Buying an OTTB straight off of the track yourself and retraining them a new career can be an incredibly rewarding experience if you have the time, resources and experience to do so. But there are other ways to partner with OTTBs in their ex-racing lives, including taking the reins of a Thoroughbred who has already out there making their way in the eventing world.

For this week’s edition of OTTB Wishlist, we’re taking a departure from our usual MO of featuring Thoroughbreds just recently off the track or still very green in their secondary careers. Instead, we’re skipping ahead a few months or even years to spotlight OTTBs available for sale that have already gotten a jump start on eventing.

Here are three OTTBs that are startbox ready, via EN’s classifieds site Sport Horse Nation. We’ve included the ad copy provided; click the links for videos, pricing and more information.

Photo courtesy of Bonnie Watkins via Sport Horse Nation.

Cash Me In (Royal Academy – Weekend Retreat, by Cox’s Ridge) is a 13-year-old, 15.2 h chestnut OTTB gelding. Currently competing at Training level with the ability, scope, and brain go Preliminary easily.

He is a bold jumper on cross country, delicate but forward in stadium, and uses a rubber snaffle in all three phases. Bold to jumps but sensitive and responsive to rider’s aids.
LOTS OF FUN TO JUMP — LOVES CROSS COUNTRY!

Best suited for an experienced, confident rider. Perfect for an accomplished AA or YR looking to advance through the levels. He is a wonderful teacher!

Good ground manners (loads, ties, clips, stands for farrier, etc.), is an easy keeper, and gets along well with other horses. Easy guy to have in your barn! Excellent on trails in front or back, unflappable on hacks, does gates. Always sound.

Notable pedigree: Sired by Royal Academy (grandsire Nijinsky II by Northern Dancer). Nijinsky II and Norther Dancer are referenced in the May/June 2016 edition of the USEA Eventing magazine, “Looking Closer at Pedigrees of the Rolex Top 20.”

Rider is a working mother who is making room to start another project horse. My loss, is your gain!

Located in Kentucky.

View Cash Me In on Sport Horse Nation.

Photo courtesy of Angela Richard via Sport Horse Nation.

Wiseher (Brahms – Word to the Wise, by Diesis) is a 2006 OTTB mare. “Wise” is 16’1″-hands and an absolute pleasure both on the ground and under saddle. No mareish tendencies, she is on group turnout and good with either mares or geldings. Ride her daily or twice a week and she doesn’t change … nothing phases this mare she comes to work everyday.

Very pretty mover who is a packer at Pre-Training/Novice with talent to go Prelim/CCI*. Wise loves to show and is always in the top after dressage, then we get to the fun stuff! Only for sale as my personal and professional obligations are preventing me from riding and competing. Excellent home a must. Come see her — your expectations will be exceeded!

Located in Erin, Ontario.

View Wiseher on Sport Horse Nation.

Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

Nehow (Massive Drama – Belmont Harbor, by Always Fair) is a 5-year-old 15.2-hand OTTB mare. Retired sound with clean, tight legs. Has been let down from the track and restarted correctly.

Ready to go Beginner Novice tomorrow! Get her before she starts racking up show miles and her price increases. This one will be competitive.

Nehow has a great brain. Very calm, and none of your typical TB silliness. Hacks out alone on the buckle, clips, trailers, stands in the cross ties, etc. She just wants to do her job and will make a great packer with some more miles. She’s a forward ride and sensitive to the aids, so not for a beginner, but could be a perfect first project for a confident rider working with a trainer that wants a horse to move through the levels with.

I rode part time at the barn she raced out of and she was everyone’s favorite. Always well behaved even with no turn out and in full race training. She was the only one that would walk to and from the track flat-footed on the buckle, and was always a complete saint on the ground.

Her flatwork is lovely and supple. She’s schooling leg yeilds, does transitions from your seat, and is stretching over her topline and learning to come onto the bit.

Consistently schooling 2’6 and occasionally higher with gridwork and combinations. She’s a cross country machine! Just went out for the first time and schooled BN with some Novice. No stops, spooks, or second glances! Cantered right over the ditch the first time. This mare is brave, bold and very smart. She will take you far!

Recently did her first combined training at BN and had a wonderful dressage and stadium round. Then schooled the Novice xc and didn’t bat an eye at anything.

Located in Georgia.

View Nehow on Sport Horse Nation. 

Thoroughly intrigued by yesterday’s U.S. Olympic Eventing Team media conference, or whatever it was, which was live streamed on the FEI Facebook page, I started wondering what other random acts of social media the organization has been up to lately.

