Book Review: Beyond the Track

 As some of you may know, I really love the ex-racehorses and someday want to get one of my own. I also want to retrain ex-racehorses as riding horses when I grow up. Because of that, I read a book about retraining ex-racehorses, called Beyond the Track: Retraining the Thoroughbred from Racehorse to Riding Horse, by Anna Morgan Ford.

Summary

From Amazon

 Beyond the Track is a complete guide to retraining racehorses as riding horses. The first chapter talks about the life of a racehorse, from early life to yearling sales to training. It includes the typical everyday schedule of a racehorse and what life is like at the racetrack. Then it talks about why a racehorse would retire and what could happen next. It guides you on buying an OTTB from a trainer and also mentions adoption. Additionally, it mentions how to assess a Thoroughbred to see if he/she is suitable for you using conformation.

 The next part talks about injuries, hoof issues, etc. and how to treat them. Then it covers the horse's transition to a new lifestyle. The rest of the book covers different phases of training, starting with basics, such as leading, continuing with lungeing, side-reins, bitting, the first ride, and more.

What I Like
 The book is full of in-depth information on everything you need to know about the transition an racehorse to the life of a regular riding horse. It has pictures to help you understand what to do and even has a troubleshooting guide that explains the causes of common problems and how to solve them. I really love the book.

 Would I recommend it?
 I would recommend this book to anyone interested in training ex-racehorses or even OTTB owners who want to better understand their horse. It has a wealth of information that will be useful when I get an OTTB, though I won't be doing all the retraining.