Bringing Home an OTTB:

A checklist for the prospective owner…

Here is a checklist for the prospective new OTTB owner based on questions we are often asked: “how do I find a Thoroughbred to purchase?”… “how do I negotiate the purchase?”…” what should I know about getting the horse home safely?”…and “what do I need to think about the first few days home?”

This piece is also informed by the direct feedback that we’ve gotten over the years from buyers. Many note that shopping for a horse on the backside for the first time can be overwhelming, especially as they felt that they didn’t always know what questions to ask… And our cautions about choosing the right horse, not the flashy horse, are prompted, sadly, by the number of calls we’ve received from buyers regretting the purchase of a horse that they liked, but which was not the best fit for their goals and abilities.

The list isn’t comprehensive of course, but we hope that it’s helpful!

1. Describe Your Ideal Prospect

“Must Have’s”…” Nice to Have’s”…”Will Be Happy to Have’s”…

Before you read the descriptions…before you even look at the photos…Sit down and make a list of the qualities that your new horse: a) Must have; b) Should have; c) Might have,  if fate shines on you.

Bringing home a horse is, obviously, a significant commitment and it is very easy to get swept up in how stunning a horse looks out galloping on the track. It’s an entirely different matter to bring that horse home and begin retraining. Knowing what you want, and–more importantly–what you cannot accept in your new horse, may save you much disappointment, time and money.

As you begin shopping, especially if you’ve never purchased a horse on the backside before, we urge you to ask questions–specific questions–as terminology and point of view can affect how a horse is described. For example, a trainer may say “the horse is sound”; what “sound” means to the trainer may, or may not, be your definition of sound. Is sound: “never had a pimple on him”, or is it “he’s not lame right now”?  And things like cribbing are often overlooked at the track, but may be a big problem to a prospective buyer. So instead of asking “does the horse have any vices?”, ask “does the horse crib” if that is a deal breaker for you.

2. Remember to Include the Following in Your Budget:

a. Money for purchase (trainers do not generally lease horses, trade horses, or take payments; if you say that you want to buy the horse, they expect cash)

b. Money for transport (even gas money can add up if you’re hauling long-distances)

c. Pre-purchase exam (cost can vary greatly depending upon what you want done–basic flexions/eye exam/some x-rays–to hundreds for a full workup including blood work, full x-rays, scoping, etc. Note that not all trainers will allow a horse to be scoped, for example…so please be clear on what you would want to do for an exam before the vet is standing there next to the horse to avoid any problems.)

d. Trainer’s fees (if you aren’t experienced restarting an OTTB, you may want to consider engaging trainer help)

e. Any new tack/equipment to fit the new horse (bear in mind that your OTTB may change shape a great deal over the first year of transition, especially, so the saddle that fits well the day you bring him home, may not be such a great fit down the road…and if your tack cannot be adjusted sufficiently, you’ll need new equipment)

3. Evaluate the Available Horses & Narrow Down Your List

Make a list of several prospects of interest and call the trainers. Be sure to think about:

• Temperament
  –On a scale of 1 – 10, 1 being half-dead, 10 being a raging bull, how does the horse stack up? Keep in mind that the definition of “quiet” on the backside may not be the same definition you may have in mind; that is why spending a bit of time with the horse is critical.
• Physical injuries/conformation
  –Ask about current issues, and past problems–does the horse have “old ankles” or a “set bow”, has the horse had any breathing issues that necessitated a “tie-back”, etc.  At a minimum, ask about: joints, wind,  and feet.
  –Ask the trainer how long they’ve had the horse and how it came into their barn.  Did the trainer claim it from someone else at the same track? Did they buy it at auction? Breed it? You want to know just how much history the trainer has with the horse; if it’s a very recent acquisition and the trainer is selling, it may mean that they “made a bad claim” — that is, they claimed a horse out of a race who turned out to have a soundness issue…of course it may simply turn out that the horse isn’t that talented a runner, or the owner who claimed the horse ran into financial issues and cannot continue paying the bills, but it’s something to consider, either way.
  –Bear in mind, you’re usually looking at one or two photos of a horse that may hide or exaggerate problems…So do be prepared for an incredible looking photo to be just that…and know that you may be pleasantly surprised that some horses who didn’t photograph well might be stunning in person!
• Race record
  –How many times has the horse run? When did they start racing: 2? 3? older?  A horse that ran many times as a 2 year old may be just fine, but it’s also possible that much stress on a very young horse will have taken a toll…Likewise, a horse that hasn’t started until the age of 4 may have been sidelined by an injury. Ask if you see anything unusual.
  –You may want to get a start-by-start report from brisnet.com or equibase.com; they’re about $5 and can reveal any gaps in the horse’s racing history.
• Training Routine
  –Every trainer has their own method of training horses; understanding what the horse’s routine has been before you bring it home can help you formulate an effective transition plan.
  –It’s worth noting that some trainers actually gallop their own horses. If you do find that to be the case with the prospect that you’re considering, ask them what the horse is like under tack, what kind of bit is used with the horse, and if the horse has any quirks. Better to know that before you sit on them, than not!

