any-colour-you-like ropes are great, but mine always end up getting chewed, broken, or lost. An excellent specification for all who enjoy a spot of horsey retail therapy and socialising.) The auction sales at York (as at most other horse sales) includes a large section for new and second-hand tack and equipment. As at all auctions, you have to be careful you don’t get carried away bidding and end up paying more than you need have, or buying something that turns out to be rubbish. But I have certainly been able to pick up many a bargain there amongst the turkeys I’ve blundered into.

Having done the right thing and arrived early, in time to have a look through the items for sale in the tack section and note the lot numbers of suitable jackets and leadropes ( and reins, and bits, and numnahs, and other highly useful etcs….) I then did the wrong thing and went to have a wander round the horse pens.

Big mistake. ( From my bank manager’s viewpoint, anyway.) Because what should I encounter as I ambled up and down the rows of stables but an ex-racehorse……

There was this big bay gelding, quietly munching hay, accompanied by two men ( father and son, it turned out.) The bay was obviously thoroughbred, so obviously I lingered – from simple curiosity, of course, to pass the time between my tack lots. And I got chatting with his handlers, as you do…..

And so Magic entered my life. Magic Bengie, by full title, a 16.3hh 9-year-old , by Magic Ring, who had raced all his life from the age of 2, on the flat, over hurdles, and steeplechasing. ( With some success, too, winning and being placed ) He had last raced a month before, coming third. Consequently he was still racing-lean, but he was a big strapping lad even so, with lovely conformation – great front and fantastic hind quarters.

And then I was in the stable, with my hands stroking the horse and quietly exploring. I find you can learn an awful lot about a horse by touching it. At first I was a little wary because Magic was showing some of the white of his eyes. “Stop scowling” I told him jokingly. His owner leapt to his defence. “No, he’s NOT scowling! That’s just the way his eyes are. He’s a lovely kind horse….”

I didn’t take much convincing. It was obvious from the calm way Magic continued eating his hay, and the way he put his head down for me to stroke, that here was a well-mannered horse with a gentle nature who liked human company. The fact that his owner, Mr Kirby, clearly loved and cared for him also spoke volumes as a character reference.

But why, then, should this horse be for sale? I asked the obvious question out of curiosity only, since I really did not need or want another horse myself. (Nor was this ‘time-wasting’. When at the sales, anyone showing any interest in a horse automatically attracts interest from other people, who sidle up and eavesdrop… So I was actually helping the vendors’ sales promotion !)

Mr Kirby explained that he owned and trained just a few racehorses on his North Yorkshire farm. He had had Magic for six years and done well with him, but now there were youngsters ready to start racing and, for Magic, as the oldest, it was time to move on. Mr Kirby’s typical farmer’s no-nonsense logic had decreed this, and even decided to sell Magic with a low reserve and no warranty, to prevent any returns – but his soppy sentimental side wanted to try to get Magic a good home.

He asked me what kind of horse I was looking for. “I’m not,” I said, firmly. “I came here for a jacket. And a leadrope.” But we continued talking about Magic, and I continued stroking him. I pointed out his thickened right foreleg ( well, you could hardly miss it !). He’d done that, I was told, four years ago, winning a race. He’d had a year off to recover, and then raced successfully for another three years up till now. ( I later checked this in his racing record, and it was perfectly correct.) He was still sound, I was told. And certainly, the thickened tendon was as hard and cold as living flesh can be. “We think he’ll do eventing, or hunting,” Mr Kirby said. Magic certainly looked that type of horse, and I wished them well. Sometimes event riders do attend York Sales, and lots of hunting folk do. I really and truly hoped that someone like this would like Magic, buy him, and give him a good home and an interesting life.

Only – none of them did. Nobody seemed to want Magic at all. The bidding was slow-to-crawling. I looked round the crowded ringside, willing some nice person to put up their hand to offer Magic a chance. Nothing. After the meat-men bowed out at about 450 guineas, no-one seemed much interested. Except a couple of the gypsy dealers in their usual spot down by the auctioneer’s rostrum. And then me.

Hey-ho – what else could I do…..? So I paid over 675 guineas (about $1000) and Magic came home with me. He came with a headcollar of his own – so I only had to buy the leadrope. Never did get the jacket.

Racehorse Rehoming Centre Show Report

I've just received this from Tessa Westlake, of the Racehorse Rehoming Centre in Chard, Somerset, reporting great success for their Open Show last month.

The show was a great success, the weather held and the turnout was very good and up on the last two years.
Sadly this year all the clear profit will be used to purchase replacement haylage as we lost our whole crop of winter feed due to the dreadful weather prior to the show. and we are finding out that (of course) haylage and straw will be at an all time premium so, IN one hand and OUT the other.

Also this is the time of year where inquiries come in thick and fast from owners asking for placements for horses they can no longer keep or are retiring through injury from racing. we have just had an request to take in 3 from the same racing yard all with tendon troubles, also its the time of year where inquiries from prospective loanees start to dwindle. So it looks like a long hard winter for us.

The show its self was fun and relatively stress free for most of the volunteers, although the St Johns Ambulance were considerably late in arriving, holding up the start of the Show Jumping and giving me a few palpitations.
And the second lorry to arrive, having taken a incorrect angle into the field, promptly got a back wheel suck in a ditch having to be rescued by our very old but thankfully still virile tractor.

Stan Mellor enjoyed judging the two racehorse classes with the knowledgeable help of World Horse Welfare (ILPH) officer Jeff Herrington and his wife Mary.
Winner of the Show Horse Class was Becky Hunt on Gordys Joy who also took the Performance class and obviously the overall championship.
Happily there were no similarities to the start of the Grand National and only one near miss where one rider lost a stirrup as the horse, aptly named Storm Damage, bronked slightly in his show. Rider Neil Ransford did extremely well to stay aboard! Showing is not Neil's forte, he is best known in the trail/hunting field.

So WELL DONE to all concerned, competitors and helpers. It sounds like it was a great success and a day to remember ! (And I'm intrigued by this 'still virile tractor' ! The mind boggles. Any chance of a pic, Tessa ?)

