# OTTBs: Victims of ignorance and prejudice



## christabelle (Feb 13, 2011)

Cute! I love his movie star pawing rear!


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## loveyourhorse (Jun 17, 2011)

i LOVE this!!


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## legyield768 (Jul 24, 2011)

LOVE THIS! I had 2 OTTB and they were just lovely! This is a great video and he looks like he has a amazing home


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

umm...you all missed the point of the video. It was to show that all OTTBs are schizophrenic Satan worshippers!:twisted:

(Seriously, thanks for your comments)


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

What a nice video. I remember you posting pics of him when hyou got him. He was a lot thinner , wasnt he? He is quite gorgeous and relationship with your son looks to be solid.


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

Tiny, yea he was emaciated when we got him. his body score was a middle 2. That's what happens to OTTBs when they don't win....they become discarded trash, not worth the cost of feeding them...


I feel so bad for this breed....either they win and spend their lives in the unnatural environment that is TB racing .....ending up unsound in body and unsound in mind.

OR they becomes the LOSERS of the racing world and end up as a can of dog food....


And what a shame that is because they are fantastic horses!


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## SocietyJoe (Jan 21, 2011)

Woaaah, I thought you were being serious at the start of your post and I got my angry face on, LUCKILY I watched the video. HAHAHAHA. 


Wow, what a stunning horse OTTB are the most amazing breed, they try so hard to please and that's why I love mine!


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

Joe, as an owner of an OTTB, do you ever just think "WHat the heck?!" when you hear some of the things people are saying about these horses in general? I mean, I am sure YOU have heard all the horror stories also....

and the funny part is, those who actually OWN OTTBs usually end up saying what fantastic horses they are!

The problem is getting anyone to WANT to own one after hearing how they are going to kill you and stomp on your remains.

SHEESH!


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Had me scared there.....
He almost ate the kid...........


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## SocietyJoe (Jan 21, 2011)

Ohh; i've heard them all...

Apprently a 15year old girl isn't capable of re-educating a OTTB, boy did I show them.. What made me mad was how they stereotyped the breed and they haven't even taken the time to own and train such lovley horses. 

I heard about all that killing you stuff before we rescued Joe, and now I laugh in the faces of the negative people, who can barley handle their quiet little 'perfect' ponies. Joe is waay more well behaved then those ponies that bite, kick and just aren't well mannered. 


Meet Joe;


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

All these OTTB's look a lot calmer than my little Arab. At least she is closer to the ground if I fall off.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched that loving video. Thank you so much for posting it. 

I have had several OTTB's and every one was a fabulous horse. My favorite was Sunclipper, who was a very successful event mare of mine. 










Sadly, I went to Colorado to teach a clinic and I made a deal with another trainer to take good care of her while I was gone. She put her in a pen with another mare, knowing this mare kicked. Well, my horse was kicked in the hock and, while we almost lost her, she pulled through....but not sound for competition.

She made a good momma for my next generation eventer, though. A wonderful horse and friend.


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

Joe has such dark, soulfull eyes....how pretty.

And that foal is just about the cutest darn thing I ever saw!!

I wish we could all reach out and dispel all these myths and misconceptions about OTTBs....

If a QH has an attitude, it is the result of poor or lack of training.

If an OTTB has an attitude, it is the result of genetics.

It's a silly thing to believe, yet many people do....

and because this OTTB reputation got started somehow, many fantastic OTTBs never find homes....because no one wants to deal with a "killer horse". 

Gosh, it just tears me up.


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

Aren't they terrifying?? Love your video!
We took our OTTB to the fair this year as part of the 4-H horse and Pony club (my daughter belongs). It was amazing to me to hear what people THOUGHT she would/should be like and then see their reactions when they met her. We were *those* people who were in the barn almost 24/7 and more than happy to let as many people as we could meet her. If nothing else, even if we didn't change minds completely, we planted some great seeds -- being able to share her story.


