PART THREE

Fizz Marshall shares training insights to help you move to the next stage with your second-career Thoroughbred

THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER

In this feature. . .

➤ Build your horse’s confidence in new situations ➤ Introduce him to lateral work ➤ Get out and about together

Photos: Jon Stroud Photos: Jon Stroud

So, you’ve cracked the basics of groundwork and hacking with your ex-racehorse, what happens now? Here’s how to take the next steps in your retraining programme...

All-round education

Every horse learns at a different rate, and their response to new experiences is completely individual to them. One of the best things about ex-racehorses, however, is that they tend to be like a sponge when they come out of training. This means they generally learn quickly and respond well to new things.

During his previous career, your ex-racehorse would likely have been exposed to all sorts of stimuli, from crowds to loudspeakers, and visiting all manner of different racecourses. Now’s the time to build on this experience and push his boundaries a bit further.

Aim to give him an all-round education, especially if you think you might like to do a bit of everything together rather than focusing on a single discipline.

If your horse is ready, it might be at this stage that you start boxing him up and taking him away from home – for example, heading off hacking in different places or going cross-country schooling.

If you’re not quite there yet, build his confidence in more familiar surroundings before progressing to the next step.

Our expert

Fizz Marshall has worked with all types of horses in her six years as Centre Manager at the Equine Therapy Centre at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire. More recently she’s managed racehorses for Jonjo O’Neill and been Yard Manager for Carl Hester.