I finally got a good read on her tattoo confirmed with my vet, and found Arwen to be: D35990, Lady Carlina, a 2000 TB mare, who had 17 starts, raced as a 2 and 3 year old, and won over $67,000. (Her tattoo did not show the "D", but the numbers were clear, and based upon her age and markings sent in to the Jockey Club and they confirmed her ID). Oh, and she is only 14.2, instead of the 15.2 that is on her webpage.
Arwen is nearly up to weight - just a shadow of ribs showing occasionally. Her back has filled in nicely, and I expect her rump will muscle up a bit more, too, over the next couple of months. I decided to play with her a bit this morning.
She has been soooo good in the cross ties, and stands very well, even for Sammie (my 3yo) who likes to help groom. I got out the saddle just to see, let her sniff it, and then put it on her back - she seemed familiar with it, but was curious/anxious to find out what I was going to do with it. No trouble putting the girth on and tightening it (loosely). I went ahead and got out a bridle with a plain snaffle just to see. She knew what it was, knew to open her mouth, but simply didn't like the bit at all. Her tongue was constantly moving the bit around, playing with it rather firmly, even after properly adjusting it, she was still moving her tongue over and under the bit, constantly mouthing it. I will try a different kind of bit next time - maybe one that has 3 pieces to it instead of the two, so that it might be more comfortable in her mouth. But today, I took the bridle off, and put the halter back on to go out to the ring and play a bit with the longe line.
Arwen was very anxious - no doubt due to her race training. The normally peaceful, calm mare on the ground lifted her head up and was very excited to be going to the ring. I started to play some friendly game with her, but she needed to move her feet, so I let her move out on the lunge line. She did a nice trot (to the left of course), and excitedly took off into the canter a few times, came back to the trot, and I kept her at the trot for a few minutes until she calmed down and halted on her own. My cues no longer held any persuasion with her (and I certainly didn't want her to be too excited about the whip) so I instead brought her in and rubbed her forehead, and started working with her to the right. Any racehorse will look at you like you're crazy going to the right. :) She didn't understand, and we just walked to the right, eventually making a small circle instead of just following me (even though I had my arm out to hold her head as far away from me as I could). We went back to the left, and it seemed as though the longing she had done at the beginning was more of a fluke than actual understanding of cues, and after a circle to the left again at the walk, we quit with lots of pats and treats back in the barn. Oh, that is, after I took her to the mounting block and stood up on it. She knew what I was doing and looked at me like "you can't be serious" but stood still while I rubbed her neck and shoulders, but did not even attempt to mount, of course.
So... her behaviour today suggests that she definitely was race trained (and fits what her Tattoo says she is). My goal is to make her feel relaxed in the ring and with the saddle on, but now that I know where we stand I can take smaller steps and just go slow to get everything right.
Does anyone out there have any experience retraining TB's and have any hints/suggestions? My first horse was a 3yo TB mare, but she was unraced. She definitely had been ridden, just never raced, so didn't have the speed issue that I suspect Arwen will have at the beginning. I'm sure there is plenty of info on the net about it, but just looking for some firsthand experience for a horse that definitely spent some time on the track.
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