OTTB Training Toolkit Presented by Doc Lane's Veterinary Pharmacy: First Off-Site Outings

Once I arrive at the destination, I try to be calm and efficient about getting them ready for whatever we plan to do. I unload any tack and equipment that I will need before unloading my horse so I can be completely focused on him or her rather than leaving the horse unattended for any reason.

Once they are fully tacked up and ready to go, I try to give them ample time to acclimate to their new surroundings. I hand walk them into and around the arena, letting them investigate any jumps, mirrors, doors/in-gates or other items that might catch their eye. If there are horses working in the arena, I let them simply watch the activity that’s going on and mentally settle into the environment.

My goal in those first off-site schooling sessions is to help them remember lessons and exercises we have been working on at home and that in a sea of unfamiliarity, I am their friend.

If the environment is calm, or if I can find a quiet place away from other horses working, I will take them there to do some simple lunging and/or groundwork. Groundwork should be as much a mental exercise as a physical one for the horse. I try to keep things calm and help them gain both self-awareness and confidence in this new environment. The goal is not to wear them out physically, but rather tap into and connect with their mind, though it will ideally have the added physical benefit of taking the edge off of their nervous energy.

When you feel ready to get on, it is safest to have someone hold the horse when mounting in a new environment the first few times.

Once in the saddle, I try to ride them the same way I have been at home. So much is different and exciting in this new environment, so I want to provide them that sense of familiarity and stability that they’re looking for.

I walk them around both directions using my seat, leg, rein and voice aids calmly and clearly, and allow them to walk up to and sniff/see any jumps or obstacles we investigated in-hand. I might do some simple lateral work, such as turning down the quarter line and leg-yielding to the rail. If they seem tense or nervous, I let them get right to trotting and eventually cantering, doing circles and changes of direction often to get them bending and listening to my aids.

Some horses tend to acclimate better to new surroundings if they are given 30 to 60 seconds of a walk break every 3 to 5 minutes as they warm up, while others do better doing walk/trot/canter work for a solid 10 to 15 minutes before giving them a walking rest period, ideally on a looser rein.

If they seem excited or anxious when the other horse(s) in the arena are cantering or jumping, I find a quiet place to let them simply stand and watch the other horses when they are working, then get back to work when those horses take a break.

Horses tend to feed off the vibes of those around them, so if there are other horses being ridden at the same time, I try to cool my inexperienced horse out by walking around the arena or hacking around the property with another horse before untacking them, washing or currying any sweat marks and letting them relax and eat hay while tied to the trailer or in the crossties before loading them up for the journey home.

At the end of it all, my goal is for them to arrive back in their familiar home environment thinking, “well, that was easy!”

Be Strategic About Where And When you Take Them

It is important to be mindful about where you take a horse for its first few off-site schooling sessions. For example, if the majority of the off-track work they’ve done up to this point has been in an arena, I take them somewhere with an arena. If they have been mostly trail riding and hacking out, I try to take them to a comparable environment.

It can be exceedingly helpful to plan their first off-site outings on a day and time that the facility you are going to is not overly busy.

For example, I tend to take most of our ex-racehorses to one of four facilities for their first off-site outings. Since the majority of their initial off-track training is done in an arena, these facilities all have arenas.

I always let the farm manager/owner know I am bringing a green horse and I try to schedule with them to go at a time when there aren’t as many people at the facility (for example, late afternoons/early evenings is prime time for lessons and schooling at most boarding barns, so that is a time I try to avoid for a first outing, though it becomes a time I gravitate to once the horse has become accustomed to hauling off-site for schooling). I do, however, make sure someone is around in case I need assistance.

If the horse is one who has done more hacking out and trail riding rather than riding in an arena setting, I may make his or her first few outings a calm trail ride. In this scenario, I either go with or meet up with a friend with a more seasoned horse in an area in which the terrain is somewhat inviting and won’t over-face the horse. 

While I personally try to avoid making a horse’s first off-site outing a horse show (and we will cover going to their first show in detail in a future installment), for some that may be the most accessible first off-site opportunity. In this case, it is important to be strategic about managing their experience and consider taking them as a “non-compete” for the experience only.

