OTTB temperament, in general?

Question

I am wanting to know what your general opinon of OTTB are.

If you have experience with owning/training I would like to know what kind of temperment, willingness to learn, inteligence in general, etc.... you think they have.

Are there benifits to having a horse that has not been raced to one that has been. Any info like that is what I'm looking for.

I have mainly had stock type bred horses (QH, Appaloosa, Paints).

I relaize all horses are like people, and each have there own personality that's why I ask just as an over-all breed what you think.

Thanks for any help.

Answer 1

it would take me AGES to write out what i think about them, (and its 2:02 in the morning here, and i don't have the energy to write it..)

but i think the writer of FHOTD, in another blog put it very very well.

Heres the link:

http://verylargecolt.blogspot.com/2008/0...

Answer 2

I rescued a tb last year from the sales. He is the sweetest boy you'e ever come across despite being very badly treated between the track and me. I didn't know he was an ottb cause although I had searched I couldn't find any records of him racing. About 6 months ago I rebitted him (I'd been using a hackamore because of dental problems) and the second time I rode in the bit he bolted and I came off and smashed both ankles. Through the lady he's gone to (I'm not experienced enough to reschool an ottb) I discovered he was a very sucessful flat racer.

Because of this experience I probably wouldn't have another ottb horse because I don't think I am experienced enough to deal with one yet but my tb is doing really well in his new home and is going beautifully for the lady who has him now. He's very smart and curious now, but wasn't curious at all when I got him.

I think the main advantage of having a horse who hasn't raced is that they've not been taught to go faster with more rein pressure. This isn't a problem if you know how to retrain them but like my boy there are lots out there being passed off as riding horses when they haven't been retrained.

Answer 3

I got my first official horse May 11 & she turned out to be a OTTB. She wasn't straight off the track but she had multiple unexperienced riders so she was still a little... hyper & green.

But in the last few months we have grown to know each other & I absolutely adore her. She is amazingly smart. In about a month I taught her how to pick up both leads, trot in head & square her feet for showmanship. Add another month & she had a barrel pattern down pat & was picking up speed with it. If you read that blog some1 posted before me it describes my horse perfectly. I took her to the local fair last wk & she was so hyped. She did not want to hold still she wanted to say hi to every1 & she was very unsure of one of my fellow 4Hers llama. She was a little bit of a hand full for the first few days, but me being 17 & having only about 4 years handling horses by myself I could handle her fine. She did not run away or pull me, she just would rather walk around in circles then hold still for 2 seconds. She is amazingly smart & I am now re-learning English on her.

One thing I noticed she did not like was being passed by any horse in the warm up ring, she would toss her head & try to go faster but thats from the racing apparently. She's not crazy or breaking out into a full out gallop by herself just saying "Hey I can go faster then that, why are they passing us? Come on let me show them!"

I have only ridden a POA, quaters & this one OTTB but i would have to say i love my OTTB. I love her spunk & her personality. Plus she is amazingly smart. =] hoped that helped a little bit

Answer 4

While there are no hard and fast absolute rules, there are some general things you can expect.  Track horses are not domesticated horses.  They have had lots of handling but usually not in a kind, considerate, or respectful way.  They are forced to endure so much without any regard for their well being or sensitivities.  TB's are amazing horses with more heart, and try, and desire to please than most.  But a horse off the track is likely to be hot, nervous, anxious, disrepectful, untrusting, and dangerous.  My TB would bite, kick strike, run you over, and he was afraid of his shadow.  Most of his issues were from fear and his old life.  He is a dominant and very challenging horse.  We have come a long way but it took a long time to help him.  He still sometimes has what I call "flashbacks" from his old life, but he trusts me completely and will do anything I ask.  But it was not always so.  I had a lot of professional help with him.  He was considered a dangerous horse so I couldn't take him to clinics because he wasn't allowed.  TB's are very very intelligent and have a learn quickly and easily.  They also are very good at quickly figuring out how to evade what you are trying to ask them to do, very, very smart.  I call my guy the Einstein of Equine because he always tests the limits.    He's a wonderful horse, my heart on four legs, but he will always be a challenge.  I have to constantly think of new games to play with him so he won't get bored and disinterested and he can do some cool moves.  I love, love, love thoroughbred horses, but track horses have so much bad baggage.  I would urge anyone to consider carefully before taking on a horse like this.  I certainly didn't know what I was getting into when I got my boy and it has been a long, hard road to recovery for him.  I am so glad I have him and with all the experience and training I have now, I would feel comfortable trying to help a track TB, but it took a lot of work.   I am the only one who can ride him.  I let my trainer get on him one time and he threw the trainer in less than 5 five minutes.  I got on  him and rode him bareback with a halter and one rein.   So while TB's, in general are a wonderful breed, when you have to deal with the baggage from the track, the horses I have seen have real issues and should be approached with great care and a lot of experience and knowledge.  There would be a great benefit to having a non-track horse, but TB's are spirited and, I think, quite different from other breeds.  Consider carefully.

