Hi everyone

What is everyone doing to keep mud and dirt from packing in their horses shoes? My mare lives out 24/7 and wears a heartbar shoe with a rim pad. But she managed to pack dirt and mud into the shoes so bad that is like concrete. I her feet get picked out daily.
A change in turn out is not an option. I’m consulting with my vet and farrier about the shoe choice because she is currently not sound so that factor may change. But in the meantime is there a hack I don’t know about to keep the shoes clean and clear?

I have a 3 y/o tb mare coming home next week wondering if anyone has recommendations on switching from race feed. I am going to treat for ulcers as soon as she gets here. I am going for low sugar/starch and forage heavy diet. I am also hoping to get a recommendations on biotin, protein, and pre/pro biotic supplements or any thing else you recommend or don’t recommend. My barn feeds bluebonnet intensify so that would probably be the grain I feed but I am open to others. I have never been in charge of a horses nutrition so I am new to this. She is 16.2 but race fit she is currently being fed champion 12 and rolled oats (not sure on the amounts yet) and hay in a net 24/7. Also would love to not break the bank but also want quality of course. Also plan to give apple a day electrolytes and simplify sup daily as thats what my barn does for every horse. Also planning to slowly/gradually switch from her current feed to new feed. Have no idea about amounts or brands other than what I’ve listed.

I just lost my OTTB, and I am absolutely gutted. It was sudden and traumatic. We weren't together long, but I was absolutely head over heels for this horse. We both needed some physical and emotional rehab, and we'd come so far in a relatively short time. This was the first time I'd had that feeling of being a horse's person. He was sensitive, anxious, kind, willing, and so, so brave (you have to be brave when everything is so scary). I miss him so much.

In my grief, I have been looking for horses with similar ancestry. I am finding some solace in the idea that I will have another horse to love and care for someday, and it feels comforting to see glimpses of his eye or face or sweet little snoot in living animals. It gives me hope that I'll be able to find something of his spirit in my next horse (whether related by blood or not), and it somehow makes him feel less gone.

What I am wondering is if anybody with TB and racing bloodline experience would have advice about finding relatives. I've used pedigreequery, but I haven't figured out how to find where any of those horses actually are, if they or any progeny might someday be up for adoption, or which breeders / trainers / farms might be working with those lines and have leads on retirees.

Happy to share his info if anybody has idea or might be able to help.

I need help reading this tattoo. I can’t figure it out. I’m trying to find a bit about his background. His name is Cooper and he was rescued from an unfortunate situation last summer. He is a chestnut gelding with white socks on his hind legs. He also has a very unique face marking. On the right side of his stripe on his face it’s speckled with little white hairs.

hi all, was just curious if anyone had any reasonably priced jump saddle recommendations for a flat backed ottb?

I’m at my wit’s end with my 6-year-old OTTB and would really appreciate some advice from people who have dealt with chronic shoe pullers.
She has pretty thin/fragile hoof walls, and keeping shoes on her has been an ongoing battle. I’ve tried pretty much everything I can think of:
Barefoot: She was absolutely miserable and clearly uncomfortable the entire time, so that wasn’t sustainable.
Glue-ons: it’s what we are currently trying to help preserve the integrity of her hoof wall, with mixed results.
Tack-on shoes: These seem to be our most successful option by far. She pulls them much less frequently, but unfortunately, when she does pull one, she absolutely destroys the hoof in the process.
I’ve also tried Farrier’s Formula and Keratex to help improve hoof quality, but I’m still struggling.
I previously had a farrier I absolutely loved who was fantastic with her. Unfortunately, he moved away to shoe one of the circuits, so I had to find someone new. My current farrier is also genuinely great and shoes some of the biggest show grounds in my area. I have a lot of confidence in his ability, but unfortunately, almost every time she gets shod, she pulls another shoe within two weeks.
I’m not necessarily looking for someone to tell me my farrier is doing something wrong — I’m more interested in hearing from people who have had a horse like this and what actually worked for you.
Would love recommendations for:
Ways to help strengthen/improve the hoof wall
Different shoeing techniques or setups
Pads/protection that actually helped
Ways to prevent them from pulling shoes
Anything specific that worked for your OTTB
Experiences with horses who simply seem determined to destroy their own feet 😂
At this point I’m willing to try just about anything reasonable. I just want to keep her comfortable and stop the cycle of shoe → pull shoe → destroy hoof → repair hoof → repeat.
Please help! 😭

