Buying an ex-racehorse and our first 8 months

From April 2010 to December 2010

Don’t follow my example!

I saw the advert for “Persuasive Power” (aka Guinness) on Good Friday and on Easter Monday my Mum, my sister Chloe and I set off for Yorkshire to ‘have a look’. 3 hours later we arrived to meet a babyish looking thoroughbred, who’d been stabled 24-7 for the past three weeks because excessive rain had meant his owner hadn’t been allowed to turnout. He was tetchy and went to bite my Mum, kicked out at the girl who tacked him up and bucked when I rode him. However, he understood the basic aids, had a nice soft if slightly sensitive mouth and decent confirmation. 3 hours of debate followed on the car journey home. I was sceptical but Chloe was already in love so by Thursday he was vetted and by Saturday he was ours! Don’t get me wrong, we took a massive risk, only seeing and riding him the one time, but as my Mum put it “If he doesn’t grow into an event horse at least he’s handsome!”

Guinness the day he arrived

Being a 4 year old thoroughbred ex-racehorse, we’d already made the decision he would live out for the summer (to keep the edge off him). Having been cooped up for 4 weeks, we kept him in a small paddock in front of our stables, so my ‘old boys’ could keep an eye on him and keep him company. After that he moved into the field with the other ‘outies’ and was a little out of place with 4 geldings in their 20’s!

Velcro pants needed!

Once we’d got tack etc sorted we started riding in the school and hacking out. It wasn’t long before I realised Guinness would test my stickability to the limit! Without any warning he could buck, rear, bronk or spin and you never knew when it was coming or why! I never rode without my hat, back protector and a good pair of gloves with a breastplate to grab onto if needed, even if I was just going in the school. In my opinion it’s just not worth the risk and also I felt safer when I rode, meaning I was more relaxed overall.

The first month was spent hacking with occasional short flatwork sessions. From day one I’ve been astounded by how quickly he has learnt things. Teaching him manners was especially important, e.g. simply standing still to be tacked up and mounted or not kicking out when being groomed took a while but once he got the idea that these tasks were mundane and not threatening, he accepted them (he’s still not very keen on bath time though!)

I’ve never know a horse so sensitive either. The slightest touch of the leg sent him forwards and a squeeze of the knees and he would halt. The sensitivity in his mouth was much helped by a visit from the dentist and changing his metal eggbutt loose ring to a happymouth straight bar. An interesting bit of info the dentist taught me; thoroughbreds have small mouths and very shallow palettes, hence many prefer the straight bar to a jointed bit.

Getting out and about

I wanted to get him out to see and experience new things early on so my first goal was to go to a Show jumping schooling day in May. When I got him off the lorry he’d turned into a demon with legs flying out at every corner! I only just managed to mount him. Mandy (the instructor) got me following Chloe in trot around the ring until he settled. He was so wound up and highly strung I didn’t know how I would keep control of him, let alone sit to the continuous string of bucks, kicks and rears. I trotted in to a pole approx 6 inches off the ground and he jumped at least 4 feet over it, but from that point on, he understood why we were there and what I was asking of him and stopped messing around. I finished by jumping a whole course with fillers and planks and a huge grin on my face.

Over the next 3 months we continued on the same track. We stuck to one schooling session a week, one jumping session a week and 3 or 4 evenings hacking out, slowly build up his confidence as well as his fitness. He was very nervous on hacks when he first arrived, and glued himself to the bum of the horse in front! The first time I asked Guinness to lead we were no more than 10 yards from the gate back into the yard and it took me ten minutes to encourage him home. Then he started leading home a little more each time. Now we can go for short hacks by ourselves.

Guinness after 6 weeks

Confidence is the Key!

I think the most important part of Guinness training and development has been building his confidence and gaining his trust through care, routine and affection. It’s because of this he has already gained an appreciation for us and enjoyment from his work, which makes everything else so much easier.

The Cross Country field on the other side of the woods near us has been invaluable and we’ve popped over there to practise logs, ditches and tyres regularly, as well as local clear round show jumping on a Wednesday evening during the summer. A trip to Milton Keynes for some cross country schooling was invaluable for water, ditch and step training, all of which he took in his stride.

Quick call the vet!

As with any horse, sometimes things go wrong that just couldn’t be foreseen. After a lovely hack one evening, Guinness was finishing off his dinner when I heard Chloe screaming followed by a loud crash. I ran round to find Guinness scrambling to his feet and shaking. He’d got the rope over his head and reared up and fallen over backwards, straight onto solid concrete. He was clearly in shock and thank god for the vets who was there within 10 minutes and checked over ever inch of his body. We kept him in and checked on him through the night in case he’d suffered a head injury. His worst injury was four holes on both sides of his tongue where he’d bitten it as he’d fallen, but by morning he was eating happily and 4 days later it had completely healed.

First ever show

South Oxfordshire’s Open Show at BCA was the show I’d been building up to as Guinness first competition. It turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far and we kept Guinness cool by dunking his fly rug in cold water and leaving it on him to dry. We did a prelim dressage test (though he spent most of his energy shying at the white boards) and then the Rehabilitated Racehorse class. This was my first attempt at showing, and thankfully I had my friend Karen to help me with all the gear and do’s and don’ts of showing. There were only 3 of us in the class and I was the only one not in a double bridle but for our first attempt at showing, I was very proud of us both and we went home with our first rosettes and some nice pictures.

ROR Class - Guinness first show!

Fancy a go at eventing?

I’d always had my sites set on eventing Guinness and I didn’t feel he was ready to take on the 4year old qualifier class (90cm same as BE90 or intro) so I entered the Little Mattingley BE80 training class. It’s called a training class as it’s an introduction to affiliated eventing for those who haven’t done it before. BE accredited trainers give guided course walks and are on hand in each of the warm up areas to offer advice. 

We arrived in good time, however the arrival of the air ambulance put pay to my dressage warm up and I only had 10 minutes to warm up before my test. It went as well as could be expected and I breathed a huge sigh of relief once it was over! Now for the fun parts!

Guinness eyes were popping out his head when we entered the show jumping ring. There were trade stands, a noisy generator and statues and flowers adorning every fence! Despite his lack of impulsion, backing off the scariest showjumps he had ever seen, he didn’t stop at anything and I was thrilled. Now for the XC! 5..4…3..2…1.. GO and we flew out the start box, then promptly fell back to trot so Guinness could get a good look at the first jump… pop and on to the next.. by fence 6 he was in a rhythm and jumping out of his stride. The water ended our round though, as we had a refusal and then had to move out the way for the horse behind, and when they got eliminated at the water also, Guinness would not be persuaded to be the brave one! That didn’t stop me grinning from ear to ear as we walked back to the start though.

 Guinness longing at home (with Chloe)

We have since been to more Dressage and Showjumping Schooling, as well as practising water and ditches at Great Westwood Equestrian Park. We even popped up for a showjumping class at a local Open show and came 4^th and in October we won the prelim dressage at the Hodgemoor Riding Association show! The winter will be our time to catch up on flatwork. I’ve also just started having lessons with Sue Edwards (BE accredited trainer) and I’m really looking forward to what she can teach Guinness and I.  Guinness has also had his second massage with Ros ( http://www.horseandhand.com/) which is great for his young, developing muscles and which he really enjoys.