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

macpack, that is EXACTLY what more people need to do.....get the word out that OTTBs can make fantastic family horses, let people actually interact with these horses....and change their misconceptions....


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

*raises hand* I bought into it. I thought most OTTB's were nuts. I really did. I avoided them. Until the Frog came along. I found him on CL...he wasn't advertised as a TB (smart marketing!) but loved him even after I found out. He is just one cool dude. Not spooky, not hot, not a run-away. He raced for 5+ years and he raced a ton...you would honestly not even know. 

One thing I think most of them *do* have in common is the personality. Froggy is full of it. I know several with that 'playful' attitude.


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

I have to admit, when DD chose Aero, I had some misgivings and was not sure what we were getting into -- I suppose my mind was the first she changed.


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

Me, too, macpack and corino.

When my son said he wanted the gray OTTB, i was astonshed and horrified. I actually tried to talk him out of it. MY logic then was "But he is one of THEM..... a TB" GASP. The next line that followed was "You KNOW how they are". When in fact, we KNEW nothing.

I tried to get him interested in a black and white paint the horse dealer had for sale... 

He persisted. It was his birthday present and he wanted the gray OTTB....

Reluctantly, i agreed. Boy, was I scared. 

Now, looking back on it, I shudder to think how much we would have missed out on had we not bought him.....


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## Katze (Feb 21, 2011)

Beautiful video, your love for your horse shines through, I had tears in my eyes lol, I wish more people would stop, learn and listen to what a truly lovely breed they are off track or not. Congratulations, he really is quite the character and truly a beauty, inside and out.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

You're sure letting him out of his stall is a good idea? He looks absolutely vicious!
;-)


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## Courtney (May 20, 2011)

I think you're absolutely CRAZY for letting that EVIL horse get so close to your son! Did you see how he almost ate his head??

What a gorgeous horse. This is a true example of what can happen when a horse finds a person that will look past the stereotype and love it for the animal it is. I'm a firm believer that PEOPLE cause the stereotype... if all OTTBs are crazy, it's because they, themselves, had a horrible experience with one. When I was younger, I had a very bad experience with a Standardbred stallion - he was notoriously anxious and when I walked past his stall, he snaked his head toward me and grabbed me by the shoulder of my sweatshirt. When he made contact, he tried dragging me toward him. If that was my only experience with the breed, I'd assume all were horrible, evil horses. Luckily, I ended up working with Standardbreds and I found that he was the exception - the majority of the horses are very sweet and docile, even as 'hot' racehorses.

Kudos for seeing past the stereotype and allowing this lovely animal to flourish!


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

Uh...that was a scary story, Courtney.:shock:

That would've freaked me out big time! 

You are brave to ever even go NEAR a horse again after that....totally scary stuff.


Beau is such a monster...
Our evil ex BO actually warned us daily that Beau was going to kill us, that he was dangerous. She even warned my hubby on moving day that she was concerned this horse was dangerous and was going to kill his family. Of course that had nothing to do with the fact she tried to buy this horse from us and we refused... lol.


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

Beauseant said:


> Me, too, macpack and corino.
> 
> When my son said he wanted the gray OTTB, i was astonshed and horrified. I actually tried to talk him out of it. MY logic then was "But he is one of THEM..... a TB" GASP. The next line that followed was "You KNOW how they are". When in fact, we KNEW nothing.
> 
> ...


Oh my gosh - that is our story to the letter. Aero, too, was a birthday present for my DD. We had gone to look at a different horse, but as we were getting out of our car the first thing DD saw was this big, bay horse in a paddock with three other horses (turns out they had arrived the night before, having been bought out of the kill pen at the auction). She said, "That one" -- we looked at every horse they had, but she kept coming back to that one. They chose each other, really, I don't know how else to put it. I tried every thing I could to interest her in any horse but that one, lol, and - like you - I look back now and thank my lucky stars they knew better than I did.