Ex-Racehorse Class Results from Blair Championships

CLASS 1 In-Hand Champion of Champions

1st - & winner of Best Veteran Award

- Winter Garden and Nicola Bingham

2nd - and winner of Best Turned-Out Award

- Chasing the Stars and Karen Chisman/Tom Marshall

3rd - Getatem and Jennifer Lister

4th - Billy Bell and Natalie Innes/Sandie Byers

5th - Morteeno and Susan Beaton

6th - Ilsey Star and Alex Allan


CLASS 2 Open Ridden Ex-Racehorse

1st - King Nicholas and Sara Bainbridge/J. Craig

2nd - One Step Beyond and Laura Smith

3rd - & winner of Best Novice Horse Award

- Chilalia and Heather Paterson

4th - Dr Deductable and Shonagh Steven

5th - Billy Bell and Sandie Byers


6th - & Best Young Rider under 21

- Judicious Charlie and M Inglis/Aaron Glen


CLASS 3 Performance Horse Class with Jumping

1st - & Best Potential Competition Horse Award

- King Nicholas and Sara Bainbridge

2nd - & Best Turned-Out

- Time to Rise and Elizabeth Muirhead

3rd - & Best Jumping Award

- Illegal Alien and Odette Smith/ILPH

4th - Clan Law and Alison Hood/Heather Graham

5th – Winter Garden and Nicola Bingham


CLASS 4 Ridden Scottish Champion of Champions

1st – Time to Rise and Elizabeth Muirhead

2nd – Palabelle and Victoria Adams

3rd – Jad’s Lad and Jacqui Baird

4th – Billy Bell and Natalie Innes

5th – Mormond Lass and Helen Manners

6th – Chilalia and Heather Paterson


Many congratulations to all the prize-winners, and a huge WELL DONE to everyone who took part, demonstrating just how beautifully ex-racehorses can be retrained.

Ex-Racehorse Champions at Blair International Horse Trials

Meanwhile at the opposite end of the UK, ex-racehorses are on show at the International Horse Trials and Country Fair at Blair Castle, Blair Atholl, Scotland. Quite apart from the ones taking part in the horse trials themselves, retired racehorses reschooled for the showring will be strutting their stuff when the Ex-Racers Club holds its Scottish 'Champion of Champions' championship on Sunday 24th August.

The championship is supported by ROR, Bailey's Horse Feeds , Feedmark and Mountain Horse. All the entrants have had to qualify by coming first or second at one of the qualifying classes held at shows all round the country throughout the summer - so they really have reached an inspiringly high standard. The winner will receive a trophy from Rehabilitation of Racehorses, and there will be extra-luxurious rosettes up to sixth place. There are also special awards for the best veterans and best junior riders.

The ex-racers classes start at 9.00 am, in the Castle Arena. Day tickets are available at the gate, children under 12 years of age go in free, and there is free parking. It should be a wonderful day's outing, with a wide range of events and entertainments going on. And on a historical note, the Olympic Handover Flag will be raised, to celebrate the moment London becomes the official Host City of the Olympic Games.

Racehorse Rehoming Centre - Open Horse Show

The Racehorse Rehoming Centre is based in the village of Combe St Nicholas, near Chard, in south Somerset, some 12 miles from Taunton. Run by Clive and Tessa Westlake, ( helped nowadays by a loyal band of volunteers), it was set up some 16 years ago to take retiring racehorses direct from trainers and rehabilitate them for useful second careers. Starting small, as such projects usually need to, it’s now a registered charity with Stan and Elaine Mellor as patrons. It remains a relatively small operation, compared to some of the perhaps more famous TB rehabilitation centres like TRC, but it specialises in providing a quiet and homely environment, set in gorgeous countryside, where stressed-out new ex-racers can relax, chill out, and gain confidence in their new lifestyle.

The horses all get loads of individual attention, so that the centre quickly gets to know their characters, foibles, strengths and weaknesses. Then the re-training can concentrate on the areas best suited to each horse, with a good idea of its future career possibilities. As well as doing basic flatwork in the school, all the horses are regularly hacked out. Then, when they are ready, they are taken on outings – local shows, hunting, pleasure rides, etc – so they are as prepared as they can be to start their new lives in suitable loan/foster homes.

If you want to know more about the Racehorse Rehoming Centre, check out their website here : www.racehorserehoming.co.uk

The important thing right now is that the centre is having an OPEN HORSE SHOW next Saturday, 23rd August – and it is GOING AHEAD, whatever the weather !
Obviously there are to be classes for ex-racehorses, but there are open showing and jumping classes too: - showing starting 9.00am, jumping 10.00am, minimus jumping 12 noon, and clear round jumping all day.( Great for introducing ex-racers to coloured fences). There is also going to be a BBQ and photographer. It should be a great fun day out for all, whether ex-racers or not.

More to the point, Tessa tells me that, due to the awful weather, they have just lost their whole winter haylage crop. Now this would be rotten for anyone, but for a small charity like RRC ( that receives no funding from any welfare organisations, can pay no-one any wages, and relies on goodwill donations) it’s a disaster. SO …. They are hoping for a flood of entries on Saturday, to fund buying in their winter fodder. So come on, all you folks in Somerset and all around – get yourselves over to Combe St Nicholas this Saturday, swamp them with entries, deluge them with donations, barrage the barbie with demands for double burgers….. and help fill that haylage barn to the rafters !

Racehorse to Showhorse - Big H does rosettes !

Two years on, and a whole heap of therapy later, - (believe me, you don’t want to know ! At least, not now – it would spoil your day.) - Big H has finally made real progress and last weekend blossomed in the showring.

It wasn’t actually his showing debut. We took him to an indoor show just after he first arrived, which rather bemused him. Then 18 months ago, we took him and Miraed to a little local show, in a riding school field, to do some in-hand classes for experience. It was not a success, despite H winning the Handsome Horse class. The plan was that Miraed- by this time an old hand at showing - would settle H and give him confidence. Wrong. Big mistake. All that happened was the two of them bonded like hayseeds to velcro and then kicked up and unholy commotion whenever we tried to prize them more than two inches apart. They caused havoc in the ring, nearly trampled the judge, scattered spectators wherever we went and generally made us the least popular kids on the block. Ah, the joys of ex-racers !

Soon afterwards Big H started with his foot and back troubles ( full story later – promise) which led to him having virtually a whole year off to recover. So, it was only last weekend that Big H finally made it to another show – and this time it was just him and me ! I had no idea how he would behave, since he is a very sensitive horse and can get panicky when he’s on his own. There was only one way to find out.

We got off to an excellent start. He’s always good to catch, but this show morning he was actually laid down when I went to fetch him from the field, and made no attempt to get up till I had the headcollar on him and asked him to stir himself, if he wouldn’t mind. He then walked calmly round to the yard with me without a care in the world. No running-round-catch-me-if-you-can games from him – that’s Miraed’s speciality. When it came to loading into the horsebox, he walked up and in without a murmur. He whinnied a couple of times as we set off, but once I’d reassured him he tucked into his haynet and travelled quietly, even though on his own.

Despite H being so totally obliging, I messed up the timing and we arrived at the show late. The Thoroughbred In-Hand class was just going into the ring. ( I hate being late – so why is it I so often am ?) I splashed a dab of hoof-oil on H’s feet, crammed my hot-and-bothered personage into my showing kit, and tumbled H off the lorry. We almost entered the showring with his tail bandage still on and my tie over my ear. ( NOT the recommended way to proceed.)

Despite all this, Big H was a perfect gentleman, and strolled round like a complete pro. No prancing, barging or spooking, no stubbornness , no scowling and grizzling – just relaxed but interested, ears pricked and handsome, and doing everything he was asked without any fuss at all – even standing, which is not usually his strong point. In fact, the exact opposite of Miraed ! Despite us being late in, and H having some raggy plaits and no quartermarks, the judge gave us third. I was delighted, but to be honest, I was so thrilled with H’s behaviour, I wouldn’t have minded if we’d come 99th !

