paula sainthouse

Every year in the UK and US thousands of horses leave racing. Sadly many will face an uncertain future. These horses must overcome certain prejudices in seeking a new home and a new career- there is often a preconception that they have left racing only due to crippling injury or a nasty temperament. The usual reason for a racehorse needing a new career is far simpler and much less sinister- they just aren’t fast enough to win anything.

Ex-racehorses are often very attractive animals, both physically and in their mannerly behavior on the ground, being used to regular handling and the presence of people for much of their everyday lives. Some can be very talented indeed and have even made it to high level competition.

There is a lot of work to be invested in transforming the ex-racehorse into the perfect leisure riding mount and new owners need to know what to expect. This short book provides the perfect guide to the basics of acquiring, caring for and working with an ex-racehorse. It is a straightforward and useful reference for the new owner, or for someone considering buying an ex-racer and wanting to know if it is really for them.