Time is absolutely flying with the imposing ruler (Henry) and the Grey Magician (Grey). I’m not used to bringing multiple horses at once, but two horses on a fast-paced thoroughbred makeover truck are a more difficult job. Both mounts are working towards the same goal, but the two can’t be any more different.
On the one hand, I have Henry. Henry is a 4-year-old who barely stands above the pony sized guy who only saw the truck twice. The other is grey, with hands over 16 years old, and castrated place records at 8 years old, travelling better than most adults. My hope is that both of them step into their respective rings in thoroughbred transformations, and be fully confident in their work and ready to show the world what they can do from every path of life. But I know their path to getting there is probably just as different as they do.
For Henry, I focus a lot on basics. He’s such a sweet and honest guy that it’s easy to forget that he’s now 4 years old. He doesn’t have many miles on the track, so my job is to expose him to as many things as possible. We focus on arena work and establish a foundation that can be slowly built.
He has studied very briefly in the ring, but the most advantageous place to train young horses is out of the property. There is a lot of education and growth happening the moment you leave the house, and with horses that have only competed a few times, how they handle the new vibe is always the biggest question. Thankfully, Henry checked the box off on Sunday with a quick look! He loaded up some friends for a bit of adventure, was schooled with dressage rings, tried his hand in small banks and ditches, and went out into the water without any problems. I’m really looking forward to the possibility of giving a pony event to your hand!
We stick to a slow, stable, basic work path while the little things are growing, but the gray plans look a little different. A veteran racehorse with a resume with a 48 start, Gray passes through the athletes. He was trained to the highest level of racing and saw everything from flying to Dubai to dealing with hundreds of thousands of screaming fans in the 2019 Kentucky Derby. He knows his body very well, already very balanced on all walks, soft in his mouth, and loves to work. He probably knows more than I do, so my job right now is to listen to him.
As he moves into life off the truck, I focus on keeping his body and mind happy and healthy, understanding what he wants to do. After spending the past few months, taking turns rest and recovering, it was essential for him to slowly adjust to his new routine to keep his heart happy. I also had my amazing team of vets physically go over him to know what path we need to take to keep his body happy. We did a flexion test and did it via x-rays and ultrasound to ensure his integrity. Longevity for his second career is our number one priority.
I got the green light from my vet and let him know what he wanted to do, so I really started trying to listen under the saddle. He loves to work. The first few minutes of each ride begin with a jig of excitement, as if to ask him what I have for him that day. When I pick up the reins, he does the right job. But even so, I can slowly and steadily work in the arena, and I can tell you that my young horse is usually bothering him. I let him play some poles in the ring and kept his attention while working on basic concepts such as bending. Last week I pointed out him his first cross rail. It wasn’t too much trouble at first, but he ran around like he wasn’t there. When I let him canter a little fence, he settled into a lovely rhythm and jumped over it in an adorable way!
Henry moves forward and continues to work on the fundamentals of using his body and experiencing as many new situations as possible. Gray slowly continues to return to work, his body strengthening over time while trying to captivate his heart. Maybe they want to have an event. Gray may enjoy the challenge of competitive trails, and Henry will truly shine as a pony hunter. No matter where they go, I know the future will brighten up for both of you!
Supported by the Jockey Club Many aftercare initiatives It includes the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the only accredited body in Aftercare, and the Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP), which encourages retraining thoroughbred retraining in other areas upon completion of a career. See all initiatives supported by the Jockey Club.
