Retraining Ex-Racehorses: Who We Are

horse lovers have race in!

Name: A.Leigh Horse: Dodge Discipline: Ex-Racer, Jumper, Pleasure (English & Western), Trails Location: New England "Dodge came to us two years ago badly beaten up and angry with all humans, creating havoc and refusing to trust anyone for a very long time. Today, she is happy, relaxed and loves all the attention she used to be terrified of 2 years ago. Last year, she showed incredible talent as a jumper and she was easily taking 4 foot courses (the girl loves to jump!). Right now, due to some arthritis, we have stopped jumping and now are re-schooling her western pleasure, which she seems to REALLY love more than any other discipline we've tried with her. This girl is part of our family and will never have to worry about being abused again as she will stay with us for the rest of her life. We just love her so much!" See more pictures of Dodge!
Name: Anderson Horse: Discipline: Location: Ohio comments
Name: Audrey Horse: Siena (Siena Pro), 1995, 17hh, dk bay OTT TB mare Discipline: Location: coastal North Carolina "I adopted her through RERUN. She was started on the track and did not finish in the top. She then got a chip on her ankle and was donated to RERUN. The chip has reattached *g* and she has never took a lame step. I bought Siena for a broodmare, but I can see a dressage career ahead (way far ahead)".	Below is Heza Little Classy (aka Stoney) my QH
Name: CC Horses: Carambi, OTT TB Dancer, QH/TB out of an OTT TB mare Discipline: Eventing, Dressage, Trails, Foxchasing Location: Maryland "Carambi is by Carnivalay (by Northern Dancer) out of Ambitioninhaste by Bold Ambition."
Name: Christi Tompkins Horse: King (Easy King), 1989, 16.1hh, dk bay OTT TB gelding Discipline: Pleasure Riding, Trails Location: Texas "I found King through the Sam Houston Adopt a Racehorse program. He is currently learning how to 'be a horse' at a 1000 acre horse ranch just outside of Austin. He is very eager to please...He puts on his own halter, brushes his face, and picks up his feet on command. Apart from that, he seems to have never been given affection or treats, and these are the first things I would like to teach him." See King's homepage!
Name: Coyote (aka Katie Graham) Horse: Mr. Mobocco, 1991 Chestnut gelding Discipline: Dressage, hopefully eventing Location: Austin, TX "Mister was a gift to me from my father-in-law, who has some Quarter Horse racers down in Del Rio, TX. He purchased Mister and raced him for his fifth and final year. Sad for him, Mister wasn't much of a racehorse, his total lifetime earnings were $840, and none of that was with Marvin. So Marvin retired him to his place for four years, until I came along & admired him. He was offered to me, and boy, was I quick to accept! Marvin's in his late 60's and doesn't ride, so Mister was never retrained. This is a picture of our first ride together. My photographer, Christi, was great and caught him in a relaxed moment. Mister came to me the last week of January 2000, and he's learning very quickly, with the help of the Retrain TBs board. See our homepage!
Name: Deb Horan Horse: Aria (Red Wing Queen), aka Ol'Speedy, Airhead, and other choice words not fit for print, 1985 OT TB mare, raced as 2 & 3 yr old. Discipline: discipline?! what discipline?! I do what I want! Mom likes to trail ride. Location: southern New Hampshire "Aria has Bold Ruler on both sides of her pedigree. She was used 1 or 2 seasons as a jumper in small/ ride a lot, low level event, hunter pace, etc. (None of that happened. No time!) I've had horses for 30 years, rode all kinds, helped with other people's problems, trained my previous horse (3 yrs old when I got her). But I never rode a TB, never knew anyone with an OTTB. I was totally unprepared for this behavior. I've tried to read everything, try any kind of equipment or methods to reschool her. Most tries did not help. Tried to sell her for 2 years. Still have her. With the help of my new 'friends on-line', she may be getting a second (or fourth or fifth) chance with me."	September 1998 Club Trail Ride, June 1994
Name: f@t Horse: Granite, 1989, 15.3hh, O.H. gelding Discipline: Location: "He was a Foxhunter before I got him. It is a strange story how I ended up with him and the fact that we bonded the moment he arrived, out of a crowd of 8 people. He arrived late at night, got off the trailer, looked around and our eyes met. That was it. He watches me everywhere I go, no matter what is going on in the barnyard. We are a perfect fit. The saddle that I had before he came, fit him like a glove,and its like we have been partners for years. I haven't owned my own horse for years, simply because I was riding up to 20 horses a day, breaking or whatever, never having the time to love on my own. But...all of a sudden there he was! It was like it was meant to be." See more pictures of f@t riding!	Reversing Just starting our pivot
Name: GAD Horse: Gad, 17hh, OTTB gelding Discipline: Raced 2 years, jumper/dressage Location: Ohio "He was 17 hands, bright bay with a star shaped like a heart on his face and two white socks. He was very playful and goofy (even for a TB) and loved to create chaos out in the pasture and harrass the other horses!. He had a huge, springy trot and a great, rocking canter. He was beautiful to watch and fun to ride(if you could stay on long enough, LOL). He loved people very much and nickered often if he thought he was being neglected(which was actually never). He loved to play and roll in water puddles and would splash around for hours. He was quite a character and earned the nickname "wild thing" around the stables. He was only 8 years old when he died on Aug 8, 1999. He will always be loved and will always be missed.....he could never be replaced."	poem: Think of him as living In the hearts of those he touched For nothing loved is ever lost And he was loved so much
Name: HG Horse: Rio (Lil Rio), 1992, 16.2hh, bay OTT TB mare Discipline: Pleasure Riding, Hunter, Dressage, Trails Location: Michigan "Rio is my first horse. I bought her in December 1997. I take weekly lessons on Rio from my instructor who used to exercise horses at Ladbroke DRC before closing. Rio needs to trust her rider or she will act goofy and bolt. She is extremely smart and very willing, as long as she trusts you." See Rio's homepage!