Then I just had time to spray H with some Showsheen and tidy his plaits ( and my wonky tie ) and we were back in the ring for the Handsome Horse class. And just to prove it wasn’t a fluke, H behaved beautifully once again, and seemed to be enjoying himself with this new type of experience. He even stood perfectly square when asked, and smiled nicely at the judge – who told him he was ‘gorgeous’ and gave him second place. (Discerning lady, that judge !)

So then we had to have the photo-shoot, with two big rosettes fluttering from H’s bridle. (This in itself would be a new experience for an ex-racehorse, so if you intend to be successful showing yours, get some practice in at home for pinning on all those rosettes you are going to win.) Now, Miraed has this reflex action whenever she spots a camera – ears back, swish tail, rest hind leg and adopt foul/bored-to-death expression. But not H. He posed like a star. Hence these nice photos I can post here.

I had no intentions of entering H in the ridden class this time. He’s just not quite ready for that yet, and I wanted this outing to be relaxed and stress-free for him. But, seeing as he was so very chilled out, I decided to saddle him up and potter round the showground a bit. He tensed as soon as the saddle went on, and jogged a bit at first. He quickly relaxed though, and we strolled around saying hello to the lunching judges, the secretary’s caravan, the litter bin, the practice jumps, the jumping blackboard and a tiny spotted pony the like of which he’d never seen before. He seemed to take an enjoyable interest in all of it and never spooked once.

Chuffed to bits, I ended on this good note and called it a day. Miraed can be a baggage to load; it can take several hours, sackfuls of feed, a natural horsemanship expert and a cast of thousands to help…..Big H just hopped in first time. And once again he travelled well. Despite a bit of noisy fuss when we stopped to refuel, he arrived home calm and cool.

So that’s my lovely Big H. What a star ! Despite his lack of experience at it, he gave me the easiest day’s showing I’ve had in a long while, and lots of fun – and rosettes as well. Who said ex-racehorses are difficult ? Ok, so it wasn’t Horse Of The Year Show – and never will be, with us. But whatever placings we do or don’t get in the future, Big H will always be Supreme Champion to me.

Big changes for Big H - b) R & R

Though Big H became a retired racehorse the day I bought him at Doncaster Bloodstock Sales, neither his mind nor his body realized it. Physically and mentally he was still very much a racehorse in training. And a tired one. He had raced over hurdles just three days before I brought him home. Since then he had travelled for hours in a horsebox to the sales, stood in a stable at the sales complex for 36 hours, ( no doubt feeling baffled and anxious), travelled again to my place, and been put into a strange loosebox in place he’d never seen before. He must have been stiff, aching, and mentally exhausted. He was probably expecting to go out racing any moment, and wondering with increasing apprehension when that might be, because this time all the routine was wrong. My first task, then, was to ease his mind and relax his body, as gently but swiftly as possible.

With ex-racehorses (as with men, I’ve found), food helps a lot. They may be unused to receiving affection and petting, and uncertain how they are supposed to respond, but food is a language they understand. So along with the racehorse mix and hay that he was used to, H was given a bucketful of sweet fresh-picked grass as a ‘welcome’ titbit. Then he was turned out into the sand school to stretch his legs and have a roll, and take a first look around his new home. If he wanted to go mad and have a buck-and-gallop-round session, this was his chance. Many horses in his situation would have taken it, sick of being cooped up, and would have enjoyed a proper giddy half-hour. But not H. We waited for the fireworks but nothing happened. Big H, it seemed, didn’t do giddy. Maybe he was simply too tired and disorientated. He just sauntered round, after rolling a couple of times, gazed about philosophically, and began nibbling bits of grass through the school fence. To catch him again, I only needed to tap a feedbucket, and H came straight over to me, quietly, slowly, head low, and with absolutely no aggression. And so I began my role as his Nice Feed Lady.

From an ease-of-handling point of view this was very promising. Of course, for all I knew, Big H could still have been under some sedation he’d received prior to the sale. It can happen. But not in this case. A couple of days showed H to be naturally docile and kind, truly one of life’s born ‘gentle giants’. It meant that, though H had to stay stabled for another 2 days for worming, I was able to lead him around the farm lanes quite safely, to give him some gentle exercise and in-hand grazing as we started to get to know each other.

I also gave him some simple massages and exercises the chiropractor had shown me, to help loosen up his muscles, legs and back. Physically as well as mentally, it was good ‘bonding time’ for us both and I kept it up even when H was able to go out grazing in the field with the other horses.

People working with retired racehorses have two ways of tackling this immediate, straight-out-of-training phase. Some say, keep the horse going in a full work routine, simply changing the type of work you ask him to do. Other say, turn the ex-racer out into a field and do nothing at all with him, letting him chill out for a few weeks ( or months) and ‘learn to be a horse again’. I say, it all depends on the individual horse. You need to take into account his personality, background, physical and mental fitness. You also need to consider your own time availability, your long-term aims – and even the weather. ( No point turning a newly-retired racehorse out into a cold rain-lashed field where he’ll shiver to death. That’s not the kind of ‘chilling out’ advocated.) It does seem to be generally the case, though, that at some stage in his re-training the ex-racehorse will benefit from – indeed need – a longish period resting and recharging his mental and physical batteries. And a couple of months lolling about in a pasture with a few horsey companions is a great way of achieving this.

Some people fear that, by having this rest phase immediately, the horse will loose its sense of discipline, respect and manners, and will then be more difficult to re-train. In my view, though, if this is going to happen, it will occur at some stage, no matter what you do, because it’s in that horse’s nature. I prefer to have the R & R period first, if at all possible. It can be used to relax and de-stress the horse, both physically and mentally, to get to know each other, and to establish bonding patterns between you. It can heal any slight injuries and can also help to reveal other unsuspected problem areas your new horse may have. By the time you are ready to bring your ex-racer back into work, you will know much more about each other ( for better or worse!) and have a good idea of what needs to be tackled .

( Please note – the list may be endless ! You won’t be spoiled for choice. Your main difficulty will be deciding where to start …. That’s ex-racehorses for you !)

Ex-racehorse Showing Tips

'HORSE' magazine ( published by IPC Media) is currently running a short series called 'A Racehorse Transformed'. It details how Fiona Reddick and her ex-racer Whatawizard ( known at home as 'Mick') are helped by show-ring experts to prepare for competing in a qualifier for the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Championship.

Last month's issue ( July 2008, 19th June-16th July) covered a flatwork session with top show producer Jayne Webber, to check out Mick's schooling and manners and work on perfecting techniques. ( There is no point attempting a ridden class if your ex-racehorse still doesn't understand about circles, standing still, or cantering round with other horses without going into training-gallop mode !)

This month (August 2008, 17th July-13th August) looks at turnout for horse and rider: correct and appropriate dress and tack, and some great tips-of-the-trade to get the best effect from trimming, plaiting, quarter marks etc.

