Little Kentucky Farm Thoroughbreds

Your Ex-Race Horse . . . This is How it Begins
By Zeb Fry
Photography by Robyn West

The day starts at the crack of dawn, as buckets are filled with oats and the hay is piled high as soft nickers trickle their way down each stall. There’s always a big pot of coffee brewing and the sweet mix of its aroma along with the heavy scent of leather hangs through the air. Everyone is waking up, stretching and yawning and as in most racing stables, looking forward to what lays ahead.

I grab my tack and pass through the office, and as I do I have their eyes looking down on me. So many photos . . . black and white irreplaceable photos of past winners, their grooms and beaming faces smiling at anyone who passes near. In one photo, stands HRH Queen Elizabeth wearing the lovely fashion of the 1960’s with lilac colored gloves as she holds a large silver cup in the Winner’s Circle. I go through my usual routine each time I pass, repeating their names to myself – El Senor, Decidedly (Kentucky Derby winner), Northern Dancer (Derby and Preakness winner), Nijinski (leading Broodmare sire), Tap Shoes, Riva Ridge and I am in awe that they were once here.

Every season a fresh batch of young fillies and colts come in from the fields to be broke and prepped for their freshman year as a racehorse. In a way it’s a type of graduation where they’ve learned how to count and do their A B C’s. Now, playtime is over and it is time to get serious. By 2 years of age, the Thoroughbred is very advanced in their training and handling compared to the average horse. They’ve become accustom to wearing full tack, how to be groomed and bathed daily, being tied and exercised on a hot walker, adjusting how to walk, trot, canter and gallop, exiting from the start gate and eventually leaving home on a big semi. It all has its place and time in the education and future success of each Thoroughbred on the farm, and if they’re lucky enough, they may even one day have their photo placed on the wall along with the others.

Each person involved has a particular ‘duty’ in handling the horses and the horses are very aware of it. I compare it to a pit crew at a car race, where there is a set routine and generally a time allotted to each horse. I’ve always told people that Thoroughbred horses are creatures of ‘habit’, where they become accustom to the daily schedule, and this is something one needs to understand when working with them whether at the track or in transition to become a show horse.

We always tack up in the stalls, putting the bridles over the halters, smoothing out the saddlecloths and lightly cinching the girth. A groom tacks the horse and then the hot walker person holds the horse as I get a leg up. Mounting blocks are never used, as the routine is to be as similar to what the horses will experience once at the track.

Every moment around the youngster is a learning experience for them. I always support myself over the horse’s withers during the leg-up and then gently lower myself. I never flop down or smack my legs against the girth area after getting legged up. We talk a lot to the horses in a low tone, rub their necks and make them feel safe. The hot walker person then circles me around in the stall until the horse relaxes through the spine and accepts my lower leg at the girth. With the thin exercise saddles on, you can easily feel the back of the horse. If you have a spine creeping in between your butt cheeks, I usually have the hot walker turn me in the stall a few times until the spine starts to relax down.

Once out of the stall, I tightened the girth (always while in the saddle), and my job as an exercise rider is to encourage the young Thoroughbred to move forward from my leg, torso and voice. In the early training stages, we stay inside the shed row for a full week prior to going out to the track and use a nice quite lead pony a few feet in front of us to follow. The lead pony is bombproof and often settles a young Thoroughbred and gives them confidence and security. There is an occasional over active colt feeling his oats and may bump into the rear end of the lead pony and want to play. This is when I nudge them forward, keeping my hands low and soft and clucking them on. Training a young racehorse to concentrate and develop a solid work ethic early on is extremely important.

We invest thorough and correct training into each horse so that once they leave the farm, they’ll have had a great start in their careers and the odds won’t be so much against them. I am also very aware that they may not make it at the track, and if I can teach the horses the proper basics early on, then they can develop into nice show horses (especially Eventers).

The shed row has a mix of dirt and sand around the perimeter of the stalls with a tall ceiling that allows for indoor workouts. December through March is when we start to break the babies and because you can never depend upon the weather that time of year, riding around the indoor path is great. Something a lot of people don’t realize is that ex-track horses do really well in indoor arenas simply because of this early training experience of working inside.

After the colts and fillies are backed, the next step is to have the young horses moving forward at a trot, keeping a pace and getting physically conditioned. Some can be fussy with their heads or lean into your hands, while others trot happily around with ears perked. As a rider, you’ve got to not only be fit and have stamina but you also need to be versatile and aware that every horse is an individual who requires respect. By March, the training schedule has picked up quite a bit and the workload has increased, again with the intent of preparing the horses either for the track or for the sales.

After a couple days of following the lead pony, we mount outside the stalls and work our trot sets without the pony. You can notice a difference in the pace and attitude of the youngsters when their ‘security blanket’ is taken away, as they look for the lead pony and suck back from my leg.

So now we come into another phase of training, and teach independence and require the colts and fillies to really listen to what the rider is saying to them. They even need to learn what the stick means. Their usual response is with a question, such as, “Why are you tapping me with that annoying thing? I guess I’ll just slow down or stop altogether!” It’s a strange reaction that you may not expect, but in time they adjust and learn that a tap on the shoulder or behind the leg means to go faster.

