Nicely, it’s positive been a month! On the backstretch, we had been main as much as our largest day of racing, Canadian Derby day.
My very own little racehorse broke his maiden! In what was arms down the slowest seven-furlong time within the historical past of horse racing … however a win is a win and I’m happy with my little pup.
And Grayson? Nicely, it was an extremely eventful month for him, additionally. He grudgingly discovered his proper canter lead — though his consistency in selecting it up has been a piece in progress. And I sucked up a whole lot of nerves, paid a bunch extra memberships, and entered a big dressage present that had each rated courses and provincial degree courses.
On the time of entry, we’d managed the appropriate lead about thrice. Nonetheless, I stuffed him in two Intro courses and Coaching degree take a look at 1, 2, and three. I’m nothing if not an overachiever!
Main as much as the present, we took some classes and had some pretty moments, rising the crispness of our canter transitions and dealing towards getting the appropriate lead with about 50% consistency. The day earlier than we shipped over, although, I misplaced that lead fully.
I made a decision that the most effective protection was a very good offense, and I went into all of it with the angle of, “I don’t care if we get the appropriate lead. If our proper lead canter is a catastrophe, oh nicely.” My aim was to get across the ring, have him snug within the ring, and get some good trot work in. The purpose was a very good expertise and a take a look at of the place we had been at.
The present was made much more hectic as a result of we needed to ship in and faculty on Friday and had two horses operating Friday night time. Oh, and it was wet. Stabling didn’t open on the present grounds till midday, and I had Lasix on the observe at 3:30 p.m. Good factor the observe was solely 10 minutes from the present grounds!
As luck had it, Grayson’s outdated coach Shelley had shipped her Canadian Derby contender to Century Mile the day earlier than we needed to go to the present, so she not solely was Grayson’s trip to the present however obtained to be there for all his first courses. For me, it was particular that my buddy, and Actual Grace’s largest champion, the particular person whose will to dwell he impressed, could possibly be there for his first present.
I’m going to rewind somewhat to a bit about me. As a result of funds, amongst different issues, I’ve not gone to a present exterior of education exhibits on the barn I boarded at previous to shifting to Leduc, since 2013 or 2014. Grayson has by no means seen the little white fences and letters. I’ve by no means taken a horse to a brand new location and gotten on with out lunging them. Perhaps even having another person get on.
Apart from the polocrosse clinic, my lack of transport for him has restricted Actual Grace’s off-property adventures. And now, we had been going to a brand new place with a good time-frame to highschool. We offloaded him and my stuff, I threw tack on him, and off we went to stroll across the dressage ring on foot. I let him see the ring, walked round it each methods, and took him over to the block and climbed on. He stood like a rock.
That, in fact, is by design. I’m not past utilizing bribery to realize desired behaviors, and I’ve by no means been very assured mounting a wiggly horse. So, from day one, I started educating him that after I used to be on him, he would get considered one of his coveted peppermints. The proof is within the pudding when he stood like a rock even at a brand new place with a good bit occurring, after which twisted his head round for his sweet.
The issue with this coaching approach is that ought to I ever, for any purpose, not have that coveted sweet readily available, we are going to almost definitely be caught on the mounting block perpetually. Let’s hope the peppermint factories by no means get behind on manufacturing!
He schooled nicely — a bit tense, however he did chill out. I used to be proud of how he went round, his willingness to enter corners of the ring, and the way levelheaded and unconcerned he was with something occurring round him. We walked again to the barn on a free rein, obtained him all settled, arrange, braided, and made it again in time for Lasix. Phew!
After a late night time on the races, I hustled again for morning rides Saturday. Seems, the warm-up ring was a zoo of epic proportion on an space of the grounds we hadn’t investigated the day earlier than. Grayson was completely flabbergasted by the array of horses going each which course and each which pace. Even worse, we trotted about two circles earlier than being referred to as to the ring, and off we went into coaching degree take a look at 1, late, frantic, and with Grayson simply wanting the heck out of that warmup!
Within the little white fences, he tried very exhausting. He wasn’t as relaxed as at dwelling, and positively there have been bobbles, however I used to be extremely happy with him. And he obtained the appropriate lead on the third attempt!
With 50 minutes to our subsequent take a look at, I elected to go trot across the warm-up ring some time, and we did get to a degree the place he was superbly relaxed. I used to be super-happy together with his Intro B take a look at. Our third take a look at was late within the afternoon, it was sizzling, Grayson was overwhelmed with the warmup, after which within the take a look at itself he was much less relaxed. It was going alright although, and he obtained the appropriate lead first attempt! I barely had time to rejoice that when Grayson voted himself out of taking part in my nonsense by attempting to duck left, and when that didn’t work going sideways throughout the world. This occurs to be the video clip I take pleasure in sharing probably the most! We stayed within the ring and completed the take a look at with no left lead canter and a few basic stress. However we obtained by means of it! It was such a child second, and I chuckle each time I consider it.
So, you’d suppose Sunday he can be drained and rather more relaxed, proper? Nicely, that might in all probability be the case, however what I discovered Sunday morning was a horse whose mind was bouncing round someplace up by Mars, and a bag of feed that I abruptly realized was two-thirds gone. No, no one obtained into it. I found my model of two scoops and my barn proprietor’s model are very completely different … and I by chance fed him like a racehorse! So sure, he was increased than a kite.
A stable 20 minutes on the lunge line I virtually didn’t want to make use of all weekend introduced him firmly again to Earth. We had a very good heat up in a quieter space, and our greatest take a look at of the weekend was additionally our hardest! Coaching take a look at 3. Underneath a choose who’s the hardest and most conservative of our judges. And whereas I hope we are able to rating a stable 8-10% increased in a month, I’m completely thrilled with the marks we obtained from her. Together with the most effective rider place mark I’ve ever obtained!
Total, I’m so happy as a result of his presence of thoughts was distinctive and, whereas he had inexperienced moments, he was steadfast and tried exhausting a lot of the time. I additionally rode all however our final take a look at and not using a reader!
The next weekend considered one of his part-owners from his racing profession was down for the Canadian Derby. I had the privilege of assembly her and giving her the chance to go to Grayson. It was pretty, and I’m so glad we obtained to do this.
And now, I hold pondering it’s time to place the ending touches on issues for the journey to Kentucky. However actually, when you’ve got a growing horse, there aren’t any ending touches. I do know the place I would like to shine up the take a look at, however we’re largely simply persevering with with our coaching, beginning to change his steadiness in his gaits, engaged on that blasted proper lead, and rising his lateral suppleness whereas additionally starting to develop extra longitudinal suppleness. As a result of we’re solely originally, and each ability he’s near mastering simply results in one other new one to be taught. I believe that’s what I like most about dressage.
As we head into the ultimate weeks earlier than our journey south of the border, I’m struck by understanding that I couldn’t have requested for a greater horse to tackle this journey. He’s so sort and so levelheaded and tries his coronary heart out, on a regular basis. Journey plans are set, and I’m hoping to get out to a education present and some off-property classes this month, if I can organize rides.
Till the Thoroughbred Makeover, trip on, and I hope all of us have a profitable few closing weeks earlier than we get to get collectively and rejoice these superb horses we’ve been growing!
The Jockey Membership helps many aftercare initiatives together with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the one accrediting physique in aftercare, and Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), which inspires the retraining of Thoroughbreds into different disciplines upon completion of careers. View the entire initiatives supported by The Jockey Membership.
