# Leading yearlings with bits?



## HorseGuru (Feb 28, 2012)

I'd use a rope halter. A bit is a bad situation. Even in a snaffle you can cause some damage to their soft mouths. Babys will be baby's. Get a rope halter and you make the horse spin. Technique is needed not bits.
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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

I agree I love rope halters but they only use nylon halters which I find to be absolutely useless. 

These are racing thoroughbreds so they have to learn to walk with a bit as yearlings for sales. I prefer to use technique over force with the bit, a lot of people resort to solely using the bit though. 

What boss says goes though, which I find frustrating as I feel he thinks he knows more about horses then he actually does.


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## AnrewPL (Jun 3, 2012)

Well, if your boss says to do it I guess you do it or loose your job. For me personally I think it is a mortal sin to lead a horse by the reins and a bit, but then I have never had anything to do with race horses.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

For sure, I was just curious on opinions and if I was wrong in my way of thinking.


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## AnrewPL (Jun 3, 2012)

Well I guess the context has a lot to do with it. If you work for a race horse breeder/trainer I guess he/she probably knows what they are doing and had good reason for wanting things done the way they are done; and if you are working for the person I guess you have to do as you are told even if you don’t like it. But from my point of view, training cattle horses with the aim of having them as soft in the mouth as I can get them, I wouldn’t lead them by a bit, but there’s probably a world of difference between what you want in a cow horse and what you want in a race horse, I wouldn’t know, never had anything to do with race horses. 
But I guess what Im saying is no you are not wrong, if you are in the right context; however if you are leading horses around for a horse trainer, I suppose its his/her way or the highway.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

Yeah thats what I don't get I have led horses that are super light to lead and others you practically have to drag. So when your handling them on the ground I think its different for every different thoroughbred place. 

I would love to work at some of the cattle horse places around here but they are hard to get a job at especially if your not super experienced. Most places around here deal with race horses, I was just happy this place gave me the chance to get experience when no one else would. 

I'm not really into horse racing but I am currently learning from a woman who does natural horsemanship and is freaking awesome with horses. So hopefully once I learn enough I can get a a job somewhere better. But for now I will just stick with his way to keep the job.


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Leading a horse around that knows how to give to the pressure of the bit is one thing. But leading a young horse that hasn't been taught yet what that bit is for is just wrong, in my opinion. Yes they will learn but not as successfully or quickly. 

Since that is the way they say you need to do it for your job, I guess you'll just have to do it that way.
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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

I do not agree with it either, though they are led by their halter as well not solely by the bit. I do think people could do a better job with their leading lessons before they add the bit to the equation though. 

Nothing seems to happen until last minute though, then it is all a big rush to get them to where they need to be. I'm a dumb little stablehand who doesn't know any better though so no one listens to me.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

My BO breeds a couple thoroughbred foals for the track every year. by weaning kids can lead them any where with a string around their neck. A few years ago we took some to a big sale. It seems like its the norm for most breeding stables to do as little work with them as possible, and what is done is done last minute. Most babies at the big yearling sales have very little work done before hand, almost no halter breaking, few are trained to give to preasure and most dont know how to trailer load.

the bit is nessesary as a band aid solution; Taking a very large(some thoroughbred yearlings are well over 15hh), sensitive, virtually untrained baby and expecting it to behave.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

So true


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

What scares me most is if they do break away, with a bit in, and go running down the road. If they step on the lead attached to the bit, that's massive mouth injuries waiting to happen. My mare has a scar where her tongue was almost cut off, dentist says he sees it all the time as a result of accidents with rearing bits.
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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

I have seen horses at the sale being led with the bit in their mouth. A lot of people don't do a whole lot of work with yearlings but from what I have seen (which is not so much) the ones who are well trained and broke tend to sell for more. I am dealing primarily with standardbreds which are a whole other ball of wax then thoroughbreds. So, the buyers might want more "spirit" in the yearlings.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

The horses getting with a bit scares me too. 

That is why when I feel I can I don't use one rearing bit, I would love to take a good rope halter to work and use it though. Sometimes I have to use a bit because the nylon halters are so useless, the horses just lean again them. I have been dragged by an 18hh gelding who got ****ed with me because I got up him for not quietly walking beside me. Some of the horses that come here have terrible leading skills.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

Rookie: I think its the same for thoroughbreds. You can mostly tell which ones are good horses because they put a lot of effort into them. Also the larger well known places do better with their horses. Its the smaller/up and coming places like where I work that don't necessarily have qualified staff that tend to have the bad horses.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

I did not read all of the responses so forgive me if this has been covered.

