Thoroughbreds: More than Race Horses

Montana is known for its cowboys, beautiful sunrises and harsh winters. For horse people, it’s
known for its Quarter Horses; a breed of horse designed to be the ultimate all-arounder.
Theirstrong, stocky bodies and gentle natures can carry mom and pop around the ranch one
day and the kids around a horse show the next day. There’s no doubt they’re a great breed of
horse for all levels of riders. There is one breed, however, I think we should move to make just
as popular: the Thoroughbred.

While many believe Thoroughbreds are nothing more than feisty, foul-tempered horses, I
believe that sensitivity is what makes them such a great horse to ride. While not everyone is
looking for a hot-blooded racehorse to charge around barrels with or lunge at jumps with, their
so called “spooky” attitudes to certain things makes them a great horse for the serious
equestrian. That may sound odd, but because they’re so perceptive they pick up on new things
easily and want to please. That hletic nature makes teaching them new concepts a breeze
because they have an inherit ability to perform. Thoroughbreds are born and raised to race, so
they have that star attitude from birth.

This leads me to another point. By the time you get a horse off the track, they’re already saddle
broke and desensitized to crowds, baths, and loudspeakers, among other things. While they
may not have the best ground manners after being quickly ushered from place to place, that’s
not any fault of the breed; rather, it’s a training issue, and easily fixed with constant handling.

The book ​The Horse b ​ y J. Warren Evans and associates says, “For many years, Thoroughbreds
and Half-Thoroughbreds were popular with the United States Cavalry. In fact, General George
A. Custer was mounted on a Thoroughbred, Vic, by Austerlitz, the the Little Big Horn River on
June 25, 1876.” Having worked with a few Thoroughbreds myself, and owning one, I feel
comfortable comparing them to other horses I’ve worked with. While they may not have feet as
strong as a mustang, or the unflappable calm of a draft, they have a special fight in them that
most other horses don’t. They’re bred to run, and win. Of course, many Thoroughbreds turn out
to be lousy race horses, but they still have that fire that makes them want to succeed. If a
Thoroughbred is good enough for a member of the 2016 Olympic Team to ride in Rio, then it’s
definitely good enough for any sport you may have in mind. You’re bound to find one that
matches your training and riding style. Looking for a steady, amateur mount to take you over
jumps on the weekend and trail riding on the weekdays? There’s a horse for you. Looking for
something quick and catty to turn barrels and chase cows down the fence? There’s a horse for
you. The Thoroughbred Makeover, a program that challenges trainers to take a horse fresh off
the track and retrain it for a new career in around 10 months, offered barrel racing, competitive
trail, dressage, eventing, field hunter, freestyle, polo, show hunter, show jumper and ranch work
at the 2019 competition alone.

The best thing, however, about adopting a Thoroughbred, is you just might be saving a life.
Have you ever wondered what happens to race horses after they lose? What happens after they
cost their owner thousands in empty entry fees? While race enthusiasts argue that those horses
are adopted out to nice homes, the truth is many of them aren’t. While programs like Canter
USA and the Retired Race Horse Project exist and help rehome thousands of race horses every
year, a good number of them slip through the cracks and end up at slaughter houses or starving
in someone’s field. Take for example, Dr. Drip, a race horse who had a profitable career down
south, was found starved, beaten, and infested with maggots. The horse was put down soon
after he was found. You could help prevent this by adopting a race horse off the track! The
popular term is OTTB or off the track Thoroughbred. Many organizations offer training programs
and will restart the horse off the track for you. Often they’re cheaper than papered Quarter
Horses, and the surplus of them coming off the track in all different sizes, colors, and builds
means you’re guaranteed to find something that suits you.