Some trainers are more willing to talk on the phone than others; if you are very interested in a horse don’t necessarily rule it out because the trainer isn’t chatty.

4. Make a Trip to the Track

Remember: there are likely to be many horses for sale, and over the course of a meet, hundreds will be listed. Be clear about your “must have…can’t have” list and take enough time that you settle on a horse that really will suit your needs.

When you buy a horse at the track, assume that you own it for better or worse–generally the trainer will not take the horse back.

• Bring the printout of the horses you were most interested in seeing, and what it was about them that appealed to you (if you are accompanied by a CANTER volunteer this is especially helpful as we may be able to suggest other horses meeting your criteria, or even to tell you about a brand new listing, not even on the site yet)
• Bring camera, pens, sunscreen, notepaper (you may see as many as 10-15 horses in the space of a few hours–so taking good notes, extra photos, even video of a horse jogging out, is important)
• Wear comfortable shoes, you’ll be walking!
• Dress in layers; Suffolk is near the ocean, so in the spring it can start out cool and get quite hot in the space of an hour, or two; or vice-versa in the fall…
• Bring 4-leaf clover/lucky hat/etc.
• Bring information on vet, transporter, and barn owner (if boarding), in case you have any questions…
• Dragging along an objective friend, or your trainer, is good for a second opinion and to compare notes; when you see a number of horses in a short amount of time you may overlook some things

5. Make Another Trip to the Track…

It’s a good idea to consider making several trips to the track if you find yourself overwhelmed the first time around. It’s true that you may risk losing a prospect, but if you are not truly sure set on a particular horse, the old adage “act in haste, repent at leisure” may end up applying to you!

If you are seriously interested in a horse, ask the trainer when a horse will next go to the track. Arrange to come back to watch the horse gallop.  Spend time watching the horse cool out after their morning work, and watch the groom work around the horse. (Grooms can be a great source of information about a horse. Remember that the horse’s groom handles him day in, and day out and they can tell you much about the horse’s character.)

Keep in mind that the horse you see at the track is not the same horse that you’ll be dealing with on the farm after they’ve “let down”.

At Suffolk, you’re likely seeing a horse that is very fit, stalled 22-23 hours per day, consuming lots of high-energy feed and one that is asked to be physically on the muscle in order to do his job.

Once home, you can change their diet and turn them out to let off steam. Nonetheless: there’s a high likelihood that a horse that is “hot, hot, hot”  at the track will never evolve into a dead quiet, bombproof trail horse…

Remember: the goal is to buy a horse that meets your needs. That may, or may not be the athletic, fiery 3 year old prospect you saw in the listings…you know, the one with the gorgeous photo…

If your goal is to trail ride 2-3 times per week, that 6 or 7 year old plain bay with more of a “been there, done that” attitude may be a much more pleasant partner than the wild-eyed dapple gray that must be galloped by the strongest exercise rider in the barn.

6. Vetting Your Prospect

It’s possible, though not usual, to have a private veterinarian come do a PPE on the backside. Most prospective buyers rely on one of the vets already working on the backside to examine their potential purchase. You need to ask the trainer of a given horse who their regular vet is, as that vet will not do a PPE on a client’s horse in order to avoid any conflict of interest.

At a minimum, have flexions done and request that the vet check the horse’s vision, breathing, teeth and feet. As part of a basic check buyers will request that a vet x-ray anything that looks suspicious on flexion.

We strongly recommend that you do x-rays if you are seeking a jumping prospect. It is possible that a horse that jogs sound could have knee, or ankle chips that aren’t interfering with the joint, and will only become apparent if films are done.

If the horse is a claimer that hasn’t been in the barn long, or that came from another track, the present trainer may not know the horse’s health/soundness history, so even the most honest trainer may be unaware of a significant past injury if the horse has not remaining outward manifestation of the problem.