Are these racing TB colts?

Is the bit a Chifney Ring Bit made for leading? Is it snapped into a halter?

If so, it is proper to train TB yearlings to lead in them and to respond to them. The only problem is that they need to be taught to lead by someone strong enough to hang on to one that wants to bolt. If a person is not strong enough to hold a bolter, then they should not be leading it as it will get very spoiled. 

Years ago, I used to fit quite a few of these sale horses. They all had to be taught to lead correctly with a ring bit in a leather halter. I really hated to have to deal with one that had already learned to bolt and get away. [The only thing worse is a mule that has learned that same trick.]

If you have one that learned this little trick, you are going to have to ask the boss or another big strong person to let this horse try it with them and they have to be able to jerk this horse around and hang on. Otherwise, he will just get more and more spoiled.


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Cherie said:


> I did not read all of the responses so forgive me if this has been covered.
> 
> Are these racing TB colts?
> 
> ...


Yes, yes and yes. I worked at the track for many years and we routinely walked all the horses, young and old in colt bits/rearing bits/Chifney ring bits. Useful tools, very standard with racehorses.....they must ALWAYS be snapped onto the halter with the lead....without that some serious damage to the mouth can occur.

I would teach the young ones to 'spook on the spot' ie. they get scared, try to bolt.....but they learn that they can't by the handler practicing swift thinking and handling. Once they learn that they CANNOT get away they tend to just spook on the spot....it's a good thing to teach


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

The problem is that these yearlings are not being trained normal, benificial things. Instead of properly halter breaking, teaching them to give to pressure, trust a handler and go where they are told, like any other breed, instead these yearlings have minimal handling, then a bit slapped in their mouth and yanked around. I've been at the sales and watched $10,000 + yearlings flipping over backwards rather than lead into the sale ring, young colts dragging their handlers down the halls, slamming themselves into stalls and other horses.

There is absolutely NO reason these horses need to be led bitted. They need to be trained properly. I work with ottb's and yearling thoroughbreds, I have never felt the need to put any sort of bit on to lead even the most high strung. It is expected in the industry, but to me it's often unnessesary at best and potentially a poor bandaid solution that can damage a mouth and create bad habits.
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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

*CHERIE: *Yes these are racing tb colts and they are chifney bits we use. What frustrates me is I don't think they teach the young ones to lead properly before they introduce the bit. I have only just started being involved with actually educating the horses. 

This particular colt has been spoilt for a long time as he was over friendly as foal and some people didn't stop him. Now he either spooks or gets quite arrogant towards people. He has been known to rear and run backwards very fast. I find he is just generally all round ill-mannered. 

I had him get away from me once when he spooked and I slipped on the gravel a few weeks ago. He has gotten away from a few people a number of times though. I find it hard to hold onto them also when the leadropes are barely long enough to hold onto them if they rear. 

When I walk him now I always carry a whip and use it to make him move his feet forward if he thinks of stopping. If he does plant his feet before I get up him I let him know there is going to be hell to pay if he takes one step backwards or he can take the easy way and move forward. I have had him stop on me a couple of times and back a few steps but he starting to realise that is that bad option to take. 

As I'm not the only one who handles him I feel like I take 1 step forward, then 3 steps back every time.


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Horses can be too smart for their own good. My wife's horse is a good example. He's an Arabian cross. We had an issue with loading him in a trailer. He figured out that if he could get his head on the wrong side of the door, we were in trouble. He would keep going and you wouldn't have a chance in holding onto him unless you wanted to be drug for a while. He would get the rope to cross over his back and then you had no control. That was mainly when my wife loaded him. After he tried that a few times with me, he learned it was a bad idea. The workout, after he was caught, was way worse than loading. He still thinks about it once in a great while but changes his mind pretty quick, especially when I'm handling him. He does know he can get away if it's my wife handling him. Funny thing is that when she starts having problems, she tells him "I'm going to get dad." which gets him to knock it off or have to deal with me. 