Again, it takes a few days to adjust and learn to move freely forward. We will also add another colt or filly in the line up and have them work around together prior to going to the training track. It’s really interesting to see where their minds are at this moment because some become a bit competitive and want to be up front. Some will speed up in the turns and some will decide to slow down along the long side of the shed. This is when it’s helpful to follow up with the trainer and communicate what we’re feeling on top of the horse so that there is a game plan on what to watch out for once on the track.

When the rides are over, the babies are cooled out either on the hot walker or hand walked, brushed and then taken back out to the pastures to graze and play until the next day. I gather up all the equipment and make my way back through the office to the tack room where again, I’m met with those faces staring down at me from the walls. I don’t walk too quickly through this part of the barn. Everyday when I look up at those photos, it is as if I am looking at them for the first time – I never tire of them but rather finish my day with a habit I’ve gotten myself into of repeating their names to myself, “El Senor, Decidedly, Northern Dancer, Nijinski, Tap Shoes, Riva Ridge . . . ”

It’s a Roll of The Dice When it Comes to Dosage Profiling
Do the numbers really mean anything?

Deciphering your ex-racehorse’s Dosage Profile may be part of a missing link and could answer questions as to the type of horse you own. Have you ever sat on a Thoroughbred and wondered what drives them to be the way they are? Do you event a Thoroughbred and feel like your horse could gallop all day long and never tire? Do you have a Thoroughbred that barely needs any conditioning?

Jockey Club registered Thoroughbreds have Dosage Profile numbers that look a lot like lottery numbers. Personally, understanding how to put together a profile is about as interesting as watching grass grow and that old sleepy feeling I use to get while sitting in Statistics class starts to creep in. But by understanding a Thoroughbred’s profile, some may think it can enable them to make predictions about it’s future.

A Dosage Profile (DP) can be thought of as a mathematical equation to classify Thoroughbred pedigrees into different racing categories. It is also suppose to assist in verifying what type of race the horse will be successful in running such as a Grade I (Kentucky Derby/Breeder’s Cup), Grade II (Louisiana Derby) or Grade III (Gotham Stakes). The lower level types of races are in the following order: Non-Stakes races, Classified Allowance races, Claiming races, Maiden Special Weight races and Maiden Claiming races.

Profiling predicts inherited traits based upon sire ancestry and how well a horse is going to run in the dirt or on turf, if it will be a sprinter or have stamina to run long distances. The offspring’s sires must be listed on the Chef-de-Race list in order to have Dosage points. Breeders, bloodstock agents and those who bet on races believe it to be a serious tool for rating a horse before it has ever been conceived. It’s an intricate piece of information (that can be confusing), generated by meticulous record keeping and configurations.

The Chef-de-Race list is updated annually and is a ‘who’s- who’ of old and new Thoroughbred sires. The list is sometimes referred to as the Masters of the Breed listing. Each stallion has points that are inherited to their offspring. The points start out higher in the 1st and 2nd generation of foals and gradually become lower in later generations as the sire’s influence or bloodlines lessen. For example, 1st generation will be scored 16 points, 2nd generation - 8 points, 3rd generation - 4 points, 4th generation - 2 points. Sires can be named in more than one category and therefore have points in both divisions.

The Dosage Profile’s (DP) 5 categories or 5 numbers, predict the running ability offspring will inherit via the sire/s. The numbers can be found at the top of a Thoroughbred’s pedigree report next to the name, where stallions are placed under the categories of Brilliant (speed) – Intermediate (speed) – Classic (middle) – Solid (stamina) – Professional (stamina). Categories correspond to a range of distance potential. Classic represents the "ideal" balance of speed and stamina and is usually divided in half with points being added into the Brilliant/Intermediate categories and then the other half into the Solid/Professional slot.

The Dosage Profile is made up of 2 stats: the Dosage Index (DI) and Center of Distribution (CD). The Dosage Index (DI) is the ratio of inherited proponent speed to stamina in the pedigree. It is derived from the DP by dividing the speed component (the Brilliant points plus the Intermediate points plus one-half the Classic points) by the stamina component (one-half the Classic points plus the Solid points plus the Professional points). The DP is split down the middle through the Classic aptitude group. The numbers on the left side represent speed while those on the right side represent stamina. The Center of Distribution (CD) marks the balancing point of all the numbers in the profile and indicates a specific distance that an individual Thoroughbred can run.

Storm Cat
For example, Storm Cat’s highlighted Dosage Profile: (USA) br. H, 1983 DP = 11-8-10-1-0 (30). DI = 4.00 CD = 0.97 . Storm Cat’s Dosage Index interprets him to be a speed horse.

The higher the number is in the Dosage Index (DI) between the scale of 1.0 to 4.0, the more speed a horse is suppose to have. A horse that scores higher than 1.0 for the Center of Distribution (CD) will have lower distance potential.

So the next time you gallop through the finish on Cross Country after having a clean and stellar round, possibly consider your Thoroughbred’s Dosage Profile as playing a part. It could be a hidden formula that gives you a ‘jump’ ahead of the competition.

