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Browse: Home / EX-RACEHORSES

EX-RACEHORSES

Jaguar Claw Ex Race horse to Showjumper

IHWT has initiated, for the first time in Ireland, a programme for the re-training for re-homing of ex-racehorses. Hundreds of horses leave racing each year. Many of these horses could be re-schooled for other disciplines. This programme aims to help some of these horses to go on to a new career in a new home and live out a happy useful life.

Such programmes have been successful overseas. Our Racehorse Programme is more than full to capacity and we have many other horses waiting to come into our Retraining Programme. Ex-racehorses are given over by owners or Trainers for the Racehorse Programme. The Racehorse Re-training Programme is part-funded & supported by ‘Horse Racing Ireland’ and ‘The Irish Racehorse Trainers Association’ for which IHWT is very grateful. It takes a minimum of 6-9 months to re-train and re-school an ex-racehorse and this time can increase depending on the individual.

Racehorses come out of a highly stressful career and it takes time for them to settle into a new type of work. Most horses adapt happily given the chance and can go on to do other disciplines such as Hacking, Dressage or Show jumping. They are however not suitable for novice riders and need a lot of care and attention. All IHWT ex-racehorses are assessed during the first few weeks for any behavioral or other problems. They are visited by the dentist and chiropractor. The horses have to adjust to a new diet (especially those coming straight out of racing). Individual diets are formulated using Baileys Feeds and Top Spec Feed Balancer so that all the horses are happy and healthy.

Only when all of the above is done can the re-schooling begin which starts with long reining and lunging progressing later to a combination of flatwork sessions and hacking. IHWT horses get lots of daily handling and grooming and daily turnout in preparation for a new career living in a new home.

Many ex-racehorses that have come through the IHWT have gone on to have successful careers in showjumping and as leisure and riding club horses.

Neal Walsh Web Designer, Ireland.