It is actually not her fault this may look like a racing ring but it’s not bullshit doing is cantering and galloping she’s not racing other horses it is 0% her fault
I live in quarter horse country and am planning on starting a homestead this year or next, I think when I am ready to get myself a pony I'll be looking at OTTB primarily. Videos like yours are so important.
I think it’s amazing that you want to start a Homestead. That kind of living is hard but just seems so beautiful and rewarding. Have you ever seen the show Homestead rescue?? It’s one of my favorites because of all of the building they do and the different homestead hacks that you can learn and implement.
Shelby, as a 45 year old who had been a champion and owner of mostly Thoroughbreds since the age of 6, I just want to thank you for this video. They have the biggest personalities, greatest work ethic and willingness to please above all breeds. I am so thrilled to see such a young person doing the things you do, you should be a role model for equestrians of all ages and disciplines. So, thank you 💛
As a timid, but dedicated rider carefully considering purchasing an OTTB, your words are so encouraging and inspiring to read. These horses are incredible. ❤️
Right? This video advocates a lot for OTTBs, because I also wouldn't want a crazy horses just to be able to say "Look at me and this insane horse! Am I not a great rider?"
Honestly I totally agree and i have seen first hand what you are talking about. I got my OTTB at 3 years old fresh off the track, when I first got him I’d say I was an advanced beginner? So I had no business training a horse. So I hired a trainer I rode him of course and he was always super chill and relaxed with me even bareback and bitless he has always been a sweet heart. Then the trainer came and got on and it was like a switch went off he changed he started bolting tossing his head up and I was shocked I was like this is not the boy I know and then I paid closer attention and I immediately felt it he was panicking the trainer was asking way to much way to fast and he was scared and didn’t understand I told the trainer to get off ya know blah blah blah. I had another trainer come out same situation he would panic due to the fact that they asked him for to much. So I decided fine, I’ll have to do it, I worked with an amazing instructor and she taught me how to work with him and how to train him and he is perfect he’s always cool headed with me very sweet a little dull to aids which we are working on but far from being hot headed and crazy. I love him.
Oh Shelby thank yooouuu ! This is probably one of, if not my biggest pet peeve in the horse world. I cannot count how many times I've heard someone say "it's an ottb thing" and no, no it's not, it's a mishandled horse thing -_- I remember my coach talking to another instructor about the horse he was working, 14 y old ottb, who was usually lovely to ride but as of late had been a bit touchy. The horse has literally been off the tracks for *ten years." but the *first* thing the other trainer said was "oh it's just him being a thoroughbred" like ??? I'm sorry did the horse suddenly remember after 10 years like "oh shit wait I'm supposed to be a nightmare !" ?? We're not even going to try and consider an soundness or equipment issue first ?? I was livid... Then the very same trainer (who owns a tb btw so I don't even know wtf) told be ottbs were all shells of horses, impossible to put weight on, dead inside and waiting to blow up, and I'm just over here looking at the horse I had under my care, a splendid 12 y old in perfect condition, who's as sweet as a lamb and goofy as a foal, but no of course he's "an exception" Well damn I guess I've been incredibly lucky, ALL The tbs I worked with were absolute sweethearts, intelligent and eager to learn with a heart as big as them, I really ought to try the lottery sometimes, definitely luck and nothing to do with just treating them like regular horses -_- But thank you for your videos, you're doing a wonderful job beating down those stereotypes, I hope more people will finally see just how gentle and good hearted tbs are, they're such excellent horses if you just give them the time and space to be, definitely a breed I couldn't help but fall in love with
Awesome video. Lately, I've noticed people would rather write off a horse as "crazy" due to their breed rather than examine what could cause this "crazy" behavior such as how they handle the horse, the horse's lifestyle, and/or underlying health problems. It's such a disservice to these horses. I work with a horse who is said to be insane and difficult to handle, but she's only a problem for people who believe that to be true about her.
I'm so glad I found your channel. I have a TB Mare (5 yo) bought her at 3 yo, and she never raced due to an injury during her training. I bought her (rescued her from a terrible owner who was trying to sell her as a sound/rideable horse) with knee splinters, and an OCD lesion on her rear stifle. I made sure she got the surgeries she needed to repair both issues, and she is doing wonderfully now. She is the sweetest horse, with a very willing mind. She picks up on new things really fast! She may not have ever raced, but she did come from a hard life with very neglectful people. We rescued an older gelding as well just a few months after her, and he also has been a wonderful, sweet horse who is so willing to learn. I agree with your stance on the racing industry, and I am glad whenever you post in depth videos about OTTB horses, especially the ones where you give advice on how to care for them. Thank you!
We need more people like you in this industry, I work at a track as a pony rider and an assistant trainer but our barn is mostly running quarter horses we had a string of thoroughbreds and we never ever did we ever have a “crazy” one, when I talk to people it’s like if you were to give your child lots of candy and soda and they are all so lovely to ride when not on grain and when ours are turned out in the winter you can pull them out and go for a ride up the mountain and will ride better then a lot of saddle horses with that much time off, thank you I appreciate all you do for this industry!!
A boarder at a barn I used to work at bought a 4 year old off the track and he was so quiet and sweet. I had one training moment with him while bringing him in from the field. He was just getting ahead of me and pulling to the barn. I realized he may have never had the experience of going to and from a large field before. After about 5 minutes of groundwork, he was great the rest of the way to the barn. I never had a problem with him since.
This video is amazing! Thank you for spreading the word about how amazing these horses are! I worked at a retired racehorse "rescue" for some time, and they were all truly amazing horses. They would give the horses a home to decompress and then be trained for a new home. The horses they found in slaughter were all quarter horses who raced or OTTBs who had been sent to slaughter down the line after being labeled dangerous. Furthermore, the horses' old owners from racing would save their horses from slaughter, they would spend there own money to buy them back and then ship them back to the rescue. The thoroughbred racing world is not what people make it out to be. Yes, there are bad owners in the industry, but there are bad owners in every industry. Keep up the good work on changing the views about racehorses, the racing industry, and thoroughbreds in general!
I very, very rarely leave a comment on a YT video but after watching, or rather, LISTENING, to you Shelby, I feel compelled to say, on behalf of the TB, a huge THANK YOU ❤. All you said needed to be said. The TB is a beautiful, forgiving soul. There is no bad horse only a confused and misunderstood horse. I wish all trainers had your empathy. Thank you again for this video 😊
I don’t usually share stories, but I feel like this one is important. I got a call from a person who had a slow OTTB 3 year old mare at auction, that needed to go to a good home. My family doesn’t turn down any animal in need, so of course we took her. We were literally told, from an experienced person, that she would walk through fences, you wouldn’t be able to catch her, rug her, probably food aggressive, tie her up, basically that she would be crazy. The person saying this did not know her, they were just stereo-typing the breed. She came off the truck incredibly lame with mud fever and a massive wound on her leg, her hooves were also very long. However, she was a super star. She was caught easily, her wound and leg treated without a fuss, and fine with a rug. Fast forward many months of getting to know her, she is now the most quietest horse considering her age and experience. She does everything that she “wouldn’t do,” and much more. Right now, she hasn’t had a ride since the track, she is in a big field, with a big herd and friends, developing beautifully with the aid of some extra hard feed. OTTB’s are incredible horses that are so undervalued. I 100% agree Shelby, and definitely think that they deserve better.
Abbie Correll: I’ve worked in harness racing barns, an Arabian stud farm, and at a jumper/dressage sales barn, groomed for an international show jumper, as well as owned OTTB. My experience is that some of the most well behaved and mannered horses are those from racing stables. Shelby’s video is on point. I was one of those who said I’d never have a TB. Absolutely not an OTTB, and never a chestnut mare. I was a strict “warmblood or no blood”. I wasn’t even looking for a new horse when I ended up with an OTTB chestnut mare. Best epic fail ever.
E O: Yes I 100% agree. These horses have so much heart, and in my personal experience are always so brave and willing to do anything. Most of the ones I have come across have such a “yea let’s do this, sure we can pop over that scary thing” attitude that is so rewarding to work with and something that’s really unique. It’s so funny how these things happen. I didn’t exactly wake up wanting or planning to get a 3yo OTTB mare sight unseen, but it’s one of the best things to happen. So I’m in agreeance, it’s the best epic fail ever, I guess most stuff are. :)
I love my thoroughbreds. We used to breed and race TB’s when I was growing up. If they couldn’t run I got them as a jumper prospect. Always my favourite breed. Having owned warmblood and quarter horses predominantly and breeding both I still prefer the TB. Well done Shelby
This is one of your best videos ever. As a former breeder and owner I appreciate the way you explained everything. It helps the non-racehorse owner understand more about how the horses are handled at the track as well as during their off season at turnout.