It is wise to build in plenty of time to let the horse adjust to his or her surroundings and avoid stressful scenarios, such as a packed warm-up ring. If it’s a multi-day show and you have a stall, give them some time to acclimate to the sights and sounds in their stall before asking anything of them. If it’s a haul-in situation, tying them to the trailer with a hay bag and a buddy is a good first step after they get off of the trailer. Later, you can walk them around the show grounds (ideally with a friend) and let them hand graze if they will settle enough to do so and allow them to acclimate to the sights, sounds (i.e. announcer over the loudspeaker) and smells of an environment that is likely reminiscent to the racetrack.

Have A Plan…And Be Flexible With The Plan

One of the easiest ways to make a horse’s first few off-site outings successful is to have a plan in mind for what you hope to accomplish, and to be willing to adjust that plan based on the needs and bandwidth of your horse.

Typically, when I take a young ex-racehorse for his or her first off-site outing, my general plan is to unload my tack and equipment, then my horse, and get them ready for the schooling session, giving them time to just stand and relax next to the trailer or in the crossties if they are inclined to do so I then take them in-hand to where we will be working to do some arena familiarization and groundwork, then get on and do some flat work and pole work, only incorporating small jumps if they seem unphased by the rest of it.

If they seem overly anxious upon arrival, I may either give them more time to settle tied to the trailer or in cross ties, or if I feel they just need to get to work, I’ll head to a quiet arena and start walking them around and doing groundwork and simple lunging (focusing more on walking and trotting with changes of direction rather than letting them canter or gallop wildly around me and building upon their anxiety).

For most horses, this groundwork warm-up will remind them of the lessons they’ve learned with you at home and help them settle into a productive, workmanlike mindset, allowing you to proceed to under saddle work.

That being said, some horses are more reactive and anxious in new environments than others. When this scenario presents, I adjust the plan and simply try to meet the horse where they are. Maybe we do two or three times as much groundwork as I had planned before getting on, then focus on a slower, shorter under saddle session, or even skip the under-saddle session and make the outing groundwork-only. If the facility has become unexpectedly busy and that is what’s setting the horse off, I may skip lunging and give the horse ample time to just hand walk or stand in the environment to take it all in before doing a bit of in-hand groundwork and getting on, possibly making the under saddle work easier or more abbreviated than planned.

All of that is completely okay and I still consider it a successful first outing if the horse is calm at the end of it.

The goal of the first few outings for a young, inexperienced horse should not be task-oriented, but rather to simply give the horse a positive experience in a new environment. In an environment in which everything is strange, reminding them of things that are familiar (how you interact with and work with them, lessons they’ve been working on, etc.) can make a tremendous difference in how they approach new places and things.

By approaching these first off-site schooling sessions with equal parts patience and flexibility, you will soon have a horse that is comfortable and confident working as your partner in any environment.

Troubleshooting Tips

- Bring a scoop of grain and/or the horse’s favorite treat to use both as a reward for simple things like standing at the trailer or in crossties, or to help coax them onto the trailer to go home if they need a bit of extra encouragement (or just to give them some positive reinforcement for a job well done).

- I typically groom and pick my horse’s feet before loading them on the trailer, and if I am traveling a relatively short distance (typically less than an hour), I put my saddle on (just not with the girth tightened all the way) at home before loading as well so there is less to do once I get to our destination.

- Upon arrival at your destination, unload your equipment and tack before you unload your horse so you can be fully focused on the animal and are not forced to leave him or her unattended.

- If you are tying to the side of your trailer and concerned about your horse getting loose when you put the bridle on, you can put it on in the trailer before you unload your horse. I typically then put the halter back over the bridle so I can still tie them to the side of the trailer (never connect the tie/crossties/lead rope to the bit, as the horse could be seriously injured if it pulls back).

- Listen to what your horse needs from you and respond accordingly (and compassionately). Some horses need to keep their feet moving, so standing and watching things happen is less comfortable than walking and trotting to get the nerves out. For other horses, the opposite is true. Regardless, hearing the familiar sound of your voice and getting a reassuring pat or neck rub here and there can help to transfer your calm confidence to them.

- Don’t be too casual. So much is unfamiliar to a horse in these first off-site sessions, so it is important to keep your focus on them. You never know when something unexpected will happen or something will catch their eye, causing them to spook or react.

- Give them as much (or as little) time as they need so you can end on a positive note. Plan your schedule so you won’t be rushed, should the horse need more time than expected. Conversely, if they are cool and confident and do everything that’s asked in less time than you expected, it is completely fine to make the session short rather than potentially over-facing them by doing more than you had planned to do.