After Racing: Retraining Thoroughbreds

Jewel enjoyed some pasture time yesterday after more than a week on stall rest due to the laceration on her leg. Its healing and and she was happy to be out side where she could stretch her legs a bit!

A big welcome to new foster horse She's Got Wings! We're going to call her Smoke, in honor of being the 10th Tony Stewart horse in the program. She is currently under evaluation. More information to follow!

I was lucky enough to get to be part of Roman's delivery to his new home today. I'll let these photos I shot during the process speak for themselves. I really don't think he could have gone to a better place or nicer person!

Well I picked up Magic today and he is like a completely different horse. MUCH more confident. Really laid back. Its as though he finally took a deep breath and realized that life just doesn't have to be rushed. I was thrilled to see him go so well and even more thrilled to get to ride him. Jan gave me a tour of the property during a 30 minute or so trail ride. Magic did great and I know his owner Chris is going to be thrilled with him! I'm looking forward to some good trail rides in the upcoming weeks.

Since I had access to the truck and trailer, Sara Busbice, the FFI president asked if I could move a couple of horses around. After getting Magic back home, I headed down to Horse & Hound Vet clinic to pick up Bartlett, who was left there after not passing his vet check to the desires of the adopter. He went back to his foster home and will be starting training for a beginner level horse trial later this summer. He seemed excited to be home. From that foster home, I picked up Darcy (registered name Sea Dar) , who will be heading up to Jan and Archies in June.

When I got back, I brought in Flirt and Jewel to ride them. Jewel had a swollen knee with what looked to be a scrape. Turns out to be a cut. It looks like she just cut the surface skin (the hide) on her right knee. I have no idea what she could have cut it on. The whole knee is swollen, and while she's sore on it, she isn't lame. She trotted sound on the lunge line. I cleaned the wound as best I could and determined that the cut at least is superficial. I can't find anything that looks like a puncture or a deeper slice. I have no idea what she did. I guess it could be a kick, but the cut is so clean that I'm tending towards a wire cut. I gave her a gram of bute and tucked her in her stall for the night. We'll see how she is doing tomorrow. I wish I'd seen it before I drove to the vet's today to pick up Bartlett because would have hauled her down there just to be on the safe side.

Flirt was filthy. Just absolutely gross looking. Such is what happens when we get 7 inches of rain in one week. She was also shedding like crazy, so I decided to give her a bath. She got a good scrub down and looks so much better! She's a bit thin for my taste. She just looks racing fit. I'd like to see more fat on her, but I think the issue is that she's gone through another growth spurt because she is no longer butt high. I left a note for her grain to be increased. After the bath I lunged her out on the grass arena. It is actually dry enough to work out there (I'm surprised!). If the weather holds out tomorrow, I hope to get to ride her out there. Keep your fingers crossed!

This post will be short and sweet, but just wanted to let everybody know that I'm heading out to pick up Magic today. He's been up getting some trail ride training at Jan & Archie's place for the last month or so. I'm excited to be able to get him out on the trails and such outside over the next month or so. Here are a couple of the pictures they sent me of him figuring out that there is more to riding than running and racing.

Ignoble Endings Far From the Winners Circle
by William C. Rhoden
Published April 30, 2009 - New York Times

Well, I had a couple nice rides today. I didn't expect greatness from my horse since she's had about a month off and it sometimes takes some convincing that she should actually work again. But, I was pleasantly surprised the good effort she gave. I would have like to have ridden outside, but it was just to wet out there yet. Heck, I nearly lost my muck boots just walking out in the paddock to get her. My muck boots go up to my knees and I had mud within two inches of the top. At one point, I wondered if I should continue further. Thankfully, it got shallower instead of deeper.

Anyhow, after riding Jewel, I rode Flirt. She is doing really well. I'm really pleased. She w/t/c both directions on the lunge with ease. Her lateral work on the ground is really coming along. I do have to remind her (under saddle) to move her shoulders to the outside. She really wants to fall inwards. We've been doing some turns on the haunches, which require her to pick up the inside shoulder and shift her weight to the outside in order to do so. They're a little sloppy yet, but getting better. She is also standing quietly in the cross ties and standing quietly at the mounting block. I'm proud of where she's at and how far she's come!

After riding Flirt, I was pretty much wiped out. Linda was giving a lesson to another border and there was quite a lot of dust in the air. I just needed to not be breathing all that in. In other words, Roman got another day off. The good news though is that someone is interested in him and is scheduled for a visit on Wednesday. From what I know of this person (based on her adoption application), she would make a great home for him. Hopefully it all works out!

After nearly two weeks of no riding due to ankle injury and then a nasty cough, I'm finally riding today! All the horses have had it fairly easy with just ground work, but now its back to work. Plus, its actually sunny out today. Yippee! I probably won't be able to ride outside, but at least I'll be able to get on them in the indoor. Updates on rides later. :)

Today is a clinic with Linda Heiny and I sure wish I were riding in it. Unfortunately, I've contracted a nasty respiratory cold. Dave had it. Now I have it. And while I don't have flu-like symptoms (more like sinus infection type symptoms), I'm going to stay away from the barn for today to keep the dust out of my lungs. I figure everything I can do to speed along the recovery (and not pass along my germs) is a good thing.

I may stop by the barn later this afternoon and just peek on in the ponies and make sure everyone is doing fine. They've no doubt been enjoying the past few days off.