FIVE KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN TRAINING EX-RACEHORSES
1 Some former racers can be strong or spooky at first as they get used to their new surroundings. 2 They will only know about walking and galloping and nearly all of their training will have been done alongside other horses. 3 Your new horse will be out of his comfort zone initially and his behaviour could be unpredictable. 4 Correct day-to-day management and feeding routines are important to help him settle and relax. 5 Ex-racehorses have only ever gone in straight lines or on large circuits and no one cares what outline they have — it’s just about being the fastest. So, retraining will be a slow process and patience is key.