UPDATE: I am very excited to say that Diego has found an incredible home. I know the family, they are experienced with OTTTB, and they are kind, competent and well-able to help develop Diego into the incredible horse I know he can be. He will be primarily for the teenage daughter who has assisted her mother retrain horses, this will be the first one that is hers under her mother's guidance. The bond was instant and he so obviously chose her, the photos are so beautiful. We let the daughter handle him, she haltered him and led him out of the paddock, tied him to the float, brushed him and picked out his feet. He was saddled, mum rode him first, the daughter on the lunge line, and then she was set free with him. He was careful with her and she was soft with him. They spent the ride trying to find a common communication style which was done easily. I could not be happier.
I will start by saying I will be really fussy about where he goes and you must come and meet him, maybe more than once. He is not for beginners or people who want an educated horse. If, however, you are looking for a fun equine partner to have great adventures with then read on.
Diego is an 11-year-old ex-racing thoroughbred, he is 15.3hh (best guess) and retired in June 2019. He was originally rehomed to a young woman who has taken good care of him for the last 4 years. She has another horse who suits her passion for showing and she felt he was "going to waste". I have bought him from her to rehome him. I treated him while he raced and saw him a lot in the first couple of years afterwards until he moved to another agistment place. In the time since retiring, he has had some riding but is still green.
Heidi Ewington from HME Equestrian rode him and confirmed Diego can lunge, walk, trot, canter and stop, his transitions are good but will improve with some education. He is quiet, bold and unfazed by most things if his rider is confident. Like most thoroughbreds, he still likes a good gallop. He also has shown a natural ability to jump, he does not have any formal training in this area but I have been told he has been to jump club twice. He can be tied to a float at home but is untested away from home. He has mostly travelled in a truck but loaded well onto an angle float when I picked him up and I am told he has had some outings in an angle float. When we picked him up, he did paw until the float got moving and then seemed comfortable. He is not yet balanced in a straight load. Further float training would be ideal. He is a fast learner, in the time Heidi was on him she could easily teach him how to leg yield and to take up a lovely light contact. She said he felt comfortable and was quite well-balanced despite needing a farrier visit. He is easy to catch, lead and good for the farrier. He is good with other horses.
Diego would be a brilliant all-rounder and would thrive with a confident, gentle rider that is clear in their communication. He reminds me a lot of my first horse who was my best friend from the time I was 6 to 15. I even used to do my homework on Shannon, lying on his back as he was grazing with my school books on his butt. Diego loves people, male or female and definitely likes a brush and a bit of pampering. I can easily see him, eventing, trail riding, doing working equitation, farm work, liberty, adult riding club, classical dressage, team sorting, jumping, obstacle clinics, going to the beach, and on holidays with a best friend. He loves a good trail ride and I am told he is good with kangaroos and wombats....not so fussed on sheep. He is also cool to ride bareback. If he trusts you I am pretty sure he would do anything for you.
The type of person I am looking for is a confident teenager or adult who wants a best friend to do a lot of different things with. Someone with soft hands, a big heart and the ability to develop Diego into the brilliant all-rounder I believe him to be. This could be done by sending him to be retrained, or by yourself with the guidance of a good coach if you do not have experience retraining an ex-racehorse. He would suit a small to medium-sized rider. Ideally, you are someone I know or can be vouched for by someone I know.
He is currently in paddock condition, when he is in work, he is reasonably chunky. He has no known vices, is sound, striking-looking, has a wonderful presence and has beautiful soft eyes.
Located in Cawdor near Camden NSW
VIDEO:
When watching the video please keep in mind that Heidi met him when we handed him to her on that day. He also has not been ridden consistently in 4 years and he is also due for the farrier as his front left foot is quite out of balance. I think he did amazingly to show he was a quick learner and willing to work out what Heidi was asking, in this one session she taught him how to leg yield and gently take some contact.
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