The First Annual Aiken Event Horse Sale
Written by Zeb Fry
Photography and artwork by Robyn West

After months of hard work and preparation, Craig Thompson’s dream of having an event where like-minded horsemen could gather together to search for the next Eventing star finally took place on his Shadow Lane Farm in Aiken, South Carolina. The festivities were from Feb. 19-22, where beautiful prospects and seasoned event horses could be viewed and then ridden by potential buyers.

It was Craig’s vision to be able to organize an event sale as a type of ‘one-stop shopping’ place. A total of 75 horses were entered for the sale, with a large turn out of spectators and buyers from all over the United States. Some buyers came as far as Ontario, Canada. For months, Craig set out to do an advanced marketing plan for advertising the sale. Publications were posted in The Chronicle of The Horse, The United States Eventing Association, chat forums and a number of eventing web sites.

The first day gave horses and riders a chance to settle in and hack around while grooms and assistants gathered armbands, numbers and sale packets. The farm is relatively new and is still under construction, where there is a lovely sand arena set with schooling fences. The nearby field was designed with cross-country jumps that included a water complex and a colorful stadium course.

All the horses entered were categorized in groups of 4 and 5 riders and each group was designated a time slot as to when the horses were to be jogged in hand the following day. For a few prospect horses it was their first time ever being in braids or in front of a large crowd of people. The handlers, dressed in business attire jogged their horses down the long sandy lane while giving potential buyers a chance to look over the sales catalog and compare the potential prospects. It was also an opportunity to see how the horse behaves, moves in-hand and make for a memorable first impression.

After the jogs, riders went back to their trailers to wait their ride times. The horses were tacked and groomed and all the riders were required to wear their ‘seller’ armbands. At the start of the rides, the announcer introduced each of the horses and also read a brief description about each animal. The descriptions included the names of the sire and dam, and information as to the performance record and training history.

The ride groups were first allowed to warm up in the sand arena for 15 minutes. This gave the horses a chance to relax into some flat work and then eventually start jumping over schooling fences. Again, the spectators and buyers were given the opportunity to see how each horse moved on the flat and then how they performed over fences.

Once the warm up time in the sand arena was up, the riders were instructed to move across to the grass field where the stadium fences and cross-country fences were set up. Each group was allotted another 15 minutes of ride time, but this time at a much forward pace. The stadium course was colorful and friendly, with a variety of fences to give every horse a chance to ‘show-off’ their talent.

There were a fair number of local Aiken horsemen present at the sale that included well - known names such as Phillip Dutton. There were also a couple famous eventers, Mike Huber and Will Faudree from Texas who attended the sale with horses.

The new cross-country course gave the viewers a taste of what each horse is capable of doing. There were ditches, big roll-tops, logs, Training Level size bank, a large water complex, and a couple combination fences. The terrain was sandy and rolling, giving the horses a chance to put in a few gallop rounds as spectators sat under a tent on the hill to watch. Later, after everyone had their rides, it was time for the serious buyers to go to the office and either put in a request to try the horse or to put their offer on the board to purchase.

That evening a cocktail party was hosted at Craig’s home in the historic part of downtown Aiken. After a full day in the wind and sunshine, everyone was ready to relax to some good food and a couple cocktails. Craig went all-out again with
an intimate setting on the back patio as a local jazz player was invited to play the trumpet while the guest mingled and enjoyed the gourmet platters.

It was a great opportunity to meet fellow eventers and not only talk about the horses entered at the sale, but to also discuss the upcoming trials and 3-Days. Afterwards, everyone met up at The Polo Tavern where the multi-talented Nadeem Noon (who rides for Pakistan) serenaded the ladies at the microphone.

The final day of the sale had another large number of horses that were upper level competitors. By now the list in the office to try horses was completely full with potential buyers and there were a few horses that had offers made on them. Craig and everyone involved should breathe a sigh of relief because it appears the sale was a complete success.

The weather, although a bit windy, warmed up through the sale with no chance of rain until late on the last day. The sandy footing on the farm was perfect, along with the many fences the horses had to school over.
The catered food was delicious with hot potato chowder, tomato basil soups and hot BLT sandwiches. No one went hungry. It was well organized for its premiere event and one can safely assume that in 2009, there could be double the entries. The Aiken Event Horse Sale was a super idea that allowed buyers and sellers to meet in one location over a period of 2 days. There were a variety of horses of all shapes and sizes, and different prices to fit anyone’s particular needs.

While standing on the fence line and watching the beautiful horses and their talented riders work in the arena, I couldn’t help but to think of a particular scene in the famous movie National Velvet with Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney. It was when they arrived at the Aintree paddock area for the Grand National. Velvet was in pure heaven as she watched the horses parade around in their coolers. I remember how she leaned against a flowering shrub, inhaled it’s scent deeply as she looked up into the sky and sighed, “Horses.”
That one word can say it all.

This is the website of Cindy Sullivan (whom many of you may know). In response to the outcry for help for horses due to the drought, she has offered a page on her website for those to list horses in need AND for those to farms that have space to offer foster care.

She is not a rescue organization but wanted to offer a site to for listings so people that need help or those that can offer help can more readily find each other.

There is no doubt the 'need help' list will grow-so PLEASE pass this link around especially to those that may be able to OFFER foster homes.

