# Thoroughbred



## Kimberly4403 (Sep 28, 2009)

Today I was told that I should stay away from buying a TB as they are expensive to buy and extremely expensive to keep because they have a lot of problems with there legs, back etc. Is this true? What are everyones experiences with TB's? 

Pure bred dogs Ive heard get a lot more problems than a cross bred dog is this true also for horses?
Would it be best to try and find a cross breed rather than a pure breed horse? Are TB's good for jumping or should i look at other breeds? If so what breeds are best suited?


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## rocky pony (Oct 5, 2007)

Thoroughbreds are great horses. They tend to have a bit more energy than other horses, but there are exceptions to that. I have a 12 y/o grade TB gelding who was never raced and he has pretty low energy for a TB, but a bit higher than averages of other breeds I've worked with.
Horses who were raced seem to be more prone to health issues than unraced horses. With that said, my TB has had a few more issues than other horses I've had. For the most part I think this is due to his slightly higher energy level.
They're definitely great for jumping. They're very willing and intelligent horses with great stamina. My guy works as hard as he can at whatever I point him to.

What it comes down to is that with any horse you are interested in buying, it's best to have him vet checked or at least looked over by a professional. Always, always bring a trainer that knows your abilities and needs. A good trainer should also be able to see any obvious signs that a horse is prone to any kind of health issue..but a vet is best for that.
Try to avoid discriminating by breed. Just look for any horse that suits you and your needs: one that has the proper training, energy level, conformation, etc..and have a vet confirm that the horse is in good health.


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## horsesroqke (Nov 5, 2009)

*I have a TB and they are just the same amount to keep as any old breed. Yes, some can be energetic, but some, 110% Bombproof. 
It can depend on weather they were raced, i have been told/read/seen. 

 
*


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## kassierae (Jan 1, 2010)

Thoroughbreds are widely known to be hot horses, however I have met quite a few that you would never have known were Tb's. That being said, I do not think that you should get a Tb for a first(?) horse unless you find one that suits your abilities. Also, don't let anybody talk you out of a horse because of breed. I personally stick to mainly stock breeds, and don't particularly care for gaited breeds. However, I have nothing against them and if that's what you like then so be it, I respect the decision. Just not my cup of tea. Be sure to look for a horse that suits YOU, not somebody else's idea of what you should have. Look for temperament, training level, conformation, soundness, etc., before you look at the breed.


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## Plains Drifter (Aug 4, 2009)

I can share with you my experience with OTTB's just from last summer to now. *Please note these were not my horses. They were not my fiance's horses. They were his brother and left in our care, we had to ask permission before doing anything for these horses care.*

My fiance's brother races thoroughbred horses in Az. Over the summer he brought up 4 of them. Of the 4 of them, I rode 3. Of that three, 2 were really well broke and so laid back it wasn't funny. It was hard to imagine them as racing horses. I used them on the farm for trail riding, for local fun shows (barrels, poles, etc), for chasing our cattle. They were wonderful ride and up for anything you asked of them. I rode them maybe a handful of times over the summer.

As far as keeping, I will say that they were extremely hard to keep. Of the 4 that were here. 3 of them showed signs of losing weight and problems keeping weight on. Of the 3, 2 seemed worse than the others. We offered them not only free choice pasture, but hay as well, along with sweet feed, alfalfa pellets, oats, beet pulp, and a few suppliments. Of the 2, 1 had an old injury from the track that seemed to flair up big time while he was here. We had the vet out a few times to look at it. The vet's suggestion was that he was never going to walk correctly again combined with weight loss, to put him humanely to sleep. We thought as long as he was showing us he wanted to live, we would not choose that route. Unfortunately we think his heart gave out because he passed away unexpectedly one morning. Of the 3 that were left, 1 was taken back down to Az and months later passed away unexpectedly. (I do not know the circumstances behind this.)

That left us with the one that never had any problems and another hard keeper. It's taken MONTHS for her body to adapt to her new situation (and us alot of feed and vet bills) These two are now doing really well and are maintaining a good weight.

I would never want to own a thoroughbred. I am sure others could be different but this was my experience and I'd not want to do it agian.


