Re-Training an ex-Race Horse to Win: How to enjoy a long happy, healthy life with your Sport Horse

As an animal communicator I am often asked the question about whether a recently purchased race horse can be retrained to become the next big winner in another horse racing sport. Of course there is no simple answer to that. There are multiple things to consider. Below is an example of a rider who purchased a promising gelding off the track and wanted to know what course of action to take in his retraining.

Susie had recently purchased a wonderful seven year old Arabian gelding called Star (names have been changed to protect privacy) who was very fit, talented, bred for horse racing and endurance. She considered herself a relatively good rider but she was also new to endurance riding, and was having a lot of trouble with Star.

How could she re-train her ex race horse for the best possible long term results in endurance riding? She’d tried a number of different approached but wasn’t seeing a lot of success so far. Susie was committed to working with and competing with her new horse partner. She also wanted to do whatever it takes to create a life partner with her equine friend. She simply wasn’t sure how to proceed.

When they started riding, Star would quickly work himself up into a race horse mindset, wanting to barrel on at top speed. She wasn’t comfortable with him and had discovered that he didn’t seem to relax until they’d ridden at least 11 miles together. When I asked why, she said it was because of his continual crow hoping and skittishness.

My answer to Susie was one that I feel many horseback riding enthusiasts will appreciate. This is a common issue with ex-race horses and is an indication of several things that are not working for Susie or her gelding.

Crow hopping for 11 miles is not normal behavior! When I asked Star what was going on, he told me he had pain in his back, withers, left front foot, right hock, and suffered from a very tight poll area. He also said his mouth/jaw was hurting.

Susie needed a properly fitting saddle that was comfortable and balanced for both her and her gelding. Until that critical issue was resolved, she should not be riding endurance yet, or riding for any distance at all! That’s like asking someone to run a marathon in shoes that don’t fit and panties that are too tight! Over time, he simply numbed down to the pain and lost the energy to put up a fuss. That’s not what any caring horse owner ever wants.

I recommended that she start by doing simple foundational exercises and lunging. They should also focus on better groundwork, starting at the beginning and working into more advanced leading games.

Her gelding needed to learn how to listen to her better, and she needed to learn to listen to him as well. She needed to be careful to recognize and reward calmness and take the time to visualize what she wanted from him. If he got excited (go go mode), that meant he was stressed, nervous and unstable.

Also, Susie needed to be in better shape. My sense was that her balance was off, and there was tension in her body when she rode. She also tended to hold her breath which contributed to his nervousness, over-stimulated ‘hot’ state of mind, making him unable to relax, focus, conserve his energy and enjoy the ride.

This gelding had a willing, big heart, and a wonderful personality as did Susie. Now was the time to create a solid foundation of respect, trust and open communication, then they would both enjoy a willing and happy partnership for life.

"My treasure does not glitter in a jeweled box, she gleams in the sun and neighs in the night." - Arab Proverb