Shelby, always amazing horse-centred content from you; you never disappoint. I loved seeing your Mom's first ride on Pogo. She looked fantastic on him, and while Pogo is a big goof with the other horses, he looked beautiful under saddle. He is a handsome fellow. It has occurred to me, if it doesn't exist already, or even if it does, have you considered writing a book on Re-Starting OTTB? You would do an excellent job of this, I think. And/or maybe you could pair that with an online illustration segment or pay-wall content to compliment such a project? Just saying... I wish the whole world of people who adopt OTTB could learn from you and your many, many successes.
Someone at my barn has a friend that just got a 2 year old OTTB and it was such a relief when she told us he is living in a giant field with her other horses for a year to just grow up and be a happy horse :)
I’d love to see a GoPro video of you galloping our of the gate! So dope I’ve always loved thoroughbreds, once I’m more experienced I’d love to take one off the track. Such cool horses
Lena Hylton I would love to take one but unfortunately after a GoPro video of a horse in the gates went viral and PETA slammed the gate crew and were not allowed to use them anymore because people work so hard to threaten and vilify any racetracker
Shelby Dennis that sucks. Too bad some people are so ready to bash the race track when many jumpers treat their horses worse then the people at the track do. It’s super frustrating
@@Milestone-Equestrian God, I wish PETA would actually do something good for animals. They seem to have a lot of passion, just not for helping animals.
I love this so much! I ride an OTTB who was called the crazy horse by all of his previous owners. He was my first horse as well so he has had to put up with a lot and he is the quietest and sweetest horse we have
I have an ottb rescue (from the kill pen, was very skinny) and i would like to say they are very problematic! whenever i pick out their back hooves this ottb in particular FARTS IN MY FACE! this is not a me problem this is a horse problem and it is astounding you do not address this!! an even bigger problem is that whenever i turn him out HE WILL NOT EAT! he just stares at me until i walk away!! absolutely terrible ottb behavior. you must address this.
I am 99.9% sure that your comment is sarcastic but just in case it isn't: I don't think that horse is trying to fart in your face, when you pick up a horses back hoof it used their butt muscles which can sometimes lead to them farting because they are squeezing for a second to pick up the hoof. This is just what I've seen when picking up horse hooves.
I love how well you advocate for OTTBs! I’ve worked with them for decades and I only appreciate them more and more every day. Their sensitivity is part of what makes them so rewarding to work with. I love all horses but OTTBs will always be my favorites! 🐎💞
This video is really helpful I have an off track thoroughbred who I might not be able to ride as she was very much over raced, but this is helpful so I can work with her more confidently
It really pisses me off, the amount of Karen's in the horse world. I have not worked with any race horses before in my life, as the closest racecourse to me is 5 hours away. Do I go yelling at other people about race horses? Of course not! If you have no experience in the field you should keep your opinions to yourself. Even if you have experience in the field, don't go exaggerating things online, esp to a young and impressionable audience. Well done Shelby for yet again reacting in a non aggresive way towards ingnoraby people. I will forever take my hat off to you.👍👌👌
My return to horses is a 9yo ottb who I’m adopting later today. All through my experience with horses I’ve heard only negative things about them. My “apprenticeship” so to speak was with abused, rescue or lame horses. It taught me patience, understanding, compassion, and a lot about myself as imperfect being. Why should I expect a “perfect” animal when I myself am not “perfect”. Those horses held such a special place in my heart - we grew together not just physically or in terms of performance, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
I’m hearing you talk about, in essence, respect , common sense, and lots of love and understanding when interacting with these sensitive horses… love your thinking Shelby. They need all the love and understanding they can get. The horse world is so lucky to have you sharing your own growth and knowlege… so glad you share your experience , strength and hope with us… not to mention the gratitude of the horses😍♥️‼️☮️🕉💐Bless you dear heart❣️🌟
Right on Shelby. I came across a comment on another trainers channel where it was explained exactly what the rider is doing wrong if an ottb is rearing while you are on its back.She made total sense and basically said the same things you did. Was thinking of you because when you first started galloping you said you wanted to learn how they were trained in order the be able re train them properly as riding horses. I learned from her comment. And this video. Ottbs I have ridden are the easiest and most fun ride.All well behaved on ground. They like to run. I've ridden ones who were screwed up but still solid enough to make suitable field hunters for very experienced riders. They gave me my seat and taught me a lot. Their only real problem is they prefered to gallop and had nobrakes. One was a seasoned ex steeplechaser acquired as a staff field hunter at 11. He'd goin a perfect frame on the bit. I worked all these horses about 4 miles a day. Once the steeplechaser started getting fit hed get unruly and run away with me.Turned out he just wanted to work more. He needed 6 miles a day instead of 4 to be happy. I remembered another story. Worked for a guy with a 6 stall barn at home. Hired to do everything including ride the horses. Guy had racehorses. And his daughter had an ottb at a hunter barn. He brought his best horse home to the hunter barn for the daughter to ride. He kicked her in the head. Groom that dropped him off at the house said be careful this is not a nice horse. Whatever. He needed turn out/exercise. And he did not get it. It poured for 3 days and I could not turned anyone out. But this guy knows everything. Comes out one day tells me tack him up. Would not take no for an answer. They he wants me to hold the horse to mount. I see now why he would not stand. But he was out of his mind and he'd cow kick. He was finally able to get on and once the horse wasnt being made to stand he was fine. I opted to turn him out the next day even thought it was still muddy. He was so out if his mind he reared and got away from me and took off down the trail towards the hunter barn. I'm like oh no. By the time I grabbed grain long gone. I could see where he when by the fresh hoofprints. I thought hed end up seriously injured by the time I could catch him. Wrong. He ran exactly 1 mile. And was standing still eating grass. Let me catch him and walk him back to the barn like a total gentleman. I ended up quitting this job because Joe was abusive to me and the horses and was clueless.
This video was a really good idea! you hit on some very key issues that many people don’t get. In my experiences being nice, going slow, and having patience with them is the fastest way to success with any horse. Once you scare them or stress em out with expecting too much too soon you’ve just taken steps backwards. Thanks for the video!
I love THB's. I've owned, ridden, and coached different breeds - Welsh ponies, Warm bloods, Appaloosas, and THB's. Hands down, THB's are my favorite horses to work with. Willing, strong work ethic, generous and forgiving, and so athletic and versatile. I've evented, showjumped, and dressaged and shown them successfully. They are just the best a rider could hope for. Wonderful commentary. Full marks. ❤
I love how you advocate for these TB's. They are my all time favorite breed! I was lucky enough to get a 2 year old that never went into training. He was slow to develop, super fugly looking and they didn't want to wait on him. We did short sessions of grooming, handling, ground work and walks in hand for a year. Then I started him under saddle, did short walk/trot/bending/yielding sessions in the arena and mostly trail rides. Then I turned him out for the winter doing only grooming and fun ground work/liberty games and further developing our bond until May (he was a late colt) when he turned 4. He turned out to be such a lovely boy and he had no manners when we started. I have had extensive experience with track horse's and I just love them! Even the crazies, because like you I realize they aren't crazy, they are misunderstood. Our horses can only express to us what they are feeling through their action's. They don't do things to intentionally piss you off so when they act up, it's our responsibility to pay attention, listen and figure it out. It's always our responsibility to think of their physical and emotional needs first. Anyone who is doing it right and has consideration for their horse would never dream of not giving a horse straight off the track 4-6 months turnout. Use that time for handwork and by bonding. That's where partnership's begin, mutual respect.
I am so thankful for this video! I have an OTTB that I adopted from a rescue where I volunteered. He was known as crazy, but looking into his history, I've learned that his bad behavior started AFTER he left the track. He's improved but I have a lot of the preconceptions and biases that you mention. I am looking forward to working with him later today and thinking about what you said!
I had a lot of these misconceptions until my sister rescued an OTTB (rescued from a private “owner”, not the track.) He’s 27 now and is such a sweetheart. He was a people pleaser from the get-go, even after the severe neglect he went through. He definitely had his vices, but with love, patience and TLC, he came around super quick and was the perfect starter pony for a lot of kiddos. ♥️
I ended up quitting working with horses after high school because of show horse people drama, and your series on these guys is totally making me wish I knew of a way to get in with racing people to start working with horses again. You're super awesome, Shelby. Please never change ^_^
Wow Shelby, you are a wealth of great information! I'm 60 and worked at the track in my teens, and have had horses ever since, and I learn from you ALL the time. When you first started speaking and said about clearing up "misconceptions" I was like "not me".......oh, wait..........uh yeah.....
your channel is what i’ve been binge-watching all quarantine, your so good at educating people in a respectful manner without forcing your opinion on people. i have experience with horses and have most of my life but every time i watch your videos i learn something new! love it!