It’s worth noting that horses at the track are very often shod with a long toe/low heel approach and may have racing plates on that have toe grabs and/or heel caulks. It’s very likely that your farrier will suggest changing these angles, with the goal of working toward a more balanced hoof. Be sure to take this slowly: changing the angles too quickly can cause lameness and stress ligaments and tendons.

7. Negotiating the Purchase

We do not suggest bringing a big wad of cash to the track unless you are at the point of making the purchase. However, you may want to discuss payment with the trainers when you speak with them on the phone so you’ll know what your options are should you decide that you do like a given horse.

Travelers checks may be accepted at the bookkeeper’s office and put the money into the trainer’s account by signing those over. Call the main number for the track, and ask for the office. They can offer advice.

There are also banks in close proximity to the track, so if you do buy a horse, you may opt to go to a branch or ATM to withdraw funds once the price and terms are agreed upon.

Trainers do not generally accept checks, nor will sell a horse on an installment plan. And, unless the listing specifically states something to the contrary, assume that the horse is for sale, and not for lease.

While prices may be somewhat negotiable, please be tactful when making an offer. From the trainer’s perspective you are not “rescuing” their horse, you are looking to buy a prospect.

When making the offer, bear in mind that the degree of flexibility in price will vary depending upon the time of year (less negotiable at the start of the meet, more flexible at the end, by and large,) the soundness, size, age, movement and temperament of the horse in question.

Perhaps most importantly: if the horse is hitting the board at times and just covering their bills, the trainer may be willing to sit and wait for a higher offer. If the trainer has another prospect ready to fill the stall, however, he may just decide to cut his losses and accept a somewhat lower offer than he might otherwise.

The race record of a horse can also affect the price a trainer will accpet. Horses run in restricted races under certain circumstances, where competition is often less stiff. If a horse has never won a race, he is eligible to enter into a “maiden race” with other non-winners. Likewise, if he has never won two or three races, he can enter into a “Non-Winners of Two Lifetime”/”Non-Winners of Three Lifetime”.

Once a horse has won three races, they “graduate” to “open” company, where competition can be much stiffer. At this point, the trainer may find that rehoming his charge may make the most sense as the horse may not have the ability to compete in “open” company, where there are fewer eligibility restrictions.

One final note on making your purchase: please know that CANTER never gets involved in negotiations. We are not brokers; we are merely acting as informational agents to make prospective owners aware of horses needing to transition off of the track.

8. Before You Bring Your New Horse Home…

Vaccinations/Worming

Horses at the track are often not given more than the mandatory rabies vaccination, so be sure to ask if the horse has had shots, and which shots were given.

In particular, if you are planning on bringing the horse to a boarding facility, ask if strangles is required and if West Nile is recommended. Some vaccinations require multiple dosages, so even if you do an initial set at the track before you bring the horse home, follow-up may be required.

The horse may not be on the same worming schedule as horses at your barn, so you may opt to worm the horse as soon as it arrives home, and then get it on the same rotation as all other horses on the property.

Horses are the track are required to have an up to date Coggins, but check the date to see if it is due to expire soon. You may opt to have a new one pulled at the track. During racing season the courier for the lab comes often, so getting a Coggins done at the track may be faster than on the farm.

Diet

Find out how much the horse is eating, when and how the horse is fed (is it split evenly between two feedings? or is the horse fed differently morning/night?) and learn about the percentage of protein/fat/carbohydrates in the feed so that you can make a slow transition to a new routine.

Some horses at the track are fed a “complete” fed and are not fed hay.  Introducing a full hay ration to these horses and shifting them to more traditional feeds does require careful attention as their gut is not used to processing the same volume of roughage. If you bring home a horse that has been eating a “complete” feed, pay careful attention to their water consumption.

Work Routine/Fitness

Horses in active training may be galloping as much as two miles per day. Plan your transition to accommodate a gradual shift in activity level. Ensuring that the horse remains active can minimize  behavioral issues, and can help to avoid any physical problems, such as colic.

A Note About Horses Coming Back from Injury or Out of Training:
Ask the trainer what the horse’s work routine has been; this is especially important if they were trying to bring the horse back from an injury and decided that it wouldn’t hold up to the stress of racing. If the horse is not totally fit, you don’t want to let the horse overdo it under saddle, or in turnout, once home.

While most of the horses you’ll see listed are in active training, that is not always the case. For example, the horse may only be doing 45 minutes on the walking machine if the trainer doesn’t want to pay an exercise rider to gallop a horse that they’ve decided will not race again.