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## ScharmLily (Nov 23, 2009)

What a cute video! I actually recently wrote a 23 page essay as an argument against horse racing. Unfortunately, I did own one ottb that was just a bad egg. She turned me off from the breed for a while, but as time went by, I began to feel pity for her more than anything. To add another strike against their already bad situation, most of the tb's around here are bought by big hunter/jumper barns where they are quickly beaten and forced into submission (not saying all hunter/jumper barns are bad- don't kill me for saying this, but many around my area are not good at all). Then, when the horse reacts out of fear and pain, it is said that this is just because they are a crazy tb. Since my incident with my ottb mare however, I have met many that are very sweet- even leased one over the winter who turned out to be a total lovebug  I just think that it is really sad that the racing industry even exists today...it just creates so many excess horses that have no place to go


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

I absolutely, and always will - LOVE LOVE LOVE OTTB's. Thoroughbreds just have that special something inside of them, that makes them those amazing companions and mounts.

They always have, and will continue to, rule the sport of Eventing because of how much "pop and spark" they have in their hearts.

My boy is a TB who once raced on the track, he's 22 now and still going strong. I've had TB's pretty much since I bought my first horse, and I will always continue to have TB's. 

My next horse, I am going to go through New Vocations to get - I am that attached to TB's.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Maybe I missed out on something. 
I always thought that TB's were great horses.
This video confirms my idea.
I just never bought one; maybe I will now. I guess I'd better hold off a while until I have some time to put into a new horse. :smile:


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

Celeste said:


> Maybe I missed out on something.
> I always thought that TB's were great horses.
> This video confirms my idea.
> I just never bought one; maybe I will now. I guess I'd better hold off a while until I have some time to put into a new horse. :smile:


There are a lot of people out there who believe that TBs, specifically those who have been on the track, are crazy, dangerous animals.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I have seen so many wonderful ones over the years.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

I love this thread. It is so POSITIVE!! So unlike most other threads.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I just went to the New Vocations web site. I didn't know about it. Wow! What nice horses, and at what a steal! It is very tempting to adopt one of these lovely horses and spend the money I save on buying a different horse on professional training. 

New Vocations


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I had never thought about the standardbreds. Does anybody have any experience with them?


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

Standardbreds are a wonderful breed. Great temperments, very trainable. My friend has always had standies and loves them.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I don't own an OTTB. Based on a book by someone with a lot of experience re-homing OTTBs, I concluded my set-up and experience level were not a good match. 5 years from now, and if we ever build on some land we bought, that may change.

That in no way means that folks should not consider it, but they also need to think about the different training and background that racehorses have.

Amazon.com: Beyond the Track: Retraining the Thoroughbred from Racecourse to Riding Horse (9781570764028): Anna Ford, Amber Heintzberger: Books


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## Dusty1228 (Dec 2, 2010)

Back to the OP, I'm going to have to say that, in my personal experience, people say these things about OTTB's out of jealousy and ignorance. 
I am on the receiving end of a bit of animosity with my Bug and I look at the people who had dealt with him before I got him, and ... well, I can understand why he may not have wanted them on his back for any length of time, if you know what I mean.

I think people look at others who own, lease or work with OTTBs and just get frustrated that they are unable to work with them with any level of success. 

OP you are a brave person to deal with such an animal! Congratulations on not getting eaten during the OTTB apocalypse!!!


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

bsms is right in that OTTBs are not good horses for those with time issues or those who want "finished" mounts....


they do need retraining. BUT you don't have to be super experienced in horse training to do so. All you need is alot of commitment, at least the basics in ground work, and a firm but gentle approach...and you have a friend for life......

IMO, they are well worth the time you put into them. But I have found that it isn't TIME that keeps prospective buyers away from OTTBs, it's fear. Adjectives that attach to them.... terms like vicious, crazy, tempermental, insane, wild, dangerous....frighten buyers away.

I liken it to what has happened to pit bulls. Pit bulls are not genetically evil, they are just dogs. But because of bad press, some cities have even banned them from living there. Insanity prevails.