It's an excellent article. The only thing I would add is - don't worry too much if you feel you and your ex-racer are not quite up to all this yet. The SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse championship is a national competition with high standards - and it's wonderful, even inspiring, to see retired racehorses competing and flourishing at that level. But even national champions have to start at the beginning. It may take a season - or several years ! - before your ex-racer can appear at even a small local horse show without blowing a fuse. ( And if this is you and yours - welcome to the club ! It's par for the course. It passes, in time.)

This does not mean that you should just stay skulking quietly at home till you think your horse is 'ready'. He won't ever get 'ready' without lots of practice. You need to get out there and give it a go ! But - gently and gradually. Depending on your horse, you might start off by simply leading him round at a small show and not entering any classes at all. Then, you could try something in-hand. There are quite a few Ex-racehorse In-Hand classes available in UK now, even at local level. They are usually small and friendly affairs, and if a novice horse plays up no-one minds because they've all already been there. If there is no specific class for your ex-racer, try him in 'Handsome Horse', or 'Longest Tail' or 'Prettiest Ears' - anything low-keyed and easy, to get him in the show-ring without pressure.

If all this goes well, next time take his tack with you, and, if he is settled, try riding him about the showground a bit. Only when he is quite happy doing that is he 'ready' to try a ridden class. Even then, he will get excited once in the show-ring - your own competitive adrenalin will inevitably rise, and he will sense it.

Whilst you are doing all this practicing, do not worry too much about having the correct riding boots or bridle. Of course you want to do your best, and be respectful of the judges, so you will not be turning up in your mucky old jeans. But don't let the lack of the correct jacket, browband, plaits or double bridle prevent you giving it a go at local level. In fact, most ex-racehorse classes - unlike traditional showing classes - allow any kind of tack and bit. This is in recognition of the fact that these horses have come from a previous, very different, career, and are more than likely in a transition phase of their retraining. Here, a running martingale may be essential for safety. And any ex-racehorse class judge with a grain of sense would much rather see a horse going forward quietly and happily in a snaffle than one anxious and uncomfortable in a double bridle or pelham. (If you're not sure if your horse is ready for double-rein bitting, try experimenting with a rubber pelham. It's softer than the real thing, though thicker. It might work for you.)

The important thing is for you and your ex-racehorse to ENJOY the occasion. ( What is the point otherwise ?) So try to relax and have fun. Remember that all Thoroughbreds are super-sensitive, and pretty good mind-readers. If you start getting competitive, nervous and hyped-up, so will your horse. And to him, 'competition' means just one thing - racing! He'll flip back mentally to his old life, and neither of you will enjoy it ! So, just relax, have a laugh at whatever comes, and enjoy some special time with your horse.

Miraed - Ex-racehorse to showjumper ?

I’m proud to report some real progress! It looks like moody Miraed has really turned the corner, and finally decided to stop being a racehorse, and a reluctant show horse, and to become an enthusiastic showjumper instead. Yesterday we took her to a small local show and entered her in the jumping classes for real beginners – which is what she is, in showjumping terms. All she has done before in this line is a few goes round the Clear Round course at shows ( where the fences are about 2 inches high, and you can have as many tries as you like till you get round. The first time, I led her round in-hand, because she’d never seen coloured obstacles before. It’s strictly for fun and practice – but for those not lucky enough to have a full set of show jumps at home to practice on, ie most people, it’s a great opportunity.) She really seemed to enjoy this, and is always much more enthusiastic in our schooling at home if our two sets of jumping poles are included somewhere. Clearly flatwork is just not exciting enough for her, and showing , whether in-hand or ridden, is in Miraed’s view totally dull and boring.

But this showjumping, now – that’s a bit more like it ! A proper job for a horse like me ! This seemed to be Miraed’s opinion of yesterday’s activities. In the Clear Round she had a refusal at one fence – a type she’d never seen before – but cleared it at the second attempt. Then Miraed’s motor started firing on all cylinders, and in the next Training Class she did a perfect clear round. Not only that, but she was obviously thinking about what she was doing, and enjoying it. My instructions to rider Becky were to not ‘interfere’, but let Miraed sort herself out as far as stride and take-off were concerned. It was wonderful to see Miraed doing this, adjusting her stride, putting some bounce into her canter, and starting to get a bit of rhythm going. And she can certainly jump !

Then came the jump-off, against the clock. I told Becky to forget the timing and just take it steady. (There is no point in pulling young horses off their feet and getting them flustered and confused. Far better to give them a quiet, confidence-boosting experience.) Even so, Miraed covered the ground well, and the time was not that slow. She was unlucky in clipping the top rail of the very last fence. (It fell for Miraed, but not for the next horse, a big cob who really booted it ! Ah well, that’s showjumping .) So Miraed ended with four faults in a respectable time. And came second ! Thus much rejoicing for me and many more polo mints and horse cubes for Miraed.

The day was already a great success for us. But, on a last-minute whim, we decided to enter Miraed in the late-running Ridden Ex-Racehorse showing class as well. After some hasty polishing, oiling and tail-plaiting ( no time to plait her mane), Miraed went back into the show ring. She must have still been in a happy and obliging mood; she went beautifully, and won !

Big Changes for Big H - a) diet

When Big H came to live with me he was very much a racehorse, and had run a 2-mile hurdle race at Towcester only 3 days before ( He came sixth; according to Racing Post, he was ‘prominent till weakened 2 out’.) He did not know he had retired. Neither did his body, or his digestive system. They all needed to be introduced to the new situation gradually. ( Is there any other way of doing anything successfully with horses ?)

Before I left Doncaster sales ground, I made sure I asked H’s trainer about his current feeding regime. As expected, he was on high-performance, high-energy rations – lots of racehorse mix, comparatively little hay, loads of protein, little bulk. My ultimate aim was to have things exactly the opposite way round – masses of bulky forage, and just a little supplementary nutrition. I wanted him to relax and gain weight – to become as fat and lazy as a thoroughbred can be - without upsetting his digestive system, getting colic, loosing vital vitamins and minerals, or becoming fizzy and giddy. Luckily it was early summer, and I had access to good grazing, which would help him both physically and mentally. But it all had to be tackled slowly, in easy stages.

For the first few days H was not allowed out in the fields with the other horses. He was wormed, and closely observed for signs of anything unwelcome, and fed on racehorse mix and a little hay exactly as he was used to. He was turned out in the school for short periods, to stretch his legs, roll and relax, and ease off any post-race, post transit stiffness he may have had. And he was led around the farm in-hand, getting his bearings and picking at bits of grass beside the lanes.

Then he was introduced to his three new field-mates, but from across the fence and still in-hand. There were the expected snorts and squeals, but nothing worrying. The day after – wearing a light turn-out rug because he was still used to being fully rugged-up – H was let loose in the field . It was a great moment. After the initial snorts, all four horses set off galloping, round and round the field, bucking and squealing as they went. There were two other ex-racers in with him, but H was definitely the fastest ! We watched for half an hour, but long before that they had all settled down to grazing. All was going to be well. Big H was, as the newcomer, bottom of the pecking order, but seemed content with that, and his new herd – and the grass! – for now.

