First things first: Amy and Steady are running a sweet contest that I want to win over at Slow and Steady Wins the Race. Check it out! Don't feel compelled to enter though--the less people enter, the better my odds. ;)
Ok. So. Our beloved eventing trainer hosts a cool potluck/jumping night once a week for all comers. There's a wee baby group and an actual jumpers group and it's low key good fun. Naturally, that seemed like a good place to take Mr. Courage for his first outing as a "jump jump horse".
Redheadlins wrangled a trailer and her four year old mare and picked us up. Courage loaded like a champ (because, yeah, OTTB and all) and we were off!
He nearly fell out of the trailer when we arrived, possibly because he didn't know trailer rides could last less than 10 hours. Or maybe he forgot how to use a step down... not sure, he's definitely been on them before and did fine. Regardless, we unloaded.
Making friends
He did his worst.
Which is to say, he stuck his head straight up in the air and looked at things while standing still. So wild.
We did a little ground work to get him semi-focused. Simple walk/halt/stop and chat/walk sort of thing and his poll dropped right down.
Begin phase two.
Artsy and adorable
We tacked up with zero drama and headed out to the big arena. It was the largest space I'd ever taken Mr C in. It was also the busiest--we've ridden with one other horse in a much smaller arena, but there were at least 6 horses going all different directions and steering around jumps while the neighbors did construction on one side and fiddled with the irrigation on the other.
We did a little more easy ground work and let him get the lay of the land.
And then I got on.
Relaxed enough to do an ears shot
Horses cantered by, jumps crashed down, trucks and trailers came and went, no problem. We chatted with many of the participants, walked around on the buckle, looked at stuff, and overall had a great time. We even left the arena and hacked around with another rider. Her (young, green) horse was a little looky, but Courage bopped along on a loose rein and never put a foot wrong.
Visiting
I want him to learn that trips are fun, easy, and low stress, so we didn't do anything other than cruise around at the walk and take in the sights. Really, I couldn't be more impressed. Not a spook or a jump or a jig or even a suggestion of anything naughty. Didn't matter that he was in a new place with new horses doing different stuff.
You're probably all sick of hearing this by now, first about Cuna and now about Courage, but I seriously have the best OTTBs ever, bar none.
I know I've reviewed them before, but I am a huge fan of Danzig Brothers leather halters. Durable, classy, high quality, decent price. I had one for Izzy and Cuna has one. And now I have a Courage. Every time I work with him, he makes a stronger argument for being Cuna II and not just a cool resale type project (as if that was ever on the table. Hubs snorted when I mentioned it).
I love nice halters. They're the one piece of tack I really buy for the horse and then just keep with them. I customize them, take care of them, and am proud to show them off when we travel. We're already throwing out tentative plans for the fall, thinking about trail rides, baby grass hopper clinics, and maybe a lesson here and there. As such, I think Courage needs a halter.
Cute face, giant halter
Because I am terrible at visualizing things and hate measuring, I equipped myself with a size chart and then brought Cuna's halter out to try on for size.
Suffice to say, it doesn't quite fit.
Cuna's well-filled-out 16.3 frame is apparently larger than the little guy's mere 16.1 and dainty face.
I need to bust out the measuring tape and see how many sizes we need to go down, since apparently "large thoroughbred" isn't going to cut it.
A very distressing problem
Once I figure that out, I'm stuck with a lot more decisions. Cuna goes in havana/stainless because he looks smashing in brown. Courage is bay, so he can pull off black leather if he wants to. He could also go in brass hardware. That said, I am loving the havana/stainless look.
Thoughts? If you were a Courage, what colors would you wear?
I haven't said anything about Cuna lately. I'm letting him have a break, physically and mentally. I needed it emotionally almost as much. I adore that old red man and he made me into the rider I am today. It was beyond gut wrenching to watch him come through his last round of lameness and I'm in no rush to try it again.
Here's the thing. He came to me for a specific reason and he more than accomplished that. I wanted him to carry on and be a fancy show horse, and he's letting me know that as much as his heart is in it, his body won't hold up to it.