The most bombproof, dependable, sweet horse I’ve ever ridden was a chestnut thoroughbred mare. She loved people, would go wherever you pointed her no questions asked, even had a fire truck with sirens on speed past us while riding alongside a road once and she didn’t bat an eye. Super sad when she passed away but she certainly taught me not to judge a horse by stereotypes!
I don't have nor have I ever even ridden an OTTB but I watched this whole video. It was extremely informative and you brought up so many good points that I've never considered, and I'm sure most people also don't consider. Especially about mounting!
Haven't even watched it yet and I smashed the like button so hard 😂 My OTTB has been the most sensible horse I've ever had! 💗 Seeing "horse trainers" try to blame them for their past lately has my teeth grinding! Thanks for this video.
Thank you! What great inside information on what life is like for TBs behind the scenes, so useful to those of us who haven't ridden track work. I am in my late 50s and i have an OTTB - I didn't need any help training him i just let him be a horse, put him out to pasture for a few months with some buddies, and then used gentle methods, no lunging, whips, flags or chasing, just teaching him bit by bit using pressure/release/positive reinforcement. Oh plus a lot of kindness and patience. Love your channel Shelby.
This video is honestly so helpful because I just bought an ottb and I got on her yesterday for the second time. The first time I got on I took my time, obviously, so she didn’t walk. But yesterday she did and didn’t quite understand why. This helped me a bunch. Thank you so much.
Oh man, I wish I could like this more than once! My sister got a young(3 at the time) OTTB mare about a year and a half ago and I helped her a bit with the initial retraining stages. She had ridden plenty of OTTBs but had never gotten one off the track before. EVERYTHING you said is true!!! I'm happy to say that we pretty much did all the things you advise. I've learned SO much by observing their progress. I think people need to remember that the track is their only frame of reference for contextualizing new experiences, so they may try to offer something they know from the track when you ask them to do something. It is up to their new owner to build them new a new frame of reference to draw from. How you do this will set you up for success or failure. OTTBs will try their heart out for you. We found that most anxiety from her OTTB cames from not knowing what the "right answer" is. Once you are able to make that understood, they build so much confidence. The great thing about that trait is that you can make anything into a "game" almost. Like mounting. We spent several sessions just getting on and off. One of the only times we used treats, and holy hell did it work. She also learned how to "draw" and parallel park to the block. My sister can mount her from anything now. At first she would only get her on after finishing with a groundwork session and just walk around on a loose rein for a little while. After awhile, she knew that a rider getting on meant treats and a chill walk. We built that frame of reference for her. Nutrition is insanely important, and soooo many people think they can feed their OTTB the same thing as their QH cross and its going to be fine. We don't do that for people---I'm 5'2 and require significantly less food than my 6'3 boyfriend does, but no one would ever expect him to limit his intake to equal mine, and if he did we would expect him to drop weight fast. Look, OTTBs may not be easy keepers, but that is no excuse to let them be underweight. In addition to all day turnout and 2 flakes in the morning, our OTTB also gets 4 flakes grass hay AND a giant alfalfa flake when she comes in for the night. EASILY double the forage than most horses in the barn. Enough forage is key. Not too much grain. It is crazy to me that so many people just feed OTTBs the same about of forage as any other horses. Every skinny, nervous OTTB I've met didn't have enough forage and turnout, and their rider didn't spend enough time helping them build their frame of reference. It sucks, because it is so common and it doesn't have to be.
I recently got a OTTB and have been doing trail riding with him and he loves it and he is so level headed and the chilliest horse my mare who is a Connemara TB cross spooks more than my OTTB.
A horse is what you make it. And what you feed it. I run into people constantly afraid to take on ottbs because of those stereotypes. I try to encourage the purchase and help people understand that it’s not the horse it’s the training. Thank you for bringing light to this!
The best horse I tried when I was horse shopping was a mare with 50 starts, 6 months off the track. She was the calmest and most level headed of them all! I wish I could have bought her!!
Love this, Shelby. Absolutely amazing of you that you grew as a trainer and fixed your training methods. I definitely respectable. If I ever get an OTTB, first thing I would do is give it turnout and change the diet to a low sugar/starch grain free diet consisting of mostly hay. Then I'd give it time off to just be a horse and do some fun groundwork activities with clicker training. Riding will happen when I make sure it understands the cues on the ground, especially to stop. Then when I do ride, it would just be trail rides with others for a while. I have an arab, so I understand sensitive horses. My boy absolutely hates too much pressure, so I like working with him with positive reinforcement most of the time. Makes him happier too.
The rein contact one is something I have 100% experienced and been guilty of. I read a lot of literature on working with horses and came back to my OTTB that I'm retraining with a fresh mindset and loose reins. The difference was INCREDIBLE! I realized all of my hand tension, and anxiety was traveling to him and making him 10x more anxious. The second I let go and relaxed, he relaxed, dropped his head, and stretched out. I felt so guilty, but this was, unfortunately, my first rodeo. He is my first OTTB, and I am retraining him, so I am bound to make mistakes. Don't get me wrong, he's a four-year-old and still spooks occasionally, but when he does spook now, it is contained, and I am not being dragged through the arena at 40 mph!
You’re so right though. I’ve ridden a tb who was introduced to HJ incorrectly and flooded and simply was asked too much to quickly and ended up with a sour, hard horse due to the trainer. The next trainer who had him actually gave him a break and he turned into the most beefy tb I’ve ever ridden. When I moved barns I worked with a trainer who retrained OTTBs and it really opened my eyes to how chilled they really are if you just give them the opportunity with correct training!
great video, I've been been working with these heart of gold kids for the last 25 years and only had one bad apple, they will do anything to please you and it's nice to hear you say be patient and give them big turnout pens! keep them happy and they will give you their best.
I am actually planning to adopt a retrained OTTB as my first horse. There are actually nice OTTB adoption centres in Canada, I wish more people knew about them. One of my favourite horses I have ever met was a beautiful OTTB mare and she also had a jumping career at some point. Thoroughbreds for the win
Well said! 👏 My favourite breed, the most elegant, and I love the long low movement, so lovely to look at, and comfortable to ride! But they are sensitive, as a hot blood breed, and they are trained in a completely different way, so the downtime after coming off the track is a great idea.
Wow Shelby - awesome Public Service video to help people understand their OTTB much better. Esp. interesting to hear of the 'walking mountain for racing TBs. The poor things must be SO confused with what their new owner wants from them. You're so right, most people get mad at their horse & that tension/anger gets passed thru the reins. Wishing - 🙏- that people would calm & center themselves first before expecting their horse to be calm & sane. 👏👏👏👍🐴♥️🐎 PS: Not many people own their own past mistakes like you did in this video. Kudos - takes a strong person of high character to do that. Impressive Shelby.
Thank you for this video!! I've learned so much about OTTBs from your channel, and I can't wait to get my own OTTB! I plan on bringing them along in their new career with me slowly and will definitely be utilizing your tips!!
I don’t have any experience with thoroughbreds, but of course I've heard all kinds of prejudices. Your explanations are very interesting and make a lot of sense to me. Thank you!
I work at a large animal rescue in the equine department. We currently have 27 equines in our care, and out of the 27, 2 are OTTBs (the only throughbreds we have) while we have 8 quarter horses (and crosses). The OTTBs we have were both from homes after the track that were called in for neglect. They are like every other rescue we have, they have some issues, mental and physical but we provide them with the best care possible and see no difference in breed other than physical appearances.
I love riding at my barn, our retired head coach and head coach(who's her son) have pulled a lot of horses off the track and turned them into amazing hunters and jumpers. Including Grappa(Mindful now) who was a top hunter in the US. It's so important to understand that they need to be retaught and take time with them so they can happily learn their new jobs.
I’ve been exercising polo ponies for a bit and love when an ottb comes thru they’re already broke to pony and good with traffic plus they’re absolute sweethearts and all around athletes
Really interesting video, I have ridden work in Australia and the UK... lots of similarities and differences in the training routines in those countries, loved hearing the differences in North America and Canada....
