Retraining of Racehorses - a life after racing
At Dodlands Steading, we make the journey with a thoroughbred over the period by
(a)
Acquiring the Thoroughbred
(b) Educating the Horse
(c) Training the Horse
(d) Racing the Horse
(e) Attending to the Horse at the end of its Racing career
We know of the work that goes into the first four of the above, and the last one just as important as the previous four.
At the end of a racing career, for well-bred or
successful winning mares, life as a broodmare is very
much an option. Over the years, lots of our mares have
enjoyed a second career in the paddocks - Leith Walk,
Lindajane, Meda's Song, Ellistrin Belle, Well Disguised, Bollin Julie to name
a few.
For geldings, decisions have to be made by all concerned as to the
horse's capabilities outside racing.
I.e. being retrained for another career such as
- a riding horse
- dressage
- show jumping
- cross country
- eventing
Let's take one of the horses from Dodlands that has
retired in the last few months. Purely at random (!),
let's use Hartforth as an example.
I'll continue the story of Hartforth, of whom I first
eulogized in an article at the start of 2018 (see
Hartforth Retires).
As mentioned earlier, retirement is a very important part for these thoroughbred
racehorses. As in most yards, at Dodlands NH
racehorses will spend 10-12 weeks of the summer at
grass. Aside from that spell each year, they are only used to one thing
- training and eating like athletes.
This enables them to compete consistently at the various levels of Horse Racing.
On the racetrack, Hartforth was a relentless galloper,
stayed forever and jumped effortlessly, so he was seen as a horse with the capabilities for the 3 disciplines of Eventing.
The second important part was the decision was who would be able to provide Hartforth
with a new home and the care and retraining he required.
From our then stable staff Sarah Brown was offered this opportunity
- Sarah's family have trained and competed eventing
horses for a number of years.
Sarah quickly jumped at the opportunity and
began the project......to
retrain a successful racehorse into a 3-day Event Horse.
Now, fast forward 6 months and Hartforth is at a new home on the farm with Sarah and her family.
Hartforth has now competed in 3 Dressage Events , with finishing position of
7th , 4th , with the last event 4th out of 20 , winning 2 Rosettes and winning the R.O.R.
Category in Dressage.
During this time he has also been been put through his paces in Show Jumping obstacles and Cross Country obstacles as well.
Needless to say Hartforth has reveled in his new career
- a true professional.
Well done Sarah
from all at Dodlands Steading.
Another horse retired from
Dodlands, but to a slightly
different life (at least initially) is Tomahawk Wood ,
who was known as 'Chuckie' in the stable yard.
Tomahawk Wood is a lovely natured chestnut gelding, and over
the course of his racing career won a couple of hurdle
races.
His new home is in Kelso with Joanna Cassie, and he
has already made an outing at local Common Riding
events that take place in the Borders throughout the
summer.
Joanna's early reports on Chuckie are also very positive with him settling in very well to his new surroundings.
Thank you and good luck Joanna from all at Dodlands.
So, to round off, I'm so pleased that a couple of horses that I was involved with during their racing careers (winning 8 races between them) have gone on to provide two success stories having served all at Dodlands very well over several years.
Happy Retirement Boys!!!
