Famous Ex-racehorses winning the Retirement Stakes!

It seems a good way to end the year by applauding some famous ex-racehorses who have done well in their retraining. As we know, racehorses that are good enough at racing to become famous 'household names' sometimes find the transition to another job more difficult than racing no-hopers do. A horse that raced a few times unsuccessfully and then left training will not have the mental attitude or physical characteristics (including injuries) that a long-serving campaigner will. The less racing a horse has done, the easier he usually finds it to adapt to a new life. So, it's especially pleasing when some of the famous, battle-hardened ex-racers we've all seen on TV in top-class races learn to adapt and mellow into 'pleasure horses' with comparative ease.

Channel Four's The Morning Line programme, much to its credit, has been running a series of picture reports on ex-racehorses, which so far has included lovely shots of both Denman and Big Buck's out hunting recently, as well as Washed Out eventing, Media Stars showing, and My Way de Solzen carrying his doting new 'mum'.

Horse and Hound magazine – always a staunch champion of retrained racehorses – published a 'Life after Racing' feature on 6^th November, showing some grand old favourites in their new roles.

Blazing Bailey, who won 12 races and £380,968, is now owned by Sarah Welford , who looked after him at Alan Kings training yard from the day he arrived there. He is now enjoying doing hunting, hunter trials and team chasing.

Barber's Shop – owned by The Queen - won 8 National Hunt races and had second at the Cheltenham Festival. He is now a successful show-horse, winning ROR classes at Royal Windsor, Hickstead, and the Royal Welsh Show. Next year, having proved he can do it at home, he'll be showing under side-saddle!

Forpadydeplasterer – a Cheltenham Festival winner who amassed total prizemoney of £471,862 - is now an unbeaten show-horse in ROR classes in Ireland. He paraded side-saddle at the Punchestown Festival this year – and that only a few months after he left training.

Monkerhostin – called 'Monkey' at home – ran 61 times and won 12 races, including the Coral Cup at Cheltenham and the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, earning £602,030. Now 17 years old, (18 on January 1^st!) he enjoyed several seasons hunting before winding down further and now acting as a lead horse for youngsters and children's ponies.

Jack The Giant won nearly a quarter of a million pounds in National Hunt racing. He is now a successful show horse in ROR classes, and aims to do working hunter classes in the future.

Comply Or Die won the Grand National, as well as seven other NH races, to gain £798,809 in prizemoney. Now 15 years old, and still owned by the Johnson family, he is enjoying life as a dressage horse and recently qualified for the ROR championships.

Binocular won £797,648 in 13 races – mainly partnered by Champion Jockey A.P. McCoy. Retired in the spring of 2013, Binocular has been showing this summer in ROR classes, and competed at the Dublin Horse Show. (Though apparently, in true ex-racer fashion, Binocular got a bit over- excited at Dublin after the first gallop!)

Big Buck's had a phenomenal career as a hurdler – he was 'simply the best' and won - well, everything, really, until his last race in March 2014, when it was clear that age and effort had caught up with him. Having won £1,309,055, he had certainly earned a quieter life, and his doting owner and trainer retired him immediately. He is now enjoying life hunting in Dorset with Lucy Tucker. It's amazing, and a testament to the horse's ex-trainer and handlers, and his present 'new mum', that this renowned stress-head of a horse, who used to box-walk for Britain and only retired in the spring, has so quickly adapted to 'civilian life' and is now described by Lucy as 'very easy and straightforward.' Horse and Hound did a wonderful piece on Big Buck's and his retraining on 2^nd November. It's heartwarming, and inspiring, to read.

Big Buck's takes to the hunting field - Horse & Hound

Best wishes to all ex-racehorse, and their humans – here's to a happy and successful 2015!

Kauto Star's Christmas Party Piece - Oops!

When I heard Kauto Star was to give a dressage display at the International Horse Show at Olympia, I was preparing to do a cosy-Christmas post along the lines of “How lovely to see Kauto enjoying his new life as a retrained racehorse” - etc. But, oh deary-dear, it all went spoggly, didn't it?

Kauto gave a grizzly-grumpy, reluctant display, and then his embarrassed pilot, Laura Collet – apparently unsure how to deal with the situation both during and after – compounded the mess-up by giving some very ill-judged comments to the media.

“Ex-racehorse fluffs big outing” is not exactly headline news. As all ex-racer people know, it happens all the time, almost routinely. But this was the legendary Kauto Star, over whom half the horsey world has protective owner-like instincts. And so, a real brew-ha-has erupted on the social media. Was Kauto Star suffering 'stage fright' – or had he been sedated for the occasion? Was he nervous, or physically uncomfortable? Is he making a slow but steady transformation from racehorse to riding horse, or is he being asked to do something he can't, or shouldn't? Is he being treated with his due respect? Or is he being used 'for publicity purposes? ( And if so – what's wrong with that?) Is he loved and cherished enough? Should he have been placed with Laura Collett at all, or with someone else, doing something entirely different?

By the following evening, Retraining of Racehorses had felt it necessary to issue a statement trying to explain and calm the situation, and national newspapers and TV had run with the story. Poor Laura Collet probably wishes heartily she had not agreed to go to this particular Christmas Party. ( Well, we've all had moments like that!)

But, oh, come on! Kauto Star is fine. Hundreds of ex-racehorses are neglected, abused, put down or turned into dog-meat every year, through lack of knowledgeable people willing to take them on and give them a chance. So, please, don't feel sorry for Kauto Star. He has the best of care, with money-no-object, a caring and responsible owner, a sensitive and talented rider, and a legion of devoted fans to watch over his welfare and progress. His lifestyle will evolve, as it does for any horse, but he'll be ok, whatever he does.