He was "sound" after a solid month of rehab. Sound until he wasn't. Sound until he was tired, and then he limped again.
The vet told me that there was no benefit to making him limp. It's not something he's going to work through. It's something that requires healing. Sometimes more. Sometimes less. Sometimes longer. Sometimes shorter.
Cuna, then Jake, then Wiley
So Cuna moved to his new home--a giant pasture he shares with a couple of nice geldings. We pulled his shoes as per his farrier's advice and took away his grain. The old man hangs out and enjoys life. He has the other ladies at the barn wrapped around his goofy hooves and they love him. I visit him four or five days a week. I tell him about Courage and life at the track (as if he didn't know!) and I groom him, pick his feet, and scratch his itchy spots.
I look back at the pictures of our time together, and it makes me cry a little. I can still feel him taking me to the jumps, his red ears locked on with perfect focus. I feel the confidence and security that he taught me, and I know my life won't be the same now that he's been here.
My show friends keep asking when he's coming back. I tell them the same thing every time. He's taking a vacation. Maybe we'll hack around this fall. Then he's taking the winter off.
And that's it. I'm not making plans for him. I love him. He gave me more that I could have hoped for and I have no right to ask for something beyond that. Maybe I'll find another field for him that backs up to trails and he and I can explore the mountains like we used to. No more collection. No more drilling. That's my favorite dream. We'd both love it.
So we're healing together. At our own pace. And it's ok.
I seem to have hit the jackpot--not only is my little guy adorable and sweet, with the best post-race brain I have ever seen, he's also happy to mosey around under saddle and chat with friends all day.
Oh, and he's wicked smart.
Just call him "Giraffe Man"
The only drawback is that I really don't care to mosey that much. I mean, chatting with friends is fun, but when we're working, I like a ZOOM ZOOM engine. When redheadlins rode him last week, she was able to demonstrate his very-functional go button. She also pointed out that he went in a shadow roll and rings (martingale) for a reason on the track.
Look who can flex his poll after all
Ok. Time for phase two. C-rage took the weekend off while I attended to "real life", and we started fresh on Monday.
On the lunge. In side reins.
I really don't believe in lunging as a form of exercise--I see only negatives to running horses around in tiny circles for extended periods of time. That said, I do think all horses should be able to lunge in case the need comes up, and I think this counted as a legitimate need.
We took it easy. First I let him warm up W/T both directions. Then I added the outside rein W/T both directions. When he settled and was able to trot through his sticky corner, I added in both reins both directions.
Best shot I could get while trying to keep him going
I kept the side reins loose. I never asked him to canter because he's still finding his balance on smaller circles and there's no reason to stress him out about the whole thing. We were done in about 20 minutes.
I do think that asking him to move in a different way and learn new concepts is challenging (and I am apparently busy this month), so he got the next day off to recover and process.
Which brings us to Wednesday.
Demonstrating his lovely walk
Given that his last two sessions were rather mind bending, I was curious to see how he'd do. We walked around for a good 10-15 minutes, seeing the sights and chatting. He's really good about dropping his poll and moving forward at the walk.
Then it was time to find out just how much progress we'd made. I asked for the trot. . .
Blurry and adorable
And off we went! Big forward stride, covering ground. After a few strides, he started to relax and drop his poll.
It's obviously a newer concept for him, but he was experimenting with letting his neck stretch forward and even a little downward. He definitely improved as we rode, and offered his softest, easiest canter to date.
An excellent shot until the jump got in the way
This is what impresses me about him. The side reins were a very low-drama introduction. He's literally spent less than 20 minutes in them in his entire life, and it definitely changed his way of going under saddle. He's able to learn new skills and connect the dots with an incredibly minimal education.
White wraps, black bells.
I don't drill him. He's literally going about 4 days a week, maybe 20 minutes a day. I can leave him in the cross ties, try things on, adjust them, put them back on, pull his mane, screw with him, and he's rock solid. His under saddle work progresses in leaps and bounds even with very minimal riding. He's taking to the sport horse world like a fish to water.