Name: Jen MacNeill Horse: Pewter's Bill (aka Bill, Mr. Bill, William), 1989, 15.3 hand OTT TB Discipline: Being a horse. Future local hunter and low level dressage shows. Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania "I found Bill through the Equine Rescue List on the internet. He belonged to a friend of Carol Sinclair of TURF. In his 70ith race he bowed a tendon and despite winning $190,000+ in his carreer, he needed a new home. Life with Bill was tough at first but after being off the track for a year he has settled down quite a bit. I wouldn't sell him for the world." See Bill's homepage! Check out the Retraining TB's Page!
Name: Jen West Horse: Ti Discipline: Location comments
Name: Judi Stewart Horse: Tally (Bataillon), 1991 OTT TB gelding Discipline: Hunter/Jumper Location: Santa Clarita, So. California "Tally's an 8 year old OTT born and raced in France. He won $100,000. in his career which ended with a bowed tendon. He now enjoys life, and a new career as a Hunter/Jumper, with his new Mom at Summerhill Equestrian Center. His best friend is a horse named Brisco." See Tally's homepage!
Name: Kara Horse: Nightwatch (Jordan) Discipline: Location: California comments
Name: Kathy Kraft Horse: Rascal Discipline: right now dressage and stadium, possibly eventing if I ever get brave enough. Location: In the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, northern NY "I acquired Rascal in a horse-deal-gone-bad when he was just turning 4 years old. He's tatoo-ed and has pin firing scars on one leg but I doubt he raced much and I haven't researched his past. This is my second horse. I was told by several trainers that I wasn't experienced enough to train a baby. But time and patience is paying off and we have moments of (near) brilliance, as my current saintly trainer, Jerry, likes to say. We may try some cross country jumping next spring. I've never done it but all of my middle aged riding buddies are encouraging me, saying Rascal and I will both love it. Rascal truly is a rascal. He is a much more outgoing horse than my first gelding was. I think he's smart but also smart enough to try to get out of all sorts of work. He's teaching me the value of constant change to mask constant repetition. I keep wondering what the future holds!!"
Name: Lisa Horse: Cannon, 1990 OTT TB gelding Discipline: "unemployed" Location: St. Louis, MO "Cannon is my second OTT TB. He is 9 years old and has been "unemployeed" (LOL) for three years. Another girl owned him before me and family relocated to Alaska. If she is out there, I would like her to know cannon is doing fine!!! I lost track of my first OTT TB. The last I found out, the people that acquired him decided it would be great to start racing him, across their pasture (all my hard work and patience gone to waste). He became to hard to handle and ended up at a sale... WELL, we all know what that means, but I love him and he will always be in my heart.... ps... Cannon's dad won the derby in 1974,,,,, COOL CANNONADE"
Name: McGee Horse: Scuffy McGee, OTT TB Discipline: Ex-racer. Future: who knows? Barrel racing? Eventing? Hunter? English Pleasure? Western pleasure? Location: Southern Pennsylvania (at the moment - I miss upstate NY!!) "We race TB's in Southern PA. We raced Scuffy for about a year, and in that time he made a whopping $750 (OOPS: I forgot his other $50 in NY) - no - $800, so we retired him to his original purchase plan: my riding horse. He's a really nice horse - comes whinnying and galloping when he's called in from the paddock - loves his stall and LOVES to EAT! He knows our car & truck and whinneys the second he hears the door open (FOOD!). Sickly enough, he also loves to have his mane pulled. Yuck. He's real handy - athletic and powerful, and he works off his hind quarters really nicely. He's been SO easy and fun to train, that I want to do it again, but I just don't have time for 2 horses right now. Scruffy has been sold to a wonderful new home and is doing great! Stay tuned... I want to save lives, one horse at a time.