He was only allowed to graze for a couple of hours the first day. Gradually that became half-days at a time, then whole days but stabled at night, and, after five weeks and with some good dry weather, out 24/7 without a rug.

Meanwhile his feed rations had been changing. I needed to wean him off the racehorse mix, via increasingly high fibre fodder, onto grass. I started by adding chopped un-molassed fibre mix, like Hi-Fi and Alpha-A Oil, to his food, a little at a time. Then I introduced soaked Alfa-beet. I was wanting to put flesh on him if I could, but without increasing the carbohydrate/sugar content that would make him fizzy. Alfa-beet and Speedybeet are both low in sugar (unlike ordinary sugar beet,) while Alfa-beet, as the name suggests, has added alfalfa. (This makes it look, and smell, like cow-slurry when soaked – but horses love it !)
As these ingredients increased, the amount of racehorse-mix in each feed decreased. After a week I started substituting a handful of the racehorse mix with a handful of cool mix. Over the next couple of weeks the proportions gradually reversed, until the racehorse mix was out altogether with the cool mix replacing it. The amounts of this hard feed element were also gradually reduced, whilst the number of bucket feeds per day were cut from four to three, and then two. Meanwhile, he was given increasingly large quantities of forage – hay, and haylage - to get him used to eating more bulk, for longer periods of his day. I also gave him weekly old-fashioned bran mashes, to help ‘clear out’ his system.

It was important, though, to ensure he didn’t loose out on any vitamins and minerals whilst this dietary change was taking place, so I gave him Red Cell as a feed supplement to add iron and vitamins. Pink Powder is also very good for this, and lot of people swear by it as a nutrition balancer. Milk pellets are also excellent, though not on a long-term basis (you can have too much of a good thing !)

By the end of the summer, H was out in the field full-time, and putting on weight from the constant supply of grass . He still had one bucket feed a day though, to maintain his supply of vitamins and minerals. Apart from anything else, this routine was good for ‘bonding’. I was the nice Food Lady who provided goodies each day in return for simply being polite when caught and handled; a good deal all round !

I am not, of course, saying that this is the only – or the ‘best’ – way of changing an ex-racehorse’s feeding regime. It’s what I did with Big H, and with other horses who have come to me straight from a high-performance life and diet, to start a much more relaxed lifestyle. It has always worked well for me. But every horse is different, and will need it’s own individually-designed programme, depending on the horse’s health and temperament, and your own plans for him; what do you aim to do together, and to what timescale ? I wanted to hack H quietly through the winter, and then do some showing the following summer. If, though, you intend to be hunting or show-jumping your ex-racehorse in six months time, you would devise a somewhat different feeding and exercise plan.

The important thing, it seems to me, is – whatever you do, make the changes gradual. And always bear in mind that your newly-retired racehorse is having to cope with all your changes both physically and mentally. Be patient, and understanding.

Heatherlea Squire - racehorse, ( retired)

There is nothing quite like the thrill of taking your new horse home from the sale. He’s wearing his new headcollar ( provided by the vendor, in theory), and possibly a new leadrope and stable rug. (Provided by you) You lead him out of the stable in the sales yard feeling proud as punch. If you’re a sentimentalist like me you pose for some photographs. You wonder, warily, if your new baby will load and travel well, and you glance round for likely helpers should there be any difficulties. If your horse loads easily, as Big H did, you are elated, and relieved. You know there should be no problems whilst actually on the road; travelling round the country for different race meetings is, after all, what your newly-retired racehorse used to do for a living. You can sit back and enjoy the journey home. Unless, that is, the friend who has volunteered to drive you in her horse transporter confesses, in passing, that this is the first time she has actually driven it…..

Despite this disturbing revelation, and the fact that we hit rush-hour traffic, and strong winds that buffeted us on the motorway, we eventually made it safely home to the stables. Big H unloaded easily enough, even though he had to exit backwards. ( He is so big – 17.2 hands – that normal procedures had to be re-jigged.) He looked around and sighed a little. He was understandably tired, and seemed to accept the fact that he was landing in yet another unfamiliar yard, instead of his own home stable, with a philosophical resignation. He was a racehorse; like a rock star, he understood all about life on the road, as well as cheering crowds in the audience.

I had made him up a deep, clean straw bed, and put ready a bucket of water and a pile of fresh sweet hay. He walked round the loosebox a couple of times, sniffing the straw. He grabbed a mouthful of the hay in passing, and paused to look out over the stable door. He called out (as best he could, being hobdayed; he can only actually manage a soft rasping noise) to attempt contact with other horses. One called back from the paddock, but it was distant: Big H was in quarantine isolation for a couple of days, for observation and worming. He sighed again, took another mouthful of hay, and then stretched his hind legs to stale. Then he felt better. The new quarters were adequate, the grub was satisfactory, the situation tolerable. He took a long dink of water, and then tucked in to the hay.

He did not object to the procession of visitors who came to ogle him. Indeed (perfect gentleman that he is) he would leave his hay to come up to the door to say hello; to check us out. But when I eventually brought him his bucket-feed (racehorse mix bought in specially for him) he did his rasping whinny as if to say, ‘Thank goodness for that ! I thought it was never coming!’ The excitements and upheavals of his past few days had not upset his appetite; I left him in peace to enjoy his supper.

For Heatherlea Squire – now my Big H – this was all just more of the same old same old. He’d been doing it most of his life. He was born in New Zealand in 1998. He raced there on the flat 24 times, winning twice and being placed 10 times. Then he was sold for a high-hatful of money and imported to Britain. Here he raced for two years over hurdles and, a couple of times, over steeplechase fences. But he never showed his earlier winning ways. And so, he was consigned to Doncaster Sales… and me. His racing days were over. Only he didn’t know it yet. In H’s mind, he was still very much a racehorse, merely resting in transit between races. As with most ex-racers, it took him a long time to realise he’d been retired from all that, and now a whole new – and often puzzling – life was about to begin.

Buyer Beware! - Gambler's Luck

Following on my last post, I feel I ought to add : Don't try this at home, folks ! This is not a sensible way to buy horses. Or anything, come to that.

It was a gamble. I was lucky; as it turned out, H quickly proved himself to be the kindest, gentlest, brightest horse imaginable, and though he has had some soundness problems, he is now fine and we are having lots of fun together. He is, as his old groom Katie said, 'a very special horse', and even if he wasn't sound I wouldn't part with him for the world.

But then, I'm at a stage of life where my horses are pets. They do not have to earn their keep. I simply enjoy their company. If we can go to a show, or a charity ride, or a hunter trial, and enjoy a good day out, I am more than happy, regardless of whether we come first or last. I am not trying to improve them to add value or sell on for profit. All the reschooling and retraining we do is so that the horse can have an interesting and healthy new life, which we can enjoy together. That's why a horse's temperament is so important to me. Obviously, though, different people want different things. Someone wanting an ex-racehorse to retrain as a show-jumper, or team-chaser, or hunter, would be much more concerned with issues of ability and soundness.

