Ex-racehorse Showing Time is Here

It's Easter - here comes Spring, and with it, in the UK at least, the ex-racehorse showing season really gets going.

Now is the time to check show dates for amendments, and send for show schedules. The Retraining of Racehorses website ( www.ror.org.uk) is a good place to start, especially if you are taking it seriously this year and aiming at the big shows. Novices – horses and people – and just-for-fun competitors should keep an eye on local riding club publicity, as well as the usual social media advertisements.

Here are 10 things you should have been doing over the winter (and if you're like me, probably haven't!)

1 Planning your show campaign - show dates, venues, and likely classes.

2 Organizing transport – either checking and maintaining your own trailer or horsebox, arranging shared transport with friends, and/or booking dates with professional horse transporters. (Bad idea to leave it to the last minute.)

3 Adjusting your horse's diet to help produce show condition – 'topline' and a lovely glossy coat.

4 If necessary, gradually working on your horse's mane to get it the right length and thickness for neat plaiting.

5 Ex-racehorses often associate plaiting with going racing, so if yours is likely to do this, and so get stressed or over-excited on show-day, try plaiting up a few times and then simply doing some circles in the school, or going for a quiet bimble round on his favourite hacking route. You'll need to give him a new set of mental associations.

6 If you plan to use a different saddle in the showring, try it out a few times first, so both you and your horse get used to it. Remember you probably won't be using a lot of padding underneath ( if you're doing things correctly, anyway), so make sure the saddle fits well. Ex-racers may have residual back or shoulder issues, which could be aggravated by ill-fitting tack and spoil their performance.

7 And while you're at it, check out your own togs. Does your show jacket still fit? Does it need cleaning? (Or it it still covered in old slobber, with crumbled horse-treats in the pockets, from last year?) Same goes for your breeches, and any elegant trousers you plan to wear for in-hand showing. And, for in-hand classes, make sure you have some good ankle-boots, preferably waterproof, that you can run in without slipping or tripping . If the soles have gone worn and slippy, get them repaired or replaced.

8 Better check your own fitness too, especially if you'll be showing in-hand, which involves a lot of running! If you're a bit creaky and breathless, time to do some jogging or cycling

9 Introduce your ex-racehorse to small ponies. Although some ex-racers will have had a pony – or even a goat - as a companion during their racing days, most won't have. Many ex-racers are totally taken aback at the sudden sight of very small equines – especially Shetland ponies, which TB's seem to regard as some weird alien species. And as for donkeys... ! And ex-racehorses will certainly not be used to small ponies ridden by giddy children careering madly about in all directions – which tends to happen a lot at 'quiet' local shows. Be prepared!

10 Some things to practice with your ex-racehorse: ( and if you haven't already started, best get cracking!)

• Standing still, both in-hand and under saddle. (Not as simple as it sounds, for ex-racers!
• Walking and trotting in-hand, in straight lines. ( Ex-racehorses should have done this before, if only for vetting, but they may not have done it going away from other horses in the arena.
• Standing still to be mounted, and using the stirrup to get on board. ( Judges may want to do this in the ring – not good if your horse walks all over them.)
• Riding in circles, at walk, trot and canter, or both reins. Remember that being on the right leg at canter is vital in the showring, but your ex-racehorse may find this hard.
• Riding in circles with other horses in front and behind you.
• Transitions up and down the paces – aim for smoothness with no head-tossing!
• Working 'in an outline', with your horse going forward with nice self-carriage.
• Using the bit and bridle you intend to show in, both in-hand and ridden. You'll need to check the rules of each class first, as they can vary a lot. Then, if you're wanting to use something different to everyday, give you horse plenty of practice with the new kit before you get to the show. (Remember that most ex-racehorses will never have encountered a double bridle, and won't automatically know how to deal with it.)
• Your individual show display. Best to keep it simple – walk away, trot back, trot a circle on each rein, canter a circle or each rein ( or at least part of a circle, enough to show your horse can do it!), only gallop if you have to, walk back to the judge, halt ( preferably before mowing the judge down), and a nice smart salute.
• Different styles of show turnout – sown-in plaits, or plaiting with rubber bands? If so, what colour? Tail pulled, or plaited? What pattern of quarter marks? With a brush,, or a fancy stencil? Experiment beforehand, and see which best suits your horse (and your dexterity!) And if you fancy a glitzy coloured browband,( very fashionable for showing ex-racehorses at the moment) try a few returnable ones beforehand to see what matches his eyes!

So, if you haven't been hard at work with all this stuff all winter ( yes, of course you have!), there's plenty to catch up with and now's the time to start.