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## kassierae (Jan 1, 2010)

An experience with only four Thoroughbreds shouldn't be enough to change one's mind. My grandmother's best mare was a 25+ year old Tb. At the other end of the spectrum I knew an excellent open jumper/dressage mare but she was way too strong for beginners or even intermediate riders. In the same barn another one was so quiet you could throw the earliest beginners on him. It's not necessarily about breed, but the individual.


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## Plains Drifter (Aug 4, 2009)

Like I said..it was just my experience and my humble opinion.


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## Void (Jun 26, 2009)

I've ridden a lot of TBs and OTTBs and I have to say they require a bit more finesse then other breeds. The OTTBs tend to be hotter then most horses because they are used to being grained up to their eyeballs and letting out their energy in explosive bursts down the track, but that doesn't mean you can't turn around and make that horse a nice Hunter, you just need to be patient and work on it.

I've found with my experience with the breed is that they are smart and brave. Excellent riding horses, with great personalities. 

My horse isn't that hard to keep, the first year I was pumping a lot of hay in him but eventually his Metabolism adjusted to his new life and I feed him just as much as any other horse. 

As far as care goes most of the TBs that we get from the track have a bow or other injury, (mine had a torn suspensory) but if you give them the time off and slowly bring them back they have NO Issues. My horse has poor feet but through proper nutrition and corrective shoeing he has had Zilch problems. 

I recommend this book for anyone thinking of taking an OTTB who doesn't have much experience with them Beyond the Track


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## AlabamaHorseMom (Jan 20, 2010)

Void said:


> I've ridden a lot of TBs and OTTBs and I have to say they require a bit more finesse then other breeds. The OTTBs tend to be hotter then most horses because they are used to being grained up to their eyeballs and letting out their energy in explosive bursts down the track, but that doesn't mean you can't turn around and make that horse a nice Hunter, you just need to be patient and work on it.
> 
> I've found with my experience with the breed is that they are smart and brave. Excellent riding horses, with great personalities.
> 
> ...


I agree with this.

TBs and OTTBs can be excellent horses. They Excel at Eventing, Trail Riding, etc. I have an OTTB and I can tell you he's a handful, at 20 years old, he still keeps me on my toes.

They DO require a bit more work than most other breeds. Titan is not a horse that I could stick out in a pasture all winter and then expect him to be willing to want to ride first thing come spring. They are definitely more work than most. But than again, I've met OTTBs that are JUST off the track and you would never have known that this horse ONLY knew to just run the first 5 years of his/her life. Course, I've also known the OTTB that you HATED to go riding with becuase he was SURE to freak out the minute you walked past him:?. So they can go either way.

If you go to look at one, be sure to have your trainer with you to ride him too. 

Good Luck!


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

My first horse was a TB, he never raced, he was 8 when we bought him. i was 9, and he was one of the quietest horses ive ever met. he was born and raised at the race track, but he was to slow(haha) so the trainer boght him, thn me n my mom bought him. He was the pefect horse, never did anything REALLY wrong. I personally LOVE throughbreds, like others have said, i find them to be exteremely brave and smart. i sold him to a mom and daughter who had just began riding, he is loving his new home and they are loving him! 

some thorougbreds are perfect for beginners,some arent. It all depends on the horse. My new hrose is hanoverian/thoroughbred... shes not a beginners horse, haha and shes only half thoroughbred.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

For a first horse? Probably not a great idea.

They _can_ be fiery, especially if they've been a successful racehorse. They need that edge to be able to compete and win. 

However, not all of them _want_ to race, and those are the ones who usually make the best all-around horses. I have one of those. His attitude is, "We'll get there eventually, so why run?" :wink:

They tend to be harder keepers than some breeds, which means they're not for someone who has no clue how to properly feed one. Even for my easy keepers I'm continuously changing things around depending on the weather, whether or not the horse is in work, and what they need nutritionally to keep them in good shape.

They can also have feet problems, which means instead of barefoot trimming, many of them need shoes all the way around to stay sound. Nothing wrong with that, but it is more expensive than just trimming every 6-8 weeks.

TBs, especially ones off the track, aren't expensive to _buy _but they can be expensive to maintain properly.