I use breastplates pretty much every time I ride. It's not just because I'm a tack 'ho (even though I am) or because my saddles slide around (they really don't, much). It's because in the event of a horse acting like a horse, I am left with something to hang on to that is not the horse's mouth. Seems pretty straightforward, right?
There are plenty of different configurations available to use. I'll run through a list of those I own and use most commonly and the advantages of each.
This is my go-to, standard, everyday-use, do-everything breastplate. I added clips to the straps by the withers and I'd love to do the same to the girth loop. It adjusts in 3 different places (withers, neck on both sides, strap between the legs) and has fit everything I put it on, from a haflinger pony to giant warmbloods and draft crosses.
It's utilitarian looking, very sturdy, and does the job I want it to do. I've taken it on trails, in the jumping ring, on cross country, and of course, on extensive hacks. The leather broke in beautifully and even though I've had it for several years now, it still polishes up well for the show ring.
Mine is the older style that don't have a grab strap across the top, so it hasn't gotten a lot of use, given my purpose in having a breastcollar in the first place. Nevertheless, it's nice quality leather and it's an eye catching piece. On Cuna, whose giant withers keep his saddle from ever moving, it's just a decoration, but it does look nice.
The function is identical to the hunting breastplate. A drawback encountered by this style is that if you use this breastplate to actually keep the saddle from sliding back, pressure points will be created right around the horse's withers. Very uncomfortable.
I will say that in general, I'm not wild about elastic on breastplates. Since I have them for those "oh crap" moments like spooking and unexpectedly giant jumps, I don't want them to give. I want them to hold when I need them and hang uselessly otherwise. Plus, I think elastic wears out faster and is much harder to clean than just leather.
Courage and the jumper breastplate
But two breastplates are never enough!
I used this breastplate to justify a small shopping spree on facebook. After all, it was only $20.
It's basically this model of breastplate, although the link is definitely to a higher quality item. Known as a jumper breastplate, it attaches to the girth on both sides and has a grab strap that goes over the neck. It's kind of a pain to adjust if you're switching between different sized horses. I just used it on Courage, and after the initial adjustment, it was fine.
What I like about this model is that it's easy for sensitive horses to wear. I have known several princesses (Cuna actually not included) who got very fussy because the girth loop of the hunting style breastplates would pinch their skin and hair. I also used this style when Cuna got a cut inside his foreleg and I was trying to keep from rubbing it.
Properly adjusted, it doesn't seem to restrict shoulder action or have any ill effects.
As modeled by Gunner
Then there is the super modern and popular five point breastplate. I don't actually own one, which is a little bit horrifying. They are cool and trendy in eventing and the jumper ring and I have to admit, they do a pretty rocking job of keeping the saddle exactly where you want it.
That said, they are hard to adjust and a PITA to put on every single day. Even me, the tack-loving 'ho who was short on rides this summer thought it was a little bit ridiculous.
If you have a horse that is unduly bothered by a slipping saddle, this piece is a godsend. If you're just trend matching, seriously, find something easier to put on and clean. This isn't worth it.
Stock image from bitofbritain.com
That leaves one other major style: the three point breastplate. Omg! I don't have one of these, but I would love to. They match the convenience of the jumper breastplate with the stability of the hunting breastplate and completely sidestep the PITA factor of the five point. They have the ever-so-useful grab strap available to hang on to and don't look all cluttered up or distracting.
They are pretty new on the market in the US, but they've been around in Europe for a while. The few reviews I've heard of them are glowing and positive and I can't wait to get my grabby little hands on one.
So there you go. Breastplates are commonly used to keep saddles in place during athletic attempts and to hang on to during said athletics. There are a variety of styles available to fit all budgets and lifestyles.
The little C man and I got ready to ride just in time to have a buddy in the arena yesterday--redheadlins was riding a dressage horse at the same facility. Courage rode with another horse last week and was super, so I was not concerned. We walked around and chatted on a loose rein for a while, then went to work.
Or at least, the other horse did. I was pony club kicking and could barely get my (remember, former runaway) racehorse to jog. Any time I stopped kicking, he quit. He felt a little funny, too. Not off, exactly, but tight in his body, maybe? Something wasn't right.