Got my ottb Prince when he was freshly 6 years old, and had been let down and restarted still rrp eligible. My first ride on him was in an open area w/t/c and he was a saint. He def has his baby moments but anything he’s ever done “badly” comes out of his own confusion to what is being asked. I adore him, and wouldn’t hesitate to have more ottbs. He’s my little not so little Ferrari❤️
I love my off the track thoroughbreds, yes its hard to figure out dietary needs at times, I noticed some are harder keeps than others but they make great horses, I've owned 5 now and love they are already started. Taking it slow is the key, also, having them in a pasture is the best thing for them.
The trainer I started working with when I bought my OTTB boy used such aggressive training methods and he never responded well. Since starting to train on my own I use more gentle methods, R+ etc and he's a completely different horse. They are such good horses, I always take for granted how chill he is for fly spray, trailer, cars etc until I deal with other horses at the farm and am reminded of how chill racehorses really are :)
I agree with this video My OTTB is the quietest horse I’ve ever ridden he constantly has beginner lessons on him and anyone who comes around is happy to ride him cause he’s the “chill one” I also agree with the getting on part, when I first got him and got on I was super nervous and made him really hot and scared but now that I’ve learned to trust him and he is used to his environment now he is the best boy
Thanks for this info. Most of my tbs were some that I used to exercise. Or some of hauling clients would give them to me if they weren't going to work as runners. I also am always trying to explain how racehorses aren't treated cruelly. There are those 1 percent of idiots who treat them badly that give racing an undeserved reputation. I always gave my new tbs at least a couple months off before I start working with them. Handy hint: Less or no grain, more free choice hay or pasture. If kept in a small pen/stall remember that they are like a coiled spring, warm them up and let them unwind before you get on them, then they will listen better.I sold a nice , kind gentle ottb filly that I'd been riding for a few months and called to see how things were going. She said that the filly was unruly and hard to ride. I found out she was being fed lots of oats and sweetfeed and alfalfa and kept in a barn stall and getting out only a couple hrs a week. She needed a paddock, more exercise and less high octane feed, that's all...
It took me several replays to catch everything you said in this video, not because you were boring or unclear or anything, but because I kept giving 100% of my attention to so many clips of your horses being, goofy, silly, adorable, and clearly having a blast with their herd mates or majestically running on the beach or through the fog. I can never get tired of watching horses having a good time with their friends. To the point of the video though, if you carry this kind of stigma or stereotype into your interactions and training with a very emotionally intelligent creature who literally has the ability to pick up on vibes and tension and fear and threat on an instinctual survival level, it’s going to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you treat a horse *immediately* like it’s “crazy” it’s going to pick up on those bad vibes, feel unsafe, and act out, especially if you’re then using that “crazy” stigma to justify using a lot of force as your method of “training”. Trust is a two way street-you have to be willing to build trust and prove to the horse that you're worthy of that trust. It's really not that much different than with humans.
The people perpetuating the OTTB "issues" the loudest can be compared to someone being surprised that a western pleasure broke AQHA doesn't inherently know how to jump a metre course as a hunter. Well yeah, they're trained differently...not wrong. Every discipline and 'field' has its practices (most of which are good but there are obviously bad apples) but that doesn't mean anything is inherently wrong or even lacking.
on a less serious not, I absolutely adore the clips of you working the TBs, especially when you're matching colors with their tack. Call me simple but I dig it
I loved this type of video. I really like your education/teaching videos, would love to see some more covering different topics. You’re an amazing teacher!
So happy I recently found your channel. Our house burned down and it was a total loss; however, it was a 25 acre ranch and I still had 4 beautiful horses at the ranch that I went and fed twice a day. About two weeks after the fire my ex informs me he hadn’t paid the homeowners insurance. Two days later, I went to feed my horses, and they were gone. I could see in the snow where a large truck and trailer had backed up and then horse shoe prints in the snow going into the trailer. It broke my heart. The only way I feel free and safe is on the back of a horse. Anyhow.......one of my horses was a OTTB. She and I had an amazing relationship. I’m looking again for a horse if u know of someone who has a horse that was rescued that may be up for adoption. It would mean the world to me.
Thank you Shelby!! ❤❤ I would love to adopt an OTTB at some point in my life. And rest assured when I do get one, I will absolutely be reading your knowledge and advice closely. Keep doing what you do, you're so important!!
This was a super helpful video! I did not know a lot of these things tbh and you helped me see past my ignorance. I was against horse racing, but now I know to be open to new opinions as they might be a great way to change my perspective of things. Tysm for posting this! Now we just need one w Arabians...
I would love to see you make a video of what you should and shouldn't do when buying and retraining an ottb. I trust your experience way more than some other big channels I've seen who are trying and failing to retrain their horses lol..
Thank you so much for this video! I have a 14 year old ottb, she retired from racing when she was 6 and then was a broodmare for a few years until I got her almost a month ago, I have just started riding her (she has not been ridden since racing) and is very forward but super sane, I ride her in just a halter with loose reins. I was warned that she would be crazy because she raced and then was used for breeding but she is amazing!! Do you have any tips on getting her going consistently at a walk? She goes fast then slow and then fast again the whole time
My favorite horse ever was not off the track, but he was a TB. I could feel when he was trying to figure something out as opposed to being resistant. If he was resistant, a good sharp aid (not overdone, just say, a kick instead of a squeeze) would get him back on track. If he was trying to figure something out though, pushing made him very upset. Kind of like me, really. He was a retired jumper who came with some baggage, but he was also a fast learner and responded very well to my working with him. I miss him. An old chronic injury from jumping sadly forced his complete retirement.
Shelby is 100% right about this, I got a ottb a year ago, and when we were riding in a trail with a few other horses in the woods (this was his first trail) he was calmer than the older horses. Thoroughbreds are really misunderstood.
So much of this applies to all horses. Young ones need more learning and patience. Older ones need to be allowed to adjust to new routines. It takes time to produce a horse, not just 30 days. I wish so many people that I've interacted with could remember these three things. Or a low level rider gets their horse trained and then gets on and wonders why they can't do the stuff their very advanced trainer does. That's all on the rider. But also, I am a huge Pogo fan. What a cutie!!!
Oh it made me so sad when you said they get in trouble for walking off at the mounting block and they don’t think they are doing anything wrong; So many horses put up with so much crap it’s so sad
Excellent video! No matter the discipline or breed. They are horses. When we stop blaming the horse and look at improving our horsemanship, things get better. Your honesty about your stated poor horsemanship 6 years ago is to be commended! Good for you. Would love to connect regarding a pathway to achieving the ability to be an exercise rider. I've been a pleasure rider and student of quality horseman like Brannaman, and other Ray Hunt style mentors for years. I'm still in excellent shape at 54 and funny but what you do has been a dream since I was 10 and just old enough to see Seattle Slew Gallop at Longacres in 1977. Now with family raised it's time to go for it! Relocating from Washington to Lexington Kentucky area. If you have any contacts I'd truly appreciate it..:) Thanks and God Speed to you and your horses. You're a perfect Ambassador for the breed!🐎
I am in Canada so unfortunately don’t know a lot of contacts in the US personally but Kentucky has a ton of tracks and racing Farms so if you reach out or posting some of the Kentucky based horse racing groups On Facebookyou can probably get connected
"There's a 99% chance it's your fault."
Basically horsemanship as a whole.
When It's not your fault,It's the people who trained them.There is no such thing as a bad horse.
Ugh, so true!
It is actually not her fault this may look like a racing ring but it’s not bullshit doing is cantering and galloping she’s not racing other horses it is 0% her fault
@@islashorsejourney6310 Did you even watch the video? That was a direct quote from Shelby
My trainer always says it takes two to pull and horses will always rat you out. If they are going badly its because you are going badly!
I've heard from my trainer that in her experience she's had more neurotic Quarter horses than crazy OTTBs. Love your informative videos!
I live in quarter horse country and am planning on starting a homestead this year or next, I think when I am ready to get myself a pony I'll be looking at OTTB primarily.
Videos like yours are so important.
I think it’s amazing that you want to start a Homestead. That kind of living is hard but just seems so beautiful and rewarding. Have you ever seen the show Homestead rescue?? It’s one of my favorites because of all of the building they do and the different homestead hacks that you can learn and implement.
Shelby, as a 45 year old who had been a champion and owner of mostly Thoroughbreds since the age of 6, I just want to thank you for this video. They have the biggest personalities, greatest work ethic and willingness to please above all breeds. I am so thrilled to see such a young person doing the things you do, you should be a role model for equestrians of all ages and disciplines. So, thank you 💛
Thank you so much! ♥️
As a timid, but dedicated rider carefully considering purchasing an OTTB, your words are so encouraging and inspiring to read.