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## LoveStory10 (Oct 31, 2009)

All of my horses are TB's... I personally love them. My gelding Bishop is my barns schoolmaster, and my mare Love Story is the best showjumper Ive ever had. I wouldnt reccomend them as a first horse, because they can be a bit spooky... but I love them


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

Speed Racer said:


> For a first horse? Probably not a great idea.
> 
> They _can_ be fiery, especially if they've been a successful racehorse. They need that edge to be able to compete and win.
> 
> ...


That is our Aero to a T, lol. She is the most unmotivated horse I have ever had - which is why she has been so good for my daughter. My initial reaction to the suggestion that we consider her (when we went to look at another horse the person had) was, "Uh, NO!", but once we tried her I realized she was not at all what the perception I had of a TB/OTTB. Knowing her now, I can see why she was not successful on the track and came to be available as she was, lol.


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## welshies rule (Feb 7, 2010)

From my experiance they can go from one extreme to the other one TBx I know is a 'hot horse' but really hardy, never goes lame etc on the other hand I have known TB in the past that go lame and drop weight at the drop of a hat! just down to individual


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I used to have a grey TB named Hunter and he was spastic, crazy, psychopathic, disturbed horse and the best **** jumper I ever owned. He was my best friend for life, and I still get to see him every now and then at Toni's place. 

But then again, I also had a little TB mare named Boony and she was sweet, gentle, calm, and the most amazing kids horse. It all depend son what you want. Boony couldn't jump well to save her life, but she had heart.

TB's vary depending on what you want. There are exceptions to every rule. I myself wouldn't buy a TB merely because they aren't built for the kind of riding I want to do. I do a little hunter jumper and hunter under saddle but I can do all that with my paints and QH's. 

They can be anything from crazy to calm, psycho to sane, or....well, Hunter to Boony! 

I personally adore TB's. If I was to move up into any advanced level of jumping I would probably go and buy or lease one. But if you're going to do less competitive things I wouldn't bother going the extra mile if you find another hrose that is less expensive with just as much talent.

And from my experience at Toni and Miranda's places, TB's are harder to keep than others. Annie is part TB and she's incredibly hard to keep weight on. Hunter and Boony weren't terrible, but they definately took more food than the QH's.


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## Eastowest (Mar 26, 2009)

SOME TBs are hotter and more difficult and are harder keepers than 'average", but it can be a very individual thing.

The "hotness" of some Thoroughbreds is directly related to how they are fed, conditioned, and kept. They are SUPPOSED to have alot of energy and drive to run while they are being raced, and they are fed and kept accordingly. 

I bought my first TB gelding right off the track, uninjured and racing fit, and he was a handful for around 60 days, until his energy levels from the type of feed and conditioning he had been maintainted at/with came down to the levels of an "average" pasture kept trail riding/pleasure horse, and he adjusted to different surroundings and activities. When I say "handful" and "adjusted" its not like he was wild and got quiet--he was ALWAYS very well mannered from day one, but just had alot of "go" and was super-aware of things that first 60 days, (like different colored tar on the road, LOL)......after his let down/adjustment period, he was less concerned with changes and less energetic.

So, once he was adjusted to normal levels of grain, free pasture access, no more breezing/galloping workouts, and etc., he was no harder to deal with than any other horse. He still had "go" when I asked him for it, but was no longer driven to be ALWAYS going. He was not an easy keeper, but was not a particulaerly hard keeper either.

The main issue we had to work through was his right lead. he had been raced for several years and he ran "around the turn"-- meaning he was never asked to take the right lead, and when turning was always on the left lead... so that took some time and training. 

I have owned and currently own TB mares-- some straight off the track, a couple already broodmares-- and I have not found them to be hard keepers as compared to other horses of similar size and age. Currently my three TB mares (2 established broodmares, one came off the track in October) are unblanketed outside 24/7 with a round bale and minimal grain and are doing great in the cold snowy MI winter.

None of the TBs I have owned were particularly expensive to buy (and a couple were free) but I got them knowing they would need re-training for whatever discipline I wanted to do with them, and in some cases they needed time off and/or re-habilitating from an injury.