Name: Michelle Horses: Tyme to Tango, 1997 TB filly; Misty, TB broodmare; Twister (Folk Art), 1999 Dutch bred colt; Skip, 32 yr old, QH Discipline: Location: Ohio "Tyme to Tango was given to us when we bought Misty our broodmare. The owners didn't want her because her father, Da' White Judge, had 4 whites and a blaze. As you can see, she didn't get enough white for their taste! This didn't prevent her from becoming the DDCTA 1998 in hand champion! Misty is shown here with 1 day old Dutch bred colt Folk Art (Twister) by Fine Art. Skip is my beloved 32 year old QH! An own SON of Doc Bar! The best horse a girl could ever dream of!	Tyme to Tango Misty and Twister "This is Twist's favorite pose! He's practicing for all his lady friends in the future!" Skip
Name: mrd (Michelle Douglas) Horse: Filly Grande (Mehmet-Star Dewan by Dewan), 1993 OTT TB mare Discipline: Location: Virginia "My husband Scott and I purchased Filly in 7/99. She was taken off the track in KY to retrain for Grand Prix and eventing. We got her after she broke the coffin bone in her left rear foot. She recovered fine and I think she will make a good hunter, as I would like to show her sidesaddle. She also shows a talent for dressage when she's not running wild. Filly is one classy, headstrong mare." See Filly's homepage!
Name: mshawish (Monica) Horse: Oily (Oil Mans Pay), 1995, 16hh, bay OTT TB gelding. Race trained, but never raced. Discipline: Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, Pleasure Location: Near Seattle, Washington State "I bought Oily almost 6 months ago. He went through some race training but bowed a tendon and was given time off. He was then used as a pony horse at the track for a season. He is a very sweet and willing horse. He is also very silly and has earned the title of 'barn clown.'" See Oily's homepage!
Name: pamela Horse: Phelan Discipline: Location: Maryland comments
Name: SK Horse: Cosette (Dance Til Three), 1994 OTT TB mare Discipline: Hunter/Jumper Location: Michigan "Cosette last raced in October 1998 in Detroit. I bought her the next day. She has progressed quickly through the hunter ranks (summer of 1999), and we hope to be doing low jumpers some time next summer (if we can get past the bucking phase). Cosette is fearless of nearly everything. She tells me that she was a princess in another life. I believe it."	Winter 98/99, just a couple months OTT taking a break from free jumping. Cosette (right) hanging out at a show with her grumpy stablemate Fuzzy (left).
Name: S.May Horses: Tender Twilite aka "Teddy" (Imperial Canadian), 1994, 16.2 hh, OTT TB gelding Silver Twister, Welsh Pony Discipline: Pleasure, Dressage to be used in retraining Location: Columbus, Ohio "My backyard operation pretty much rules out a competition career for Teddy, but for a "project" I couldn't ask for a more fun horse. Besides the fact that he bloomed so nicely from the auction meat pen where I found him, he also is smart, willing, a little headstrong, but with lots of potential! I'm looking forward to lots of years with him." See Teddy's homepage!	a couple days after the auction one month later
Name: Theresa Horse: Taz, 1994, 15.3hh, bay OTT gelding Discipline: low-level eventing Location: Columbus, OH "Taz raced 9 times and was 'in the money' 6 of those times. He has been retired from the track since early summer.
Name: Truth Horse: Truth (The Icy Truth by Icy Groom, out of Brutal Truth), 16.2hh, 1990 bay gelding, blind in left eye, no markings. Born in Pennsylvania. Discipline: lawn mower, clown and I HOPE dressage Location: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania "Truth raced as a 3 & 4 year old at Penn National racecourse in Harrisburg. He was in ten races with a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, and won around $4,300 -- not a big winner. Truth came into the barn where I was riding. He had just come off the track and a friend of the barn manager brought him there because she was breaking up her barn. Truth was a lesson horse, for short duration (he fell in the indoor reing), then just kinda hung out for a while."
"When I got back from a business trip, there he was. I had only been riding 4 or 5 months then. He definitely was noticeable -- big and friendly. So, one thing led to another and I found out he was for sale. Well, I told myself -- can't afford a horse, can't afford to board a horse... Then he disappeared one day and there had been talk of taking him to New Holland (UGHHH)! So, after several sleepless nites, I approached the barn manager to find out what happened to him. They had moved him into another stall that was dark and so I didn't see him. So she told me what he was selling for (within my budget, eeeeeeeee) the board was affordable. I started riding him, really liked him and the rest is history. Truth is a HAM. He loves to show off, loves attention and has a repertoire of games he likes to play -- like take mom's hat off and dump it into a fresh pile of manure; pull on mom's belt loops as she cleans out front feet; exercise mom's leg as she's grooming him. He's nosey and thinks nothing of going on exploration trips when given the chance. Truth is my first horse and a dream come true. Since adolescence I had always wanted a TB and had imagined becoming a jockey. Of course, life takes over and as they say 'better late than never!' So, finally, in my 40's I got my TB, who is the love of my life. He has made it so easy and fun, I'd have another in an instant. I hope we'll progress through dressage. I can't wait to get to the upper levels and feel his piaffe and passage. He has offered piaffe when he gets excited. It feels so good."