I took my leg off.
He stopped and looked at me.
We both looked at Lindsey.
Per her advice, we take off his adorable boots. Whatever physical weirdness he had going on disappeared. Homeboy just didn't like his boots. Goofhead.
We do a little better going around the arena now, but I'm still struggling while we get some coaching. Then I have a brilliant idea. We cruise to a stop by Lindsey's horse. I get off and hand her the reins.
Giraffe pony!
And off they go.
I hate to say it, but it's pretty obviously a rider problem here.
She got on and he gave her a lovely big trot both directions. She didn't even have to kick very much. Or at all.
So nice
Once he was established in a nice, forward rhythm, she rolled him up into a canter. I guess I've never watched myself do a canter transition on him, but hers looked a lot smoother than mine. That makes sense, given that she had him actually forward and not just camped out behind my leg. Ooops.
Loopy reins and balanced
I did have to laugh when she was all, "OMG THIS CANTER" because all I had to say was "OMG I KNOW". He's light, uphill, and balanced on a loose rein and it is sooooo comfortable.
Such a good boy
It was super fun to watch him go. I picked up some ideas to work on and he got a good, solid ride and a lesson plan going forward. Even though I've been riding since I was a kid and have spent lots of time on OTTBs, having my own with minimal supervision is challenging. It is awesome to have this kind of eyes on the ground and experience in the saddle, so I can hand off the reins and say "What are you feeling?"
Part of the reason I was convinced I could afford to have Courage was the fact that I own so much horse $h!t that I didn't think I would actually need to buy anything else.
I know, I know. This is me, the tack 'ho, we're talking about. Ooops.
The mismatched bridle assembly
I own 6 bridles, all generously horse sized, to fit Cuna's adorable and large face. Guess who has a teeny little noggin? Courage. I'm currently making do with the cavesson off of Cuna's jump bridle and a headstall I may have picked up on ebay for no really good reason.
Your saddle collection is inadequate
I own two jump saddles--a wide Ainsley xc saddle, left over from my mare, that I dearly love and fits me well, and Cuna's super narrow sharkfin wither Jimmy Wofford xc saddle that fits me reasonably well.
D'oh
Guess who has average withers and already fills out a medium? Courage. I was trying to make him wear Cuna's saddle, but it isn't going to work if he gains so much as an ounce. I cannot justify (or afford) buying a nice saddle to fit him in this particular phase, but something had to be done.
Our BO to the rescue! She had two saddles sitting around that she thought might work. Courage fits nicely into the one I like a little less, naturally. Still. I rode him in it today, and he felt about 10% more forward and comfortable. Either all my attempts at training are starting to mean something, or he was just that much more comfortable. Hm.
Rocking the Kieffer
Of course, this saddle has less forward flaps than either of mine, which means my carefully-cultivated collection of forward cut saddle pads aren't really long enough for it. And really, the longer billets mean that I might end up needing a shorter girth.
So pretty
And boots? I had a full set of Veredus jump boots sitting around that I couldn't bear to part with. They fit him well and look super classy... but he really needs black bell boots to go with them since he does overreach and (of course) ALL of Cuna's bell boots are huge on him.
Oh horse. Remember when I said I had enough stuff? I really thought I did.
I had the unique advantage of working with Courage (and a whole barn full of horses) at the race track before I brought him home. I highly recommend this route to anyone looking to snatch up their own OTTB--I've spent days handling him hyped up on grain and hay and know a lot about his reactions to stimuli. That said, most people have "lives" and "real jobs" and "mortgage payments", so I realize it isn't always an option. For those of you looking at bringing home an OTTB of your own, here are some thoughts on the transition from someone going through it for the first time.
At the Track
Typical morning routine
I met Courage at the track. He's old for a racehorse (2005), so he's pretty well set in his ways. That said, he was on a normal racing diet of INSANE amounts of grain (seriously, have to see to believe) and lots of alfalfa. This high energy diet is what it takes to fuel a high efficiency athlete like he was, but it also affect the horses personalities.
