RRTP: 100 Day Challenge

 Have you all been keeping up with the Retired Racehorse Training Project 100 Day Challenge? I've been stalking the website daily, eagerly awaiting updates on the four "contestants." Declan's Moon, Gunport, Suave Jazz, and Alluring Punch, representing four Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Farms, began their 100-Day training program on December 1 at Steuart Pittman's Dodon Farm Training Center in Dawsonville, MD. The aim of the 100-Day Challenge is to showcase the quality, versatility, and trainability of the Throughbreds produced by America's racing industry. Steuart has done an amazing job documenting each horse's progress, and his training videos are an invaluable insight into the process of retraining retired racers to become riding horses.

All four horses have blown me away with the progress they have made in just only 8 short weeks, but I am pulling for Suave Jazz. This guy may not be as fancy on the outside as the rest of the gang, but he has an amazing mind, and has proven, so far, to be the most trainable of the bunch. Suave Jazz, out of Suave Prospect, was born in Florida in 2003 and raced for 7 years, earning over $600,000. This horse is game for anything, and he reminds me of a certain 9-year-old Florida campaigner ;) Both Kwik and Jazz have Fortunate Prospect as a grandfather, and this is certainly where they both get their great minds and willingness to please.

I'm also really enjoying watching Declan. There are a lot of great references available for retraining OTTBs, but I feel like many of them don't talk about the bumps in the road we're all likely to experience. Declan is sassy, and when asked to move forward off the leg, he protests from time to time with a snarl, a buck, or a kick. It's certainly not sunshine and rainbows all of the time, and it was nice (and helpful!) to see a pro deal with these issues and watch the subsequent improvement.

Starting tomorrow, the horses will be on display at the Maryland Horse World Expo. Steuart says there is no way these guys and gals could possibly know they are ambassadors for their kind, but somehow they just seem to get it. Crossing my fingers for spectacular performances from all four of the kids!

Nippy

Who doesn't like to feed their horse his favorite treats? Kwik would probably do just about anything for a peppermint. He can hear the crinkle of a peppermint wrapper from a mile away, and once he sees you with one, his eyes light up like Christmas, his ears perk straight up, and he makes what I like to call the "GIMME!" face. It's adorable. But the minute I give him a treat, he proceeds to nose and nip around my hands and pockets for the duration of my time with him. He's never outright tried to bite me, but I certainly don't want him to learn how. I know owners who don't allow hand feeding for this very reason. Placing treats in his feed tub after our ride seems to help, but where's the fun in that? Is there a right and wrong way to treat your horse? Is there a way to treat your horse and discourage nippy behavior at the same time? Help! :-)

On another note, we are all set to move to the new barn on the 29th. I can't wait to get Kwik settled into his new home and back to work. I feel like we're just on pause until then, but forget the visions of sugar plum fairies. I've got the promise of trail rides, dressage lessons, and jumping sweet jumps dancing in my head!

Happy Holidays!!!

Kwik and the Baby Jumps




I had a lesson Saturday with A, and we ended with a bit of jumping. This was only Kwik's second jump session, so we're taking things slowly to build good habits and confidence from the get go. We began just walking over a small cavaletti. Once he was comfortable walking over it we picked up a trot a few strides away. He ducked out and gave me a couple of small bucks as he cantered away. I regrouped and sent him around again. He jumped it like it was 5', and I was completely thrown off balance. He threw a couple small bucks when we landed as I tried to regroup. Once I got myself back together, my first instinct was to hop off and let A deal with his shenanigans, but my new-found confidence kicked in! I know this horse gets rattled when I get discombobulated, and he is extremely correct when I am correct. So, my job is to sit correctly and give him the confidence he lacks at this stage in the game. So, I picked up a trot, pointed him at the cavaletti again, sat a bit deeper, and encouraged him forward. Kwik popped right over, trotted politely out, and came right back to a walk when I asked!

After he was comfortably jumping the small cavaletti, we moved on to a very small vertical with some trot poles in front. I could feel him hesitate, and I thought he might try and duck out. I gave him a little more leg, and he jumped right over. After a few more trips through, he figured out how to pick up his front feet, and we moved on to another teeny vertical. Kwik was definitely more confident heading into this vertical (complete with fall wreaths!), and he threw a little party for himself as he cantered out! We ended there and recapped the lesson:

- Kwik is learning to stretch and bend (yay!), but he has figured out that he can overbend to the inside and pop his rear end to the outside rather than traveling straight. My first instinct is to use my inside rein to move him over, which is exactly what he wants me to do. It took a while for the idea to click, but A explained that I need to open my outside rein, bend him slightly to the outside, push his rear over with my outside leg, and use my inside leg as a post. That's a lot to think about and do all at once! It definitely got better, but we will be drilling this all week.

- Kwik is correct when I am correct. That's all there is to it. If he's doing something naughty, its because I am not riding effectively or I'm all nerved up. I have so many little things to check off in my head to make sure I am sitting correctly, and I'm constantly reminding myself when I ride. I'm hoping if I can fix my lower half, my upper half will be easier to adjust.

- A explained that when teaching green horses to jump, she likes to sit a bit deeper rather than assume half seat/jump position. That way, she has her leg and seat aids and can use them to encourage the horse forward and over the jump. When the horse is more confident, the half seat can be incorporated.

I was really proud of myself for this ride. A lot of it was ugly as I tried to fix myself, and I almost lost my brain when Kwik lost his. But I regrouped, rode through it, and ended with a good thing going.





I am handsome in my blue boots



So proud of himself!

Back to the Drawing Board

Sometimes you need to stand back, take a deep breath, and consider a problem from a new angle.

Finn definitely seems physically better. He hasn't locked up since the blistering procedure, but his attitude still, frankly, sucks. He's still balky in the arena and has turned into an absolute nightmare on the trails. Our last trailventure ended in him throwing a massive temper tantrum which ended in him rearing straight up, tripping over himself, and falling onto his side. Thank goodness I was able to abandon ship off the other side or I would probably not be sitting here writing this. I was too shaken up to get back on, but we walked back to the farm, and I longed the snot out of him.

I have never had a horse who thought rearing was a possible/accepable way of protestation. That particular behavior is extremely dangerous, and it's just not something I'm willing (or experienced enough)to "work" through. I had a long talk with JK the next evening, and we decided Finn man just might not be a good match for me. I left the barn that night frustrated, slighly hopeful, and sad. I love my guy. I do. But this is not fun at all.

The next day I plucked up the courage to call Finn's adoption agency. Honestly, I was scared she would think I completely screwed up this horse and would think I have no business owning another OTTB, but our chat went in the completely opposite direction. She listened to my update, gave me a few suggestions/things to check, and then offered to take him on as a boarding/training project at the adoption agency. She also told me that sometimes these things just don't work out, and if I am at the point of no return, the organization can help me rehome him and find a new boy/girl. She emphasized that this does not make me a bad person (which I REALLY needed to hear) and assured me there is an OTTB out there that is my perfect match.

I can't tell you how much better I felt after this conversation. I finally have a plan in place that will lead to a happy ending, one way or another. I will be sad if we don't work out, but I know he will go to a great home with this organization. Plus, I will be in an excellent position to try as many new guys/gals as I want, and I am sure to find my new partner in crime. So, Finn man will (tenatively) make the move on Sunday. I'm so excited (and relieved!) to get this ball rolling!