These horses are incredible. ❤️
Thank you for advocating for them, Shelby!
Right? This video advocates a lot for OTTBs, because I also wouldn't want a crazy horses just to be able to say "Look at me and this insane horse! Am I not a great rider?"
Honestly I totally agree and i have seen first hand what you are talking about. I got my OTTB at 3 years old fresh off the track, when I first got him I’d say I was an advanced beginner? So I had no business training a horse. So I hired a trainer I rode him of course and he was always super chill and relaxed with me even bareback and bitless he has always been a sweet heart. Then the trainer came and got on and it was like a switch went off he changed he started bolting tossing his head up and I was shocked I was like this is not the boy I know and then I paid closer attention and I immediately felt it he was panicking the trainer was asking way to much way to fast and he was scared and didn’t understand I told the trainer to get off ya know blah blah blah. I had another trainer come out same situation he would panic due to the fact that they asked him for to much. So I decided fine, I’ll have to do it, I worked with an amazing instructor and she taught me how to work with him and how to train him and he is perfect he’s always cool headed with me very sweet a little dull to aids which we are working on but far from being hot headed and crazy. I love him.
Oh Shelby thank yooouuu ! This is probably one of, if not my biggest pet peeve in the horse world. I cannot count how many times I've heard someone say "it's an ottb thing" and no, no it's not, it's a mishandled horse thing -_-
I remember my coach talking to another instructor about the horse he was working, 14 y old ottb, who was usually lovely to ride but as of late had been a bit touchy. The horse has literally been off the tracks for *ten years." but the *first* thing the other trainer said was "oh it's just him being a thoroughbred" like ??? I'm sorry did the horse suddenly remember after 10 years like "oh shit wait I'm supposed to be a nightmare !" ?? We're not even going to try and consider an soundness or equipment issue first ?? I was livid...
Then the very same trainer (who owns a tb btw so I don't even know wtf) told be ottbs were all shells of horses, impossible to put weight on, dead inside and waiting to blow up, and I'm just over here looking at the horse I had under my care, a splendid 12 y old in perfect condition, who's as sweet as a lamb and goofy as a foal, but no of course he's "an exception" Well damn I guess I've been incredibly lucky, ALL The tbs I worked with were absolute sweethearts, intelligent and eager to learn with a heart as big as them, I really ought to try the lottery sometimes, definitely luck and nothing to do with just treating them like regular horses -_-
But thank you for your videos, you're doing a wonderful job beating down those stereotypes, I hope more people will finally see just how gentle and good hearted tbs are, they're such excellent horses if you just give them the time and space to be, definitely a breed I couldn't help but fall in love with
You're a force for good in this world.
Awesome video. Lately, I've noticed people would rather write off a horse as "crazy" due to their breed rather than examine what could cause this "crazy" behavior such as how they handle the horse, the horse's lifestyle, and/or underlying health problems. It's such a disservice to these horses. I work with a horse who is said to be insane and difficult to handle, but she's only a problem for people who believe that to be true about her.
I'm so glad I found your channel. I have a TB Mare (5 yo) bought her at 3 yo, and she never raced due to an injury during her training. I bought her (rescued her from a terrible owner who was trying to sell her as a sound/rideable horse) with knee splinters, and an OCD lesion on her rear stifle. I made sure she got the surgeries she needed to repair both issues, and she is doing wonderfully now. She is the sweetest horse, with a very willing mind. She picks up on new things really fast! She may not have ever raced, but she did come from a hard life with very neglectful people. We rescued an older gelding as well just a few months after her, and he also has been a wonderful, sweet horse who is so willing to learn. I agree with your stance on the racing industry, and I am glad whenever you post in depth videos about OTTB horses, especially the ones where you give advice on how to care for them. Thank you!
We need more people like you in this industry, I work at a track as a pony rider and an assistant trainer but our barn is mostly running quarter horses we had a string of thoroughbreds and we never ever did we ever have a “crazy” one, when I talk to people it’s like if you were to give your child lots of candy and soda and they are all so lovely to ride when not on grain and when ours are turned out in the winter you can pull them out and go for a ride up the mountain and will ride better then a lot of saddle horses with that much time off, thank you I appreciate all you do for this industry!!
A boarder at a barn I used to work at bought a 4 year old off the track and he was so quiet and sweet. I had one training moment with him while bringing him in from the field. He was just getting ahead of me and pulling to the barn. I realized he may have never had the experience of going to and from a large field before. After about 5 minutes of groundwork, he was great the rest of the way to the barn. I never had a problem with him since.
This video is amazing! Thank you for spreading the word about how amazing these horses are! I worked at a retired racehorse "rescue" for some time, and they were all truly amazing horses. They would give the horses a home to decompress and then be trained for a new home. The horses they found in slaughter were all quarter horses who raced or OTTBs who had been sent to slaughter down the line after being labeled dangerous. Furthermore, the horses' old owners from racing would save their horses from slaughter, they would spend there own money to buy them back and then ship them back to the rescue. The thoroughbred racing world is not what people make it out to be. Yes, there are bad owners in the industry, but there are bad owners in every industry. Keep up the good work on changing the views about racehorses, the racing industry, and thoroughbreds in general!
I very, very rarely leave a comment on a YT video but after watching, or rather, LISTENING, to you Shelby, I feel compelled to say, on behalf of the TB, a huge THANK YOU ❤. All you said needed to be said. The TB is a beautiful, forgiving soul. There is no bad horse only a confused and misunderstood horse. I wish all trainers had your empathy. Thank you again for this video 😊
I don’t usually share stories, but I feel like this one is important.
I got a call from a person who had a slow OTTB 3 year old mare at auction, that needed to go to a good home. My family doesn’t turn down any animal in need, so of course we took her. We were literally told, from an experienced person, that she would walk through fences, you wouldn’t be able to catch her, rug her, probably food aggressive, tie her up, basically that she would be crazy. The person saying this did not know her, they were just stereo-typing the breed.
She came off the truck incredibly lame with mud fever and a massive wound on her leg, her hooves were also very long. However, she was a super star. She was caught easily, her wound and leg treated without a fuss, and fine with a rug. Fast forward many months of getting to know her, she is now the most quietest horse considering her age and experience. She does everything that she “wouldn’t do,” and much more. Right now, she hasn’t had a ride since the track, she is in a big field, with a big herd and friends, developing beautifully with the aid of some extra hard feed. OTTB’s are incredible horses that are so undervalued. I 100% agree Shelby, and definitely think that they deserve better.
Abbie Correll: I’ve worked in harness racing barns, an Arabian stud farm, and at a jumper/dressage sales barn, groomed for an international show jumper, as well as owned OTTB. My experience is that some of the most well behaved and mannered horses are those from racing stables.
Shelby’s video is on point. I was one of those who said I’d never have a TB. Absolutely not an OTTB, and never a chestnut mare. I was a strict “warmblood or no blood”. I wasn’t even looking for a new horse when I ended up with an OTTB chestnut mare. Best epic fail ever.
E O: Yes I 100% agree. These horses have so much heart, and in my personal experience are always so brave and willing to do anything. Most of the ones I have come across have such a “yea let’s do this, sure we can pop over that scary thing” attitude that is so rewarding to work with and something that’s really unique. It’s so funny how these things happen. I didn’t exactly wake up wanting or planning to get a 3yo OTTB mare sight unseen, but it’s one of the best things to happen. So I’m in agreeance, it’s the best epic fail ever, I guess most stuff are. :)
I love my thoroughbreds. We used to breed and race TB’s when I was growing up. If they couldn’t run I got them as a jumper prospect. Always my favourite breed. Having owned warmblood and quarter horses predominantly and breeding both I still prefer the TB. Well done Shelby
This is one of your best videos ever. As a former breeder and owner I appreciate the way you explained everything. It helps the non-racehorse owner understand more about how the horses are handled at the track as well as during their off season at turnout.
Shelby, always amazing horse-centred content from you; you never disappoint. I loved seeing your Mom's first ride on Pogo. She looked fantastic on him, and while Pogo is a big goof with the other horses, he looked beautiful under saddle. He is a handsome fellow. It has occurred to me, if it doesn't exist already, or even if it does, have you considered writing a book on Re-Starting OTTB? You would do an excellent job of this, I think. And/or maybe you could pair that with an online illustration segment or pay-wall content to compliment such a project? Just saying... I wish the whole world of people who adopt OTTB could learn from you and your many, many successes.