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## MollyK (Oct 14, 2008)

I've owned my OTTB for about 9 years now. He's almost 15. Had an unsuccessful racing career, and is full of beans, but he's a sweet horse and a lot of fun. We've done jumping, hunter paces, and now we're at a dressage barn so ... guess what? ... he's surprising everyone with his lovely dressage moves. He's never been sick, can go barefoot if he's not on a lot of hard surfaces, and is all around a pretty easy keeper. (Can't skimp on the food, but if he's warm -- 2 blankets in the winter -- and well fed, he's fine.) He's very smart and can/is willing to learn anything. I've had a number of horses along the way, and I would say to look for a horse that has a good heart. My OTTB takes very good care of me, always gives his best effort, and generally gives me the benefit of the doubt. That's all worth $20k in my book!


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

The thing with TB's is that they are bred to be high-performance athletes. Little thought is given to life after the track - So things like bad feet, hard keepers, think skin, thin coats, sensitivity etc. get overlooked in favour of speed, heart and athletiticism. They aren't issues when at the track - they are shod, stabled, fed massive amounts of high starch and high sugar feeds, kept in optimal fitness, monitered daily for injury, etc.

Because of their intended purpose - It is hard for them to adjust to life as a 'horse' instead of an athlete. Their motabolism is designed to digest large amounts of energy - When you take that away and expect them to live on pasture, some take a while to adjust, some never do. 

Feet that are used to being shod are too soft to go barefoot without a long transition - Bodies that are designed to be at maximum fitness and not carry any excess weight struggle to stay balanced.

Of course, there are always exceptions - But the breed itself is designed as a high performance athlete, so easy keeper TB's are only exceptions - not the norm.

I personally wouldn't buy a TB because of that reason - I stick with breeds that are designed to be tough, hardy and self sufficient. of course there are exceptions there are well - but my chances of having an easy to keep horse are much higher.


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## Five Furlongs (Feb 7, 2010)

My sister owns a Thoroughbred and I own a Quarter Horse. We have definatly experienced more injuries, ect. with our Thoroughbred. That is absolutly no reason that you should not look at a Thoroughbred. There are amazing tbs out there that don't have these problems. A lot of Thoroughbreds are know to have these problems that you talk about because many of them raced before becoming riding horses. Thoroughbreds are cold blooded and they have a tendency to be higher strong then other breeds like the quarter horse. If you are a beginner and/or looking for a first horse thoroughbreds are not always the best, but this doesn't mean that there isn't a Thoroughbred out there for you if you look hard enough


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## PaintedBrat (Dec 12, 2009)

TBs are amasing horses, very energetic and smart. I have a paint TB Mare. the only problem i have with her is that she has REALLY high withers. Other then that iv never had a problem with them.


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## Void (Jun 26, 2009)

Five Furlongs said:


> Thoroughbreds are cold blooded


There is no science to back that statement, all Animals have warm-blood, if anything colloquially they are known as "hot-blooded" horses.


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## Kentucky (Aug 2, 2008)

Void said:


> There is no science to back that statement, all Animals have warm-blood, if anything colloquially they are known as "hot-blooded" horses.


What they are referring to is them being hot blooded and having a thin skin to handle the heat better. and that is very useful for a high energy athletes that lives in a heated barn as nice as some houses. But this makes them have a very poor cold tolerance. In my home state of Kentucky, I have even seen trailer loads of racehorses headed to Florida for the winter and there are races do there too.


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## justsambam08 (Sep 26, 2009)

I love my TB. I wasn't looking for any breed in particular in a first horse, but he was just what I happened to come upon and I liked him enough to buy him. He is a hard keeper, but I think if he were on pasture instead of a dry lot, he'd keep well enough in addition to everything else we feed him (five flakes, and between 6-8 quarts feed) He is a handful on the ground, he has a HORRIBLE attitude and loves to be testy, but under saddle he is perfect. He is so willing and attentive to try just about everything. But, he is very unsure of himself. He doesn't like do do things the first time, and then after that he goes on with it like a pro. He is also more sensitive than other horses I've ridden, which I guess is a good thing because he's taught me how to lighten myself up and use my seat/legs more efficiently.


