Training a OTTB Part 1

Follow Dug on his journey to finding his second career!
In this first episode you will see how Scott works through Dug's anxiety from the time he stepped off the trailer through his first few sessions. You will be able to follow along with his progress and see how quickly Scott was able to put him in a better frame of mind to make each session successful.
Products used: Scott Purdum Bitless Halter Bridle (www.advantagehorsemanship.com)
Strip Hair (www.striphair.com)
For more information on how to restart your horse or get more information on Scott's training program, visit www.advantagehorsemanship.com/mentorship

[@kidstuff44555]

This will be great, I'm sure many people have OTTBs and when they watch videos with a calmer tempered QH or similar, a horse that needs to be pushed more and is less likely to want to run, people maybe can't get the same results with their OTTBs. These guys have a lot of issues from racing that are unique

[@jessjones8592]

This is great. You're a very smart guy. Kind and calm and gentle. That's what everyone needs...

[@ponchantos]

Thanks a lot for this. I'm getting an ex race horse thoroughbred as my second horse. Thank you are again for the tips

[@Bianka_Taylor]

I am excited to watch this series. I remember watching your first OTTB training with the bay mare years ago.

[@Brd100000]

Just caught your video! Super glad to see this as I have an OTTB with the exact same scenario. My horse looks identical to this one too 😄You mentioned things not going perfectly, and I love that because this video really shows the reality of the way horses can act. That’s what I wanna see because things don’t always go the way I want them to either lol. Thanks for being so real and I’m looking forward to the rest of your videos. 🤗

[@cherylalbright2086]

I can't wait to watch this series! Your video OTTB Part 3 showed up on my page, so I found your channel and I'm starting at the beginning. My OTTB mare I got straight off the track January 2020. She had 32 starts, 5 years old, and she had typical ulcers, wired up on grain, and needed to just be a horse. She'd been at the track since she was 2 1/2 no time off, turnout, etc. I have given her mini retirement break, about 1 1/2 years off, going to restart her next May. Though I have done tons of groundwork training and getting her used to life... Such a shame so many OTTB'S never get a second chance, wonderful horses, just need time and knowledgeable horse owner.

[@peggyireland788]

Just a note: it’s been my experience that many thoroughbreds have been groomed quite ‘strongly’ (i don’t want to say roughly) while at the track. As a result I’ve had a few that hated being brushed, and often would only let me use a very soft body brush on them, one stallion I was only ever able to groom with a towel mitt. YMMV

[@leearellano5303]

Omg that's our Sofie she hates grooming and hands on her! I've only got her to accept grooming by tying our other horse up to the hitching post while Sofie watches her get groomed. Then we do her. Now I can tie them both up, with good space between them, and groom them both. Dang what a lot of things I'm learning with this rescued mare. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@leearellano5303]

We adopted an ottb ( unsanctioned racing) who is really trying but is explosive when reacting. She raced 13 years, spent a few years with an owner who starved her so law enforcement took her to rescue now she's ours. She hates hands on her. I can rest my head against her but as soon as she feels a hand on her back or neck she backs away, and vigorously nods her head. I'm thinking of using treats to get her to accept hands on her, I like how your horse responded to treats. I needed to see this Thank you.

[@alexislynn557]

these are SO helpful

[@elsplace896]

He's definitely connecting with you. Very informative

[@ScottPurdum]

Thank you

[@juliepointer6775]

I just came to rewatch the original OTTB series and found this, yea!! You probably have detailed it before, but I would LOVE advice on how to retrain my OTTB to listen to rein cue/stop bracing/freight training at the canter. He is incredibly smart and has a heart of gold!! He listens well at the walk and trot, accepts the contact and frames up well, trots over poles and small X’s. Sometimes if he departs a pole or X at the canter, it can be lovely, usually it’s not. For the most part, when we get to the canter it ALL falls apart:( Rushing, bracing, head way up in the air, not alot of steering, doesn’t respond to seat or reins, etc and half halts at canter, forget it, it doesn’t seem to register in his brain. After a few laps, the canter gets slightly more coordinated and he eventually kind of listens to over exaggerated seat cues or I have to aim him at a wall/my friend and he comes to a screeching halt or breaks into a fast jolty trot that is hideous and not fun to ride. I’m at a shared space barn with lesson kids about that I have to either steer around or disrupt their lesson by asking them to get out of the way, so I’d love some advice from any OTTB people out there, who have had similar issues. Thank you:)

[@graceramey2691]

Love this! "Less is more!!!"

[@kelleydean8745]

Wow, what a difference in the opening compared to your first series. I’m so glad this came up as a suggestion on the side-I had stopped the original video at the point of keeping the mare between the three panels with your energy and whip because that approach is not where I’m at for working with my horses. I clicked on this one out of curiosity to compare and was just blown away by this approach!! Kudos to you for keeping an open mind and evolving in your training methods, this series is proving to be quite helpful-thank you.

