cheap horses off the track

[Rides 2 Far <rides2far@juno.com>]

>Yes, but he wouldn't necessarily know how to walk, trot or canter over
>uneven ground, up & down hills.  I'm not sure I could agree >that an
>ex-track horse (with the qualifications you mention) would be an
>endurance >contender

My family used to race Appaloosas a little and I trail rode a couple who
were originally started on the track.  What you don't realize is that
they spend very little time running all out.  You figure, we send a horse
down for a 90 day meet (bear with me if the figures make no sense, it was
20 years ago) and the horse doesn't really even turn 2 until he's down
there, so we've just been doing light galloping and ponying at home. 
Heck, they're barely broke.  

The good part was that they were treated in a very businesslike manner
and handled every day.  My off the track horses could be crosstied,
bathed, lunged, shod, clipped, loaded and hauled, and were used to a
commotion all when they'd barely turned 2.  

The only thing that was a problem was a little exercise we did where we'd
gallop 2 horses side by side (just a hand gallop) and every time one got
his nose ahead, we'd ask the other to pass it, juggling the lead back and
forth.  It was to teach them to want to be in the front and not let
another horse pass them.  That was the only lesson that was a problem
later.  They didn't want another horse to get by them.

Just because a horse is at the track doesn't necessarily mean he's
getting to race.  You have to get drawn for the suitable race if there
are extra entries and sometimes your horse just stands around for weeks
running up your bill and not racing. 

 It's expensive to keep a horse there (this was Florida), and I saw some
really nice horses go cheap when the owners are running low on cash, a
horse needs rest because he bucked his shins and they can't afford to
send him home (many were from Michigan) and can't afford to pay track
board.  If you really want a good deal on a horse (if it's like it used
to be) haul a big load of hay down to the track about 1/2 way through the
meet when they're all running out of money and feed and have too many
horses.  Hay's  better than cash.

Angie

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