It's already been a really busy start of the 2008 Eventing season, as the farm is working hard with young horses and preparing Ray to run Preliminary. For the moment, it's a bit of a struggle since the weather here in Georgia has been unpredictable, and I find myself being creative when working with horses and riders. This time of year has been perfect for working on strengthening horse and rider weaknesses, such as understanding how to get more 'push' or 'impulsion' from the horse, schooling gymnastic lines to sharpen timing and form and kicking it up a notch to get out of the 'comfort zone'.

Zeb is pleased to have openings for horses and riders who are serious competitors, new horse owners or someone looking to improve their horsemanship and horse's way of going. Lessons are scheduled from Tuesdays through Fridays by calling the farm at 404-202-4935. Weekly cross country schooling lessons are available either at Pine Top Farm or Poplar Place Farm.

Zeb is also available to come to your farm. She works one-on-one with horses and riders for a full hour at $60. If riders come to Little Kentucky Farm, the fee is $50.

Opening date for entered horses is January 2, 2007 and is attracting a BIG following! Go to www.aikeneventhorsesale.com for further information. Little Kentucky Farm will be attending this event!

What type of horse trailer should I buy and are straight loads better than slant loads?

My horse is lazy with his feet and legs when we jump and he always pulls rails. How can I get him to not do that?

We've returned from our long trip to the park full of reflection about the experience. I would first have to say that the loss of rider Eleanor Brennan and her gelding shrouded everyone there with an invisible cloud of disbelief. The reality of it all was the empty stall next to mine when horse and rider never returned from the course. It was surreal.

The entire event was a massive competition starting at the 2-Star, 1/2-Star, and Horse Trial, through to a Driving competition. It was packed with a variety of beautiful horses and well known names in the Eventing community and is a place that is developing into a top equine facility of the future. There is continuous construction and development going on, with the vision and expertise to leave their name on the map.

The 1/2-Star concept is quickly catching on and I kept saying to myself, "Why hasn't there been something like this years ago?" When I was in my early twenties doing my first 3-Day at Prelim, I can remember the stress and uncertainty I felt. It got to a point where I wasn't enjoying myself and burn-out was eminent. I was also riding a talented gray gelding who had a certain way of doing things 'his-way', and we often had to be lead and held by a handler on the ground when it came to standing in the start box.

The 1/2-Star is open to riders who have always wanted the experience of a full 3-Day with steeplechase, but at speeds, distances, and technical difficulty notched down. They are designed to teach riders and give them a chance to school the steeplechase. If rider's have ridden at the upper levels, but it's been more than 4 years since doing so, you're allowed to ride in a 1/2-Star. I'm happy that I decided to do it, because rules have changed here and there and it was a nice way to see what type of horse I have.

When I started competing Ray early this season I wanted things to progress gradually. The Dressage was our weakest phase and I have to admit I was becoming frustrated at our scores. We have worked to improve every step we take and to get Ray to travel lighter up front and have more push from behind. Our scores are finally telling us there is a light at the end of the tunnel - but the real work has only just begun. Now that he is training for Prelim in preparation for January, we both have to work even harder.

The organizers gave the riders a chance to school a steeplechase fence on course, which was so much fun. It also cut any tension that someone might have had. Afterwards, we walked it with the meter wheel and marked out our minute markers.

I had a blast with Ray at the steeplechase school as Sally O'Connor worked us out of the start box. I appreciated her advice and her compliment on Ray. It was a nice way to gain confidence and confirm that we're headed in the right direction with the future. Ray was super on course. He has a way of focusing on his target fence and taking you there without hesitation. He's very bold and his ears speak volumes as they're permanently pitched forward. This horse LOVES his job and as we galloped against the taped turns on the track, I could feel why he was a good race horse.

The morning of the 4 Phase brought chilly air and frosty footing in 38 degrees temp. Ray and I were first rider out on Phase A, which was nice before it became too active. All I wanted to do was to get his back muscles warmed up quickly so we kept a forward trot and I stayed off his back most of the time. When we arrived at Phase B, the steeplechase, we were ready to pick up the pace. Ray was again a super star and was eating up the course. We hugged the tape all around and that allowed us to save time.

We were to finish Phase C in 18 minutes, but we arrived early at 15 minutes. Since Ray is a bit on the hot side with his temperament, it was interesting to watch the vets work with him in the 10 minute box. One minute he is walking beside you and the next minute he's wiggling around in the air. He can't wait to get on the course and he is so smart, that he knows what phase is next and behaves accordingly.

When called to the start box, my main goal was to have a forward ride to the base of each fence. The fences were fair with a couple questions such as the narrow faced 'roller-coaster' combinations at fences 10A & 10B, and the coffin with one stride on the take off and landing side of the ditch. The last two fences is where I slowed it down a bit and where I got the time penalties of 6.40. The fences were tables and Ray had been pulling at my shoulders for most of the ride. I decided early on that I would check him 5 strides out and get his head up and jump them conservatively. We finished with a few time penalties, but it was a clean and bold round that told me it's time to move up.

Table fences that are placed at the end of a course can be very hazardous if riders aren't careful of their speed and the way their horse is traveling. If they're at the end of a course, it's important especially if the horse is tired to approach in a balanced manner. You don't want the horse on it's forehand with it's head low otherwise they have trouble lifting their shoulders, catching a hoof and flipping.

