Beyond the Track. Anna Morgan Ford
foal properly, thus limiting the chances of stress-related mental trauma and physical injury. (Granted, this is a generalization, but it often holds true.)
▶ Purchased at Sales
A horse that was prepped for the weanling or yearling sales tends to have better ground manners, since this ensures he was handled thoroughly at a young age. While he could certainly have acquired bad habits living at the racetrack, at least you know he had an early education.
The other thing to note is the horse’s sale price. As is the case with stud fees (see p. 24), when a horse was purchased for a significant amount of money—$20,000 and up—at the sales, it is usually a sign that the new owner had the means necessary to ensure quality care and training as the horse was prepared for his racing career.
▶ Race Record
In my experience, a horse that has won a stakes race or earned over $100,000 at the track is often very intelligent. It takes a good mind and that little something special to successfully compete at this level, as well as the ability to understand when the stakes are high and the race is important. If a horse could handle the high stress of racing and come out a winner, this often means he is likely to catch on to new training quickly. While of course this is not always the case, at New Vocations we have seen time and again that stakes winners or big-money earners are easier to transition to riding horses.
Another component is that successful racehorses have often enjoyed the very best in care and handling. Trainers and owners will often go out of their way to keep a horse of such value happy and healthy.
▶ Frequency of Races
Find out how often and how many times the horse raced. This information alone can tell you a lot about your OTTB.
If a horse never raced, he is less likely to have soundness issues down the road—his joints, ligaments, and tendons haven’t suffered the pounding a seasoned competitor’s have (though keep in mind he may never have raced because of soundness issues). The flip side is these horses haven’t been exposed to life on the track to the same degree as those with racing experience. They may not be as accustomed to day-to-day handling, and they may have a more difficult time adjusting to a new environment.
Horses that have started 15 or fewer times (generally the equivalent of two years of racing, or less) are accustomed to being groomed, bathed, wrapped, and ridden daily. They have been tested and proven they have the fortitude to survive the racetrack—which may translate well to a new career. Of course, these horses have imposed more stress on their bodies and so are more likely to have sustained injury. They also may have developed bad habits on the ground or under saddle.
Horses that have raced for 3 to 10 years have been shipped to countless racetracks, handled by many different grooms, and ridden by several jockeys. They have seen and experienced far more in that period of time than most horses do in their entire lives. If they leave the track without major injury or chronic unsoundness, I have found that chances are they will remain sound for most disciplines.
For some seasoned racehorses, however, it is difficult to transition to a new career; they have known one thing and one thing only—being a racehorse. Because they have spent many years in a stall and unable to socialize with neighboring horses, some may have a hard time adjusting to turnout and/or participation in a community of horses. Plus, the wear-and-tear on their bodies will take a toll, and arthritis can develop earlier and to a greater degree than with horses that had a less lengthy racing career.
When you are looking at how often a horse raced, you may notice a gap of time—say 3 to 12 months—when nothing is on record. This often indicates a lay-up due to injury or time taken to rehabilitate the horse after surgery. Make special note of such ] gaps—while it may be impossible to find out the real reason the horse had time off, it can still help you understand an OTTB’s history and warn you to pay careful attention to the pre-purchase veterinary exam (PPE).
▶ Location of Races
As mentioned on p. 25, it is good to note where a horse was raced. Racing at larger, more recognized tracks can indicate a quality of training and attention to well-being that is harder to find at the smaller, lesser-known tracks where trainers are overworked, barns are understaffed, and financial resources tend to be limited.
Planning Ahead
People purchase or adopt a Thoroughbred with different intentions for the horse’s future. Not everyone can be a full-time horse person: family and work vie for time right along with the new horse. So, be fair to yourself and your horse—evaluate your time and your priorities before you bring an OTTB home. You need to be able to dedicate enough time to him to ensure a successful transition.
It is important that you take into account what is familiar to your OTTB so that you can understand his point of view as you help him adjust to his new lifestyle. This does not mean, however, that you have to keep a stakes winner in a fancy barn or ride only at 6:00 A.M. as the fog lifts—your OTTB will most likely adapt well to his new environment. Patience and diligence go a long way toward helping your horse adjust to life after the racetrack.
Simple planning on your part eases the transition. Maintaining a regular feeding routine, turnout schedule, and exercise program are just the beginning—as you read the chapters that follow, I’ll explain what you can expect from the OTTB and how to handle these, and other aspects of his segue from life at the racetrack to life as a riding horse.
2
End of the Race:
Now What?
2.1 Most Thoroughbreds only race for a couple of years, then a lack of success on the track or injury means decisions must be made concerning their future.
I have discussed how Thoroughbred breeders produce thousands of horses every year, and while most of these horses are indeed prepared and trained to run, only a select few go on to win prestigious races and vast sums of money—and only about 20 of them end up racing in the Kentucky Derby. Of those racehorses that make it to the starting gate, most have modest careers, perhaps bringing home enough winnings to cover their board and training. There are many different levels of racing: some races have a purse worth millions, some as little as $2,500. At smaller tracks you might see horses that are winning $50 each start for ten starts. Obviously, these horses need to find a new purpose in life, because they are definitely not paying the bills.
Reasons for Retirement
Most Thoroughbreds race for only a couple of years before facing an uncertain future. Successful or not, whether raced for two years or ten, each one is eventually “retired” from the track. A racehorse is retired for three main reasons: injuries sustained that affect his performance; loss of the “competitive edge”; or intended use for breeding.
Injury
Racehorses are most commonly injured as a result of several factors: a physical predisposition; training on poor track surfaces; improper shoeing; lack of fitness; or taking the notorious “bad step” where they end up lame. While some of these can be prevented with correct care, others are simply the result of unavoidable circumstances and must be considered the risk taken when participating in a high-intensity sport.
Human athletes—professional and amateur—also experience injuries or soreness that they deal with regularly. Old injuries can persist throughout an athlete’s lifetime, requiring long-term maintenance with oral medications, nutritional supplements, or alternative treatments like acupuncture and chiropractic. Thoroughbred trainers are used to treating their horses as athletes, and similar modes of care and therapy are employed. In addition, trainers work with veterinarians