HELP FOR HORSE-RIDERS

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Before you buy an ex-racehorse

As a nation of animal lovers, we have a special bond when it comes to our horses. However, it is a shameful fact that the multi-billion pound racing industry vastly overbreeds these wonderful animals for commercial gain.

Sadly when they retire, very few of our graceful sporting legends go on to enjoy an idyllic retirement grazing in sundappled pastures.

In fact, a trip to the slaughterhouse is the cruel fate awaiting the vast majority of racehorses that retire every year around the tender age of six.

The facts speak for themselves - if you love horses, you have the space and secure stables to accommodate them and you love riding, you might consider adopting a retired racehorse. Many are sold very cheaply by RoR consultants or at auction via bloodstock agents operating from racecourses regularly throughout the year.

However, while ownership of a thoroughbred is nothing short of a status symbol, the everyday practicalities of handling and retraining your prized steed may not appeal to your patience with quite the same glamour. Whilst immersed in the racing environment, these animals are subjected to a harsh lifestyle, often spending many hours cooped up in a confined space without the freedom to grow and develop as part of a herd.

They are fed on very high protein, high energy feeds and as young animals, are not given the space to vent their pent-up energy. As a consequence they can develop bad habits born of frustration, such as weaving, wind sucking, crib biting and box walking.

You may also find many ex racehorses are nervous, feisty and unpredictable when riding, as they have little experience of strange sights and sounds other than what they have been subjected to at the racetrack.

However long your love affair with horses, when it comes to buying the right animal to suit you, there are no easy guides. When it comes to horses coming off the track, whichever horse you choose, a substantial amount of retraining will always be necessary. This training will be hard work and will require a lot of patience and confidence on your part.

Bear in mind that the horse you are taking on has never been taught to walk or trot calmly and convincing him to do so will take time. Even the tack you use will feel new to him, so it`s important to get him used to the saddle itself even before you start to ride.

Although they have to forget everything they have learned during their racing career, thoroughbreds are intelligent and versatile and most will eventually adapt to a new lifestyle. As for taking on a horse with bad habits, this is not necessarily a bad decision, more a case of deciding what you`re able to live with, at least for some time.

In spite of everything, as John Wayne once said, `Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway` and taking on an ex racehorse is something that is certainly encouraged, particularly by charities dedicated to helping owners retrain and get the most out of them.

If you`re still waying up your options, you`re sure to be making regular trips to the races to admire these wonderful creatures in action and place a few bets on their racing prowess. If so, you`ll appreciate all the horse racing tips www.freeracingtips.co.uk you can get, so check out the local press or better still, sign up for a professional pay-as-you-win SMS horse-racing tips text service, for the hottest tips direct to your mobile.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
You will find my email address on the contact page.