The stadium course was twisty yet fair with a lot of pretty colorful fences and a liverpool. Out of a field of 29 horses, we were one of 7 rides to have a clean round and that moved us quickly up to finish in 10th place. Ray stayed at a lovely pace where once again it was important to ride him square to the fences and take off at the base in order to have his knees and shoulders up.

I'd really like to say an enormous "THANK-YOU" to Gwen Patterson who acted as my personal photographer and groom. She never missed a beat and kept me in line. She took the brunt of the load with the majority of the work and always had a smile or some wise-ass remark that made me crack up.

I send an arm full of "THANKS" to Jade Anderson who cheered me and Ray on and gave us fantastic advice and coaching for which it paid off with great rounds. We look forward in working with her in the future as we have a couple 1-Stars on the horizon for 2008. The other good thing was that she only had to yell at me twice!

And of course my husband Greg who held the fort down at the farm in Georgia. The horses were all healthy and happy (all their shoes were still on) when I arrived home to a spotless barn - for that I am truly grateful and love him dearly.

Nov. 5, 2007

Thoroughbreds Are the Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of

The sales are always something that I look forward to throughout the season. It can be quite a social event days prior to the auction, and everyone is excited to show off their beautiful stock. It's also a time where people have the opportunity to stand in front of a Thoroughbred who could be the next winner of the Kentucky Derby or who could be a Triple Crown winner.

It's history folks - when you go to a sale and find a horse, you're looking into the eyes of history.

Zeb checking out a sale horse

We made it up to Kentucky for the sales and were fortunate enough to have stopped at a family friend's training facility to see his horses that were going to the sales this weekend and in January. I was immediately drawn to a sweet face grey gelding and made my inquiry about him. I must have caught the owner in a really good mood and at the right time, because the next thing I knew I was loading the colt up in my rig.

Watching the youngsters

We made it to the sales, but only to make an appearance and snoop around. It was wonderful seeing our old neighbors. I bumped into my old boss Darrell Brown of Stonereath Farm and we went down 'memory lane' for a bit before going home to Georgia.

My new horse seems to be settling in at the farm nicely and I'm excited to begin training. We'll be posting his information and photos on the HORSES FOR SALE link shortly. Check back and watch his status as his education to become a show horse begins. His name is Peas n' Carrots.

Oct 22, 2007

Q & A For Zeb on Thoroughbreds, Eventing and Horses in General

Who was it that said, "There's no such thing as a dumb horse, just dumb people."? Was it my mother who said that? Was it Bill Shoemaker when I use to follow him around when I was 10 in Detroit? Eddie Macken in Ireland?. . . .If you're not stubborn, a know-it-all, or a self-proclaimed horseman, then the answer is a simple "yes".

I've discovered through the years that sometimes it's a good thing to keep your mouth shut and your ears open. Listening is something humans don't do enough. When I listen or 'tune-in' to my horses or listen to greats such as Shoemaker and Macken, I'm given the most valuable thing a person can have. . . . . information.

My friends and clients asks really great questions, and I hope to have given them some valid advice. It's stuff that I've learned from my idols and mentors.

Your horses always have good weight. I'm having trouble putting weight on my Thoroughbred. Why is that?

I always ask people when the last time they had their horse's teeth floated by a professional equine dentist. Young Thoroughbred's mouths are constantly changing and are tender because they're at the age of losing teeth and developing new ones. My youngsters between the ages of 2 to 5 see the dentist every 6 months. If their teeth are in order they're going to be able to chew their food properly. After the age of 5, they see the dentist annually. In between visits, I check their mouths for sores, cuts, and I watch them when they eat their hay and grain.
I take fecal samples of every horse to test for parasites and then worm them initially with a Power-Pac 5 day treatment. After the initial treatment, they're wormed bi-monthly with a rotational wormer. Keep your horse maintained properly and it's money well spent. You'll get a fat horse and not fat worms.
Do not feed cheap hay such as Bermuda or Coastal. The nutritional factors differ greatly from an Orchard Grass mix, Timothy Mix, Alfalfa Mix. The protein and calories won't be in a bermuda or coastal hay, and many horses end up wasting it and using it as bedding. Avoid feeding straight Alfalfa because it will be too much protein and if you're not racing, then it's not necessary.
Read the ingredient on your feed bags and make sure that it's high in 'fat content' and low on carbs. Try to feed a quality feed and avoid the cheap pellets that are usually made up of fillers and peanut hulls. Adding corn oil and rice bran, such as Max-E-Glow to their feed is an additional way to add fat grams
Make sure that you feed proportionately to the work load. If your horse is in heavy work, you will generally have to feed more - less work, feed less.
Check for stomach ulcers if your horse is off their feed. This is an extremely common problem that owners overlook. Ulcers are also known to play a part in behavioral problems.
Always consult with your vet on a solid and proper feed regiment.

Who rides and trains your horses? Do you let anyone get on?