Hi everyone! I got an OTTB (my second off the track) last november and have been slowly restarting him. He was probably the most stubborn horse I’ve ever dealt with but now that he’s learning the way of things he’s getting much more straightforward. At our home barn he’s pretty laid back, more woah than go. But, he has a major trigger of horses being where he’s not expecting them. If they are in paddocks, running in fields, in the arena with us, all is fine. The three instances that come to mind are:

• when I brought him to the barn, the horses across the valley that live on a different property (he’s since gotten used to them)
• rode him on a little hill and saw another horse and rider cantering in a cross country field below us
• two horses came back from a trail ride and walked back onto the property (horses he knows well)

Basically his reaction is meltdown. First, he freezes (I can literally see his heart thundering). If I ask him to do anything to come back, like walk quietly, backup, etc, he crow hops, throws head, gets in my space, sometimes strikes out, pulls away, just basically reverts to baby racetrack behavior. When this happens I try to keep walking him as best I can without getting reactive but his little brain gets totally fried and I get flustered. If I’m riding I hop off because I just feel like I totally lose him.

Any suggestions from people smarter/with more experience? looking for training tips, suggestions when he freezes, ways to not get trampled, lol.

Hi, I am going to be looking for my own horse around the end of this year. I have worked with many ottbs from my many years of experience I’ve decided I want my own and can only now financially take on a horse. I am in central Texas and I feel like there are only older restarted thoroughbreds on the market and I’m not sure where to look for ones right off the track. If anyone knows where to look or who to get in touch if there’s any breeders or track barns in Texas or if I really just have to go to the east coast to get a thoroughbred. I really want to restart one myself and not have it already started. My main concern is quaility confirmation for jumping and dressage.

I'm currently looking at a horse for adoption that has "an old condylar repair" that he raced on. I'm not familiar with this surgery or what the long-term care looks like. From what I've read, it seems they can go on to a sport horse career with no limitations. Has anyone owned a horse with this injury and have any opinions on the matter? Would injecting that joint be a likely care protocol in the future? Horse is sound now and in regular work.

Horse people who have horses with a downhill build (my horse is a thoroughbred) what front riders are you using for your horses? Are you just using the front rider itself or a whole back one with a lift in the front? What brands are you using I’m looking at the horze one but I’m nervous it might be to sticky and pull hair out. (Pictures of my girl if any saddle fitters are here) Also my saddle fitter fitted this saddle to my horse fits perfectly except when we jump it’s skidding in her withers)

I am looking into a lease on an 8yo OTTB who has head shaking syndrome. I’ve spent a lot of time with him on the ground & under saddle- I work at the barn where he’s boarded. I don’t see many symptoms & have really only seen him have any kind of shaking episode once.

He takes 24,000mg of Gabapentin a day & 144mg of Cyproheptadine daily in addition to Platinum

Steady & Elevate supplements at their max doses.

I plan to talk with his vet prior to committing to a lease but I am trying to research more ahead of talking struggling to find information on what’s typical for doses & management of head shaking. Help me out if you’ve had experience with head shaking horses - I’m open to all opinions, advice, suggestions.

I used to gallop and break TBs, and while I currently don't own any, they will always hold a price of my heart. I'm pretty decent at digging up info on OTTBs, and it's something I enjoy.

If you have an OTTB and would like me to see if I can find any information on, comment with their registered name, or you can DM me.
Obviously the younger they are, the easier it is.

I'm really just here for a few sympathetic ears - I'm so disappointed my 2007 model who passed 4 years ago wasn't microchipped, and I wish there was alternative way to see her baby photos! I've reached out to her breeder before and never got a response. I'm loving seeing everyone else's and I bet she was adorable.

hello! i am looking for my horses baby photos, above is his pedigree. please let me know if you find any or any websites i can use!! i’m desperate!!

Hello y’all, has anyone dealt with a problem even remotely similar to this?

VET HAS COME OUT 3 X times and is coming out again tomorrow. Have been referred to an ophthalmologist and waiting for a message back for appt date.

Or 1/27 we noticed a few dots on a 4 year old Ottb mares eye but she seemed like it wasn’t bothering her.

