Wow, where were you this month? ! As spring shows get into full swing and look at summer schedules, the calendar has been packed lately.
For Teddy Spaghetti, it has returned to a month of new experiences, a deserved rest and basics. For Natty Bumppo, it was another month of getting to know each other and weighing future options.
He has also officially completed his first paper chase since we last checked in with Teddy Spaghetti, a horse show. Again, lucky enough, Teddy loved going out around the Manor Farm of Quietness, graduating from his older brother, 2024 Thoroughbred Makeover, to show him the ropes. The beautiful 6-mile course provided us with a sight and plenty we had never seen before the challenge. I’m glad to report that Teddy didn’t hit any of them.
New water intersections, open fields, narrow wooded trails, painted logs, hedges, coloured sheds, tires and even corrugated pipes couldn’t slow us down, but the lack of traffic concerns made me feel the most impressive. It’s great to be able to go at your own pace and jump only what you want, but it’s not uncommon for other teams with other goals to pass you or be in your gaze on the next hill. In my experience, it can cause anxiety for the most experienced and relaxed off-track thoroughbreds (OTTB).
But even when his brother felt a little uneasy, Teddy took it all boldly. He loved watching other horses do his thing, further confirming his appreciation for group activities and his hopeful prowess as a future field hunter.
After it was over in May, it was time for the barn to switch gears and focus on more experienced competitors. He heads to the Upperville Colt & Horse Show and the Loudoun Benefit Horse Show, representing the variety in both the Take2 Thoroughbred Hunter and Jumper divisions, as well as in the fantastic Thoroughbred Development class.
When you’re planning on spending most of the two weeks, it’s always a difficult task to understand what those left behind should be. Do they need to continue working or do they afford to take a break? Luckily for Teddy, it wasn’t easy. With his mind being totally lazy and already accomplishing a lot, he wanted to have the opportunity to relax and lie down…and he did. It’s actually quite literal!
It was time to get back to home basics, having found Teddy rested well and checking all the boxes off the farm. In my opinion, progressing towards certain milestones is always important, but it’s even more important to take the time to go back and reaffirm what you already teach. Specifically, in Teddy’s case, our horse show and paper chase demonstrated that yes, he could mentally handle hack classes, stitch together courses, and bravely handle life and activities outside the ring. But can he pilot better, use himself more effectively and jump more neatly? Absolutely, it comes from returning to our flat work. In fact, it’s where we’ll find us next month as his kids are off school.
As for Natty Bumppo, he is wonderfully calm and loves to go back to some sort of program, but can he do a thoroughbred makeover? Honestly, I don’t know yet.
I love Natty Bumppo’s personality and willingness to seek connection and approval, but unfortunately, some old health issues may prove to be more restrictive than we once wanted.
But the great thing about the timing of his racing career is that, while simple, he is also qualified for the 2026 Thoroughbred Makeover. Therefore, I am freely using all the basic tools and enthusiastically using pony to continue to expose him to new experiences.
Another great thing about him coming from a local breeder and friends is that we have full access to his history. We are at home from the away show so we look forward to working with our vets to decide what to do next. If he thinks he should aim for a physically limited and low-level second career, then it might be looking into a new jumping field when transforming into us. Instead, if a little more time and enhancement proves to be something that is placed behind us, we may be trying to delay rebooting everything he has together. Either way, he is a joy to be around and I am very excited to help him find his best path.
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.
