[wanton_philo]

Great questions!

1.) In your opinion, is there a problem with overpopulation in the equine world today?

- Yes. There are many horses out there without a home because we are breeding horses for excellence and are trying to control their genetics. We need to work with the horses we have now and stop trying to breed the "perfect horse."

2.) Do you believe that horses, specifically Thoroughbreds, are being overbred?

- Thoroughbreds tend to be inbred which may be considered overbred. They tend to have problems with bleeding lungs, poor hooves or weak skeletal structure. I think we need to strengthen the breed with genetic diversity. We should breed different types of Thoroughbreds (e.g. Australian, English, Canadian, Irish, etc) to better strengthen the breed whilst keeping the blood lines "pure."

3.) At what age do you believe it is responsible to be training a young horse under saddle?

- I believe no horse should be trained to race until they reach the age of 4. Halter work and basic gentling should start much earlier, but anything strenuous like racing should wait till much later. To start any earlier would cause the horse to have potential problems with knees. They are still growing and trainers should not start training a horse until they have stopped growing. This is to further the potential for the horse to have a healthy and happy retirement.

4.) Would you ever purchase a horse with known soundness issues (short or long term) that have resulted from injury? If so, please provide a brief description of the circumstances you would consider this and the intended purpose of the animal.

- I would have purchased an ex-racehorse with any soundness issue. Unless it was a problem with the hooves or anything that will create permanent lameness, I would not mind. I only do light to moderate trail riding. I would also take the horse as long as the price was lower, considering the horse's soundness issue.

5.) Do you personally know or work with any successful off-the-track thoroughbreds? If so, please elaborate.

- I have an OTTB. He is 12 years old and has been raced since he was 12. He won his last race this year, Feb 20, 2009. I purchased him in late June. His trainer no longer wanted him because he wasn't winning anymore. He clearly needs a lot of training because he has been trained to be a racehorse since he was 3, but I think it is worth it. My parents are paying a lot of money, but he has so much potential and is coming around so well. He is learning to stay in a canter and is realizing that he doesn't need to run as fast anymore. He is becoming much more manageable, affectionate and happy. He is gaining weight, his rain rot is gone, his bowed tendon hasn't acted up and now he's becoming a world-class trail horse.

I saved him from being sent to the slaughter house. He was going to be sent at the end of June if no one purchased him. He wasn't quite what I was looking for in a horse, but I could see that with a little bit of work, he will come around and become exactly what I wanted. I think about him everyday and I am so glad that I picked him. He is worth every penny. I will be taking him on our first solo trail ride soon. I can't wait. So I like to think he's a success.

[IndraAmber]

1.) In your opinion, is there a problem with overpopulation in the equine world today?

Yes.


2.) Do you believe that horses, specifically Thoroughbreds, are being overbred?

I believe most horses are being over bred, not just TB's.


3.) At what age do you believe it is responsible to be training a young horse under saddle?

I think they shouldn't be started riding before three, even later if you can wait, but make sure you work with them up until that point, or you'll have an unruly young horse on your hands. No harm comes to waiting, but you see a lot of broke down horses from pushing them to soon.


4.) Would you ever purchase a horse with known soundness issues (short or long term) that have resulted from injury? If so, please provide a brief description of the circumstances you would consider this and the intended purpose of the animal.

Yes, a lot of soundness issues can be dealt with and healed if properly taken care of or at least kept stable till the horse is older.


5.) Do you personally know or work with any successful off-the-track thoroughbreds? If so, please elaborate.

I worked with a OTTB when I was younger, he was a wonderful horse, but had not had great training after being retired from racing and had a lovely bucking habit in the beginning. But what a sweet horse, I really miss him now that he's passed on. I think OTTB's can have very successful second career if they're given the chance, TB's in general are pretty versitile horses.

[FarFromOver]

Originally Posted by horsiehuntersam

1.) In your opinion, is there a problem with overpopulation in the equine world today? No.

2.) Do you believe that horses, specifically Thoroughbreds, are being overbred? No. I think there's more of a problem with what to do with the unsuccessful ones than of breeding too many.

3.) At what age do you believe it is responsible to be training a young horse under saddle? 4 years

4.) Would you ever purchase a horse with known soundness issues (short or long term) that have resulted from injury? If so, please provide a brief description of the circumstances you would consider this and the intended purpose of the animal. Perhaps. It depends what I would need the horse for. If I wanted a pony for the kids to play with that was only sound to walk, I might buy one. If I needed a companion for a troubled horse in the pasture, I might consider one that was only pasture sound.

5.) Do you personally know or work with any successful off-the-track thoroughbreds? If so, please elaborate. Successful as in won races? not to my knowledge. Successful as in successfully placed in a non-racing home and are thriving? Yes. My friend has 2 and I exercise them for her when they need work.

Answers in blue

[SouthernJumper]

1.) In your opinion, is there a problem with overpopulation in the equine world today?
As with many animals, yes.

2.) Do you believe that horses, specifically Thoroughbreds, are being overbred?
Not sure, I haven't really looked into it.

3.) At what age do you believe it is responsible to be training a young horse under saddle?

3

4.) Would you ever purchase a horse with known soundness issues (short or long term) that have resulted from injury? If so, please provide a brief description of the circumstances you would consider this and the intended purpose of the animal.

My horse has an old race injury, but I had a PPE and he is 100% sound. If a horse has a large possibility of coming back from it, then yes I would.

5.) Do you personally know or work with any successful off-the-track thoroughbreds? If so, please elaborate.

I own one.

He wasn't too great OT, but I'm hoping he'll be a nice eventer, he hasn't done anything but track work (just got him) so I can't say too much.