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## Void (Jun 26, 2009)

Kentucky said:


> What they are referring to is them being hot blooded and having a thin skin to handle the heat better. and that is very useful for a high energy athletes that lives in a heated barn as nice as some houses. But this makes them have a very poor cold tolerance. In my home state of Kentucky, I have even seen trailer loads of racehorses headed to Florida for the winter and there are races do there too.


They said the horse was "Cold-Blooded" which is colloquial because all animals have warmblood, I was just saying they are WRONG, because colloquially TBs are "Hot-Bloods"


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## VintageMatch (Jul 23, 2009)

My first owned horse is a 6 yr old ottb. We are both still learning but vint takes care of me just as I take care of her. We went to the royal were she behaved like a pro, she had a bad experiance with a farrier but she has put her trust in us again. She is my rockstar. She isn't hot at all. When I first got shelot some wieght and they can be hard to put weight on but Vint has gained her weight back and looks great! She has a wider foot from the track I don't remember what it's called but it will be fixed with a season of normal shoes. She is perfectly sound. Tb's are a great breed you just have to find the one that suits you.


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## dantexeventer (Jul 11, 2009)

IMO, you need to look for a horse that's going to be the best fit for you - breed should be of little importance. Your first horse is a BIG DEAL; it needs to be one that is versatile enough to try several disciplines while you figure out what you like best, it needs to be more experienced than you, genuine, fairly spook-proof, forgiving, and SOUND. You can find that within any breed! 
FWIW, thoroughbreds are lovely; you can get them for under $1000 (but onlyyyyy if you have the expertise!!! Don't get a straight OTTB for your first horse!), and if you buy carefully, they're sound. I have yet to meet a "crazy" or very high energy TB - they've all been reasonably mellow. Perhaps the hyper stereotype is fed into by people who are a little afraid of TBs and the horses feed off of that - thus creating this high level of energy?


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## Alpha Tango (Feb 7, 2010)

I can't say that a thoroughbred would cost anymore than another breed. I think the price really depends on the breeding. I did have a friend that owned a thoroughbred retired from the track that was in great health the first three years she had him. Then he ended up having back problems causing him to crossfire, and he was only 7 or 8 years old. If your planning on buying one, I'd just suguest you look for a breeder that breeds for quality bone structure etc. Like how some dog breeders breed to eleminate hip displasia in breeds where it is common. Don't know if any thoroughbred breeder in the US actually does this, but just might be someone out there.


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## ptvintage (Feb 12, 2010)

They are one of the most popular breeds, and I wouldn't say they are more expensive to purchase than any other horse. Cost is relative to the age/training/conformation/ability. Whether or not it's a TB would be the last thing to consider in pricing. Upkeep always varies from horse to horse.

My friend got an ex-steeple chase racehorse that we both trained together. That horse was jumping 5 feet with her, which worked out perfectly for my friend.

He was hard to put weight on, and he was high energy, but he wasn't mean, and he was a great ride for those who knew what they were doing. 

I'm planning on getting a TB off the track myself!


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## cjcolt45 (Feb 8, 2010)

Thoroughbreds are amazing horses. They are personally my favorite breed (I am a show jumper/eventer) Yes some are quite hot, so they can be a handful at times. Many have a great work ethic and they are one of the most athletic breeds you can find. Most are fine built so they are susceptible to injury especially when racing due to the intense amount of concussion on the joints. Many young ones that are raced buck their shins so they are pin fired. Thoroughbreds, in capable hands, are excellent riding horses. They are highly capable of jumping due to their extreme athleticism. They are just like other breed, we can't judge them just by breed but by individual personalities of the horse you want to look at.


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## ScharmLily (Nov 23, 2009)

I would have to agree with the statement that they are more expensive to keep. Within months of owning my first OTTB I was already paying the farrier and vet bills, as well as not riding as nearly as much as I had expected. Also, once she got some weight on her (she was very thin when I got her) she turned into a whole different horse personality wise. I ended up having to sell her because she got so nasty, and her personality still hasn't improved (she is boarded where I work so I still see her). I work at a barn that has predominately TB's, and honestly, there always seems to be something wrong with at least one of them.

They are great jumpers though, and I am sure that there are always exceptions.


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## kmdstar (Nov 17, 2009)

I don't have much experience with Thoroughbreds but I would LOVE to have one. 