Someone at my barn has a friend that just got a 2 year old OTTB and it was such a relief when she told us he is living in a giant field with her other horses for a year to just grow up and be a happy horse :)
I’d love to see a GoPro video of you galloping our of the gate! So dope
I’ve always loved thoroughbreds, once I’m more experienced I’d love to take one off the track. Such cool horses
Lena Hylton I would love to take one but unfortunately after a GoPro video of a horse in the gates went viral and PETA slammed the gate crew and were not allowed to use them anymore because people work so hard to threaten and vilify any racetracker
Shelby Dennis that sucks. Too bad some people are so ready to bash the race track when many jumpers treat their horses worse then the people at the track do. It’s super frustrating
@@Milestone-Equestrian God, I wish PETA would actually do something good for animals. They seem to have a lot of passion, just not for helping animals.
I love this so much! I ride an OTTB who was called the crazy horse by all of his previous owners. He was my first horse as well so he has had to put up with a lot and he is the quietest and sweetest horse we have
Lots of people think only Arabians can do Endurance but the OTTBs I've seen manage it quite well
I have an ottb rescue (from the kill pen, was very skinny) and i would like to say they are very problematic! whenever i pick out their back hooves this ottb in particular FARTS IN MY FACE! this is not a me problem this is a horse problem and it is astounding you do not address this!! an even bigger problem is that whenever i turn him out HE WILL NOT EAT! he just stares at me until i walk away!! absolutely terrible ottb behavior. you must address this.
This is aweful behaviour and I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I hope Shelby does a video to address this. 😂
Give him Tums as treats, haha
I am 99.9% sure that your comment is sarcastic but just in case it isn't:
I don't think that horse is trying to fart in your face, when you pick up a horses back hoof it used their butt muscles which can sometimes lead to them farting because they are squeezing for a second to pick up the hoof. This is just what I've seen when picking up horse hooves.
this made me chuckle 😂
I love how well you advocate for OTTBs! I’ve worked with them for decades and I only appreciate them more and more every day. Their sensitivity is part of what makes them so rewarding to work with. I love all horses but OTTBs will always be my favorites! 🐎💞
This video is really helpful I have an off track thoroughbred who I might not be able to ride as she was very much over raced, but this is helpful so I can work with her more confidently
It really pisses me off, the amount of Karen's in the horse world. I have not worked with any race horses before in my life, as the closest racecourse to me is 5 hours away. Do I go yelling at other people about race horses? Of course not! If you have no experience in the field you should keep your opinions to yourself.
Even if you have experience in the field, don't go exaggerating things online, esp to a young and impressionable audience.
Well done Shelby for yet again reacting in a non aggresive way towards ingnoraby people. I will forever take my hat off to you.👍👌👌
My return to horses is a 9yo ottb who I’m adopting later today. All through my experience with horses I’ve heard only negative things about them. My “apprenticeship” so to speak was with abused, rescue or lame horses. It taught me patience, understanding, compassion, and a lot about myself as imperfect being. Why should I expect a “perfect” animal when I myself am not “perfect”. Those horses held such a special place in my heart - we grew together not just physically or in terms of performance, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
I’m hearing you talk about, in essence, respect , common sense, and lots of love and understanding when interacting with these sensitive horses… love your thinking Shelby. They need all the love and understanding they can get. The horse world is so lucky to have you sharing your own growth and knowlege… so glad you share your experience , strength and hope with us… not to mention the gratitude of the horses😍♥️‼️☮️🕉💐Bless you dear heart❣️🌟
Right on Shelby.
I came across a comment on another trainers channel where it was explained exactly what the rider is doing wrong if an ottb is rearing while you are on its back.She made total sense and basically said the same things you did. Was thinking of you because when you first started galloping you said you wanted to learn how they were trained in order the be able re train them properly as riding horses. I learned from her comment. And this video. Ottbs I have ridden are the easiest and most fun ride.All well behaved on ground. They like to run. I've ridden ones who were screwed up but still solid enough to make suitable field hunters for very experienced riders. They gave me my seat and taught me a lot. Their only real problem is they prefered to gallop and had nobrakes. One was a seasoned ex steeplechaser acquired as a staff field hunter at 11. He'd goin a perfect frame on the bit. I worked all these horses about 4 miles a day. Once the steeplechaser started getting fit hed get unruly and run away with me.Turned out he just wanted to work more. He needed 6 miles a day instead of 4 to be happy.
I remembered another story. Worked for a guy with a 6 stall barn at home. Hired to do everything including ride the horses. Guy had racehorses. And his daughter had an ottb at a hunter barn. He brought his best horse home to the hunter barn for the daughter to ride. He kicked her in the head. Groom that dropped him off at the house said be careful this is not a nice horse. Whatever. He needed turn out/exercise. And he did not get it. It poured for 3 days and I could not turned anyone out. But this guy knows everything. Comes out one day tells me tack him up. Would not take no for an answer. They he wants me to hold the horse to mount. I see now why he would not stand. But he was out of his mind and he'd cow kick. He was finally able to get on and once the horse wasnt being made to stand he was fine. I opted to turn him out the next day even thought it was still muddy. He was so out if his mind he reared and got away from me and took off down the trail towards the hunter barn. I'm like oh no. By the time I grabbed grain long gone. I could see where he when by the fresh hoofprints. I thought hed end up seriously injured by the time I could catch him. Wrong. He ran exactly 1 mile. And was standing still eating grass. Let me catch him and walk him back to the barn like a total gentleman. I ended up quitting this job because Joe was abusive to me and the horses and was clueless.
This video was a really good idea! you hit on some very key issues that many people don’t get. In my experiences being nice, going slow, and having patience with them is the fastest way to success with any horse. Once you scare them or stress em out with expecting too much too soon you’ve just taken steps backwards. Thanks for the video!
I love THB's. I've owned, ridden, and coached different breeds - Welsh ponies, Warm bloods, Appaloosas, and THB's.
Hands down, THB's are my favorite horses to work with. Willing, strong work ethic, generous and forgiving, and so athletic and versatile.
I've evented, showjumped, and dressaged and shown them successfully.
They are just the best a rider could hope for.
Wonderful commentary. Full marks. ❤
I love how you advocate for these TB's. They are my all time favorite breed! I was lucky enough to get a 2 year old that never went into training. He was slow to develop, super fugly looking and they didn't want to wait on him. We did short sessions of grooming, handling, ground work and walks in hand for a year. Then I started him under saddle, did short walk/trot/bending/yielding sessions in the arena and mostly trail rides. Then I turned him out for the winter doing only grooming and fun ground work/liberty games and further developing our bond until May (he was a late colt) when he turned 4. He turned out to be such a lovely boy and he had no manners when we started. I have had extensive experience with track horse's and I just love them! Even the crazies, because like you I realize they aren't crazy, they are misunderstood. Our horses can only express to us what they are feeling through their action's. They don't do things to intentionally piss you off so when they act up, it's our responsibility to pay attention, listen and figure it out. It's always our responsibility to think of their physical and emotional needs first. Anyone who is doing it right and has consideration for their horse would never dream of not giving a horse straight off the track 4-6 months turnout. Use that time for handwork and by bonding. That's where partnership's begin, mutual respect.
I am so thankful for this video! I have an OTTB that I adopted from a rescue where I volunteered. He was known as crazy, but looking into his history, I've learned that his bad behavior started AFTER he left the track. He's improved but I have a lot of the preconceptions and biases that you mention. I am looking forward to working with him later today and thinking about what you said!
I had a lot of these misconceptions until my sister rescued an OTTB (rescued from a private “owner”, not the track.) He’s 27 now and is such a sweetheart. He was a people pleaser from the get-go, even after the severe neglect he went through. He definitely had his vices, but with love, patience and TLC, he came around super quick and was the perfect starter pony for a lot of kiddos. ♥️
I ended up quitting working with horses after high school because of show horse people drama, and your series on these guys is totally making me wish I knew of a way to get in with racing people to start working with horses again. You're super awesome, Shelby. Please never change ^_^
Wow Shelby, you are a wealth of great information! I'm 60 and worked at the track in my teens, and have had horses ever since, and I learn from you ALL the time. When you first started speaking and said about clearing up "misconceptions" I was like "not me".......oh, wait..........uh yeah.....
your channel is what i’ve been binge-watching all quarantine, your so good at educating people in a respectful manner without forcing your opinion on people. i have experience with horses and have most of my life but every time i watch your videos i learn something new! love it!