LOL, Dusty. I take my life into my own hands every time we kiss his furry gray nose....because he could very well lick us to death. He licks more than a dog....the face, your neck, your head....it's kind of odd.

When the BO opens the pasture fence each morning, he stands behind her and licks her neck and breathes in her ear....she is constantly reminding him she's a married woman!


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## Dusty1228 (Dec 2, 2010)

Beauseant said:


> bsms is right in that OTTBs are not good horses for those with time issues or those who want "finished" mounts....
> 
> 
> they do need retraining. BUT you don't have to be super experienced in horse training to do so. All you need is alot of commitment, at least the basics in ground work, and a firm but gentle approach...and you have a friend for life......
> ...


******


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

Just wanted to add that I am so glad to see so much support for OTTBs on this forum.... I wish more people had the sense that you all have....they believe the stereotypes without ever trying to discover the truth...that these are trainable, lovable, energetic athletes with quirky and endearing personalities.


LOL, Dusty .... yep, today could be the last day....he is merely biding his time....waiting for the right moment to strike.....like when we run out of horse cookies!!!


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## Dusty1228 (Dec 2, 2010)

I shudder just to think of it! Running out of horse cookies is just plain neglect anyhow, ask my Bug, he'll tell ya all about this abusiveness!


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## goodcallsenator (Aug 7, 2010)

He;s adorable! I love his colouring! He looks like he has a great personality!


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

Beausant thank you for this thread and for sharing your beautiful video and story. I have admired photos of your boy since you joined this forum and am so glad that he found a home with you and your son.

As for talking up the OTTB's, you are preaching to the converted here my friend! I have been working with both OTTB's and O(ff)TTB's for almost fifteen years and dearly dearly love the breed. The racing industry however just isn't for me, my true passion is taking hopeless case OTTB's and working with them. The crazier, skinnier and more pathetic the better.

Two in particular have changed my life; the grey girl in my avatar is my once in a lifetime horse, broke my heart when I had to leave her behind in Australia as I couldn't cough up the money to have her shipped here to Texas with me after ten years of partnership. Now I have Bobbie, my badass brown and she is shaping up to be just as rewarding an equine partner as anyone could hope for.

I love the challenges the OTTB's present, as another poster excellently put it the other day, they are 'spicy' which is very apt! The ones I take on are often from auction, the kill pen or otherwise neglected. My grey girl could put a bucking bronco to shame and spent the first six months pounding my **** in the dirt before one day, seemingly overnight, we clicked and she eventually became my most successful eventer. That horse would do anything and everything for me without hesitating and always gave me 110%.

Bobbie, my Texas OTTB, was also handful when I bought her and had been deemed unfit for riding but I *had* to have her when I saw her, despite being warned against her. The first three months we had together were very hairy I can promise you, there were a few moments where she had me wondering "what am I going to do with this she-devil?" One day she reared and spun and almost took both of us over the arena fence that you can see in the pic below.

But again, with patience, consistency and work work work she came around. Similarly the transition seemed to take place overnight and again I have a horse that tries her heart out for me and in turn has stolen mine. Here are some shameless bragadocious pics:

When I brought her home (the look in her eyes in this shot still saddens me when I look at it).









After a few months, having perfected ground tying she very innocently will stand wherever I left her and watch my every move.









Not bad for an unrideable horse eh?


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## Courtney (May 20, 2011)

Celeste said:


> I had never thought about the standardbreds. Does anybody have any experience with them?


Standardbreds are the most wonderful breed. I worked with Standardbred racers for a handful of years and I love them with a passion. They are kind, docile, willing and affectionate, and they all have such big personalities. What's really interesting about them is they don't ALWAYS look like Standardbreds. In the barn I was at, we had a few that I SWORE were Quarter Horses and a few others that looked like oversized Arabians. They don't come in as many colors as other breeds - the majority of the horses we had were bay, with the odd chestnut or black thrown in for variety. Once, we got a gray gelding in and by watching the commotion in the barn, you'd have thought the Queen was coming for a visit. But nope, just a gray Standardbred.