Feet

If your new horse has racing plates on, consider pulling them before bringing the horse home, or at least before turning the horse out. Toe grabs and heel caulks can catch in turnout and cause an ankle injury, and aluminum plates are slippery. Even if do not pull front shoes immediately, pulling back shoes is a good safety measure–both for other horses and for you.

The horse has only been walking from his stall to a sandy track to train, so be cautious about turnout if your paddocks/pasture are rocky. It is very common horses to bruise a foot when first brought home, which may result in significant lameness and even an abscess.

Tack

Find out what equipment your horse wears when training and racing; you may not need to make many adjustments in the horse’s equipment, or you may find that you need to experiment a bit to find the right configuration for your horse.

There are some styles of racing bits not commonly seen off the track, but many Thoroughbreds actually race in snaffle bits.

Remember, too, that horses on the track train and race in lightweight, treeless saddles. So the introduction of a regular saddle and long stirrups will be a new sensation.

Good fit and adequate padding are critical. Horses at Suffolk are galloping over a deep track, so may have some muscle soreness in the back and hind end; ill fitting tack may cause the horse to react badly when first tacked up.

Horses at the track are also very tightly girthed for races; “girthiness” can be common. You may want to start off with the girth very loose and gradually tighten as you walk the horse for a few minutes at the start of a training session. This is also a helpful practice if the horse is a bit muscle sore along their topline, as it gives the horse’s back time to warm up.

9. Getting Your New Horse Home…

Trailering

Many buyers own trailers and plan on transporting their new horse home. Do ask the trainer if the horse has ever been on a two- or three-horse trailer, if that is what you plan on using to bring home your new horse.

It may be the case that the horse has only ever ridden in a “big rig”: those 18-wheelers that you may have seen on the highway carrying large loads of horses over long distances.

If the horse has not been on a smaller trailer, it may take time, patience and even a dose of tranquilizer from the vet to coax them on. While you may opt to use shipping boots, it’s very possible that these may actually cause the horse to kick out in an effort to get them off, if they’ve never worn them before. Standing wraps and quilts may be a better choice, as it’s more probable that the horse has had these on at some point.

And do be careful when unloading: make sure that you have assistance and try to have someone guide the horse so that they don’t run off the side of the ramp if they back out quickly. This is doubly important if you’ve tranquilized the horse to get it on the trailer, as it may not be completely steady on its feet.

If you do not have transport and need to find a shipper, there are several options listed on the “Resources” page of the canterne.org site.

Signing Out Your New Horse

Before you leave the track, you’ll have to sign out your new horse, putting down your vehicle’s and trailer’s license numbers. You may want to go to the security office and sign out the horse before you actually load the horse so that there are no delays once you have them on the trailer.

10. Home Sweet Home!

A few suggestions to make those first days go smoothly:

• It’s a good idea to quarantine (or at least ensure no direct contact) between your new horse and the horses at your facility. While horses at the track are generally quite healthy–any signs of illness are usually dealt with right away to minimize the chance of contaminating the whole shedrow–an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure
• Don’t turn your new horse out in a large field right away, especially if the horse is alone. If the horse panics they may injure themselves
• Do not assume that the horse knows what electric fencing is; if your paddocks only have electric fencing, be sure to introduce them to it slowly, and walk the perimeter with them several times so that they know the limits of the turnout area
• It’s a good idea to ensure that your new horse is able to see other horses while in turnout, initially. If you only have two horses on your property and plan on taking your first horse out on a ride, you may want to throw your new OTTB back in his stall to keep him from getting worked up
• If it’s fly/mosquito season, be prepared to douse your new OTTB in fly spray. At the track they remove waste quickly and there are not many bugs–so your horse may end up breaking out in big welts until they get accustomed to turnout “on the farm”. Pay careful attention to this, as a horse that is oversensitive to bug bites may run themselves into a lather in no time!
• If you plan on working the horse on the ground: it is not usually the case that OTTBs know how to lunge or work in long lines. There are exceptions, of course–but be cautious until you have a sense of your horse’s level of experience with this type of training
• As you begin to ride your new horse, pay extra attention to where other horses may be in proximity to your mount; while many horses may gallop on the track at one time, they are generally at a distance and all are going in the same direction. It may be a new sensation for your horse to have others coming at them head on, for example
• Make sure that you get your horse’s teeth done as quickly as possible if the vet has indicated that the horse is overdue. It’s very common for horses at the track to have some points. Addressing this will help the transition to working on the bit more comfortable for the horse, and more successful for you as a rider

Good luck finding your next prospect!