Point of the story, even if one can stop them but others can't, they will still do their antics for the others. So it's understandable when you say you take one step forward and three back. It only works when everyone can be on the same page.
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## boldstart (Oct 11, 2009)

A halter is useless. Even have a horse take off with just a halter? How much chance do you think you have of stopping them? Yes, even with a bit they can and will get away but your chance of stopping them is higher.

I find when a horse spooks with a bit on, most times when I get on their mouths for that odd second they stop thinking about what they are spooking or running from and thats your chance to regain control over them.

When handling yearlings with bits, you need the right handler for the right horse. You need to be able to teach them. Yes, we have recieve yearlings that dont know how to lead which is a pain, and why some breakers and very useless but we reteach them and get them on the right path. Sadly once they are gone from our farm, people do ruin them but at least when we give abck or send yearlins away they are taught correctly. If you cant do it right, get the right handler and sometimes you will have to suck it up and try your best.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

I completely understand where your coming from boldstart. I just feel as though with what my boss was telling me about the yearlings always having to be led with bits. I find its his and a few others way of leading horses easily instead of teaching them to lead properly in the first place. I don't know if I am making sense with what I just tried to say.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

apachewhitesox said:


> I completely understand where your coming from boldstart. I just feel as though with what my boss was telling me about the yearlings always having to be led with bits. I find its his and a few others way of leading horses easily instead of teaching them to lead properly in the first place. I don't know if I am making sense with what I just tried to say.


You're making perfect sense and unfortunately, it's all too often the way TBs are handled. Wait til the last minute to halter and lead them, stick a bit in their face to make it HURT when they are wrong, instead of taking 5 days, working with them patiently and intensively and making it really pleasant when they're RIGHT. Do the same thing when they're sent off to race. Never been backed or even walked around a track or arena at home, go to the track at 2, never been conditioned and BAM they're racing. And we wonder why so many break down early. It's really sad.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Twelve months of age and already mouthed well enough that I knew 10000% she knew to give to the bit if she stepped on the reins. Also reliable enough to ground-tie that I knew she was highly unlikely to step on the reins in the first place. Not a TB, and not flighty, but learning what the bit was all about purely for the purpose of having one in her mouth for conformation classes at shows, because I prefer the look. She is now two years old, I have given her to my mother, and she has been lightly backed and is being left to mature for a couple of years.

My two year old TB is in the process of learning the same skills that I taught Satin before that photo was taken... Magic, I have only had for 4 months or so, and she was severely head-shy when I first took her on, so it's taken me this long to be able to get the bridle on her without a fight, let alone try to teach her anything with it!

edit; my point is, there's nothing wrong with bits in yearlings' mouths, provided the horse knows how to lead properly first, and is taught correctly how to give to bit pressure. Unfortunately due to a large number of horses and a limited amount of hours in the day, there simply isn't time to do this in many racing stables and breeding establishments [as they are often under-staffed when you look at horse-to-human ratios - I know the week I spent at a large, respected performance horse breeding and training establishment was enlightening; between us five girls, the owner, and the two trainers, there were 70 broodmares, 20 competition horses (including stallions), multiple clients' horses, and I don't know how many foals... it wouldn't have been so bad if the owner's wife and the sixth girl were not overseas at the time I was there but even so that is a LOT of horses for the number of staff to manage!]


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

> A halter is useless. Even have a horse take off with just a halter? How much chance do you think you have of stopping them? Yes, even with a bit they can and will get away but your chance of stopping them is higher.


I disagree. My BO has a colt on the farm, out of a mare that had a reputation for being difficult as a youngster(and is still a handful) and a stallion that was a handful. Due to good handling and being properly halter broke he is incredibly easy to handle. at a year old he is 15.2hh, kids that come to the farm like to walk him around the pastures, in a web halter.

I just halter broke a 1800# clydsdale stallion. with nothing but a rope halter he leads perfectly, any where. he went from no respect and walking through the halter(out of ignorance) to completely respecting it. No chain, or bit. I'm a smaller woman at 5'4", and not very strong(major issues lifting 50# square bales). No big strong guy helped me.



> Wait til the last minute to halter and lead them, stick a bit in their face to make it HURT when they are wrong, instead of taking 5 days, working with them patiently and intensively and making it really pleasant when they're RIGHT


I hate the fact that people cant take the time to properly train these thoroughbreds. Most are worth $3000-$500,000+++ as yearlings, yet no one takes a couple hours to train them properly for a carreer that requires being handled several times a day. I then get the race track rejects and have to retrain something that would have been very simple to train a yearling in the first place.