You have to take things into consideration, you can't just lump all Thoroughbreds together since so many race and you can't compare an ex race horse to a horse who never raced.

An OTTB (off the track thoroughbred) will more than likely cost you more in vet bills and will probably need more feed than just your average pasture TB. They also have that race past which I'm sure is why so many people say they don't make good horses. NEVER get a Thoroughbred straight off the track and expect to ride it within the same week, ESPECIALLY as your first horse. I would avoid an OTTB all together as a first horse.

Thoroughbreds aren't more expensive, they are practically being given away along with every other breed around here. OTTBs will probably cost more in the long run, but to BUY them shouldn't cost much more than any other horse.


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

Thoroughbreds make great horses for the right person. I don't think they're that much more expensive to keep if you get a good one. Mine has always been sound and healthy. He's always been barefoot and he's a pretty easy keeper as well. They aren't necessarily more expensive to buy, either. It depends on their quality and level of education, just like any other horse. They do tend to be higher energy but that isn't always a bad thing. 

OTTB's can be more expensive since a lot of them are mentally and physically banged up. You can expect a lot of vet and farrier bills if you get one straight of the track. I would get one that's been off the track for a while and has some schooling. They're a great choice if you do any kind of English sport. Some even do well in western disciplines. I wouldn't recommend them for a first horse, though. In my experience, they do much better with experienced owners.


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## Fourpaws (Jan 29, 2010)

TBs are amazing and only about half are hot tempered. my Dad's friend own the race horse Tail of the CAT and i got experience work around race horses for a week. i worked with 5:
Tail of the CAT (the rest i don't know the show names of)
Sundancer,
Eclipse,
Ruby and
Amber

Tail of the CAT was not hot tempered at all. he spent all of his life at a race track he never raced but lived there forever. he was a Stud. he would fall asleep while i was grooming him he was so calm. 
Sundancer was also a Stud. he ran in 93 races and won 11 of them. he wasn't highly strung at all. the one night i spend in the barn, at dawn i woke up and climbed on his back and we trotted around from 6am to 7am he didn't spook at anything or do anything dumb.
Eclipse was a bit high strung he was a young stallion (4 yrs.) he had just begun his racing career i only got to lunge him but he really listened.
The mares were amazing sweetest little mare ever. 

TBs are great horses i love them


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## Plains Drifter (Aug 4, 2009)

kmdstar said:


> I don't have much experience with Thoroughbreds but I would LOVE to have one.
> 
> NEVER get a Thoroughbred straight off the track and expect to ride it within the same week, ESPECIALLY as your first horse. I would avoid an OTTB all together as a first horse.


I am going to disagree with this statement. My fiance's brother brought his off the track thoroughbreds straight from the track to our place last July. My daughter and I rode 3 of them pretty much immediately. We had no problem using them for trail horses and even took two of them to a local fun show. They did perfect. They completely shattered my idea of what a OTTB would be like. They were fairly laid back and easy to ride. (just extremely hard keepers)


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## speedy da fish (May 7, 2009)

tbs are really good horses, they are not pure anyway hence the 'thoroughbred' name they have mainly arab and barb blood but you can trace some tbs back to caspian and holsten. some tbs have problems with their legs if they are ottb because they have old injuries from racing.


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## HeroMyOttb (Dec 28, 2009)

I have only been around Off The Track Thoroughbreds that have raced and not unraced ones and I think they are great horses, out of the 8 or so i've been around 2 of them seem pretty hot but the others were so calm. I got my first horse in November of 2009 and he was an OTTB, I got him a week after his last race, but I was so lucky, he was so calm that I actually got on his back within the same week I got him, but im not saying if you getting an OTTB right off the track that you will be riding him in a week, it just depends on the horse. Like my horse was just ready to be ridden, I wouldn't shy away from a horse just b/c its a TB, but rather of the horse. Before I got my boy my trainer even warned me TBs typically are hard keeping then some other breeds, which ive notice that, but once again you shouldn't shy away from TBs just b/c some can be hot or if they might be "harder to keep." They are great horses and have a great mind and are intelligent. My horse has had the winter off due to some hoof issues but today I got on him bareback and rode out in the snow and he behaved so well  So choose by the indivdual horse and not breed


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## Eastowest (Mar 26, 2009)

_>>>> tbs are really good horses, they are not pure anyway hence the 'thoroughbred' name they have mainly arab and barb blood but you can trace some tbs back to caspian and holsten. _

??? 
Actually the TB studbooks have been closed for quite some time-- and there are enough generations of TB x TB-only breeding that by most, if not all pedigree/breed standards, they would be considered a "purebred" breed. 