[@ScottPurdum]

Hey Kelley, I want to personally say thank you for this comment, it really means a lot. Yes, evolving is what it's all about, and whole many might say they do, rarely do they. Anyway this comment made my day so thank you.

[@hiattriver]

We brought a OTTB home from the trainer. Let her adjust to our place and herd, but she was thin and not gaining weight. Because the moving and stress, I just went ahead and treated her for ulcers. We saw an almost immediate weight gain and she calmed down as well.

[@ScottPurdum]

Awesome! Yea we did the same thing but unfortunately didn't make Dug want to eat anymore🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@maryannbrown7121]

What finally worked for weight gain?

[@ezellesardinha1160]

He's such a cute boy!

[@ScottPurdum]

Yes he is!

[@jatonyvertigo189]

Thank you! Improve this video and your channel. I have a very hard time getting my OTTB to stand still.

[@ScottPurdum]

What do you mean improve this video and the channel?

[@jatonyvertigo189]

@@ScottPurdum omg that was a total typo. I meant "I love this video and channel" sorry! But now that I have your attention, maybe you could put out some tips for OTTB standing still. Thank you and sorry about original comment. I can delete it if you want

[@ScottPurdum]

😂 no worries! No need to delete! We do have a video about standing at the mounting block and we have another OTTB horse that just came in today with that exact problem, so maybe I'll put a video together as I'm working her.

[@jatonyvertigo189]

@@ScottPurdum TYSM 😊🙏🏼

[@silky2204]

Shoot. I will scratch him. Feed Platinum Performance. I put decent weight on my OTTB.

[@trickpony111]

He doesn't want to eat because his gut isn't right.

[@Timberns]

No food… That’s not a dog. If you become the leader… he will hook on and stay hooked. After a single treat, he came back mouthy and pushy because you reduced yourself to a snack dispenser

[@ScottPurdum]

Being closed minded only gets you so far in life 😉. That said, being able to get his attention, gain leadership and calm him down without making him work to get there…. I would call that the ability to work smarter, not harder. I am sorry that you only watched one aspect of the process instead of watching how he progressed through any of those issues.

[@Timberns]

@@ScottPurdum I appreciate your response and I’d love to have a chat with you because my thing is helping people help horses and I’ve made every conceivable mistake there is to make with horses at some point in my life. I specialize in retraining “problem horses” and one of the biggest problems I run into is ladies who love their horses dangerous with treats. Ladies like to believe that their horses love them so they allow a certain amount of disrespectful behavior that can turn dangerous in a hurry so it’s important to me to help them understand that the closest a horse can get to loving them is trusting them enough to accept them as a leader and feeling safe and relaxed while in their presence while still always yielding space when asked. It’s important that they don’t reduce themselves to the snack lady because that’s not love or respect. Send that horse away a few times and don’t allow to come in a time or two then when he’s accepted that he can’t come in… Invite him in and he’ll choose to join. Now you have leadership status so you build on that and maintain it. Now he’s making the right choice for the right reason. That’s what the lead horse does… Thats what they understand I enjoy watching you work… That’s my other thing… Watching trainers train… The treat thing is just a pet peeve because so many people get themselves in trouble with them and I spend my life trying to keep people and horses safe while they enjoy each other’s company

[@clarkosteo]

@@Timbernstreat training can work if applied correctly. It’s all in knowing how and when. I agree with what you’re saying about join up, but many methods work!

[@Timberns]

@@clarkosteoHorses are simple minded… Conceivably one of the most simple minded animals in existence… What makes them the most brilliant animals in existence is their instinct and adaptability… They can not think about two things at one time. If you’re giving them treats… Their mind is focused on one thing… The treat. As soon as the treat is gone, they look for another one and if another treat doesn’t appear… It’s as though it never happened and it can actually build frustration in a horse, and in particularly disrespectful horses, resentment. They can be conditioned that certain behaviors cause treats to appear and through instinct, they’ll repeat the behavior… That’s why treats work well for trick training. The bulk of their training isn’t a trick… It’s conditioning to respond in a desired fashion to, in effect, instinctively follow the path of least resistance and when done properly, follow without thought or fear…. As trainers and horsemen, our job is basically to reprogram their instincts to do exactly the opposite of what their natural instincts would have them do and if the horse is working motivated by treats instead of instinct, You’re gonna find that you don’t have much of a partner. If you’re depending on their intellect to find the right answer instead of reprogramming their instincts… You’re on the wrong path. The original poster said something about calming them down by giving them treats… Nothing builds excitement in a horse quicker than the thought of food… They’ll run, jump, kick, fight, snort and bite when otherwise they’d be calm and relaxed… We see it every day at feeding time…. We don’t ever need an excited horse Horses only think about four things… Eating, drinking, staying safe and procreating … Everything they do is to that end and yet they are the most amazing animal God ever created

[@kimfroman2023]

Human Pez dispenser helped my unhandled stallion be interested in checking me out. Took a month before I could touch him. We are developing a great relationship and I am really cutting back on treats from my hand.