My heart horse was a Standardbred filly and I regret not buying her every moment of every day. She was 4 years old when she was sent from the training back to a breeding facility and I never saw her again. I searched for months, but could never find any relevant information on her because I didn't have her registered name. I knew her as Vanna and she was my equine soul mate.

You'll never regret giving your heart to a Standardbred. They are amazing.


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

My 'crazed' OTTB (I prefer recycled racehorse...lol) meeting me and my daughter for the very first time. 












His worried expression gets me every time. I rode him for 2 minutes and told him not to worry any more...he was going home. 































Now he lives his life in knee high grass, happy as a horse can be!


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Beauseant said:


> bsms is right in that OTTBs are not good horses for those with time issues or those who want "finished" mounts....
> 
> But I have found that it isn't TIME that keeps prospective buyers away from OTTBs, it's fear. Adjectives that attach to them.... terms like vicious, crazy, tempermental, insane, wild, dangerous....frighten buyers away...


In my case, I have a common corral 70' in diameter for 2 horses, and my current property doesn't give me much room for expansion. The book I mentioned explained that there were often socialization issues and also often time needed for hormones to clear out of the system, and I have no separate area to handle that sort of thing.

Add in feed issues - the recommended feeding of the OTTB was easily twice what my current horses are getting - and concerns about my riding skill (lack thereof), and I decided an OTTB wasn't for me right now.

I would compare it to Arabians. My 2.00 horses are 1.75 Arabian. The mare in particular was a poor choice for a beginner rider. I've also met a number of folks who say all Arabians are crazy, and who swear they will never own an Arabian. That is their choice and (IMHO) their loss. All horses are individuals, but if I were to get another horse, I'd look FIRST at Thoroughbreds and Arabians. That intensity is intoxicating! And frankly, regardless of what breed I bought, I'd also plan on giving them a rest time, followed by starting them over at the beginning of their training. I'd rather find the holes in their training that way than find them out on the trail...


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## Druydess (Jan 25, 2008)

Wow- what a demon..!! 
Seriously, what a sweet video- he's looks so happy in his new home..


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## KyAngel11966 (Jul 24, 2011)

Love the video of that monster. Scary stuff but you did warn us so we have no right to complain. He's an amazing boy. Thanks for sharing this with us and for giving this wonderful guy a loving home. (Great ! Now I want an OTTB ! And I do gaited horses ! *wanders away muttering in confusion* ) LOL!


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

On behalf of Beauseant, i thank you all sincerely for your photos of your lovely horses and for your support of these OTTBs.

The horse in the video bears little resemblance to this pathetic, scabby, starved to a body score of 2 creature, who was so weak and dispirited he couldn't even hold his head up for the photo.












But this is Beau how he looked when we bought him....and this is a perfect illustration of what happens to racehorses who don't win. Oftentimes, they are thrown away like trash, discarded like something worthless....and starved....if they don't win, they don't deserve to eat.

I am not bashing the racing industry, I am bashing the breeders and owners who treat these majestic animals as if they were disposable.

Hard to believe the running, head tossing, rearing, kissing, nuzzling bundle of grayness in the video was once the pathetic horse above.....:-(


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## Shenandoah (Aug 9, 2010)

Celeste said:


> I had never thought about the standardbreds. Does anybody have any experience with them?


I just helped a friend get her first horse, and we ended up finding a Standardbred for her (left the track about 10 years ago).
Sweet thing, very willing, very patient.
The only downside is that it's hard, hard, hard to get her to canter. She just paces faster and faster - and she can MOVE at the pace.
Other than that, she's being a perfect first-horse for someone building her knowledge and experience. They're a perfect pair.


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## wildmustango (Jul 7, 2011)

racehorses are beautiful animals, they just need patience and gentle hands! I love them!


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## WildJessie (Oct 15, 2010)

I would love to own a former racehorse someday.


