# Off the track TB and jumping



## justjump (Jan 18, 2011)

alexischristina said:


> Not really a jumping question, just a general question. How do you all feel about off the track thoroughbreds? I'd be worried they'd break down quickly... I'm looking to buy another horse, a jumper, and am looking at an OOTB who was only raced once or twice, but I'm afraid I'm not very... educated.
> Sorry if this is in the wrong place. =/


I don't own one and nor do we have one at the barn. But i have read a lot of posts on this forum about them, and they seem to be decent jumpers from what I have read. I would think (like I said, I don't know much either, this is just off of what I have read on here) if it has only been started twice on the track, it would not break down quickly.. I think they are decent jumpers? I don't know.. haha sorry, I'm no help at all! Good luck though!


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

Haha well he looks like he's got amazing scope, I just... wouldn't it be the training, not the actual racing that would affect them?
...
I think I need to do some research before I buy, haha.


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## CJ82Sky (Dec 19, 2008)

there are tons of OTTBs that are successful jumpers. i own several with varios race records. more depends on the horse, their conditioning (i avoid certain tracks and trainers for example) and their bloodlines.

i look at each horse an as individual


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Don't let the fact that a horse is an OTTB fool you. I have two, and the one is a very fluent-moving dressage horse, while the other is an eventer in training. Most racehorses race less than 10 times during their careers before they're sold to the pleasure industry, so they've endured limited racing. My eventer-in-training raced over 50 times (his records show about half that, but his off-track trainer says many were not recorded for one reason or another) and is very sturdy and sound other than for having bad feet due to breeding, not racing.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

If you can find an OTTB that was just too slow, that's your best bet of getting one that was not raced a lot and most likely suffered no injuries. Most are wonderful horses. If you go that route, a good mind is just as important as good conformation.


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## CJ82Sky (Dec 19, 2008)

equiniphile said:


> Don't let the fact that a horse is an OTTB fool you. I have two, and the one is a very fluent-moving dressage horse, while the other is an eventer in training. Most racehorses race less than 10 times during their careers before they're sold to the pleasure industry, so they've endured limited racing. My eventer-in-training raced over 50 times (his records show about half that, but his off-track trainer says many were not recorded for one reason or another) and is very sturdy and sound other than for having bad feet due to breeding, not racing.


just out of curiosity where did that statistic come from (less than 10 races in a career) bc in my experience i see most in my personal handling with between 20 - 100+ as well as most going between 5 - 10 before they break their maiden. just please note that is my personal experience not a published statistic. so was just curious where your info was from 

as for racing either way like your eventer with 50+ races, same with the horses i have handled the ones with good lines with regards to longevity and soundness and good confo tend to be the ones that stay sound(er) after their racing days are over.


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

I don't want to post up a critique thread because most of the information was shared strictly through email not through the ad, but would anybody mind sharing an opinion of bloodlines and potential? =P


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## CJ82Sky (Dec 19, 2008)

sure - info?


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

There was a thread awhile back on the breed forum about Mr. Prospector lines. Apparently Mr. Prospector was a very fertile boy because many of us on this forum have TBs who have him in their bloodlines. I do not remember one person saying that their TB was a nut or otherwise bad horse. Mr. Prospector seems to produce very solid offspring. On the flip side, I would stay away from any who had Storm Cat in their lines. All of them seem to be high strung.


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## CJ82Sky (Dec 19, 2008)

there's a lot of info on lines in the breeds section under tb bloodlines or something like that - pages of it!


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

Hm... For some odd reason I thought they'd given me more information on his lines but I guess not, I'll send an email and ask about that though!
http://i55.tinypic.com/2lwohva.png
So what I've gathered so far is that he's six years old, only raced a couple of times but wasn't wasn't enough for it. Schooled to 3'6, showed at a more local level to 2'9, etcetc. The thing that bothers me is that they said he needs an experienced rider as he can get nervous... I don't want to overanalyse as they said he's gotten better and I presume it's because he's young. He seems to have decent form but his knees are a little iffy.

