When you get your new ex-racehorse home, you might notice his feet are not in the condition you are used to seeing on a show horse.
Their toes are longer than you probably want and he might still be wearing his racing shoes which are made of a very light aluminum. Resist the urge to have your farrier pull the shoes and trim the feet short. Start slowly, if the shoes are in good shape and seem to be on solid yet, just pull the back shoes. This will keep your horse from hurting any of his pasture mates or even horses on the other side of the fence if he kicks out.
Then after he’s adjusted to your hard pasture (any pasture will feel hard to him, he’s used to being stalled 23 hours a day and the track is deep sand) have your farrier pull the front shoes and trim the toes back slightly, slowly building those heels up. Make the adjustment to short toes over a period of time.
If you immediately pull the shoes and trim his toes back, you will frequently end up with a lame horse with very sore, bruised feet and very possibly abscesses. Also, if you begin riding him right away, give his feet time to adjust before beginning jumping or any other high impact adventures.
Remember, in the summer even your lush green pasture is hard, dry ground to your ex-racehorse. Give his feet time to adjust to this and even if you plan on riding right away, don’t be in a hurry to pull those racing plates and slapping on a normal pair of show shoes. Your horse and his feet will thank you!
It is not uncommon for some Thoroughbreds to need pads to make this adjustment and some continue to wear them year round due to their sensitive soles. This is especially true with those horses being retrained for hard impact sports such as jumping and eventing.
Keep this tip in mind: If your horse one day comes up sore or lame, consider whether he was recently shod or unshod, the hardness of the ground and how he has been worked lately and quite possibly the problem could be his difficulty in adjusting to normal ground from the sandy track.
About the author…
Kristie Buckley-Simon grew up on a small farm near Fountain, Michigan. She began riding lessons at the age of eleven and her parents bought her her first horse, a Morgan mare, a year later.
She has been riding, showing and training for thirteen years and has competed in Western, Huntseat, Jumping and Barrel Racing competitions, including 4-H, open and Equestrian Team in High School. Her first love is Barrel Racing, which she competed in for several years with her second horse, an Arabian gelding named Winsuns’ Nemrod. Sadly, Nemrod passed away in the Spring of 1997 after a bout with colic. With the purchase of her first ex-racehorse, a five-year-old chestnut gelding named Treasure’s Red, she hopes to embark on a new show career in Dressage.
She volunteered with the CANTER organization in July of 1999 and purchased Red in August after falling in love with him during a track visit. He was suffering from a bowed tendon which has since healed nicely.
Kristie currently resides in Oceana County near Shelby with her husband, her horse, a dog and two cats.
