Karen Dixon's ex-racer training tips

[@Angelica20111]

I have an ex racer. I worked him for a year now, and will only start competing with him next year. He is still a bit jittery at something new. He now jumps 60 to 70cm. He loves to please me though and they are awesome horses and many times simply not understood. I will also probably only go out on a hack in about a year from now as there is still some trust to be built.

[@justinneill5003]

Very interesting. My TBX was an ex hunter who was rather skinny and neglected when I got him. I fattened him up on good grazing, sorted out his feet, etc, and he was unrecognisable after a year. He never really took to flatwork but we still persisted with the basics, and he had a whopping jump. Great fun horse, used to enjoy doing working hunter classes at local shows but other than that I kept him purely for pleasure, that’s what it’s about for me. He was going strong right up to the age of 28. So now a few years later I’m in a position to have horses again and thinking of doing something similar with an ex racehorse. I learned something new here, regarding the thin soles and back issues, will keep that in mind. I think one of the challenges may be the horse’s reaction to traffic, as I’ll be hacking out on public roads; my ex hunter was well used to it but I suppose racehorses don’t see so much of it!

[@equineperceptions]

Great video, well said 👌 I ride/train/ retrain "past and present" racers... Great advice for anyone thinking of getting an ott 👌

[@miabarriskill5285]

I have a horse who will canter if he sees other horsed cantering ( more specifically cantering past him) he is an ex endurance horse. Is there anyway to stop this so that he won't feel the need to canter when he sees other horses doing so?

[@kirstinetermansen2213]

And don't forget, they like to galop slow, and fast

[@zosiao.4626]

Guess what? I don't wonder