The clock is ticking down until the Thoroughbred Makeover, and as a trainer, you are under pressure to get your horse ready for the big event. Each of the horses I took to Kentucky was at a different stage of training and experience.
Widget Factory has less experience going out; he was out for about a month because of some foot problems. Drafted needs more experience with larger crowds and needs to work on his smoothness. So I decided to enter them both in a licensed nighttime show called “Dressage at Lexington” at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia. My motto for the weekend was “Screw it, let’s do it” – and I even designed shirts for the occasion.
I was hesitant to take Widget because his first horse show the week before didn’t go as well as planned. Drafted had an abscess so I took him back from the show and had to transport Widget alone in the trailer, which made him very scared. That fear stayed with him throughout the show.
We eventually withdrew from the classes, but asked the show management if we could take him to the dressage area so he could at least have a positive experience. So I considered not taking him to Lexington for dressage… but as the saying goes, I said, “Let’s do it!”
Both horses were loaded into the trailer and we drove three hours to Lexington the day before our lesson. We put them in their stalls and unloaded all the tack. This also gave me a chance to prepare packing lists for Kentucky and practice taking two horses!
After everything was done for the evening, I decided to take the opportunity to show the boys around the entire horse center so they could get used to the larger environment and everything that goes with a horse show.
Drafted is my brave horse so he helps Widget in new situations. This ensures that Widget does not benefit from a nervous horse. We had the opportunity to walk in the huge riding arena which was ideal exercise as there will also be a huge riding arena for the Thoroughbred Makeover show.
Drafted didn’t care and Widget did very well and just wanted to eat the flowers! We went to the different rings we would be performing in the next day. This helps the horses a lot as they see and know what to expect. If they are nervous about anything, I spend time there getting them used to the scary things – giant tents, blue trash cans, golf carts, etc! So on show day I don’t have to worry about them being nervous right before our lesson.
The next day, the horses were given a fresh bath (it is difficult to keep grey horses clean!) and their manes were braided for the tests.
To help ride two horses in the same introductory class, my friend rode Widget for this show. We rode to the ring and worked out in the warm-up arena, and both horses did well. Widget had his test first, and just as Widget stopped and the rider saluted, the horse and rider in the ring next to them spooked and the rider fell into the fence. Widget was not alarmed, but his test was stopped so rescue workers could help the rider.
Widget has completed his very first riding test and survived! It wasn’t the best mark because he stuck out his tongue and wasn’t relaxed, but he did it! My test with Drafted went well, but we had problems with suppleness and acceptance of the bit, so we lost points. In the introductory test A, Drafted got a third place and Widget a sixth place.
Our second lesson was later in the evening so the horses could return to their stables, have a bite to eat and have another bath! The introductory test B was held in a different arena to the morning with a large grandstand – more practice getting used to the ring!
Both horses seemed more relaxed than in the morning so we only did a 15 minute warm up before our lesson began. Widget was feeling more relaxed and I was excited to see how he would do in his second lesson. I watched him and he aced his introductory B test! It was the best ride I had ever seen him do and I knew he had done well in that test. My guess was right and Widget came in third, beating Drafted who came in fourth!!
I’m glad I stuck with it and decided to take both horses to the overnight show. This allowed me to see them both in a different environment, expose them to more nuances of a horse show, and ride in different arena environments. Just goes to show that more practice never hurts, so screw it, let’s go! The countdown begins with the Thoroughbred Makeover Show in just two months!
The Jockey Club supports many aftercare initiatives These include the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the only accreditation body in the field of aftercare, and the Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP), which encourages the retraining of Thoroughbreds in other disciplines after the completion of their careers. View all initiatives supported by the Jockey Club.