Answer 5

If they have been raced they are used to being handled and having things done to them. They will stand with their feet in buckets or let you hose them or ice them they are used to having alot going on and having someone handle ever part of their bodies.  Great for grooming and vet and farrier and such. They usually have fairly good ground manners. Some do not but most do.

Most are not upset by tractors and the like as they have seen them. They handle crowds and noise well. But they may have never seen things like cows, goats, llamas, farm type things.

That can spook them. In general they aremore reactive to things than stock horses will be. Where my Qh will stop look at things my OTTBs may jump and run a bit then stop and look. They live to run and they will run on their own in the pasture just for fun. I have one who goes out to the end of the pasture stands and then takes off and runs for all he is worth to the other end of the pasture. He will do this several times per day. He loves to run.

They learn well but it takes time and patience to teach them. Once you bond with them they will give their all for you. If they have been raced they may or may not be suitable for a jumping career depending on what injuries they had while racing.

Over all I love them and think they make wonderful riding horses.

Answer 6

Well mine is an angel! She is a doll, I mean she can get pushy sometimes, but a lot of horses can, and it is usually caused by lack of work.

Here is my overview on OTTB's.

Temperment: Usually a good temperment, some might have issues if they were treated wrong. But usually are friendly because they are used to being handled, cared for, etc. They are always good with the vet and farriar. They can get spooked, but its often not bad.  Like in comparison to my QH and my OTTB my QH when spooked will maybe shy, and step to the side, and my TB will spook and move about 10 feet. For them they just need to get used to normal barn workings.

Willingless to Learn: Good, they are used to working, and enjoy to work. Mine happens to be able to work a long time, and seems to enjoy it, but loves walking ang trotting, patterns.

inteligence: I believe the same as other TB's. Fairly smart but not the smartest.

I think that a horse that hasnt been raced has benifits because there would be no injuries. But many OTTB's are not raced very much. Mine was only raced twice.

I think if you are interested, please get one! They are very loving horses that need a good home!

Answer 7

I like them!  Their general temperament and abilities are the same as for the TB since thats what they are; but you get the bonus of them having had a lot of handling, vetting etc. Often this makes them calmer, or it can.  An unraced OTTB might be more sound depending on what you wanted to do with him; they aren't too hard to retrain just takes some getting used to for both the horse and you; go slowly and should be fine....have a vet you choose, x-ray the horse's legs, before purchase.  That way you will know what you're getting into.

Answer 8

i love ottb's!!!!! I have re trained 5 of them for hunters and eventing and they make wonderful horses. I also worked on a tb breeding farm for the track and dealt with 125 tb's daily. everything from sucklings to 5 year olds on lay ups and of course my  boys the stallions!

ottb's and tb's in general are like any horse, they all have different personalities like people. some are hot all the time and really need to  be worked and given a "job" tb's like having a job. for the most part they arent the type of horse you can just hop on after not riding for a week and they will be good, they have a little fire cracker up their butt half the ride. Then there are the ones that are just as quiet as a quater horse would be. They have more of a go button then stop, but are attentive and like to learn. If you get one off the track, really check out their legs. A trainer who is trying to un load a horse that isnt producing on the track, sometimes really is un loading them because they cant stay sound, or have bone chips in an ankle or knee. they dont make good re sales or good horses at all because keeping them sound is really rough. They are good horses though, i recommend them to someone who def. knows what they are doing. I dont think any green riders should ever buy a ottb, they are too much horse for a greeny.

check out www.canterusa.org that is a website with a ton of ottb's for sale they have locations all over the country.

good luck! hope this helped!