In June, we took Scout to a different native dressage education present. He was composed and did an important job incomes second- and third-place ribbons. Extra importantly, he improved in each method. He was extra relaxed and much more on the aids. He appeared to “get” the thought of what he was doing there, performing each exams easily. Kristen rode him once more and did an exquisite job.
Let’s discuss Kristen. She has been driving for a really very long time. She started at Oldfields Faculty growing basis as a hunter/jumper rider. She took breaks from driving to go to varsity and for some life occasions. Kristen began working at Leighton Farm within the mornings and has been reliable and dedicated to the horses. Within the final couple years she started to take an curiosity in dressage, driving at a close-by secure, so it was solely pure to place her on some horses right here at Leighton Farm, the house base of Thoroughbred Placement Assets.
We really feel it’s vital to assist folks excited about working with and driving retired racehorses. A part of our mission at TPR is to coach folks in correctly driving and retraining them. The hope is they’ll then share this information with others. Kristen has finished an important job studying how we work with these fantastic horses. My objective for Scout is to show him to issues and on the identical time, I’ve been in a position to present Kristen the right way to correctly get new trainees off the farm and out to competitors whereas constructing their confidence.
Scout continues to make regular progress though we weren’t in a position to transfer as much as the Coaching Stage 2 dressage take a look at for this present. I had a foul fall from one other horse (not Scout) at first of June which resulted in my having to take break day from driving and coaching horses. This meant I didn’t get his canter the place it wanted to be in time for the present. If you would like the canter to be relaxed you completely can’t rush it. There’s nonetheless loads of time to place a relaxed and balanced canter on him so I really feel assured that Scout continues to be on schedule to get to the Makeover.
The canter challenges the horse’s steadiness greater than the trot or stroll. It’s because in a single part of the canter, all 4 ft are off the bottom and within the subsequent part, the horse lands on one entrance leg which determines the lead the horse is on. This implies if he isn’t over his ft, he’ll land out of steadiness, and to a horse that’s falling. If the horse has the bodily improvement and abilities to regain steadiness with out rushing up earlier than we introduce the canter, he is not going to change into tense and fear about shedding his steadiness. So we take the time to present the horse these abilities within the trot earlier than transferring as much as canter work.
It’s extremely sizzling and Scout has excelled when going off-site, so we’re going to deal with driving and coaching him on the farm for now. I don’t compete or take horses off the farm throughout July and most of August as a result of warmth. There may be a lot we are able to accomplish on the farm till then. I’m very glad he’s finished so properly within the journeys off the farm. It takes the strain off.
Scout has been very simple and enjoyable to coach up thus far. That is one thing we are able to’t take with no consideration. Anybody who has horses can inform you there are numerous issues that may go improper. The path of the coaching have to be dictated by Scout and up to now, he’s making regular progress. It is a present and it’s vital to take pleasure in and recognize each second of it.
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.