It's clear Shelby really cares and is very passionate about these horses, it's sad people are out there slandering them
The most bombproof, dependable, sweet horse I’ve ever ridden was a chestnut thoroughbred mare. She loved people, would go wherever you pointed her no questions asked, even had a fire truck with sirens on speed past us while riding alongside a road once and she didn’t bat an eye. Super sad when she passed away but she certainly taught me not to judge a horse by stereotypes!
I don't have nor have I ever even ridden an OTTB but I watched this whole video. It was extremely informative and you brought up so many good points that I've never considered, and I'm sure most people also don't consider. Especially about mounting!
Your notifications are working! 🤗
Haven't even watched it yet and I smashed the like button so hard 😂 My OTTB has been the most sensible horse I've ever had! 💗 Seeing "horse trainers" try to blame them for their past lately has my teeth grinding! Thanks for this video.
Thank you! What great inside information on what life is like for TBs behind the scenes, so useful to those of us who haven't ridden track work. I am in my late 50s and i have an OTTB - I didn't need any help training him i just let him be a horse, put him out to pasture for a few months with some buddies, and then used gentle methods, no lunging, whips, flags or chasing, just teaching him bit by bit using pressure/release/positive reinforcement. Oh plus a lot of kindness and patience. Love your channel Shelby.
Keep doing the work you're doing. Spreading truth and awareness makes a difference in the long run. You're gold.
This video is honestly so helpful because I just bought an ottb and I got on her yesterday for the second time. The first time I got on I took my time, obviously, so she didn’t walk. But yesterday she did and didn’t quite understand why. This helped me a bunch. Thank you so much.
Oh man, I wish I could like this more than once!
My sister got a young(3 at the time) OTTB mare about a year and a half ago and I helped her a bit with the initial retraining stages. She had ridden plenty of OTTBs but had never gotten one off the track before. EVERYTHING you said is true!!! I'm happy to say that we pretty much did all the things you advise. I've learned SO much by observing their progress.
I think people need to remember that the track is their only frame of reference for contextualizing new experiences, so they may try to offer something they know from the track when you ask them to do something. It is up to their new owner to build them new a new frame of reference to draw from. How you do this will set you up for success or failure.
OTTBs will try their heart out for you. We found that most anxiety from her OTTB cames from not knowing what the "right answer" is. Once you are able to make that understood, they build so much confidence.
The great thing about that trait is that you can make anything into a "game" almost. Like mounting. We spent several sessions just getting on and off. One of the only times we used treats, and holy hell did it work. She also learned how to "draw" and parallel park to the block. My sister can mount her from anything now. At first she would only get her on after finishing with a groundwork session and just walk around on a loose rein for a little while. After awhile, she knew that a rider getting on meant treats and a chill walk. We built that frame of reference for her.
Nutrition is insanely important, and soooo many people think they can feed their OTTB the same thing as their QH cross and its going to be fine. We don't do that for people---I'm 5'2 and require significantly less food than my 6'3 boyfriend does, but no one would ever expect him to limit his intake to equal mine, and if he did we would expect him to drop weight fast.
Look, OTTBs may not be easy keepers, but that is no excuse to let them be underweight. In addition to all day turnout and 2 flakes in the morning, our OTTB also gets 4 flakes grass hay AND a giant alfalfa flake when she comes in for the night. EASILY double the forage than most horses in the barn. Enough forage is key. Not too much grain. It is crazy to me that so many people just feed OTTBs the same about of forage as any other horses.
Every skinny, nervous OTTB I've met didn't have enough forage and turnout, and their rider didn't spend enough time helping them build their frame of reference. It sucks, because it is so common and it doesn't have to be.
Love your comment and how you’ve worked with your horses❤️
julia gray: my rule of thumb was “if there’s no leftover hay in the stall in the morning, there wasn’t enough given the night before”.
Pogo with the water sprinkler is slightly crazy but in the most awesome, adorable way possible.
I recently got a OTTB and have been doing trail riding with him and he loves it and he is so level headed and the chilliest horse my mare who is a Connemara TB cross spooks more than my OTTB.
A horse is what you make it. And what you feed it. I run into people constantly afraid to take on ottbs because of those stereotypes. I try to encourage the purchase and help people understand that it’s not the horse it’s the training. Thank you for bringing light to this!
The best horse I tried when I was horse shopping was a mare with 50 starts, 6 months off the track. She was the calmest and most level headed of them all! I wish I could have bought her!!
Honestly I'd love to get an ottb because of your channel, you've given me an entirely different view on off track horses !
Love this, Shelby.
Absolutely amazing of you that you grew as a trainer and fixed your training methods. I definitely respectable.
If I ever get an OTTB, first thing I would do is give it turnout and change the diet to a low sugar/starch grain free diet consisting of mostly hay. Then I'd give it time off to just be a horse and do some fun groundwork activities with clicker training. Riding will happen when I make sure it understands the cues on the ground, especially to stop. Then when I do ride, it would just be trail rides with others for a while.
I have an arab, so I understand sensitive horses. My boy absolutely hates too much pressure, so I like working with him with positive reinforcement most of the time. Makes him happier too.
The rein contact one is something I have 100% experienced and been guilty of. I read a lot of literature on working with horses and came back to my OTTB that I'm retraining with a fresh mindset and loose reins. The difference was INCREDIBLE! I realized all of my hand tension, and anxiety was traveling to him and making him 10x more anxious. The second I let go and relaxed, he relaxed, dropped his head, and stretched out. I felt so guilty, but this was, unfortunately, my first rodeo. He is my first OTTB, and I am retraining him, so I am bound to make mistakes. Don't get me wrong, he's a four-year-old and still spooks occasionally, but when he does spook now, it is contained, and I am not being dragged through the arena at 40 mph!
You’re so right though. I’ve ridden a tb who was introduced to HJ incorrectly and flooded and simply was asked too much to quickly and ended up with a sour, hard horse due to the trainer. The next trainer who had him actually gave him a break and he turned into the most beefy tb I’ve ever ridden. When I moved barns I worked with a trainer who retrained OTTBs and it really opened my eyes to how chilled they really are if you just give them the opportunity with correct training!
Thank you for making this video🥰
great video, I've been been working with these heart of gold kids for the last 25 years and only had one bad apple, they will do anything to please you and it's nice to hear you say be patient and give them big turnout pens! keep them happy and they will give you their best.
I’ve had a wonderful experience with my ottb. Thank you for raising awareness!
I am actually planning to adopt a retrained OTTB as my first horse. There are actually nice OTTB adoption centres in Canada, I wish more people knew about them.
One of my favourite horses I have ever met was a beautiful OTTB mare and she also had a jumping career at some point. Thoroughbreds for the win
Thank you for sharing this very important perspective!
Well said! 👏 My favourite breed, the most elegant, and I love the long low movement, so lovely to look at, and comfortable to ride! But they are sensitive, as a hot blood breed, and they are trained in a completely different way, so the downtime after coming off the track is a great idea.
Wow Shelby - awesome Public Service video to help people understand their OTTB much better. Esp. interesting to hear of the 'walking mountain for racing TBs. The poor things must be SO confused with what their new owner wants from them. You're so right, most people get mad at their horse & that tension/anger gets passed thru the reins. Wishing - 🙏- that people would calm & center themselves first before expecting their horse to be calm & sane.
👏👏👏👍🐴♥️🐎 PS: Not many people own their own past mistakes like you did in this video. Kudos - takes a strong person of high character to do that. Impressive Shelby.
Thank you for this video!! I've learned so much about OTTBs from your channel, and I can't wait to get my own OTTB! I plan on bringing them along in their new career with me slowly and will definitely be utilizing your tips!!
I don’t have any experience with thoroughbreds, but of course I've heard all kinds of prejudices. Your explanations are very interesting and make a lot of sense to me. Thank you!
I work at a large animal rescue in the equine department. We currently have 27 equines in our care, and out of the 27, 2 are OTTBs (the only throughbreds we have) while we have 8 quarter horses (and crosses). The OTTBs we have were both from homes after the track that were called in for neglect. They are like every other rescue we have, they have some issues, mental and physical but we provide them with the best care possible and see no difference in breed other than physical appearances.
Oh, heck. I chose mine because while he was being untacked a loaded shelf fell behind him and he barely took notice. He has been a joy to ride.
Your videos make me want to start riding again! Hopefully at some point I'll have more time and less social anxiety
I love riding at my barn, our retired head coach and head coach(who's her son) have pulled a lot of horses off the track and turned them into amazing hunters and jumpers. Including Grappa(Mindful now) who was a top hunter in the US. It's so important to understand that they need to be retaught and take time with them so they can happily learn their new jobs.
