Taking on an off-the-track thoroughbred or standardbred as a sport or pleasure mount can be very rewarding, but there can be certain problems or conditions that you take on too.
They do need to go to an experienced home, and have an owner/rider who can manage them in the transition, as they are usually young and have only ever known racehorse life.
They do, however, have the potential to excel in other disciplines. Thoroughbreds are of course renowned for their ability at eventing and also excel at show jumping, in the show ring, and sometimes in dressage. Standardbreds are sought after for use at trekking, cavalcades and mustering as they can really cover the ground with a comfortable walk once broken to saddle, and they are coming into their own in other disciplines too.
The transformation from racehorse to riding horse all takes time. Racing body condition is often leaner than most owners like to have their horses at, with less body fat. Racehorses will have been used to a certain feed and exercise regime, and it will take a while for them to mentally to settle down to a more relaxed, less rigid environment.
From the veterinary point of view, there are certain health conditions that we need to look out for. This does not mean that all ex-racehorses will have them (as every horse is an individual!) but we need to be aware of them.
Some possible health conditions to be aware of when taking on a off-the-track racehorse are: (bullet points)
– Gastric ulcers
– Poor weight gain
– Poor hooves (flat feet, thin soles etc)
– Stable/paddock undesirable habits or vices
– General muscle soreness
– Respiratory noise (wind problems)
– Joint problems, synovitis, bone chips, osteoarthritis
– Tendon or ligament strain
Pre-purchase checks
Some off-the-track thoroughbred and standardbreds are very cheap, or even free (and sometimes there is a limited time frame to make a decision on taking them), so is it worth getting a vet check?
Some people do just take a punt, but there is always a risk with a free or cheap horse, even if it is young, that there is something wrong.
There may be a very subtle problem underlying the reason why it is no longer going to be a racehorse, even if the previous owners/trainers aren’t aware of it. Whatever is wrong may be a simple fix, just taking a little time off, or it may be something like a minor wind problem that will inhibit a racing career but will not affect the horse being able to happily perform as a sport or pleasure mount.
However, there may be something that is not able to be fixed enough for the horse to be able to do what you want it to do, or it may need expensive surgery or medication to get it right.
If you are thinking of taking on a free or cheap horse without a vet check, you must be willing to take this risk, and be able to make a decision on what you are going to do if it turns out that there is a problem.
Even if you don’t have a pre-purchase examination, you may still want your vet to give your new horse a checkover once you get it home. They can start a tetanus vaccination programme if the horse is not vaccinated, check if a dental treatment needs doing (often, young horses can have lots of sharp points and they may have caps), and do a faecal egg count to check your drench has worked. As an aside, any new horse coming on to your property should have a worming paste, and then a faecal egg count 7-10 days later, to check if it has been effective.
You also might want to consider a blood test for selenium levels to see what you are starting with, and your veterinarian can advise you on a suitable feeding plan.
Body condition and weight gain
A lean thoroughbred or standardbred may take time to put on weight. This will often be due to a combination of different factors, and may be especially true if they have come straight from racing to their new home. They will have been used to a certain routine, they are likely to have been fed a diet relatively high in grain, they will be used to high-intensity exercise at fixed time and will be used to their herd mates around them.
This will all have suddenly changed, which can take a bit for them to get used to. We also know from one New Zealand study that 88% of racehorses had gastric ulcers, and this can affect weight gain.
Allow your racehorse time to settle down. Hopefully, they will have another horse or horses to bond with and this will reassure them. Offer them plenty of fibre-based feed. Turn out in a paddock is often the best thing mentally and physically, and if supplemental feed is needed try to make this mainly fibre-based.
Feed a vitamin and mineral balancer along with the grass and hay – this is important to ensure they are getting all the nutrients they need, as our pasture can be deficient.
A regular blood test looking at selenium levels is highly recommended until they are on a regular feed routine.
It can be so tempting to try to stuff a lean horse full of high energy feeds, especially if they are not eating that much, but you really want to gradually change the gut bacteria from relying on a lot of grain to bacteria that use fibre (as of course, this is the more natural state). Feeding lots of fibre will also help if the ex-racehorse is suffering from gastric ulcers.
Gastric ulcers
The NZ study that found that 88% of racehorses had evidence of gastric ulcers looked at both thoroughbreds and standardbreds, and found the prevalence of gastric ulcers was the same in the two breeds.
Gastric ulcers occur where there is damage to the lining of the stomach – it can range from inflammation to deep ulcers, and can affect different areas of the horse’s stomach.