This so isn't the right place for this and I hadn't meant for this to turn into an opinions thread, but oh well, let it merge, I've posted way too many of those lately.


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## CJ82Sky (Dec 19, 2008)

im sure he gets nervous - schooling 3'6" as a six year old?! though i guess it depends on how often he's done that much.
do you know his sire/dam?


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## CJ82Sky (Dec 19, 2008)

his knees look fine to me. nothing gymnastics can't clean up.

overall nice looking horse good bone from the pics.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Do you know what his racing name was?


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

They said he _has_ schooled 3'6, which in my experience means once or twice but you never know! 
And that's what I meant, needs a bit of work but lots of potential, which is good. I'm just so nervous we've been in the market for a little while and have seen lots of crazies lately. I'll ask tonight about lines and parents, etcetc and post that up here as well.

MyBoyPuck no I don't. 
I thought they'd mentioned it and I wouldn't have posted this if I knew they hadn't but hopefully tonight we'll get all that sorted! 

Goodness you all reply quickly.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

If you can get the racing name, you can look it up at thoroughbred query and see who his parents are.


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## CJ82Sky (Dec 19, 2008)

MBPuck yeah lol ty that's what a meant - racing name. grr. i should stop posting. my headache is starting to show in my lack of sentences and making sense lol


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

CJ82Sky said:


> MBPuck yeah lol ty that's what a meant - racing name. grr. i should stop posting. my headache is starting to show in my lack of sentences and making sense lol


I hear ya. Me brain don't work good now too. As of today, I officially finished 6 longs months of being insanely busy at work. From tonight until sometime in late August, I get to stop thinking and just concentrate on my horsey!! 

OP, I'm hoping that horse had good lines. He's really cute.


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

Well I just shot off the email so hopefully I know soon. And I hope so as well, I really like him.


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

Alright, well I got an email back and they said his racing name was storman black boots but they don't have his papers, but I looked him up and can't find anything..


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## CJ82Sky (Dec 19, 2008)

Free 5-Cross Thoroughbred Pedigrees from equineline.com - Thoroughbred Pedigree now with Free Interactive Nicking


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## CJ82Sky (Dec 19, 2008)

similar lines to colonial affair whom julie crone rode to victory as the first woman jockey ever to win a triple crown race in 1993. it was also the race that sadly prairie bayou broke down in. stormin blackboot's sire silver fox is a half sibling to colonial affair - that's where the bone comes in.

dam's side is weaker that i can see until you get farther back, but i can see the bone coming from the sire's side esp the colony lines. on the dam's side it seems a lot are canadian / bc bred which usually are lines with more bone. not necessarily as heavy as EU bred but more so than US bred. my heavier boned tbs are both canadian on their dam's side (War Deputy/Deputy Minister) so that also explains how he's got some good bone on both sides.

I do like the Private Colony lines a lot as they always seemed to have stamina and while not as much speed, the stamina is more important to me. def decent for eventing/jumping from what i can see.

good luck! (also asking my other Tb fanatic friend her opinion haha)


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## memcwhit (Feb 19, 2011)

CJ82Sky said:


> similar lines to colonial affair whom julie crone rode to victory as the first woman jockey ever to win a triple crown race in 1993. it was also the race that sadly prairie bayou broke down in. stormin blackboot's sire silver fox is a half sibling to colonial affair - that's where the bone comes in.
> 
> dam's side is weaker that i can see until you get farther back, but i can see the bone coming from the sire's side esp the colony lines. on the dam's side it seems a lot are canadian / bc bred which usually are lines with more bone. not necessarily as heavy as EU bred but more so than US bred. my heavier boned tbs are both canadian on their dam's side (War Deputy/Deputy Minister) so that also explains how he's got some good bone on both sides.
> 
> ...


Haha, agreed. With everything. PC was the first thing that jumped out at me and think that he definitely has sport horse stamped on his pedigree. I wouldn't kick him out of my barn.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Canadian TB's are good. Bigger boned, good legs. How much are they asking for him?