It is true that the TB breed traces its roots back to Arabian and Barb, and since it is believed that the early Caspian had influence in the development of the Arabian there might well be indirect and perhaps more direct Caspian influence as well in the early development of the TB (all breeds start somewhere, afterall)... that Holstein horses had influence on the development of the TB is a little more hazy-- the early horses bred in Holstein were knights' chargers and more baroque in style-- the English TB developed into a lighter swifter horse, and in fact after WWII Thoroughbred were used extensively to refine the Holsteiner. 

The Caspian has certainly existed as a type for centuries-- the Holsteiner and the TB also existed as types for years before records and registries-- but just for reference, the English TB eventually was registered, and records officially kept in the General Studbook, first published in 1791; The Holsteiner studbook was founded 1891; and the International Caspian studbook was not established until 1965, when the breed was rediscovered and on the brink of extinction. because of this, there would be no official TB pedigrees showing recorded/registered Caspian or Holsteiner ancestry-- as the TB registry significantly predated the registries of both other breeds, and the TB registry was nearly closed by the time holsteiners were being registered, and had been completely closed by for some time before Caspians began being registered anywhere.


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## zachmyfavhorse (Feb 15, 2010)

I just bought a TB and this will be my secone horse I just sold my arabian and I have ridden my friends TB many many times Im just not sure what do do on her first day when she gets here


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## EquestrianHollywood (Aug 13, 2009)

My horse is a Thoroughbred. An off track one at that. Hes an amazing horse with a great personality. Also hes my first horse, if that makes any diference. I had never heard of any back or leg problems with the breed before. Just about any horse can have those, depending on dicipline, weight, height ect. Old injuries from their sport may cause bone problems and arthritis. The only thing I could see being a real problem with Thoroughbreds are temperment, because they can be hot, and that they may need some speed control if their fresh from the track.


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## Bearsy (Feb 18, 2010)

My off-track Thoroughbred is hot at times, but he is also the most affectionate, loyal horse I have ever known. He's hard to keep weight on, but he eats and eats and eats. It's just his metabolism, and the fact that he burns so much energy. He loves to run and play. I love a horse with a bit of pizzazz...he's definitely got that!
He does anything I ask of him and is all personality. I have had comments from people that when I am riding him he looks like he is "taking care of me". He is so proud of himself whenever we go for a ride, he loves trails and loves going on adventures. He's so fabulous.

I've worked with them on the track and off, and yes, they are hot. Off-track Thoroughbreds aren't for everyone, and certainly not for someone who isn't experienced. They are also super athletic and smart. 

Thoroughbreds are wonderful horses, BUT they aren't for everyone. They have a bad reputation, but that's a generalization. They are all individuals.

Would also like to add he raced 77 times and retired sound. He was a marathon horse, winning races up to 2 miles and an eighth. He is an iron horse. So, saying they are brittle is also a generalization, because my guy is as tough as any horse.


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## boomer5405 (Feb 22, 2010)

willy








boomer at 2yrs








boomer








boomer








boomer








jumping boomer 2'6








boomer at 2yrs








willy & my boyfriend lol








willy all clipped and pretty at the show








willy jumping...wayyy too soon








boomer jumping 2'6 oxcer








me jumping boomer 2'6 oxcer (my favvv)


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## ShadowFaxIsMyBaby (Mar 1, 2010)

I find they are really only expensive when it comes to feed. Depending on where you're located you may be able to find a free Thoroughbred. I was able to get a 200,000 Dollar TB for free from people that boarded her next door while she was pregnant. And they are finding homes for around 4 other TB's for free. OTTB are cheap if you have connections with people that own horses from a racetrack close to where you live. Like i said, i really only have problems with money with feeding her.


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