I am the owner/trainer here at my farm and I am 100% involved with each horse. I don't pass off the responsibility to others. I'm totally hands-on each day where I do the handling, training and riding. No, I don't let just anyone get on my horses. After speaking to someone and confirming what their riding skills are, then they're allowed to try a horse. I do not allow Novice riders, first time horse owners or children under the age of 12 on my horses.

Can anyone go to the track to look for a Thoroughbred?

Yes. You can contact a trainer or owner of a particular horse and meet up with them for a viewing. You cannot ride them if you're not a licensed rider.

Are there risks in going to the track and buying a horse?

Yes - of course. If you're not familiar with the racing industry, you're going to be in for some surprises. If you're a first time horse owner, please don't involve yourself with an ex-race horse unless you're totally committed with your time and finances. A huge mistake people make is that they don't realize the horses are probably injected with a type of steroid call Equipoise, bute, lasix or other variety of drugs. Some are legal and some aren't. Some are used to mask problems and some are used as an everyday supplement to keep the horse in racing condition.

What advice do you have about equipment?

Never add a new piece of equipment on the fly at a competition or go without a piece of equipment (whip, spurs) that you'd usually use.
Make sure that your tack and clothing fit you and the horse properly.

How many times a week do you jump?

My youngsters I try to work over gymnastics and low fences 2 times a week. If there is a problem with an exersize then I may add another day. My seasoned horses are jumped 1 time a week.

Do you ever follow up or keep in touch with the horses you've sold?

About once a year I call my clients to see how things are going for them. I usually get emails with photos (testimonials) of how the horses are progressing and updates on how they're doing at the horse trials. I can follow up with them via the United States Eventing Association records and I see so many of them successfully competing at Horse Trials throughout the Southeastern U.S. I have bragging rights that all my horses are with their original buyers - no one has ever been resold.

Aug. 23, 2007

Thoroughbred Myths - Facts VS Fiction

I've been wanting to write something about this subject for a long time, but have always put it on the back-burner or found an excuse to 'just let it go'. Recently at a show I overheard a conversation of the folks stabling near me (easy to do since one of the women had to be either slightly tone deft and shouted every word or that she wanted to draw attention to herself and have people believe she was an expert when it came to Thoroughbreds).

The woman proceeded to go in depth into waters that so many people find themselves in when it comes to Thoroughbreds. They either sink to the bottom and drown or they float effortlessly. This lady sank like a rock. - but I'm pleased to say that I kept my mouth shut, continued cleaning my tack and made a mental note to later write about this subject.

The 3 things that she talked about are highlighted below, and I've hopefully shedded some light on them for serious consideration.

Myth #1: "ALL Thoroughbreds, especially ex-race horses are crazy and difficult to handle". This was when the woman (lets call her Betty) stood in the barn aisle, raised an arm in a circular motion and emphasized the word "ALL". Her audience was spellbound with wide eyes and mouths gaped.

Fact: The argument here has been debated, simply because negative gossip spreads better than positive gossip. It is NOT true that all Thoroughbreds (especially race horses) are crazy and hard to handle. People must understand that a Thoroughbred even before it touches one hoof to the ground, has been designed and developed to do one thing. . . RUN. Owners will go through the tedious process of finding that perfect stallion to breed to, with dreams of red roses floating above their heads. It all looks great on paper.

Once the foal arrives, their destiny has already been made. By age 2 they've experienced things that a young horse of any other breed would not experience until they're at least 4 or 5 years old. The Thoroughbred by then has experienced the farrier, loading and hauling on a trailer, cross ties, tacking up, gate school, traveling to different tracks and dealing with crowds from the stands. These horses are way ahead of other breeds when it comes to their education.

For me, the truth is that Thoroughbreds can be misunderstood because it's inexperienced horsemen that think they're self-proclaimed experts. They compare a Thoroughbred with their 14 year old Quarter Horse, and scratch their heads and wonder why the Thoroughbred doesn't know how to "lope".

People need to understand that if a Thoroughbred isn't making money for it's owners at the track, they're usually quickly sold or claimed in claiming races. Amateur owners taking on a young Thoroughbred need to understand that it's a young horse who thinks and behaves like a young horse should. It's true that you cannot take a young ex-racer and toss them into the show arena and expect to behave like a seasoned show horse. This is when a Thoroughbred gets the bad press and the rumors begin.

If a person gets a young Thoroughbred, it is their responsibility to educate that horse and give it the mileage it needs to become a solid show horse. That means go to as many schooling shows as possible, go trail riding every week, take the horse off the farm and school different cross country courses, find an experienced and accomplished trainer who knows something about Thoroughbreds to work with - it's all about mileage and exposure.

There isn't a bad Thoroughbred out there . . . just bad owners.

Myth #2: "Thoroughbreds have bad feet".

Fact: Thoroughbreds at the track have their feet worked on every 2 to 3 weeks depending upon their racing and training schedule. They wear special light weight racing shoes with toe-grabbers. The shape and condition of a race horse's hoof also depends upon the type of farrier they have working on them.

New owners need to know that when they take an ex-racer home from the track, that the living conditions at a boarding facility or private farm differ greatly. This will have a huge part in their hooves holding up. First of all (depending upon the track farrier) you'll find some horses having low or under-run heels. This is when the shoes were not placed under the heel of the hoof for enough support. The pounding from galloping also pushes the heel wall downward.