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## JumpersRule (Apr 29, 2008)

I hate to cut in in the middle of this conversation, but....he looks great! I have 2 OTTB's and they are great jumpers with cute personalities, too.  Like CJ82Sky said, gymnastics can improve his jumping form very easily. And those big bones are great! I would get him if I were you.


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## equineeventer3390 (Mar 27, 2009)

MyBoyPuck said:


> There was a thread awhile back on the breed forum about Mr. Prospector lines. Apparently Mr. Prospector was a very fertile boy because many of us on this forum have TBs who have him in their bloodlines. I do not remember one person saying that their TB was a nut or otherwise bad horse. Mr. Prospector seems to produce very solid offspring. On the flip side, I would stay away from any who had Storm Cat in their lines. All of them seem to be high strung.


Have to disagree with Storm Cat! My boy has storm cat and he is anything but high strung!! He does have a bit of an attitude and when something upsets him he will let out some massive bucks, but he is a very lazy, laid-back horse. My trainer also has a storm cat baby who is a great horse. IMO Storm Cat is a huge PLUS in bloodlines.


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## brittabam (May 7, 2010)

MyBoyPuck said:


> There was a thread awhile back on the breed forum about Mr. Prospector lines. Apparently Mr. Prospector was a very fertile boy because many of us on this forum have TBs who have him in their bloodlines. I do not remember one person saying that their TB was a nut or otherwise bad horse. Mr. Prospector seems to produce very solid offspring. On the flip side, I would stay away from any who had Storm Cat in their lines. All of them seem to be high strung.


I have two tbs, one is from Storm Cat. He was and I found him at a feed lot. He is the laziest gentlest TB I have ever worked with. He has a great jump as well. TBs make great jumping horses. I wouldn't buy anything else.


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## corporate pride (Feb 23, 2010)

i have 2 horses that have been on the track, ozzie is 18 this year and he's been eventing most him life but is now my dressage horse, he's lazy as but when it came to xc he was all fired up, people would give me weird looks that this lazy horse that has to have spurs and i almost snap my legs off trying to get him to move in dressage to a horse that has a harsh bit on for xc and is standing there sleeping to having stuff all breaks in xc then they get it LOL
marco, off the track 2 years now, starting to educated him now but had a few hurdles to jump first (weight and weather). he's going to be my next event horse, he's forward but not highly strung but will get stubbon and decide "that's enough, i will stand now" he's a different shape then ozzie, he's got the large bones in his legs (fighting falcon bloodline)

but the draw back with OTTB's is they come with baggage. ozzie gets very highly strung out riding in the bush, he pulls and then goes behind the bit, he STILL shows race behaviour and he hasn't been near a track since he was 4 years old.

one bad point about this horse your looking at is that they had jumped him far too high too young. this *could* effect him mentally but might not. i've seem soooo many OTTB's rushed through the grades and it always ends badly, the horse loses confidence and start refusing jumps and making really bad errors and smash through jumps.

if you decide to get this horse, you need to be dedicated to educate this horse for awhile before even thinking of jumping. lots of lessons, lots of flatwork . he may have behaviour issues from racing, marco is a cronic pawer, ozzie weaves in the float. ozzie always acts like he's racing when out on trails.

but the up side is that they do end up good and most are great all rounders  don't worry about the hype of "bad feet" tat's with any breed. ozzie has awesome feet but marco doesn't but they will be.

good luck, see if you can do a trial


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## WelcomeStranger28 (Oct 21, 2009)

OTTBs are usually pretty good jumpers  training will be hard, but you can't give up!! Good Luck


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## jumper444 (Mar 15, 2011)

My thoroughbred is off the track and he's a great jumper! I don't think he was raced that much. He has feet problems but not due to racing (its an abnormality of hoof growth) and even with that he easily jumps 4ft. Also, my horse is not high strung at all! He has the sweetest personality! The only thing i could say is that he sometimes has race track anxiety, so he gets a spooked kinda easily and sometimes fusses a bit when other horses are cantering near him. Honestly i think they are great jumpers and most of the time it just depends on the horse as an individual! Good luck!


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Good to hear about the Storm Cat offspring. Maybe that high strung stuff worked it's way out of the bloodline.


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