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## Maple (Jan 10, 2012)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> You're making perfect sense and unfortunately, it's all too often the way TBs are handled. Wait til the last minute to halter and lead them, stick a bit in their face to make it HURT when they are wrong, instead of taking 5 days, working with them patiently and intensively and making it really pleasant when they're RIGHT. Do the same thing when they're sent off to race. Never been backed or even walked around a track or arena at home, go to the track at 2, never been conditioned and BAM they're racing. And we wonder why so many break down early. It's really sad.


Any horse who is worth more than a few $ will have had about 6 weeks sales prep. They are brought in, led with halters first and then bits, groomed, bathed, handled daily and walked in hand to teach them to step up and walk. Yes, you get the backyard handler who thinks he knows something, but any good breeder/handler will have taken the guts of two months to prepare the horse. It is in the terms and conditions of all the sales complexes here that ALL horses must have a bit in their mouths while outside their boxes - age, gender, ect does not matter. 

We do not bring any of our TBs out of the box or field without a chifney. Our chifny's are all attached to a single piece of leather that goes up and behind the ears. A chifney to them is like a head collar to any other horse, it is a part of every day life. 

Also, a TB has plenty of schooling before it actually races. The thought that it is just sent out racing is rediculous. It takes us about a month to break the horses before they are galloping with the string, and even then it is several weeks more before they do a proper piece of work. Trying to say that they are not conditioned is rediculous.. you have to have a horse mentally and physically right before you can safely bring it out onto the racecourse. It isn't like you pull it out of the field and stick in the starting stalls.. heck to get them INTO the starting stalls happily takes time, patience and proper training. 

OP - Your boss wants the horse in a chifney. This is standard practice in racing/bloodstock. It's a case of like it or lump it. At the end of the day this isnt a pet or a pony, it's a blood horse who has learned a bad habit that could hurt himself or somebody else and it needs to be fixed now before something happens.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Maple said:


> Any horse who is worth more than a few $ will have had about 6 weeks sales prep. They are brought in, led with halters first and then bits, groomed, bathed, handled daily and walked in hand to teach them to step up and walk. Yes, you get the backyard handler who thinks he knows something, but any good breeder/handler will have taken the guts of two months to prepare the horse. It is in the terms and conditions of all the sales complexes here that ALL horses must have a bit in their mouths while outside their boxes - age, gender, ect does not matter.
> 
> We do not bring any of our TBs out of the box or field without a chifney. Our chifny's are all attached to a single piece of leather that goes up and behind the ears. A chifney to them is like a head collar to any other horse, it is a part of every day life.
> 
> ...


Maple, my parents bred and sent TB's to the track when I was a kid. The practices here have not changed appreciably. Six weeks training time is NOTHING in a yearling's life. And to say a 2 y.o. is schooled extensively, at least here in the US, is absolutely a farce. Unless you consider 6 wks training sufficient. They are run too hard and breakdown too often. 

I handle my horses from the day their born. I get jokes all the time that I've been slacking if my horses aren't "broke to lead" by the time they're 3 weeks old. They aren't but they're working on it. 

I have no problem with a youngster wearing a bit, provided he's been TAUGHT how to carry it and when to give to it. There are problems in every facet of the horse industry, so please don't try to paint the track pink.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Maple, my parents bred and sent TB's to the track when I was a kid. The practices here have not changed appreciably. Six weeks training time is NOTHING in a yearling's life. And to say a 2 y.o. is schooled extensively, at least here in the US, is absolutely a farce. Unless you consider 6 wks training sufficient. They are run too hard and breakdown too often.
> 
> I handle my horses from the day their born. I get jokes all the time that I've been slacking if my horses aren't "broke to lead" by the time they're 3 weeks old. They aren't but they're working on it.
> 
> I have no problem with a youngster wearing a bit, provided he's been TAUGHT how to carry it and when to give to it. There are problems in every facet of the horse industry, so please don't try to paint the track pink.


From what i've learned, the racing stock in Europe is handled a lot differently then the US. The US trainers take a lot of shortcuts. I have worked with off the track horses from Ireland and from Canada as well as the US. The horses I worked with that came from Ireland had amazing manners and were a joy to work with. Where as the TBs from Canada and the US were scared of their own shadow. The Irish TB's I worked with belonged to a trainer I worked for who would buy horses from Ireland and bring them here, put miles on a re-sell. I loved working with them. Plus I found them to have much nicer legs. 