A horse coming off the track will need to adjust to a heavier shoe, and possibly clips. Turn-out time in the pasture can be a problem. At the track the horses aren't exposed to damp or wet footing and stand in their straw bedded stalls. Turning out a Thoroughbred in the morning in a dewy wet pasture will make their feet expand, and taking them in to have them stand in a stall of shavings make their feet contract. Riding in a sand arena will also pull any moisture out of their feet.

A heavy shoe with clips will not only make the horse move differently, but if the clips are too tight, can squeeze the hoof wall making their feet sore. Damp footing will make their feet expand and nails holes open up so that it's easy to loose shoes. Dry sandy footing makes the hooves shelly and brittle and break-up.

I tell owners to be aware of the weather, don't ride on hard surfaces, make sure your farrier is qualified and is experienced, and do the maintenance that you would have to do on ANY equine. In the Summer a horse should be shod around every 5 weeks (hooves grow faster in Summer) and every 6 weeks in Winter. Use a hoof dressing for the outside walls once a week in the summer. * A great grooming trick is to paint their hooves with hoof dressing BEFORE hosing them off with water. This will make the water bead-off their feet rather than soaking into the nail holes and making the hoof expand. Watch out for thrush and keep a bottle of Thrush-Buster in your medicine cabinet.

Myth #3 "Thoroughbreds are hard to put weight on and are not easy keepers". I have seen fat Thoroughbreds and I have seen skinny Thoroughbreds. Their body types depend upon a variety of things. For instance, feed and hay quality - It's quite simple . . . the better the feed and hay, the better the results you're going to get when your horse eats it!" Other factors include daily maintenance of the horse. If you take care of your investment, it'll most likely payoff.

Fact: At the track the horses are fed heavy amounts of grain and are given enormous hay bags of hay (usually an alfalfa mix) or wide bladed grass (fescue, timothy). Take the horse home, and toss them different feed and hay, and they're going to look at you like you're nuts. You end up wondering why they stomp on the hay and pee and poop on it or why they're leaving their feed in the bucket.

A few easy steps should take place with a new Thoroughbred and one of the first should be calling an Equine Dentist. Caring for their teeth will help them chew and digest their food properly and assist in weight gain. Young horse's mouths are constantly changing. They will be either loosing their baby teeth and/or breaking in new teeth. For young Thoroughbreds between the ages 2 to 5, I usually have the dentist come every 6 months. The older Thoroughbreds have their teeth looked at once a year.

Then look into your feed. Make sure you give something that is high in fat content and low in sugar or carbs. You will not feed in the same amounts that they're accustom to having. You'll be feeding a lot less grain. Try to stay away from pellets. When they break down, they don't have the same roughage that a grain would and can give a horse loose manure. You can add fat to your grain by adding rice bran twice a day and some corn oil.

Avoid giving Bermuda or Coastal hay. It's not as nutritional as a fescue mix or an alfalfa mix. Their blades are also extremely thin and will ball up in their digestive tracks, causing impaction's that leads to colic. Consider a hay rack to toss your hay and keep it off the ground.

At turnout just give the Thoroughbred a chance to investigate their new surroundings. They will divert back into their instincts and remember what grass is. Have an understanding that their body types and metabolism is greatly different from other breeds. Thoroughbreds are meant to have sleek bodies for racing. They're the Grayhounds of the equine industry and will never look like a fat Saint Bernard. If their metabolism is low, then you're lucky, because putting on weight will come easy.

Just like their teeth, their bodies will be constantly changing due to quality of feed and hay, the level of training and exercise and from aging. ALWAYS consult with your vet as to what to feed your horse, and stick to the program! Owners get a bit crazy when it comes to new products on the market and are constantly changing things on their horses. Stick to the basics and remember horses (not just Thoroughbreds) are creatures of habit! Give them time to gain weight - it can take up to 5 months to 1 year. Be sure that if you increase their training, then you MUST increase their food intake!

It's true that Thoroughbreds are not for everyone. The same goes for any other breed out there. You'll find Warmblood people and you'll find Thoroughbred people.

June 11, 2007

May-Daze at the Park - Lexington, Kentucky

Photo credit by Leslie Threlkeld

The May-Daze Trials hosted by Champagne Run Farm was held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. It's one of the Summer's largest events, with over 400 horse and riders. The park was in definite over-flow because they were also putting on a Hunter-Jumper show, a rodeo, and FEI Dressage competition.

Ray was in great shape and gave a steady and accurate dressage test in the stadium arena. Everything was still dressed up from Rolex the previous weekend and there was a lot to look at. With 6 arenas going at the same time, the bleachers with spectators, and the water fountains blowing up in the air, I was really pleased at how Ray took it all in stride. There's a lot to be said about ex-race horses - they're not as flighty as some may think and are accustom to activity due to their track life. We received a 38 on the test which wasn't too bad out of a field of 25 horses. It put us in 8th place. Since Ray is a new ride, I'm still getting some of the kinks out and want to work on getting him more forward in front of my leg.