Getting Big H could have turned out badly. Critically, from my point of view, I could have misjudged his temperament ( or been fooled by a tired and disorientated horse into thinking he was quieter than he was.) True enough, I tried to cut the odds as much as possible. I handled the horse in his stable, felt him all over, picked up his feet, jumped up and down and clapped my hands.... I quizzed his connections when there was nothing for them to gain by hoodwinking me ( since they had already sold H to someone else.) Crucially, I paid very little for him, so I knew that, if the worst came to the worst and H proved totally wrong for me in some way, I could easily recoup my money by selling him on, even as he stood. But it was a gamble. And as with all gambles, you have to be prepared to loose.

There - my conscience feels clearer now, having fessed up about the risks I took. I would hate for someone to go along to a sale with my cavalier attitude and end up buying a heap of expensive disappointment and trouble! But, it's true to say that great finds can be made at sales, and lots of people are keen to give it a try. So, by popular demand ( er-hem - well, a couple of folks suggested it) I am going to set to and write up a 'Beginners' Guide to Bloodstock Sales'. Watch this space !

And then there were Three - Big H arrives

As with all my best moves, it was totally unplanned. I had no intention whatsoever of buying another horse. I simply agreed to go along with my friend Becky for a day out at Doncaster Bloodstock Sales, because she’d never been before and wondered what it was like.

( A day at the sales can be great fun without buying anything more expensive than a cup of coffee. There is no entry fee, and these days they even give the catalogues away free at DBS ! You can while away many happy hours watching hundreds of horses – good, bad, and plug-ugly – and trying to guess what they will fetch in the auction ring. You can people-watch too, spotting celebrity buyers, owners and trainers. And you can marvel at bidding duels, and the vast amounts of money some people are prepared to invest in a living creature. You can even, if you work at it, get yourself a date with one of the attendant stable staff – though I grew out of that aspect some time ago. And if you really cannot resist spending money, you can usually find some bargain headcollars and rugs in the tack shop.)

So, there was absolutely no need for me to buy a horse. As we arrived at the salesground, ( later than planned, as usual) we could hear the auctioneer over the microphone, struggling to get anyone to bid on the lot he was handling. Eventually, he managed the minimum bid of 500 guineas ( £525 – about $760), and there it stopped. As the hammer came down I said, ‘Let’s go see what a five-hundred-guinea horse looks like these days.’

A large bright bay walked out of the sales ring into the holding pen , led by his girl groom. He looked alert and interested, looking round him to see what was going on. He also looked very thin, even for a horse in training. Out of sheer idle curiosity, we followed him back to his stable and began chatting with the girl.

And so I met and fell in love with Big H – or, to give him his proper name, Heatherlea Squire. ( You can see why I soon shortened it ! I don’t believe in changing horses’ names – superstition , I know – but that really was too much of a mouthful !) It turned out he had raced over hurdles just 36 hours before, then travelled 150 miles from his training yard in Cheltenham to the sales in Doncaster. No wonder he had run up a bit light ! But what was clear from the start was how intelligent and very kind this horse was. ( Don’t ask me how, but you can tell.) His groom Katie told me he was ‘a very special horse’ – and how she had cried when told he was going to be sold. I sought out her boss, the trainer. He had only good to speak of the horse too.

There was no reason not to believe them, because the horse was already sold – to someone else. I wondered who the buyer was ? Certainly not one of the big-timers, who were already spending thousands in the ring. So, either a small trainer looking for a cheap runner, or a dealer, or a private individual like myself. I enquired at the sales office , and eventually discovered that Heatherlea Squire had been bought by a dealer, one of their regular customers.

I’ve nothing against genuine horsedealers – I just didn’t want this particular horse to go to one, especially so soon after racing. I feared he might be quickly sold on to someone who didn’t know his background, and would feed him wrongly and ride him wrongly and cause all sorts of problems. And besides – Big H was blowing soft warm breaths into my hair over the stable door. What else could I do…. ?

With the help of the senior auctioneer, I located the dealer and did a deal. I didn’t offer him much profit, but the horse had not as yet cost him a penny in expenses and – as he very wisely said – ‘’When you start turning away a small profit you end up loosing it all’
He was actually a very nice guy and , by pure coincidence, turned out to know an old friend of mine from Wales. Small world !. I’ve met him a few times since at the sales, and keep him updated on H’s progress.

Of course, I didn’t have any money on me. But, with the help of my new dealer-friend, my bank card, and a bemused but obliging cashier from the sales office, we managed to make the transaction. Big H was mine.

I asked Katie to bring a headcollar for him and I bought him a rug ( bargain basement, but serviceable.) I left her alone in the stable with him to say goodbye – I knew she was crying. ( Which, from my position, was a good sign . A much-loved horse is unlikely to be a rogue.) It must be very hard, working in a trainer’s yard where you often have to bid farewell to creatures you have come to know and love. I made sure I sent Katie updates and photos of H, which maybe helped a bit.

I had no transport to get Big H home. I asked around to seek a lift or part-load, but couldn’t find anything both practical and affordable. So, I left Big H in the stable overnight ( it was a 3-day sale), rustled him up some hay, and put the transport question off till tomorrow. Then I phoned the owner of my livery yard and asked – very sweetly- if there was any chance he could fit in another horse….? As I listened to the stunned silence at the other end of the phone and awaited his answer, I mulled over possible Plan B’s if he said ‘No’. Like I said, I hadn’t planned this….

Books on Ex-racehorse Retraining and Rehabilitation

Compared with other areas of horsemanship, there are surprisingly few reference books available on the retraining and rehabilitation of retire racehorses. ( Though I'm working on it !)

The two main ones are:

Buying and Reschooling Ex-racehorses by Christopher and Victoria Coldrey

The Coldreys are acknowledged experts on breaking and schooling horses, as well as running their own successful race training yard. In this book they pack their wealth of expertise into 112 pages, illustrated with both diagrams and photographs. They cover everything from 'Finding Your Horse' ( where to look, what to consider and discount), then the early stages of retraining, and through to pole-work and riding away. The Coldreys are strong advocates of loose schooling, and give a detailed account of how it works with ex-racers. The book is full of helpful detail and sound common sense, and is a source of encouragement when you and your ex-racer have just had another set-back. ( I know !)


Reschooling the Thoroughbred: How to Buy and Retrain a Racehorse by Peggy Jett Pittenger

I have to confess I haven't read this one myself - it's not in the bookshops, and with a pricetag of £88.25 ( around $120 ) my local library refused to buy it in ! Still, you can sometimes hit lucky and pick up a cheaper copy on Amazon. Reader reviews are mixed. Some say it's great, and packed full of helpful information. Others say it has little new to offer to those who already know thoroughbreds. But then, many people don't - but want to learn ! Next time I come across a bargain copy I shall buy it for myself, anyway - on the grounds that there's always more to be learnt and, with my memory, I need regular reminders in any case !