Embarrassing as the episode was – and probably remains – for Kauto's connections (and most ex-racehorse owners know the feeling oh-so-well! ) it has some good lessons to offer.

• Taking your ex-racehorse to an outing, big or small, ( even long after they've left racing) is like watching your child in the school Nativity Play; he could be adorable, and make you flush with pride – or he could do something totally inappropriate ( if hilarious to everyone else) that makes you curl up and cringe. That's the way it is, folks. Get over it.

• Ex-racehorses are like intelligent 5-year-old children ( with whom they have a lot in common!) They are irrationally sensitive, easily get bored, are frightened by silly little things, and can become unco-operative for no discernible reason. Thinking ahead can avoid some of this. Being ready to adapt quickly also helps. Worrying about it rarely does.

• Retraining a racehorse is a bit like getting married – it's a life-long work-in-progress, trying to 'change' your spouse and get rid of all their now-unacceptable habits. But of course, it only ever works up to a point. Habits can be changed, to some extent, with time and (long-suffering) patience. But basic character will always stay the same. You can't expect miracles! (And if you got one, you wouldn't be left with the horse/man/woman you first fell in love with!)

• These days many people have successful serial careers, and so do horses. But expecting serial stellar careers might be asking a bit much. Few people, or horses, can be world-beaters at more than one thing. The characteristics and skills that made Kauto Star such a brilliant racehorse may not be easily transferable to another discipline, so no-one should be expecting him to get an Olympic Gold in dressage. Conversely, a 'failed' racehorse – perhaps too slow, too laid-back – may be just the right type to excel at dressage, or long-distance rides, or whatever. Retraining a racehorse is a journey of discovery, to find what he enjoys and can become good at. Keeping expectations modest, at least to begin with, avoids disappointment and may lead to very pleasing surprises.

• Learn to laugh at yourself, and your horse. It helps – and looks a lot better in public than getting cross. After all, everyone else will be laughing – you might as well join in and enjoy it.

(Count once decked me in the middle of the show-ring, snorting and bucking after a mare. It was at a Riding for the Disabled show – and none of those riders fell off. I felt a total idiot. The name of the class? - “Ideal Partners” Ha-Ha! Funnily enough, we didn't win...)

ROR and World Horse Welfare team up - and a great Job Opportunity!

There's news that Retraining of Racehorses (ROR) and World Horse Welfare are launching a joint pilot scheme to help vulnerable former racehorses. WHW will soon be offering assessment, re-training and home-finding, specifically for ex-racers, from its Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Norfolk.

WHW helps all kinds of horses, but it is no stranger to the world of racing, being an independent adviser to the British Horseracing Authority ( as well as to the International Equestrian Federation.) The aim of the new project – which will be fully funded by ROR – is to utilize the long-established rehoming expertise of WHW, and it's national networks, to help retrain ex-racehorses and then find them suitable new homes.

WHW Chief Executive, Roly Ower, says:

“ Racehorses are generally extremely well cared-for, but after they leave racing they can be as susceptible as any other horse to the vagaries of the market or uncertain futures if they cannot find good homes. World Horse Welfare is adept at helping vulnerable horses make the transition to new environments, so it was natural to want to apply this expertise to help former racehorses. We can provide them with the retraining they need , and find them new homes – but as World Horse Welfare will retain ownership of the horses (as we do with all our horses) they will have a safe and secure future with us. We see this as an excellent way to expand the offering of our rehoming scheme - rehome a Thoroughbred to ride and some companion Shetlands at the same time. It is also a demonstration of our support for the responsible use of horses in sport – and we really hope it is a success.”

So, this new project will operate much the same as those offered by the existing main Thoroughbred rehoming centres (apart from the offer of Shetlands as part of the package!) But with over 3000 racehorses leaving training every year in the UK alone, every bit of ethical and well-organised rehoming help must be welcome.

If this pilot project is successful ( which it will be!) it is to be extended across the UK through WHW's other four Rescue and Rehoming Centres, so as to harness all their locally-based rehoming expertise.

ROR's Chief Executive, Di Arbuthnot, explains:

“ What ROR was lacking was an even geographical spread of locations equipped and resourced to deal with former racehorses, and we hope this pilot scheme will in time open the door for ROR to work with all of World Horse Welfare's Rescue and Rehoming Centres.

We are delighted to be working with World Horse Welfare and to be able to use their extensive experience and expertise. The goals of both charities are the same in terms of wanting to ensure that those animals which provide so much pleasure on the racecourse are suitably catered for when their racing career is over.”

It all sounds good to me.

And for anyone who loves ex-racehorses and is looking for a dream job with them – this could be it!

WHW is advertising for a 'Specialst Riding Groom' to join the new project. It's a full-time post, based at the Norfolk Centre, and initially for 12 months ( though is likely to become permanent if all goes well.) Obviously, WHW is looking for someone who has extensive experience of working with TB's, and a real understanding of ex-racers and their 'issues'. The ideal applicant will also be a good and confident rider, and skilled at schooling both on the ground and under saddle.

More details can be found on the WHW website : www.worldhorsewelfare.org

Applicants need to send a CV and covering letter to:

Gillian Larter, Human Resources Officer, Anne Colvin House, Snetterton. Norfolk, NR16 2LR

or email: info@worldhorsewelfare.org ( Must be Word, PDF or RTF format)

Closing date for applications : 7^th December 2014