The Horse:Your Guide To Equine Health Care provides monthly equine health care information to horse owners, breeders, veterinarians, barn/farm managers, trainer/riding instructors, and others involved in the hands-on care of the horse.
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28 TheHorse.com THE HORSE August 2015 very cautious in how you manage that." Pittman adds, "The most common rea- son for me to turn away a good horse off the track is arthritic changes or loss of car- tilage in the ankles, and I think it is more common than it used to be due to the overuse of certain joint injections in young horses. It's a sad thing when any joint becomes arthritic in a young horse, and it happens in all breeds and all sports." Another issue Newton says to approach with caution is stifle injuries. "That tends to be something that often limits their racing career because they're usually developmental," he says. "It shortens their racing career significantly or even prevents them from getting to the race- track in the first place. And because we're looking at really engaging the hind end in the transition to a sport horse world, they struggle tremendously with that." Burke adds that Quarter Horses "often will retire from the track with soft tis- sue injuries such as bowed tendons and tendon strains and tears that can limit the potential for second careers, depending on the severity of the injury." She also says long pastern bone and other major fractures—including those that require arthrodesis (surgical fusion of the joint)—are "very career- limiting and should be avoided for any performance-intended career." One important tip: Include your vet- erinarian when considering ex-racehorse prospects. He or she will be able evaluate the horse and let you know if the animal has the potential to meet your needs. If the horse isn't suited for what you'd like to do, it's best to pass on him and keep looking. There are plenty of racehorses out there ready for their second careers. Prepurchase Exams: Yea or Nay? It's a familiar conundrum when con- sidering an ex-racehorse, especially one with a small price tag: Do I really need a prepurchase exam? Especially if you're buying the horse for competition or for resale, Newton recommends these exams. "I think, as a veterinarian, that they're incredibly important," he says. "If you go look at a horse that's being sold for $500 or $800 or $1,500 or being given away, people will roll their eyes pretty heavily when a veterinarian shows up to do a significant prepurchase with flexions and X rays and everything." But there are several reasons Newton considers these visits so important. One is because most of these horses are so young—generally 3 to 5 years old—they might have a significant injury that's not producing any clinical signs when you look at the horse for purchase. "After 90 days in work he starts having chronic lameness, and that chronic lame- ness is not resolvable with surgical or medical treatment," he says. "Then you're really facing a very difficult decision. Option 1 is trying to place him into one of the adoption programs. Option 2 is eu- thanizing him. Option 3 is paying board on him (or housing him) for the next 25 years. That might prevent you from giv- ing another horse that is capable of doing things a good home because you have to maintain it. To me, that's a difficult finan- cial and emotional decision to make." Prepurchase exams are also beneficial if your plan is to resell an ex-racehorse following some training. "And these days when you're competing horses in any pursuit in the sport horse world, if you don't have your own farm, and with feed, veterinarian, and farrier expenses, etc., you've got probably $8,000 a year in it," says Newton. So if you've gone into it blindly without a prepurchase, "put a year or two in the horse, and the buyers do a prepurchase where they find significant lesions that will prevent (the horse) from having a career, you will have a significant financial hit that you might not recover from," he says. Take-Home Message Once you've chosen your ex-racehorse, it's time to bring him home and introduce him to his new life. Pittman offers these words of advice: "Remember that these horses love to work. They love to move their bodies. They thrive on routine. They trust a firm hold. They want nothing more than to find peace and harmony. Put them where they are comfortable. Adjust their lives gradually. They really are the kindest horses on the planet. Treat them with respect, and you will be enriched." h ABOUT THE AUTHOR Erica Larson is news editor for The Horse and author of TheHorse.com blog Old Horses: Better With Age (TheHorse.com/ OldHorseBlog). Choosing an Ex-Racehorse Making the Transition Helping your ex-racehorse adjust to his new life is an art in and of itself—especially if a horse comes straight off the track. Horses coming off of a racing career need time to transition to their new job and often benefit from plenty of turnout to refresh their minds and heal any ailments they might have developed during racing, says Kerri Burke, founder and executive director of the RE-RIDE Quarter Horse Adoption Program, in Maysville, Ohio. "A slow approach to retraining will go a long way in creating a willing and happy horse," she says. Steuart L. Pittman Jr., president of the Maryland-based Retired Racehorse Project and an upper-level three-day eventer, says it's all about slowing things down: "(Olympic three-day event rider and trainer) Karen O'Connor tells her students in eventing to 'slow the horse's world down.' That applies perfectly to the average horse coming off the track. Ninety percent of what determines effective training under saddle is the skill and balance of the rider, but 10% percent is strategy. Knowing when to slow down is a big part of that strategy." Pittman notes that racehorses are used to professional handlers, so keep this in mind when you're handling your new addition. "Like all horses they depend on boundaries being firm and clear. Whether it is being tied in their stalls, waiting in a start gate, or walked with a chain shank, they understand boundaries only when they are consistent." Additionally, don't be afraid to ask for help with your ex-racehorse if you run into trouble, Burke says. "Seeking the help of a professional trainer is also very instrumental in avoiding potentially serious situations, and carefully considering the skill and experience level of the adopter is essential for creating happy homes for these ex-racers."—Erica Larson The most common reason for me to turn away a good horse off the track is arthritic changes or loss of carti- lage in the ankles." STEUART L. PITTMAN JR.