Horses we would like to see retired...

The Tatling - while everyone's glued to the replays of the Champion Hurdle this old boy (14yo) will be running in his 162nd race off 20lbs lower than when btn 1L 14 months ago over C/D - I hope he wins and then retires now that would be a great story.
 
I'd love him to just win and then retire - although his problem is that he really does love racing. He gets antsy when he does nothing at home, and more or less demands to be put into the horsebox!
 
You're enjoying this, aren't you? :p Well, if he's actually learning to land and keep running instead of falling over, that's fine. But the day I see he's "fatally injured", I hope his connections think it's worth it.
 
Krizon, I'm just pointing out there's often a bit more to it than the casual onlooker knows. Your example of the Tatling is a case in point, but because you know a bit more about him and you can see the horse wants to race, and applaud his longevity and enthusiasm for racing.

Of course Gavroche may get killed, but so might every horse that runs over jumps. The Tatling might break down on the All Weather one day. I would be sad if either event happened.

But as I know a bit about the horse I can tell you that Gavroche would not be the sort to make a nice easy ladies hack, so retirement might not be the kindest thing in his case either.
 
Who said he'd have to make a 'nice easy ladies' hack' - er, for your info, cjboy, some of us 'ladies' have and still can handle pretty much any type of beast. You only have to see 'ladies' eventing very successfully against men, hunting on 18 hh monsters who can pull trains, to know that 'ladies' and 'nice and easy' are not necessarily concomitant. Try to leave your sexist notions behind, as in the 18th Century. And 'retirement' means 'leave racing' not doss in a field or become a hack. He's not a consistent jumper, no matter what your connections are to him. If you know him, you know that's a fact. And as for the theory that any horse might get killed over jumps or THE TATLING on the AW - that's about as peurile an argument as I've heard to date. THE TATLING has proven his ability over and over again through many years, including high-class races. When GAVROCHE GAUGAIN has managed to do that, I'll be pleased to see the change and acknowledge that he's come on.

Look, go back to the beginning and, if you think that a horse that'd fallen four out of five starts over jumps wasn't worth including in this thread at the time, then I name you Mystic Meg, and look forward to your crystal-gazing gifts in future.
 
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Agree about Straw Bear - he'd make a lovely show horse! Also think Flintoff is trying to say he's had enough.
 
Yes, FLINTOFF is often referred to as a tricky character/enigmatic/unpredictable/unreliable... maybe he's just trying to signal "OUT!"

STRAW BEAR - another spent force, I agree, Gaz. There are so many alternatives for TBs that it's not necessary to keep trying to prove something by relentlessly entering them up. I'm not sure if some trainers are fair on the horses - they must know, if they're at all clued up (as per jinnyj), that the horses are indifferent to hostile about continuing to race, but perhaps the thought of losing their £50 a day overrides telling the owners it's time to let go. Or perhaps they have insistent owners who just think the horse will grow out of a sulky phase.
 
Gavroche Gaugain would not event even in your capable hands Krizon, be you male or female, big or small, strong or weak. So if he's no good as a jumper, (clearly your opinion), won't handle being a hack (my opinion), what will he do?

I know a little about rehabilitating racehorses so get off your high horse before you fall off.
 
Errr,Chanibar anyone?? Second race in a row with a refusal to race. Entered tomorrow & I'd say if he refuse's again I'd think thats the end of the road. Only my opinion of course.
 
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Cjboy, no need to get so snippy about someone else's opinion, is there? I hate the word 'rehabilitate', by the way. Rehabilitation is for when you've gone off the rails with crime, drink, or drugs - re-training, sure, but not rehab. Okay, to your point: he's still fallen enough times jumping, which you are adamant he can do. You say he wouldn't make a hack, but how would you know unless you've taken him off his high-energy feeds and typical race yard regime, let him down, and begun riding, as against racing, schooling? Do you think the word 'hack' implies some dozy old nag which can barely pick its feet up? There are plenty of energetic rides for the more experienced rider from out of the racing world, as I am sure you know, if you've been involved with retraining them.

