I actually have Belmont near me and I've been offered some nice horses that just weren't fast runners years ago by the trainers. I just didn't have the ability to support them then (offered for free no less!) I have a connection to track vets, so you're probably right it's better to go directly to the trainer. My old instructor used to do that and got some very nice TBs that she incorporated into her warmblood/TB cross breeding program. And I know what you mean about soundness. Hey, do you see a lot of stringhalt in your exracers? I've seen it pretty common around here, especially in OTTBs turned into jumpers. Wondering if it's just coincidence.

Good point on the beet pulp...that's actually what she's on now and a mixed hay (not straight alfalfa.)

Her first owner had her on straight oats and alfalfa cubes and she spent more time with all four feet off the ground than on. She was pretty frightening to look at back then. Poor thing too...can't imagine what that does to a horse's mind.

I am not noticed any type of Stringhalt in the horses I've gotton off the track. The closest to that I have had was stiffness in one hind leg, but that went away went I moved them from their 12X12 racebarn stall into their 12x24 outside pen. Once they were able to move around more in the larger stall, that stiffness went away! Do you feed yours anytype of supplaments???

I have an ottb hes a 6 year old red chestnut .. bulit like qh tho and hes sooo lazy that its actually driving me insane and thinking about sellinghim.

His regestered name is : Storm Ruckus

Some of them do turn out to be very lazy. One of mine is that way. You can try adding grain to his feed to give him that extra boost, just be careful not to give him too much or he will be jumping out of his skin!!! Don't get rid of your OTTB, they are such wonderful horses to have!

Along the lines of what Fancy said, maybe add some oats to his feed...or use a complete feed with oats (like Complete Advantage). My horse gets far too much energy with even the slightest hint of oats, and she's already sensitive and explosive when in the wrong hands. (It's a very night and day reaction.) But, also, like she said, I've seen many TBs that were laid back too.

Fancy, with the stringhalt issue, they weren't my OTTBs, so I don't know how they were being fed or supplemented. Mine never had stringhalt, but several people I know had OTTBs that had it...funny thing was that they were also really talented show jumpers with amazing ability to jump like gazelles. I can think of five offhand. Could just be coincidence.

I have a T.B. mare her name is Melody, her reg. name is Lilly Charge North and shes the great grand daughter of Northern Dancer. Shes a bit crazy but shes my baby. I love her to death! lol My best Friend just got a T.B. last saterday but I havn't met her yet. I was wonderin if any of ya'll do Parelli horse training? I love it, it works really well. That horse one of ya'll were talking about might benifit (SP!!!) from Parelli. I'm training my horse Melody to be a show jumper shes doing great. When I got her shed never jumped before but shes a natural! lol last week I lounged her over 3 feet 6 inches! It was awsome!

-Jessica

sorry so long lol

I honestly don't use Parelli. I may come off the wrong way, but this is just my opinion! The Parelli methods are all built around common sense. I have seem some of his work and although I love watching the videos of the horses that are up to the Level 4 training, but I know that I do not need the "tools", books, or DVDs that he sells to tell me how to communicate with my horse and get them to do what I would like.

I do, however, do a lot of ground work with them. I can lunge my horse around me without having a lunge line attached and have him walk,trot,canter, and half, turn, etc without any tools, but my own hands. (Which I did not learn from Parelli). They all sure know how to respect my space! LOL I do believe that ground work is the building blocks to a great riding partner! Mainly, when you have a fresh-OTTB you sure need to drill all that stuff into them for ground manners where not a top priority on the track! LOL

I also do not practice Parelli; however, as a classical dressage enthusiast, I spend much time on ground work based on classical horsemanship/classical dressage, which has been practised for centuries.

Coolness thats fine its up to u what u use. I just thought I'd say that I don't have any "tools" other than my own two hands . so its not like u have to have them to do parelli horse training. ya so anyway i'm just really happy with how far my horse has come scince I started parelli with her.

I'm in NZ and my partner trains racehorses. We have a couple of our own and one broodmare that we bred from as well.
I've been around racehorses either breeding or racing for 17 odd years now