Why have an Ex-racehorse ?

There are several reasons why non-racing people have ex-racehorses, including:

They didn’t know it was an ex-racer when they bought it – it was described as a hunter/jumper/happy hacker etc.

They wanted a Thoroughbred mare to breed a foal from (only recommended for long-term investors with a deep gambler’s streak.)

They saw a thin, nervous horse at a sale and felt sorry for it. ( Later may feel sorry for themselves.)

They saw it as a way of getting a decent horse on the cheap .(Big mistake. Huge.)

They have a crush on the vet and want a good excuse for numerous visits

They enjoy challenges, falling off, and recounting hair-raising tales in the bar.

Not all horse-lovers are suited to ex-racehorses, and vice versa. Ex-racers have got themselves a reputation for being ‘difficult’ – and they very often are. But, in the right hands, they can become the most wonderful, responsive and rewarding horses. And ‘the right hands’ could very easily be yours, if you are prepared to be patient, to learn, and to give these amazing creatures a chance.

They do have a lot going for them, from the outset. They have speed, stamina, high intelligence and sensitivity, courage and willingness, versatility in both aptitude and performance, good, strong, dense bone, and elegant conformation – all desirable qualities in a riding horse. And, ex-racers come in a variety of types and sizes, from 15-hand ladies’ hacks to hulking 18-hand steeplechasers that could ‘jump a house and race a train’. So, if you are seeking a high-hearted, do-anything riding horse, you could easily find an ex-racer to suit you.

In addition, horses that have been in race-training yards usually have excellent stable-manners, - good to groom, lead, bath and plait etc. They tend to stand quietly for the farrier whilst being shod, load and unload easily from transport, and to be good in traffic ( at least when ridden out in company.) Any racehorses that do not fit these traits will have real issues to be dealt with ! (Professional trainers and stable staff do not have time, or inclination, to go pussyfooting around naughty horses. A racer has to be a real star to get away with misbehaviour. Generally, obedience is required.)

Of course they have weaknesses. Thoroughbreds - especially racehorses – can be highly-strung to the point of neurosis. They are notorious for having weak, crumbly feet. They are not hardy, being thin-skinned and fine-coated. They have small mouths and need careful bitting.

The racehorse – especially for flat-racing - will have been broken and worked at a far younger age ( 2 or 3 years) than most other horses. So, he may well have problems related to both physical and mental immaturity. Also, he is likely to have been trained in quite large, business-focused establishments – so he may be institutionalised, very reliant on routine, and not used to being petted.

He will have been broken in quickly, and given none of the patient flatwork schooling that a private pleasure or sport horse could expect. Consequently, he is likely to have an ‘un-made’, unresponsive mouth, and will interpret any pressure on the reins as a signal to go faster, not slow down. He may be unused to riding out alone, and become anxious if asked to do so. And he may never have met other horses coming towards him. Riding out with his companions, though, he will either want to lead or follow the string - whatever you yourself may have in mind. If he had any bad experiences racing, he may become a nervous wreck when anything reminds him of the racecourse. And if he enjoyed his racing ( which many do) , such reminders will urge him to give it another go - which may not be in your plan ! Then you may experience the infamous ex-racer repertoire of bucks, spins, bounces and rears.

A racehorse is not often left tied up - so do not try leaving your ex-racer tied to a ring or trailer until you've practiced this safely a lot ! And racehorses are not trained to stand still - even when being mounted ( jockeys are legged-up into the saddle). Your ex-racer is only used to going forward, and simply will not see the point of keeping still. The commands 'halt' and 'stand' are not in his vocabulary. Neither will he understand about going round in 20 metre circles - a ridiculous and frustrating notion, in his mind. On the other hand, he will be used to running round a large circular racetrack - usually left-handed - so he is likely to be one-sided in his mouth and body muscles, and these will need gradual remedial work. In addition, he will only have been ridden with stirrups at jockey-length ( even during training) so he may well feel uncertain and uncomfortable when he first feels a rider's legs stretching down his sides.

And yet …all of this negative stuff can be overcome with patience and careful management. A few weeks chilling out in a meadow, followed by sympathetic re-training, can work calming wonders. Poor feet can be strengthened by remedial diet, careful farriery and, if possible, a few months going barefoot. And even a delicate TB can, over a period of time for acclimatisation, become hardy – and hairy! – enough to winter out.

Once persuaded to stop being a racehorse ( though he will never entirely forget !) the ex-racer can shine in any discipline – showjumping, eventing, dressage, endurance riding, hunting, showing, even sidesaddle and western riding. Some ex-racehorses, due to their exceptional sensitivity and intelligence, can actually make wonderful therapy and assistance horses. They are increasingly being used in programmes of physical and mental therapy, training for confidence building and communication skills, and even in the rehabilitation of inmate offenders in prisons.

Many more, like mine, become pure pets, ‘happy hackers’ and occasional special-outing horses, loved and cherished by doting owners who recognise and value a very special, hard-won and mutually sustaining bond.

Why have an ex-racehorse ? Why on earth not ?!

For Queen and Country - Royal Ex-racer Recruited !

Yet another great career opportunity has opened up for ex-racehorses, encouraged by The Queen. First Love - once one of the late Queen Mother's favourite racehorses and now owned by Queen Elizabeth II - is joining the army.


Twelve-year-old First Love - a huge but surprisingly nimble brown gelding - enjoyed a sparkling racing career. He won nine races, over both hurdles and steeplechase fences, and in 2002 became The Queen's first winner over jumps in more than forty years. ( Some comfort there for less exalted owners !) First Love retired from training at Nicky Henderson's Lambourn yard in March this year, and is now moving to London to take up his new post with the Household Cavalry.



According to the Royal Stud at Sandringham, the plan is for First Love to take part in ceremonial occasions like Trooping the Colour once his retraining is completed. So much for all ex-racehorses being nutters ! ( Though I have to say, having watched the Queen's Birthday Parade on TV the other day, and seeing how beautifully behaved the cavalry horses were, I will be interested to see how an ex-racehorse copes with having to stand still for one-and-a-half hours ! The most mine can manage is fifteen minutes - on a good day.)

Miraed finally gets it right !

Just to prove even the most tricky of ex-racers do make progress - eventually !

Meet Miraed

Thought it was time for Miraed to be properly introduced to you. You may remember her from earlier posts ( May 23rd, March 31st ) - my 9-year old brown mare by Project Manager. Miraed has lots of funky moves ( half -rear, sideways leap, camel-race plunge, full spin ) but I'm afraid formal curtsey is not among them. You may, however, be lucky and catch her with her ears pricked ( when she looks really rather pretty.) Unless she spots you pointing a camera, in which case you will receive only her most disdainful scowl. All our best prizewinning moments are recorded in pictures of Miraed a-flutter with rosettes and looking murderously bored.