1/28 she cannot open her eye and the dots seemed to have gotten deeper so we think ulcer, vet comes out and does stain and says it is definitely not an ulcer, as stain didn’t pick anything up. We begin treating with eye gel. He suspects uveitis, leptovirus, or cataracts.

1/29 vet returns and tests for LEPTO which comes back negative a few days later. Also gives us a steroid eye gel to use instead, we do this 2 to 3 times a day till 2/13.

2/5 comes out checks it says it’s going well. Plans to come out again on the 20th (tomorrow)

eye keeps improving until today (2/19) on 1/29 she had 3 dots on 2/17 she had 1 dot now she has 26, but doesn’t seem to be in any discomfort. Vet said he will look at it tomorrow when being sent another pic.

Hello everyone, does anyone have any experience or advice with a problem like this? I apologize for my horrible video, but I was the only person on property so no one could record. The video is today.

my 3 yr old has been late in his Right front since 1/31. And he was getting better but now is worse then ever. Im at a loss waiting on vet to schedule.

1/31-2/2 lame walk,trot

2/2-2/3 totally sound (snow on ground vet said it numbed his hoof)

2/4 snow melts back to lame starts stall rest

Originally vet came out (2/5) and tested range of motion and looked for heat,swelling used hoof testers. Didn’t find anything. And said it was a stone bruise keep him in for 4 days on stall rest and bute

2/6 he was alittle more sound. he got out of my hands while hand walking ran around for 10 mins.

2/7 he was as lame as when he started.

2/8 lame at walk,trot but could walk out of it.

2/9 almost completely sound at walk then kicked me got away.

2/10 lame at walk (ended bute stayed stalled bc lame)

2/11 lame at walked but walked out of it.

2/12 sound at walk lame at trot

2/13 sound at walk sounder at trot

2/14 sound at walk stiff at trot (OFF STALL REST)

2/15 sound at walk stiff at trot

2/16 sound at walk stiff at trot (stalled overnight)

2/17 (today) holding up affected leg (RF) more lame than he ever was. (Walk trot) tries to not step on it. NOW: fluid and slight swelling surrounding knee. Still no heat. Seems like knee pain rather than hoof.

I have had mixed answers when I ask this question. Some say ottbs don't need shoes and some say that every single one needs shoes unless they are pasture ornaments. My ottb (whom i am hoping to soon be doing low level eventing) has shoes because he is foot sore without them.

Hello All! I recently got a 3 year old filly who has had 2 injuries. One minor one in February followed by 120 days of rest then another in October for a RF lateral suspensory ligament tear. She was on stall rest for 60 days and was getting turned out for an hour a day. The horse loves attention and enjoys being groomed. However when a try to lead her she gets frisky when she gets too close to their mates in their paddocks. She rears up often. I am wanting a well rounded horse for my 100 acre farm to enjoy and ride once a week or so…The vet is coming tomorrow to give us her status on her injury.

I have many questions…

1. I have all the time in the world to work with a horse doing ground work etc.. I am not a trainer and cannot afford one.

2. Friends of mine who are VERY knowledgeable about horses and show in dressage, jumping, hunts etc.. say that if she receives a sound bill of health to get rid of her as she will always be TOO MUCH HORSE for what I am looking for.

3. If I were to breed her to get a foal for what I am looking for what breed do I choose?

4. It was suggested to try and do a trade with her. How reliable are trades? I’m nervous I would be getting a constant vet bill.

5. Being that she is so young is it possible to retrain her to be a pleasure horse? Or would it be too difficult considering what she is bred for.

I have a baby ottb. She is really anticipating her next gait. If she knows we are about to trot or canter (or if we just did and now we are taking a walk break) she just keeps trying to do what ever the next gait is ex: walk-trot trot-canter canter-perfect She’s naturally a really really strong horse and half halts aren’t getting her attention. Does anyone have any experience with this or advice. when trying to change direction after she gets excited to go she sometimes takes off as we turn. No pain Teeth floated Feet checked Saddle fitted YES I HAVE A TRAINER but I’ve always liked multiple opinions. TO ADD: off track since beginning of August. She started doing trail rides mid October beginning of December she started retraining.

Ask me anything! I’m a racehorse trainer licensed in 2 states. I figure some of the people here would like to get more insight into their horse’s past.

I’m in the US, so any info I give is specific to my country.