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## shortysmalls (Jul 27, 2011)

Hahahaha ! I'm glad I watched the video I didn't want anyone hating on OTTBs! I LOVE my OTTB. Hes awesome


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## Starlite (Jan 25, 2011)

Count me in for the "I have an OTTB and he is amazing" group...he is literally the most beloved horse at my barn. EVERYONE loves Sam..and he is well worth the love and admiration, he gives his all everyday, and is kind and gentle..and very funny too.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

I have an anglo arab... insane horse, if you believe what people say about TB's and Arabs, right? Mix the two together and it's a recipe for disaster?

Could not get a better horse. He is athletic, has the stamina to do minimal training at home and then go to a show and let rip, has great movement, and the best temperament EVER. He's so bold and very little scares him, and when he does get a fright, he calms down straight away.

I love TB's, great horses. Would I buy one straight off the track? I don't think so, I don't have enough experience to be re-training a horse that is potentially very damaged. I would, however, have one that had been given some re-training already and had the basics down. I would not hesitate.

The loopiest horse I ever had anything to do with was a Standardbred! Majority of Standies are forgiving, really quiet, just great beginners' horses, but mine was a nervous wreck.

We used to have a TB mare, she was 16 when we got her and had little to no education. We think she was taken off the track and chucked in the paddock to make babies, until we got her and started to work with her. AMAZING horse, the best temperament and SUCH a sweet mare. We would have bred from her but she had cysts in her uterus and we were advised that it would not be worth spending money to try to put her in foal. She would eventually carry a foal to term if she was run with a stallion, but that was not an option.

I would definitely have another TB. Maybe after Satin's started and trained, I'll find something nice from the track. Maybe I'll save madly and get a nice young (6-7yo) horse already going in my chosen discipline. I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll just stick with having the one riding horse after Monty's retired.


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## JustLopeIt (Jul 31, 2011)

you scared me with the title. luckily i watched the video. OTTB's are great horses! My barn has one and I just adore her!


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## gigem88 (May 10, 2011)

One of the happiest looking horses I've seen, what a ham!


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## Freda (Jun 26, 2011)

I love your video. Love watching that horse learning to become a horse, how grand. He looks like he is in good hands now. I hope you can always keep him. I have limited space, if I had more I'd probably take in all kinds of forgotten babies.


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

Thanks and hugs to everyone who read this thread.


It warms my heart to see so much admiration here for the OTTB...specifically the OT part, as these horses oftentimes don't really know how to be horses....and I am sure each and every OTTB owner on here will agree that the real beauty of owning an OTTB is watching them learn to be a horse, not a commodity.

A commodity is something to be used and discarded at will. He used to be that....

Now, he is a blessing, to be cherished and loved forever.


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## westerncowgurl (Jul 14, 2010)

i love thoroughbreds! befor i got timmy there was an ottb for sale at a ranch i helped out at he was so kind i rode him once and he was a dream! but a friend of mine almost ended up buying him i was happy she gave him back (she said he was to old for her) i begged my mom but she said no and then someone else bought him and from what ive heard he is doing great


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## MudPaint (Aug 14, 2010)

Typing through the tears is a bit difficult. Thanks for the warning. 

OTTBs get such a bad rap... but I have yet to figure out from where. Every single one I've met has been a gem. As someone who has primarily owned and worked TBs, now owning a WB cross, man I miss Thoroughbreds. I know everyone is on this WB kick, but there is nothing like a good Thoroughbred. They are athletic, beautiful and true. Plus you own a piece of history.... there's something about looking through the pedigree and seeing Secretariat or Man O War. 

Something a lot of people don't realize is OTTBs have shipped everywhere and have had to look good for how many years. They are generally the easiest horses to handle away from home and who doesn't like being able to clip their horse standing loose in the stall? The one farm I had Keeper (my last OTTB) at where all nervous when we went to a show because he hadn't been off the farm in 2 years. Who had the only horse that marched on and off the trailer.... stood tied and needed 5 minutes of warm-up ( no lunging thank you) before taking champion? Thats right.... the crazy uncontrollable OTTB.


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