The temperature was near the 90's and was reminding me of how much of a wimp I am in the heat. We were prepared for it and made sure that there was plenty of ice, electrolyte paste, fans, and poultice. The Thoroughbreds faired out better than the Warmbloods at the show - another plus to owning a Thoroughbred. They're able to withstand galloping long distances and are generally lighter in frame, so they don't over heat as easily.

The stadium went really well with a double clear and pushing us up to first. The sand footing definitely got deep in some spots, but Ray is a light traveler and doesn't get caught up in trappy footing. With my previous horse The Quiet Man, he preferred the turf over sand and was the type who need a firm base in order to take off from. He was an excellent turf racer.

The cross country was a fair course for Training Level and I overheard many folks say that it was too easy. This is usually when I have a little red flag pop up. "Too easy" could mean any number of things to watch out for and the course designer may have had something else in mind.

I walked the course 3 times and first thought that the footing was comparable to cement. Then I discovered that the distance on the course and the time is going to give some riders a problem.I watched a few riders on course and they were going at top speed and having run out and stops everywhere. It appeared that they were not balancing up to the fences and getting the horse between their hands and legs. It came to a surprise to many of them, so I decided to ride each fence separately and control my pace. There were sharp turns that you'd experience with fences immediately coming out of the turn. If the riders didn't give their horse a straight approach and enough time to lock on to the fence, then they were going to be caught off guard and hence the run outs and stops.

I was careful with a few upright fences and rode them like stadium jumps. They were narrow and airy and that is where you can see many riders make their mistakes by not setting up their horses. They end up hanging a leg or chesting the fence.

Ray and I finished with 7.2 time penalties that bumped us down to 6th place, but I was really happy with how we worked together and that everything went according to plan without any hitches. It gave me a great forecast as to the kind of horse Ray is and where we are going to go in the future together - it all looks to be very positive and I'm excited by this new partnership I have.

We now set our sights to Tryon in August and work to strengthen our Dressage score.

May 14, 2007

Free Jumping at The Farm

You don't see much free jumping of horses here in the states. It's a very common practice in Europe, especially in the judging circuit of young off spring for Show Jumping. It can be a fun and exciting thing to watch and can be very telling as to a horse's frame of mind and how they handle the overall experience.

We set up a type of shoot where we stand a horse at the entrance and then shoo them forward toward the jump. We always start the fence low and if everything is going well, then gradually build to something taller and wider to see what the horse is capable of.

I couldn't stop laughing at Ray. He would pick up this springy canter, rock back and lightly lift off over the obstacle like a feather. He would land and continue on around the arena and take himself over the fence over and over again. I just stood in the middle of the arena and watched the show.

I was having a tough time keeping up with him as I would hurry to build the fence higher and wider each time he came around.

The oxer eventually was set at 5' wide and 4'6" tall. It was interesting to not only see his form without a rider on Ray's back, but watch him coped mentally. His ears were perked the entire time, legs tight and knees up. If I didn't run out in front of the fence and start tearing it down, I honestly believe he would have continued to go round and round jumping the darn thing! He was having a great time and that is an important quality to have for the longevity of a competition horse.

April 22, 2007

Gymnastics as Preparation For Cross Country and Stadium

I always think of what I need to work on before getting into the saddle. I suggest to folks to think ahead and have a plan on what it is that you want to work on. If you're competing heavily, it's always a good idea of keeping a daily planner or journal as to work outs, jump days, dressage days, conditioning days, competitions and time off.

If it's a gymnastic day, I keep the fences low but interesting enough to keep myself and my horse thinking and interested in the exercise. I like to set up wide fences, where I find that it helps the horse to use their necks and backs. Keeping the fences low will help save your horse's legs. Prior to competition, we will set the fences higher at least one level higher than what we're competing at.

White plastic barrels are great to use in gymnastics. I usually have them spread all over the arena and field. Sometimes I have them standing up lined together and sometimes I will set them up individually to jump. Lining up 3 single barrels upright with 2 strides between them can be difficult because they're narrow and you must focus on being straight and keeping your line. Whatever you decide on how to place the barrels, they will really teach you how to hold your line and keep your horse between your aids.

Narrow faced fences seem to be everywhere on course nowadays and stadium courses starting at Training Level will have at least one narrow faced fence called a 'skinny'. On cross country, the narrow fences can be designed as a roll top, coop, logs, table, corner and bounces.

Jumping fences at a diagonal is also a good idea to practice, coming from both the right and left angle. For me, it prepares my 'eye' for corners and fences where you sometimes have to ask for a turn while jumping a fence. There are also those instances where a rider will not always ride a fence totally straight either on purpose or by mishap.

The chevron is a narrow face fence set at a slight angle with the broadest part of the jump at the top. The trick with this type of fence is to keep your eyes up to the top part and not to be concerned with the bottom point. It's nice to be able to use the lighting of the day, where sometimes there are shadows running across the obstacle or you're jumping from light into darkness. Shadows and lighting can back a horse off, so as the rider, you need to be more aggressive with your leg and keep your horse's confidence moving forward.

We keep the gymnastic session usually around 20 minutes long, with at least a 10 minute warm up on the flat. Having an extra person on the ground to set fences is very helpful and by moving the shapes and sizes of the fences around, it keeps everything much more interesting and there is nothing the rider or horse can take for granted.