Great video! Hope this video gets out there to other horse-tubers, and thanks for sharing your OTTB expertise :)
I’ve been exercising polo ponies for a bit and love when an ottb comes thru they’re already broke to pony and good with traffic plus they’re absolute sweethearts and all around athletes
Really interesting video, I have ridden work in Australia and the UK... lots of similarities and differences in the training routines in those countries, loved hearing the differences in North America and Canada....
Awe, good for your momma, her horse is beautiful!
Good information, I was an apprentice jockey in my youth, its annoying outside ppl think they know better
Love your unvarnished truth telling!
I really have learned a lot from you Shelby❣️ Thank you for helping me understand more❣️🌹✨💫🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Your mom and Pogo!!! So cute!
Thanks for making this, really appreciate it 😊😊
Got my ottb Prince when he was freshly 6 years old, and had been let down and restarted still rrp eligible. My first ride on him was in an open area w/t/c and he was a saint. He def has his baby moments but anything he’s ever done “badly” comes out of his own confusion to what is being asked. I adore him, and wouldn’t hesitate to have more ottbs. He’s my little not so little Ferrari❤️
I love my off the track thoroughbreds, yes its hard to figure out dietary needs at times, I noticed some are harder keeps than others but they make great horses, I've owned 5 now and love they are already started. Taking it slow is the key, also, having them in a pasture is the best thing for them.
The trainer I started working with when I bought my OTTB boy used such aggressive training methods and he never responded well. Since starting to train on my own I use more gentle methods, R+ etc and he's a completely different horse. They are such good horses, I always take for granted how chill he is for fly spray, trailer, cars etc until I deal with other horses at the farm and am reminded of how chill racehorses really are :)
Loved this! I think people love to blame anything else besides themselves. Blaming the racetrack is just the low hanging fruit.
The notifications are working!!!
I agree with this video My OTTB is the quietest horse I’ve ever ridden he constantly has beginner lessons on him and anyone who comes around is happy to ride him cause he’s the “chill one” I also agree with the getting on part, when I first got him and got on I was super nervous and made him really hot and scared but now that I’ve learned to trust him and he is used to his environment now he is the best boy
Thanks for this info. Most of my tbs were some that I used to exercise. Or some of hauling clients would give them to me if they weren't going to work as runners. I also am always trying to explain how racehorses aren't treated cruelly. There are those 1 percent of idiots who treat them badly that give racing an undeserved reputation. I always gave my new tbs at least a couple months off before I start working with them. Handy hint: Less or no grain, more free choice hay or pasture. If kept in a small pen/stall remember that they are like a coiled spring, warm them up and let them unwind before you get on them, then they will listen better.I sold a nice , kind gentle ottb filly that I'd been riding for a few months and called to see how things were going. She said that the filly was unruly and hard to ride. I found out she was being fed lots of oats and sweetfeed and alfalfa and kept in a barn stall and getting out only a couple hrs a week. She needed a paddock, more exercise and less high octane feed, that's all...
It took me several replays to catch everything you said in this video, not because you were boring or unclear or anything, but because I kept giving 100% of my attention to so many clips of your horses being, goofy, silly, adorable, and clearly having a blast with their herd mates or majestically running on the beach or through the fog. I can never get tired of watching horses having a good time with their friends.
To the point of the video though, if you carry this kind of stigma or stereotype into your interactions and training with a very emotionally intelligent creature who literally has the ability to pick up on vibes and tension and fear and threat on an instinctual survival level, it’s going to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you treat a horse *immediately* like it’s “crazy” it’s going to pick up on those bad vibes, feel unsafe, and act out, especially if you’re then using that “crazy” stigma to justify using a lot of force as your method of “training”. Trust is a two way street-you have to be willing to build trust and prove to the horse that you're worthy of that trust.
It's really not that much different than with humans.
The people perpetuating the OTTB "issues" the loudest can be compared to someone being surprised that a western pleasure broke AQHA doesn't inherently know how to jump a metre course as a hunter. Well yeah, they're trained differently...not wrong. Every discipline and 'field' has its practices (most of which are good but there are obviously bad apples) but that doesn't mean anything is inherently wrong or even lacking.
on a less serious not, I absolutely adore the clips of you working the TBs, especially when you're matching colors with their tack. Call me simple but I dig it
@@redfyresasoiaf very good points! Thanks for your comment. -Shelby's moderator 💜
I loved this type of video. I really like your education/teaching videos, would love to see some more covering different topics. You’re an amazing teacher!
So happy I recently found your channel.
Our house burned down and it was a total loss; however, it was a 25 acre ranch and I still had 4 beautiful horses at the ranch that I went and fed twice a day. About two weeks after the fire my ex informs me he hadn’t paid the homeowners insurance. Two days later, I went to feed my horses, and they were gone. I could see in the snow where a large truck and trailer had backed up and then horse shoe prints in the snow going into the trailer. It broke my heart. The only way I feel free and safe is on the back of a horse.
Anyhow.......one of my horses was a OTTB. She and I had an amazing relationship.
I’m looking again for a horse if u know of someone who has a horse that was rescued that may be up for adoption. It would mean the world to me.
Love this video. Learned a lot about racehorses.thank you.
Thank you Shelby!! ❤❤ I would love to adopt an OTTB at some point in my life. And rest assured when I do get one, I will absolutely be reading your knowledge and advice closely. Keep doing what you do, you're so important!!
This was a super helpful video! I did not know a lot of these things tbh and you helped me see past my ignorance. I was against horse racing, but now I know to be open to new opinions as they might be a great way to change my perspective of things. Tysm for posting this! Now we just need one w Arabians...
Maddy W i used to show Arabians so happy to do one about them too!
I would love to see you make a video of what you should and shouldn't do when buying and retraining an ottb. I trust your experience way more than some other big channels I've seen who are trying and failing to retrain their horses lol..
Thank you so much for this video! I have a 14 year old ottb, she retired from racing when she was 6 and then was a broodmare for a few years until I got her almost a month ago, I have just started riding her (she has not been ridden since racing) and is very forward but super sane, I ride her in just a halter with loose reins. I was warned that she would be crazy because she raced and then was used for breeding but she is amazing!! Do you have any tips on getting her going consistently at a walk? She goes fast then slow and then fast again the whole time
My favorite horse ever was not off the track, but he was a TB. I could feel when he was trying to figure something out as opposed to being resistant. If he was resistant, a good sharp aid (not overdone, just say, a kick instead of a squeeze) would get him back on track. If he was trying to figure something out though, pushing made him very upset. Kind of like me, really. He was a retired jumper who came with some baggage, but he was also a fast learner and responded very well to my working with him. I miss him. An old chronic injury from jumping sadly forced his complete retirement.
Shelby is 100% right about this, I got a ottb a year ago, and when we were riding in a trail with a few other horses in the woods (this was his first trail) he was calmer than the older horses. Thoroughbreds are really misunderstood.
So much of this applies to all horses. Young ones need more learning and patience. Older ones need to be allowed to adjust to new routines. It takes time to produce a horse, not just 30 days. I wish so many people that I've interacted with could remember these three things. Or a low level rider gets their horse trained and then gets on and wonders why they can't do the stuff their very advanced trainer does. That's all on the rider. But also, I am a huge Pogo fan. What a cutie!!!
Omg thanks for making this! Finally someone that made the point! Thanks♥️
Really loved this video!!
Oh it made me so sad when you said they get in trouble for walking off at the mounting block and they don’t think they are doing anything wrong; So many horses put up with so much crap it’s so sad
Excellent video! No matter the discipline or breed. They are horses. When we stop blaming the horse and look at improving our horsemanship, things get better. Your honesty about your stated poor horsemanship 6 years ago is to be commended! Good for you. Would love to connect regarding a pathway to achieving the ability to be an exercise rider. I've been a pleasure rider and student of quality horseman like Brannaman, and other Ray Hunt style mentors for years. I'm still in excellent shape at 54 and funny but what you do has been a dream since I was 10 and just old enough to see Seattle Slew Gallop at Longacres in 1977. Now with family raised it's time to go for it! Relocating from Washington to Lexington Kentucky area. If you have any contacts I'd truly appreciate it..:) Thanks and God Speed to you and your horses. You're a perfect Ambassador for the breed!🐎
I am in Canada so unfortunately don’t know a lot of contacts in the US personally but Kentucky has a ton of tracks and racing Farms so if you reach out or posting some of the Kentucky based horse racing groups
On Facebookyou can probably get connected
Thank you. Sounds good!