The process of re-training a racehorse certainty involves a lot more experience than training a horse from scratch and other cold-blooded breeds like the warmblood.
Racehorses are pretty much out racing of control compared to other horses that are trained and under the rider’s aids. Racehorses don’t go straight from the riders leg aids as the jockey doesn’t have leg aids because they are positioned above the horse, they barely know how to turn, you can scarcely ride them into the barriers straight, they nearly all go in sideways, their stop is poor, they are not on any aids and this, in turn, makes the horse confused.
Thoroughbreds are incredibly athletic, brave and have a fantastic work ethic and can be trained to become amazing show jumpers, eventers, dressage horses, riding school horses, hunters, Service and police horses and many more disciplines if given a chance.They are highly intelligent, highly trainable but require an experienced trainer and rider, especially when making the transition from racing to a second career.
The Process
The first process of retraining is the groundwork to de-confuse the horse and give them clear responses to signals.
Leading is the beginning of re-educating, teaching the horse to lead from light rein pressure, so they lead from continuous light pressure and stop from light pressure.
Once they except light rein pressure they are then taught to move forward from the riders leg aids and pelvis pressure into the rein pressure and then to stop from the riders dead seat and light rein pressure.
Once we are going forward from the riders leg aids into the hand, we can then teach the fundamentals of all riding disciplines – to ride straight.
Then the horse is an entirely blank canvas and depending on the individual horses mental capacity to handle pressure and its natural physical gifts. We can then mould each horse into a true purpose and second career.
Here we can access the physical and mental capabilities of the horse and progress the horse into a suitable discipline of training.
Bella is incredibly passionate about re-educating racehorses to save as many of these magnificent and talented animals as she can.
To get behind Bella and support her in her incredible work she is doing with post-training racehorses please get in touch with Galston Park today, we welcome any support and are committed to solving the thoroughbred epidemic through post-training, educating trainers and owners and the general public.
Help Galston Park to continue and expand on the wonderful work we’re doing and help turn an ex-racehorses tale of tragedy to TRIUMPH.