However my experience is limited so I can't speak on a large scale. The trainer I worked for though swore that the horses from Europe were handled and trained much more then the horses in North America.


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## Maple (Jan 10, 2012)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Maple, my parents bred and sent TB's to the track when I was a kid. The practices here have not changed appreciably. Six weeks training time is NOTHING in a yearling's life. And to say a 2 y.o. is schooled extensively, at least here in the US, is absolutely a farce. Unless you consider 6 wks training sufficient. They are run too hard and breakdown too often.
> 
> I handle my horses from the day their born. I get jokes all the time that I've been slacking if my horses aren't "broke to lead" by the time they're 3 weeks old. They aren't but they're working on it.
> 
> I have no problem with a youngster wearing a bit, provided he's been TAUGHT how to carry it and when to give to it. There are problems in every facet of the horse industry, so please don't try to paint the track pink.


In turn I could ask you not to tarnish all the racing with the same brush. I am not attempting to paint it pink, all I can offer is my own opinion which I have due to my own experiences.... which I'm sure is all any of us can do. 

I have worked in racing in both Ireland and North America. I am not saying for a second that everybody is perfect. I have also worked in both warmblood studs and TB. 

The warmblood stud's foals were chucked into a field with no handling. They were left there until they were weaned, when they were all thrown into a large pen and one by one were shoved into a large stall, caught, haltered and dragged to a tie stall to learn to be tied. I witnessed several youngsters break legs and be destroyed. 

The TB studs I have worked at: foals are handled from the day they are born. They are haltered, led to the field, caught and brought back in daily.. in Ireland with our weather sometimes a few times a day. They are lead up and down several times. Now tell me which you would prefer?

In my opinion, be it right or wrong, 6 weeks is plenty of time for a yearling to be brought in and taught a base. They are required to stand properly, walk and trot in hand and have respect. This is fairly simple stuff and (IMO) if that takes more than 6 weeks for a large number of horses, something needs to be done differently. 

We have horses who trained all of last year who have yet to make it to the racecourse. I had the same experience in NA where we had horses "in training" not run for several months. Again, I am NOT saying that all is peachy and some horses are not pushed, but bad handling is a factor in all areas.


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## BCtazzie (Jun 7, 2011)

NBeventer, your bang on.

Bluespark, as someone who has worked with TB from foaling to major international race days, I can tell you that what gets done here in Nth America is BS. I have done yearling prep in Oz and I can tell you, our babies would lead, wash in a hose bay, lunge and load walk and unload on the walker without a problem, shod, walk and trot in hand. Our babies would learn about halter pressure for leading before they were weaned. we had 40 mares. We had babies at Magic Millions and Inglis premier sales. 

What is done in Nth America is in no way a reflection to what done in the rest of the world.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I wouldn't dream of saying what's done here is A/ right and B/ a standard for the rest of the world. I'm not familiar with racing outside of the US but I grew up around America's version and I saw a lot more bad handling than good. It's one reason why I no longer own or ride TB's, I couldn't stand the way things were done. I admit, I'm a bit of a softie when it comes to the babies, and to me 2 and under is still a baby. 

If they handle them from day 1 in other parts of the world, YAY! but that is not my experience here in the US.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> I wouldn't dream of saying what's done here is A/ right and B/ a standard for the rest of the world. I'm not familiar with racing outside of the US but I grew up around America's version and I saw a lot more bad handling than good. It's one reason why I no longer own or ride TB's, I couldn't stand the way things were done. I admit, I'm a bit of a softie when it comes to the babies, and to me 2 and under is still a baby.
> 
> If they handle them from day 1 in other parts of the world, YAY! but that is not my experience here in the US.


I used to exercise ride at the TB track in Ontario. I found it to be hit and miss. However one thing I noticed that was consistent was that the trainers and grooms truly cared for their animals. There were a few here and there that didn't. But my goodness I worked with some great horses. Yes there were big gaps in their training that you wouldn't find in Europe. But they were given some great care.