[FutureVetGirl]

1.) In your opinion, is there a problem with overpopulation in the equine world today?
Yes, I do believe that there is a bit of a problem. More of an overpopulation of JUNK horses, horses that are so illbred that they are likely to develop injuries quickly, and not last very long.

2.) Do you believe that horses, specifically Thoroughbreds, are being overbred?
I do believe that horses are being overbred, though perhaps not Thoroughbreds as much as a breed such as Quarter Horses and Arabians. Though Thoroughbreds are bred much more than say... Cleveland Bays or Warmbloods, they are still somewhat less prominant in the USA than Quarter Horses. However, worldwide, depending on where you are, Thoroughbreds are either highly bred, or highly guarded. Depends on where you are, and how the breeding practices are in that area.

3.) At what age do you believe it is responsible to be training a young horse under saddle?
Depends on the breed, the anatomical structure, the maturity rate, and the individual horse. Most horses, I'd say around 3-5, but for... say... Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, most of them I'd say more around 2-4. But like I said, depends on a lot of things.

4.) Would you ever purchase a horse with known soundness issues (short or long term) that have resulted from injury? If so, please provide a brief description of the circumstances you would consider this and the intended purpose of the animal.
I would definately consider it, depending upon the extent of the injury. If I had a horse with a short-term soundness injury that would clear up in say... a few months to a year, I would definately consider purchasing that horse. I'd have to look at some of it's other points of course, for example, if he has amazing conformation, is sturdy and strong, a very 'get-go' horse, but had a small training accident, I would definately consider purchasing the horse as a possible showjumping candidate.

As for a horse with a long-term soundness issue, I'd probably be more reserved. I might still consider a horse like that as a companion animal, or as a future child's horse (after some training), depending on it's personality and such.

5.) Do you personally know or work with any successful off-the-track thoroughbreds? If so, please elaborate.
Yes... but I have to go to work. Will finish this later.

[spinandslide]

1.) In your opinion, is there a problem with overpopulation in the equine world today? Yes

2.) Do you believe that horses, specifically Thoroughbreds, are being overbred? Yes...same with alot of the "top" breeds in the country

3.) At what age do you believe it is responsible to be training a young horse under saddle? Depends on the horse..most of ours are started at 2 years old. But not all horses will be ready at 2. I think the responsible thing is to evaluate each horse individualy.

4.) Would you ever purchase a horse with known soundness issues (short or long term) that have resulted from injury? If so, please provide a brief description of the circumstances you would consider this and the intended purpose of the animal. depends on what type of soundness issues and what the horse was AND what the price was. If it was an injury that simply needed "time" and the owner didnt want to mess with it anymore, yes I would. I have space to rehab a horse with a soundness issue..however, if the injury was serious enough or the type of injury that might "never" let the horse recover, I probably wouldnt..unless it was a mare with lines and a show record..again, this is all on a case by case basis..and you can bet Id have my vet with me.

5.) Do you personally know or work with any successful off-the-track thoroughbreds? If so, please elaborate. Heck yes! I used to ride OTTB's all the time when I was younger. my boss would get them in and we'd start riding them, getting them used to leg pressure and normal "riding", then start them jumping. My first horse was an OTTB. He raced 6 times.. he was an equitation horse, competed up to Prix St Georges in dressage, carried me through many an event course, could put in a "decent" hunter round(he was more eq), and later became a really cool barrel horse and team penner. he also was a stellar trail horse..he would plod quietly down the road with me and my year old son aboard...hed cross anything, jump anything. I remember we were boarding at a racing stable that had a practice racetrack. Id take the old man down their once or twice a week and his hooves would touch the sand and he KNEW. I have NEVER EVER met a horse that absolutely positively loved to RUN as him..he never bucked or got out of control..he was in utter heaven racing imaginary horses on that practice track.
my coach said Id never have another horse like the old man. he was one in a million. He died in 2002 and is buried on my ranch. here is a photo of him and I at the Somerset Hills HT in 1997.

[jedy]

1.) In your opinion, is there a problem with overpopulation in the equine world today?
yes
2.) Do you believe that horses, specifically Thoroughbreds, are being overbred?
yes, I believe so. I see many poorly bred TB's here who have little chance at deeping their toe in pleasure riding, it's easier to find job for quiet cob with not-so-perfect conformation than for gangly, illconformed tb who could possibly be also highly spirited and hard fed.
3.) At what age do you believe it is responsible to be training a young horse under saddle?
3, lightly, bring back again at 4
4.) Would you ever purchase a horse with known soundness issues (short or long term) that have resulted from injury? If so, please provide a brief description of the circumstances you would consider this and the intended purpose of the animal.
depending how detrimental, if likely to cause ongoing issues, don't think so
5.) Do you personally know or work with any successful off-the-track thoroughbreds
No

[horsiehuntersam]

Great answers! I love hearing your opinions and experiences. Keep 'em coming!

Oh, and thanks so much for helping me out with this paper. You guys are awesome.

[horsiehuntersam]

Little bump! I need more responses still.

[HUS_WP_lovr]

1.) In your opinion, is there a problem with overpopulation in the equine world today?
Yes
2.) Do you believe that horses, specifically Thoroughbreds, are being overbred?
Horses in general, not TB's in paticular.
3.) At what age do you believe it is responsible to be training a young horse under saddle?
2-3 years old depending on the horse
4.) Would you ever purchase a horse with known soundness issues (short or long term) that have resulted from injury? If so, please provide a brief description of the circumstances you would consider this and the intended purpose of the animal.
No
5.) Do you personally know or work with any successful off-the-track thoroughbreds? If so, please elaborate.
No