If you adopted an OTTB, please Help!

alr001 · 09-26-2005, 11:34 AM

My OTTB was a SUCCESS!

I still have him after 7 years and we are showing together. He is probably one of the calmest TBs out there but I think he had a really good track life. He wasn't spooky or jumping from the first day I got him.

I got him when he was 6 he was retired from racing due to a bowed tendon. I put him on layup and them after a year started working with him. Training wasn't that bad at all. He just, like any other horse will have his 'fun' days where he is a little more up beat and 'alive' but overall he is like my puppy dog.

It was a GREAT choice I made! I would think about it and make sure you really check the horse over and possible take him/her on trial or go and see them 2-3 times before you make your choice. Most are fine but there are those few that are just plain NUTS!

GOOD LUCK!

DoWeDance · 09-26-2005, 11:42 AM

My mare is off the track, and she is sane, but a little quick most of the time. She was pretty easy to train - smart and had a good work ethic, but I don't want another TB because her mind is so busy that you can't just hack her around without having to think about what you're telling her or she will take signals the wrong way and speed up. Overall, though, she is trustworthy, but I have done a lot of bombproofing work with her, so she has amazing ground manners.

space_cowboy · 09-28-2005, 03:07 PM

I have owned many OTTB's in my life and I absolutly love them!

How was it handling them?
Some can be a bit hot and others completly laid back. It just depends on how they have been treated, their teperment, how long they have been on/off the track, ect. No two are alike.

Is it easy to retrain them?
Although TB's are very intelligent they are also very sensitive and take a little more patience and time to retrain. Again no two are alike and it also depends on what you are retraining for. Just remember GROUND WORK, SLOW WORK, FLAT WORK!!!! I can't stress those three enough. Don't think because a OTTB can w/t/c well that they can imeidiatly be put to a fence. Take it slow, act as if you were starting from scratch.

Do they learn quickly?

As I said they are very intelligent and they learn quickly but you need to be very patient in moving them along. If you take their training to fast they can shut down. As hard as it is to take one step furthur it is 10 times as easy to take 10 stepos backwards!

Do they bond good with people?

I find that TB's are one perosn horses. They do best in a situation where they have one person to look to!

JCH · 09-28-2005, 03:31 PM

well i have an ottb and it is avery slow process he is very trusworthy altho spooky at times we have bonded well as has him and my daughter she is the primary rider we are thinking of getting some pro training next year

09-28-2005, 03:31 PM	#24
JCH Senior Member+ Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: upstate ny Posts: 2,162 Images: 127	well i have an ottb and it is avery slow process he is very trusworthy altho spooky at times we have bonded well as has him and my daughter she is the primary rider we are thinking of getting some pro training next year __________________ I just mixed baileys and Yoohoo . I feel like an alcoholic 2nd grader HGS members met 16

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09-26-2005, 11:34 AM	#21
alr001 Senior Member+ Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Palmyra, PA Posts: 1,267 Images: 75	My OTTB was a SUCCESS! I still have him after 7 years and we are showing together. He is probably one of the calmest TBs out there but I think he had a really good track life. He wasn't spooky or jumping from the first day I got him. I got him when he was 6 he was retired from racing due to a bowed tendon. I put him on layup and them after a year started working with him. Training wasn't that bad at all. He just, like any other horse will have his 'fun' days where he is a little more up beat and 'alive' but overall he is like my puppy dog. It was a GREAT choice I made! I would think about it and make sure you really check the horse over and possible take him/her on trial or go and see them 2-3 times before you make your choice. Most are fine but there are those few that are just plain NUTS! GOOD LUCK!

09-26-2005, 11:42 AM	#22
DoWeDance Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,920 Images: 75	My mare is off the track, and she is sane, but a little quick most of the time. She was pretty easy to train - smart and had a good work ethic, but I don't want another TB because her mind is so busy that you can't just hack her around without having to think about what you're telling her or she will take signals the wrong way and speed up. Overall, though, she is trustworthy, but I have done a lot of bombproofing work with her, so she has amazing ground manners.

09-28-2005, 03:07 PM	#23
space_cowboy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: St. Louis Posts: 897	I have owned many OTTB's in my life and I absolutly love them! How was it handling them? Some can be a bit hot and others completly laid back. It just depends on how they have been treated, their teperment, how long they have been on/off the track, ect. No two are alike. Is it easy to retrain them? Although TB's are very intelligent they are also very sensitive and take a little more patience and time to retrain. Again no two are alike and it also depends on what you are retraining for. Just remember GROUND WORK, SLOW WORK, FLAT WORK!!!! I can't stress those three enough. Don't think because a OTTB can w/t/c well that they can imeidiatly be put to a fence. Take it slow, act as if you were starting from scratch. Do they learn quickly? As I said they are very intelligent and they learn quickly but you need to be very patient in moving them along. If you take their training to fast they can shut down. As hard as it is to take one step furthur it is 10 times as easy to take 10 stepos backwards! Do they bond good with people? I find that TB's are one perosn horses. They do best in a situation where they have one person to look to!