She is actually quite well bred, in racing terms. Through her dam, Cherry Country, her line goes back to the great Arkle. Like him she was bred in Ireland to race over fences. Sadly, though, Miraed did not quite have Arkle's talent for it, and as a five-year-old she was sold cheaply at Doncaster Bloodstock Sales. To me. I bought her as a schooling companion for Dara, with the intention of selling her on when she'd been re-trained as a pleasure horse. She's not very big - about 15.3hh - and I knew she would make an ideal Riding Club horse for someone. But, well .....

She's taken a very long time to re-school. She's ornery and stubborn and wilful, with a mind of her own and an eternal Why? in her head. As in - 'Why should I ?' The old saying, 'tell a gelding, ask a mare' should be re-worded for her to 'negotiate patiently with Miraed.' She's not stupid - she's too darn clever !

Our first attempts at in-hand showing were comedy-on-legs, with Miraed bouncing all over, jumping on the judge, and knocking me over and running loose more than once. Later on when we tried ridden classes, it was frankly hilarious. I got used to hearing ripples of laughter and cries of 'Well sat!' as we careered round the arena in our distinctive runaway-camel mode. As I've said, sense of humour is vital equipment for anyone involved with ex-racehorses, along with a well-stocked First Aid kit.

And yet ....last year Miraed won riding club championships for Ex-Racer In-hand, Ex-Racer Ridden, Working Ex-Racer , and Handsome Horse classes (despite the scowling. ) Ok, so we are talking local riding club stuff here, not County Show or anything. But, heck! - it's great progress to me ! (Even if it has taken four years.) We have a table full of trophies, a wall full of red and blue rosettes - and some lovely recollections of fun times together. We've done unaffiliated dressage ( and came first once !), charity fun rides, hunting, and ex-racehorse parades. Now we've started jumping, which Miraed loves. As a rider, my showjumping days are long-gone , so I've brought in my friend Becky to partner Miraed in what I hope will be a long and enjoyable career as a working hunter and showjumper.

Miraed is still ornery and wilful - but we've kind of got used to each other, and I love her dearly. So, it looks like she's staying. ( Oh well, I never was much good as a horse-dealer.)

Greatwood Lecture-Demonstration

If you're thinking about perhaps taking on an ex-racehorse - or have recently succumbed to this lunacy and already have one - and if you're within travelling distance of Marlborough, in Wiltshire, you'll be interested in the lecture-demo being held by Greatwood racehorse rehabilitation centre on Thursday 10th June at 6.30pm.

There will be a riding demonstration by Jamaican event rider Sam Albert ( who has already secured a place for the Hong Kong Olympics). Sam has had great success at bringing on former racehorses into eventing. He has a wealth of experience, advice and handy tips to help ex-racer owners get the best from their horses, whatever riding discipline they want to follow.

Also speaking will be Helen Yeadon, Greatwood's founder, and Dr Sven Kold, of the Willesley Equine Clinic, who is one of the UK's leading equine vets. A nutritionist from Dodson& Horrell will also be on hand to answer questions.

Tickets cost £5, plus 50pence for postage. Places are limited, so best to book beforehand by phoning Greatwood on 01672 514535.

I just wish I lived near enough to go ! Perhaps someone lucky enough to be there can send in a report on how it went ?

Racehorse Rehabilitation Centres

Sheikh Mohammed is not, of course, the only one involved in giving ex-racehorses a good life when they retire from the track. Caring owners and trainers have always done it, and many a retired racehorse has enjoyed a new lease of life in private hands in the hunting field or showring. Some went on to find new fame, even years ago - remember David Broom's great ex-racer-showjumper Philco, and Pat Smythe's Prince Hal even earlier on ?



Horsedealers - both high-class and , er, less-so - have always made a tidy profit buying racers out of training and quickly turning them round as hacks, hunters and jumpers, with variable success. ( It always depended on whether the buyer with the money also had the knowledge - some horses got lucky, some didn't.)



But over the past fifteen years or so, certainly here in the UK, there has been a growing public concern over the fate of racehorses, both on and off the track. Partly in response to this, the British Horseracing Board set up an official charity called Retraining of Racehorses - or ROR - to support and oversee welfare developments for former racehorses. ROR, based in London, acts as a contact and information centre, as well as making large contributions to the running of the four racehorse rehabilitation centres it officially supports.


Contact : http://www.ror.org.uk/ tel: 020 7152 0000



Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre (TRC)


This was the first of the four main centres, ( and the first in Europe), set up in 1991 by Carrie Humble, MBE ( awarded this honour by The Queen for her work with ex-racehorses.) TRC now has its own farm premises in Lancashire, where it can board 30 horses. There is always a waiting list ! It's founding philosophy is summed up in its brochure - " We breed them, we train them, we push them to their limits to provide us a sport - we owe them, either a decent life or a decent exit". And that's what TRC provides; as many horses as possible are rehomed, (always on loan, to approved homes, and remaining in TRC legal ownership.) Horses that cannot be rehomed, for physical or mental health reasons, are humanely euthanased.


Contact: http://www.thoroughbredrehabilitationcentre.co.uk/ tel: 01524 812649



Greatwood


The Greatwood centre was founded in Devon in 1992 by Michael and Helen Yeadon, and now operates from a farm in Marlborough, Wiltshire. It's motto is " The finishing line is only the beginning", and, like TRC, has a tremendous success record of rehabilitating and rehoming ( again, on loan) ex-racers.


Contact: http://www.racehorsesgreatwood.org/ tel: 01672 514535




Moorcroft


Based in Sussex and running on very similar lines to Greatwood and TRC, Moorcroft can cater for 28 horses at a time.


Contact: http://www.mrwc.org.uk/ tel: 01403 791916



Whilst not one of the original 'big three' ex-racer charities, Heros, based at Wantage in Oxfordshire, is also now recognised and supported by ROR. Begun by Grace Muir in the 1990's, the charity's name stands for Homing Ex-Racehorses Organisation Scheme. It's motto is " to pastures new", and it has successfully rehomed over 300 retired racehorses. Unlike TRC, Greatwood and Moorcroft, Heros does sell some of its horses, as well as placing others on loan, though of course the same careful matching process is required for horse and new homer.


Contact : http://www.heroscharity.org/ tel: 01488 638820



There are many more rehabilitation centres in the UK, of course, both privately run and charitable. ( Anyone know of any they can recommend ?)



Racehorse rehoming is now growing world-wide, too. I know of three organisations in USA:



CANTER (Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses)

This is a not-for-profit organisation, with affiliate branches throughout the US. It takes a special interest in rescuing ex-racers from slaughter, and has strong links with the on-line club, Ex Racers.com , with joint members working on shared rescue projects.



Contact : http://www.canterusa.org/



ReRun Inc

To help the adoption of retired thoroughbred racers.



Contact: http://www.rerun.org/



New Vocations

Racehorse adoption organisation.



Contact: http://www.horseadoption.com/



Anyone out there with any details of the work of these groups, or anything similar elsewhere in the world?