We could sit here and go back and forth about everything. There are people in the QH world, Arab world, Warmblood world and the list goes on that have horrible training methods. Its not the industry, its the trainer. You can not go anywhere and not run into at least a few bad apples.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

That was interesting to read. Thanks for the replies. 

All I can say is that at my my place of work as I obviously can't speak for anywhere else there isn't always a lack quantity but a lack of quality work done with the horses. I'm not the most experienced person around but I often am doing the feed and cleaning stables etc and other people are handling the horses, often people who know nothing about horses. I just do what I'm told but I feel bad for the horse with the inconsistency of their handling. 

Not all the tb's I work with are difficult so some places are obviously doing a very good job.


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## BlooBabe (Jul 7, 2012)

That's the difference between a horse being a pet and a business. People who use horses as business SOMETIMES don't care about consistency. As long as horse does AB&C at least once before they are sold or start their job then that's good enough. Business owners don't usually form wicked strong bonds with these horses this they don't get the best or right kind of training because they are bred and used to make money. Some owners have the attitude of 'it won't be here long, what do I care' or 'if they don't like what I've done than they can fix it themselves.' This doesn't always happen but when just starting out or trying to grow fast that's often how it happens. In short of bringing your own gear and working with the horses, which I doubt you'd even be allowed to do, there's nothing you can really do except quit or do what is asked.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

It is not just that race horses and a lot of other 'working horses' are all business and are not pets. It often does not help the buyers and their trainers to interact with these horse a lot before they change hands. 

When I trained and fitted race yearlings, I was very strict about good manners and good ground schooling. Unlike a lot of other breeders and fitters, I trained them all to tie, to stand good for trimming, clipping, bathing and grooming. They all stood still when told to, led anywhere, backed up or mover over when asked, but that was where their training ended unless we were hired to start them under saddle later. They all led quietly in a halter with and without a chain over their nose and they all were trained to lead in a Chifney bit. They had to handle well for their next handler. 

I had to present some of them at the sales and others were picked up by the owner or a Van and shipped to the sales. They were always led through the ring by a total stranger wearing a white coat. Others were fitted and sold 'private treaty' to people came to the farm to look at them. We were always complemented on how they looked and how they were handled. The idea is to please the person writing the checks.

My help could go in and get any of them and turn them out for exercise, get them in and groom them or bathe them, brush out their manes and tails, and in general, handle them like any show horse. 

I did not let them do a lot of petting and they were absolutely not to give treats or hand feed any of them. They were strictly to be treated in a kind but business-like way. No one was allowed to pet or feed horses that stuck their heads out over the stall doors. I had a sing in the barn the read: ​
*"Please to not pet the horses"*​
When someone buys a long yearling at the summer or fall sales, their trainer is the one they want to do any training other than what I listed above. They don't want to buy 'pets' and horses that have been 'over-handled'. 

I know many trainers that say they would rather get in a horse that was not even halter-broke or was half-wild than one that is spoiled or a pet.


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

The folks I know who work standardbreds start those babies minutes after birth. They are handled from day one, touched everywhere. They are taught to lead first using a butt rope, then a halter and lead. I think it makes a difference in how stressful future training is and how much they get at the sales.

The difference is in the standardbred industry bad behavior (rearing etc,) is not tolerated well. Most people don't want to sit eye level behind a horse that bucks with both back feet or sit in a cart when a horse rears up and goes over. My impression of thoroughbred racing (this is mostly from the occasional OTTB and what I have seen at various thoroughbred races) is that that bad behavior is not necessarily frowned on. If the horse goes out on the track and rears, or bucks but wins his race its all good. Look at how long it takes to load some thoroughbreds into the starting gate. The behavior seen in the paddock area was often seen as "spirit" not bad behavior. I saw people see horses rearing in the paddock prior to the belmont and saw the average joe going and putting money on that horse because "he is ready to win this race". Its much more likely that the horse will not perform well in the race because he has spent himself before the race started. 

Some of that comes from the fact that the person who owns the horse, trains the horse, drives the horse and then cools the horse out in the standardbred races is the same person or a family member. The person who owns the horse, trains the horse, rides the horse and cools the horse out are rarely the same person in thoroughbreds. Which means there is more area for different ideas of what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior. My advice to the OP would be do the best you can but go with caution. There is a system and you don't want to be the one who gets against that. 

I think part of it comes down to the idea that with race horses a few folks feel that "a broke horse does not run that fast".


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