I started scrolling back through the FEI’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds and collected a few gems from the FEI’s #twohearts and #roadtorio campaigns.

Wanna see? No thanks? I’ll take that as a yes! Here we go!

This video of an “equestrian horse” training for eventing:

This photo of supermodel Gisele Bündchen, clearly an accomplished equestrian, being one with the natural landscape:

This random shirtless soapy dude, because “you’re worth it :)”:

Because you’re worth it 🙂 #horse #instagram #instahorse #smile #cute #roadtorio #equestrian #instapic #photooftheday #instadaily #pony #instagood #athlete #olympics A photo posted by Official FEI (@fei_global) on Feb 12, 2016 at 1:44pm PST

This videography:

These squirrels riding horses:

This attempt at a pun, or something:

 

Just 50 days to go… Equestrian sport is going to rock @rio2016 #twohearts #equestrian #olympics #rio2016

 

A photo posted by Official FEI (@fei_global) on Jun 16, 2016 at 10:56am PDT

Keep it weird, FEI. #insanityinthemiddle #nailedit

Go Eventing.

What’s on your OTTB’s social calendar? We’re loving the Retired Racehorse Project‘s new interactive calendar of things to do with your Thoroughbreds.

From hunter/jumper shows that include Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program TIP classes to horse trials offering high-point Thoroughbred awards, as well as clinics and other activities, you can view the new calendar on the RPP website here.

Search for events by state, type, and discipline and find locations, links, and descriptions for events that match your search criteria. You can also submit your own Thoroughbred-specific shows, events and clinics for inclusion on the calendar.

Keep up the great work, RPP! And now, here are our three off-track event prospect picks of the week:

Photo via CANTER Minnesota.

Caleb’s Cat (Tactical Cat – All Or Nothing, by Ghazi) is a 4-year-old, 16.1-2 hand total catch!

This guy is stunning and his pedigree — which includes, you guessed it, Storm Cat — is pretty awesome as well. He’s only run seven races and is retiring sound after just never hitting the board. He is a very floaty mover with good shoulder movement, which will only get better off the track. He has clean legs and good looking feet; he is built to excel in any sport horse discipline.

Located at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota.

View Caleb’s Cat on CANTER Minnesota.

View Butkennyrun on Finger Lakes Finest.

Photo via Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center.

Thenextheartthrob (Forest Wildcat – Ravish Me, by Wild Again) is a 16.2-hand 2008 gelding — and is aptly named!

Tall, dark, and handsome, he’s a Black Beauty look-a-like with a healthy sense of self and a great deal of presence. Heartthrob had four starts in his career, finishing first once and third once, and he last raced four years ago. He had been hanging out in a field for several years when his owners decided to spice up his life by sending him to a kid’s camp for his next career.

But Heartthrob was not interested in babysitting. He’s looking for one great love who will fawn over him and flatter him and make it worth his while to excel. He needs a special adopter who will understand and celebrate his dashing good looks and his proud bearing.

Located in Lexington, Kentucky.

View Thenextheartthrob on Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center. 

Photo via Finger Lakes Finest.

Money Zapper (Ghostzapper – Simonetta, by Harlan’s Holiday) is a 2010, 16.2-hand gelding that oozes quality.

Finger Lakes Finest reports that the photos do not do him justice: “On a day when we saw many seriously nice horses, the volunteers who were privileged enough to see this big handsome son of superstar Ghostzapper were smitten, declaring him their favorite of the day! When we saw Money Zapper, we were immediately drawn in by his classic good looks, solid boned correct conformation, strong deep shoulder, big chest, uphill and well balanced build. The alert and intelligent look to his kind eye, his well mannered presence, and his very nice long-strided balanced movement add to the exciting package.”

“The groom who showed him to us said he is a well mannered good horse to handle, although he can at times be a bit mouthy … He is described as sound, and his legs looked clean. One of our volunteers felt his legs and palpated them, and pronounced them in excellent shape. His feet are over due for a trim, and his overly long toes at times seemed to cause him some difficulty while jogging, but nonetheless we could see very good movement. We also watched some race videos, and saw a balanced fluid big-strided gallop and a similarly ground covering trot with good flow from the shoulders and a flat kneed reach. This horse ticks all the boxes of what everyone says they are looking for, and considering his quality, great breeding, soundness, size and movement, he is very reasonably priced.”

View Money Zapper on Finger Lakes Finest.