You tell me what you'd do with him, since you appear to be strongly connected to him, if he comes to grief again. Personally, I think he's a lovely big animal who I wish well, as I do every horse in the world, even those who have 'difficult' temperaments, since those are pretty much man-made. What are your plans for the horse when his jumping days are over? If you think he's impossible to be turned over to an experienced rider to redevelop, then I assume it would be to just put him down?

BW: yes, agree with that - one more RR and he should be out, and not taking up a valuable entry space in a race.
 
Who's getting snippy now! MAybe rehabilitation is the wrong word but it's commonly used in this context. Retraining perhaps? Anyway your point about how he's be when let down from racing fitness is possibly true, I don't know.

I am not that strongly connected I just know the horse a bit so I don't know where he'll end up.
 
CHANINBAR definitely an addition - three straight RRs. Not even the slightest pretence of taking part! Two hours on the naughty step clearly didn't work.
 
Perhaps they'll go home, put him in the horse walker and then forget to turn it off [do they still use horse walkers or do they swim all the time now?]
 
Horse walkers are still very much used, Moehat - don't know a yard which doesn't have them. Fancier yards also have treadmills where they can vary the steepness and speed, and Gary Moore's yard at Horsham even has one that's heated! There are quite a lot of yards which have invested in saline spas as well as swimming lanes - I swear to God, I'm coming back as a top-class stallion in my next life, thank you!
 
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Perhaps thats why Chaninbar doesn't want to go racing. Prefers lying by the pool with a g&t in his hoof.
 
After another desperate effort at Wolves tonight, albeit giving an amateur a spin, I'm putting forward PLACE THE DUCHESS. I had a nice non-racing home lined up for her early last year, but was talked out of it by the co-owner, who seems to get convinced to keep her going against all the signs. I'll be having a stiff word on Monday at Plumpton! Such a sweet-natured little soul, too, who'd like nothing better than to be an affectionate pal to someone.
 
After another crash today, when Matt Chapman on ATR thought the horse had died this time (it was going well when falling to its knees, then semi-rotating on its neck), perhaps it's time to reconsider the career of PIN D'ESTRUVAL? Nice-looking horse, but Matt said it had fallen and UR four times in six outings. The RP online is down for maintenance so I can't check on that, but it sounds as if the horse might be suited to AOB but NH races.
 
The mood today seems to favour letting KAUTO STAR enjoy a happy retirement after his lacklustre efforts at Punchestown. Perhaps to be joined by DENMAN, too, since neither have a thing to prove and both have entertained us at the top level of the sport, over and over again.

And perhaps now ORPEN WIDE should also be granted permanent leave by Michael Chapman - I've lost count of how many races he's competed in, but another one showing no inclination to keep going round and round, and who's more than provided a good day out for connections over the years.
 
Gavroche Gaugain won again yesterday at Sedgefield. Form for the last 5 runs reads 12381
 
I had to laugh yesterday when I saw that result. Guess who, I mused idly, will be off like a bolted rabbit to post all about it? If you were a horse, cjboy, your predictability would not disappoint.

He appears to be doing perfectly well now, so I assume someone's either found he had a problem (perhaps an undiagnosed back problem?) and corrected it, or a better schooling rider went up and taught him to stay on his feet.

Feel free to keep telling us all when he wins and places, cj. But I won't be gloating if he falls over again. I wish him well.
 
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I had a laugh at your reply too.

I am glad my predictability delights and amuses you. ;)

It was not this horse particularly that got me worked up, it was the concept of an internet forum singling out certain horses that "should be retired". The only point I was making was that there's usually a lot more to it than meets the eye, which, as a horsewoman yourself, you know all about.

Anyway, subject closed for me, lets hope Gavroche continues to run well, and they all keep coming home safe.
 
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