At present the only way to properly diagnose horse gastric ulcers is to look with an endoscope. Unfortunately, this needs a special extra-long endoscope to be able to get right down into the stomach, and these are only available at a few vet clinics in New Zealand.
The medical treatment recommended, and shown to have the best results in studies for gastric ulcers in horses, is a paste containing a special formulation of the drug omeprazole. It has to be formulated in a specific way to be absorbed properly, and there is a cost to this, so it is not a cheap treatment.
In an ideal situation, if you were concerned that your new ex-racehorse was suffering from gastric ulcers then your vet would be able to scope your horse’s stomach and then prescribe treatment if necessary.
Unfortunately, in many areas of New Zealand this means a long road trip – although there have been several travelling ulcer-scoping clinics, so that is something to look out for.
Some mild cases of ulcers may not need medication, and with a change to a high-fibre diet and plenty of turn-out the ulcers can heal themselves.
There are supplements and feeds which can help, together with management factors including allowing continuous access to pasture or ad lib hay (and, of course, fresh water), feeding lucerne hay, feeding little or no grain, reducing stress and having paddock mates.
Signs of gastric ulcers are very variable but they can include some or all of the following:
- Poor appetite
- Dull coat
- Weight loss or no weight gain
- Poor performance
- Signs of colic
Talk to your veterinarian about whether you need to get your horse’s stomach scoped and how best to manage your horse.
Hoof care
In general, thoroughbreds are not known for having the best feet. They often have flat feet with thin soles and a weaker hoof wall.
Standardbreds don’t have the same poor reputation, but both will benefit from a good farrier on a regular schedule to trim and advise on the best management.
It is really important to get their hooves in the best shape and condition you can, otherwise you will be battling with hoof abscesses and other, more serious problems, as a result.
Habits/vices
Things like fence walking, crib biting and windsucking are known as stable/paddock vices but they are thought to be the way a horse tries to cope with anxiety in a stressful situation.
Apart from the fact that it is not good to have a stressed horse, these habits, also known as stereotypies, can become a problem for us when a horse is so intent on doing the motion that it doesn’t eat and loses condition, and also when damage is caused to fences and paddocks by chewing or continual walking.
It is, of course, not only racehorses who can show these habits, but plenty of them do. Providing the right paddock mates, an interesting paddock and plenty of good quality fibre will often reduce or eliminate these habits.
Lameness problems
Sometimes an off-the-track racehorse is retired due to a known lameness issue, such as a tendon or ligament injury, and needs months of rest to recover. In these cases, make sure you get as much information you can about the injury and follow the recovery plan properly to give your horse the best chance of a full recovery.
There are some joint, tendon and ligament problems that are more common in thoroughbred racehorses and other problems that are more common in standardbreds. The important thing is if you are concerned to get veterinary advice as soon as possible. A lot of the time, a full recovery can be made if issues are found early on and managed properly.
Wind issues
There are a few conditions which affect airflow into the lungs and cause the horse to have to slow down, as well as produce respiratory noises. Two of these are Laryngeal Hemiplegia (LH) and Dorsal Displacement of the Soft Palate (DDSP).
Horses with LH are often known as roarers, due to the noise they make when exercised due to partial obstruction of the airflow through the larynx. A lot of horses with this condition are perfectly able to perform at a less intense level than racing despite the noise; it is often just at higher levels that performance will be affected.
It can be assessed with an endoscope; ideally a dynamic endoscope where the larynx is seen during exercise will be used, to grade how severe the problem is. There are surgeries to correct the problem if it does become too severe.
DDSP is where the soft palate flips up over the epiglottis, this will happen during intense exercise resulting in a sudden restriction in airflow and causing a choking sound.
The horse has to slow down suddenly but then, usually, the soft palate flips back into place. Again to diagnose this properly, a dynamic endoscopic examination or treadmill examination during exercise is needed. Out of the intense racing environment, DDSP may not recur, so there may be no further problems at a lower exercise requirement. There are management aids and surgeries to consider if it does continue to be a problem.
Summary
If you are thinking of taking on an off-the-track racehorse, whether it is a standardbred or thoroughbred, then be prepared and be honest with your level of experience.
They do have a lot to offer and it is great for a young horse to have a chance at a second career, but it is not always easy.
Take your time in allowing your new horse to adjust to their new life, both physically and mentally. Get help from professionals when you need them (veterinarians, farriers, nutritionists, trainers etc) and if you put the time and effort in, you could end up with a very special horse.
