I’ve loved reflecting and writing on ABR about coaching Fast Chaos. I’ve promised myself I’ll proceed to jot down about our journey on the goodhorse.org weblog. On this ultimate put up, the very first thing I’d love to do is thank the Retired Racehorse Undertaking. The workers and volunteers work extraordinarily onerous to make this a first-class occasion they usually succeeded. It was a optimistic expertise for Scout, which was my objective. Actually, Scout’s subsequent deliberate outing might be his first acknowledged present at Present Place Enviornment in Higher Marlboro, Md. I feel it should appear mundane to him in comparison with the Thoroughbred Makeover. That’s what we wish isn’t it? The horse to be comfy and assured whereas competing. The expertise he had on the makeover went a protracted solution to attaining this.
One other factor value mentioning is the ambiance on the present. It was a celebration of the Thoroughbred, and I beloved it. It was a spot the place the Thoroughbred is the popular breed and that’s one thing I don’t get to expertise typically in acknowledged dressage, particularly within the higher ranges.
What did Scout get out of this expertise? He acquired lots! As a horse’s coaching progresses, you have to start to place stress him after which train him easy methods to deal with it. The Thoroughbred Makeover was one in all these challenges.
After I make a giant ask of a horse, I fear that I’m going to over face him and trigger a setback. The secret’s to push the horse out of his consolation zone, however no more than you possibly can assist him deal with efficiently. From the beginning, the journey to Kentucky offered issues as a result of the primary freeway was closed, inflicting us to take roads by the mountains to get there. We spent hours going up and down steep grades. I nervous about how a lot bodily and psychological stress this may create for Scout. I used to be certain he could be drained from this, so I didn’t prepare him the primary full day in Kentucky. As an alternative, we went to the Kentucky Horse Park, walked, grazed, and walked some extra … taking within the very busy setting. His vet inspection was scary as a result of they’d a tough time discovering his microchip, but it surely all labored out and we had been set to go.
On the second day, we arrived early and headed to his competitors rings. This offered the primary oversight in my preparation of Scout. He needed to stroll between two leaping arenas the place there was plenty of leaping happening. I had solely taken him to dressage exhibits and, whereas he has seen horses leaping at my farm, this was much more exercise and he started to get excited.
Scout was true to type as he contained himself and we solid on to the dressage heat up space. With some strolling and suppling we had been prepared to go up the hill to the competitors arenas. We spent plenty of time in a single and rode the perimeter of the opposite. I then concluded our journey. He had carried out every thing I had requested, and I didn’t wish to hold asking till I created a setback.
The subsequent day we labored within the dressage heat up and had a fantastic journey earlier than we returned to the farm the place Scout spent the day grazing and having fun with the solar on his again. On the day of his competitors, he warmed up nice. Our Coaching Degree Two take a look at was good, but it surely did comprise one obtrusive mistake. Scout picked up the left lead canter after which did a fantastic, clear flying change. Sadly, dressage doesn’t give further credit score so it blew our rating for the canter depart and the 20m circle. We nonetheless completed with a really respectable 67%. Our demo journey was Coaching Degree acceptable however not sufficient to earn the sort of factors we wanted to be aggressive. Luckily, in the actual dressage world, we solely should be excellent at Coaching Degree, so Scout is ready for his subsequent present in November.
There was an sudden profit realized from taking this journey collectively. I organized the journey one of the best ways I may to make sure Scout had a optimistic expertise. I didn’t really feel residing within the busy setting of the Kentucky Horse Park for every week could be good for a 4-year-old, so along with having a stall on the horse park, we had a stall with prove on the farm the place I used to be staying. This meant that Scout would ship to the horse park every day to work however would then ship again to the farm for some relaxation and leisure. The farm was quiet and peaceable. Every day revolved round caring for Scout.
Throughout this week collectively, when it was simply me and Scout, he started to bond with me. At Leighton Farm it’s me and all the horses, however right here it was simply the 2 of us. Scout has at all times been an excellent man to work with however he had not related with me or anybody. Numerous racehorses are like this. They’re right here to do a job, like a enterprise skilled. They work together with a number of individuals, however they don’t accomplice or bond with us. Within the present and pleasure world individuals work onerous to develop a stable partnership with every horse they compete and prepare, and it’s one of the pleasing issues about having your personal horse. Throughout this expertise, Scout discovered a cause to bond with a human and I’m excited as a result of if he can bond with me, he might be keen to bond together with his new human once we discover them.
Now it’s time to seek out somebody ok for Scout. Till then, I’ll proceed his coaching and assist him hold stacking up successes.
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 all the initiatives supported by The Jockey Membership.
