my ex race horse

Question
Hi there Brenda. I dont know how to make this brief so bear with me. I purchased a thoroughbred 9 year old mare a month ago.She is way bigger than i thought. I bought her at an auction. She went beautifully, rode by the lady who owned her. It was love at first site. I am 40 years old have had a car accident and I am afraid to ride her. She is a beautiful girl. I was told she has had three years of trail riding, arena work and was started over fences.
She is 16.2 hands. She lunges beautifully but now what? I have had the girls at the barn(who are qualified) tell me oh watch out for her she is a race horse. I know in my heart that she is never going to make a plugging along trail horse. I wish i could find her a home that had someone way more qualified than I to be able to ride her to her fullest extent. I cry even after a month that I have spent with her. I tell I am sorry that I am not qualified to take hr over fences and do with her what she needs done. I am sick about this Brenda. How do I sell her to someone when I havnt even rode her? The trainer at our barn has been on her once and said oh she is a race horse. well no kidding duh. who here in ontario canada knows what the heck they are doing? do I spend more money trying to figure this out? It breaks my heart to think that a stupid sale barn is her only option after racing her butt off for 4 years. her last race was in 2001. She was trained in Kitchener ontario. Gosh what do i do. Sell her as needing an experienced rider? Any help would be so much appreciated.
I went looking for a trail horse and I came home with an ex race pet.
\sincerely
Sylvia

Answer
Well, we have had and been around ex race horses and the "once a race horse always a race horse" saying is not true.  If she is quiet on the groung (leading and lunging) there is no reason to believe that she won't be under saddle.  Perhaps the people at the barn are jealous of the good deal you got on a great horse.  Just because she was trained over fences doesn't mean she enjoied it....  Most horses I have been around seem much happier on the trails than in the ring.

Why don't you try to have someone you trust lunge her while you ride her.  This would provide you some extra stability and ensurance.  For YOU to know how she is going to act YOU need to ride her.  Horses act differently for different people.  If, after you ride her on a lunge line, you feel comfortable enough - start riding her in an arena or even better a round pen.  Bonding with a horse and building that trust comes with time. One month is not long enough for YOU to make a decision on whether YOU can ride her or not. A beginner in your situation will probably have a problem jumping on ANY horse.  You have to take it slow and get to know her.  My daughter is part horse whisperer (my assesment of her anyway) and she takes time to gain a trust on the ground.  

How do you know that she needs an experienced rider if you haven't tried yourself.  If you have found a friend in this horse and you made the effort to buy her to save her from an unknown reality somewhere else you owe it to her to give her a shot.  You have some thinking to do, but consider all options not just the obvious one of selling her.  Track down her original trainer (shouldn't be hard) and ask them how she trained when she was young.  This will tell you what kind of attitude she has.

If you need to talk or want more help please email me at fancyzippers@yahoo.com