Several of the younger horses seemed a bit nuts, but I'm pretty sure that if they ate a regular sport horse diet, they would have calmed right down. Instead of focusing on that behavior, I looked for patterns that indicated personality in the various horses. This is Courage getting ready for a morning work. He's out of his stall, but he's quietly standing while he gets ready.
His exercise rider would drop his stirrups and ride on a long rein to and from the track while Courage walked along calmly. He knew when to run and when to rest.
Good morning fans
After a bath, his next stop was the hot walker. Due to space constraints in a racetrack environment, turnout is rarely available. This is basically the next best thing. The horses are able to cool out and dry off while getting some exercise. Some of them take the opportunity to bounce around like nutters. Some walk calmly. Most are somewhere in between.
WHOA BUDDIES. Break time.
Some think that the most fun game is to make the walker (and all the other horses on it) stop repeatedly.
It's probably passive aggressive, but it's a very calm way od expressing it.
Om nom nom
In the stall, Courage was easy to be around and respectful of people's space. The trainers, grooms, and riders have no interest in getting hurt, so they are pretty particular about manners. A very talented young horse might have more leeway, but generally the older the horse, the better they are to be around, much like horses in every other part of the world.
Another trait I liked about Courage in the stall was that he was an excellent eater. Given the massive caloric intake the horses are offered every day, they can afford to be picky. Some ate primarily grain. Some picked out only the best scraps of hay. Courage pretty well cleaned up all his hay every day. That means that he is a good eater (yay! easier to put weight on) and that his gut feels quite comfortable digesting. Perfect.
Just a photo shoot. Move along.
Even when we threw him for a loop by playing dress up and going in and out of his stall at an unusual time, he was pretty unfazed. It wasn't part of the usual routine, but he was a confident enough horse that changing the routine a bit wasn't a cause for drama, crankiness, or nerves.
Instead, he enjoyed the attention and exhibited his social side.
What a horse does on the actual racetrack doesn't necessarily translate to how he'll behave as a sporthorse. How he is to deal with on the ground, in the stable, and around the barn is more what I'm concerned about.
Courage impressed me.
At the Barn
Exploring
When I introduced Courage to his new barn environment, I was aware that it was a whole new world for him. He was turned out last winter, so I know he's got some basis for understanding, but I doubt he's every lived in an average sporthorse set up with daily turnout, a stall and run, and light work. I know that he's used to a structured routine and he likes watching what is going on.
As such, I immediately got him on a routine and made sure he had a stall where he could see everything. He's used to activity (and watching the races go by) and he loves attention. The BO and I were careful to follow the routine, putting him on his drylot when the horses went out, feeding at the same time, and bringing him in with the other horses.
It was easy to understand and he's a smart guy, so he settled right in.
Om nom nom
Some things were all new to him, like grass pastures and social interactions and metal fences. I tried to introduce those things slowly. He picked up on pastures pretty quickly--he LOVES grass.
That said, he isn't used to eating it for long periods and he isn't sure about wide open spaces. We started out handgrazing. I'd let him go once he seemed settled and bring him in as soon as he seemed uncomfortable. Yesterday he went 2.5 hours with minimal supervision and did great.
He still eats all the hay we give him (though he prefers to eat at night) and has adjusted very well to having a complete feed instead of oats every day. I don't have him on any supplements, but if/when I decide to add them, I don't think it will be a problem.
Not so sure
Other things were harder. He did ok the first day with having the retirees over the fence and learned about how to say hello and make friends. It's something he's done before, but it's not an encouraged behavior at the track.
Of course, it can't all be smooth sailing. He managed to find the one sharp place on the fence (that we can't find again, of course), and cut his leg up impressively.
It's important to remember that he's used to being handled every single day and he's used to minding his manners. My BO was able to catch him and cold hose and wrap without the benefit of cross ties, all by herself. He's used to being taken care of and he's used to behaving. To him, there was nothing weird about the situation other than that the fence bit him.
Taking care of his cuts and scrapes was as good a time as any to introduce him to crossties. I needed him to quit playing with the shampoo in the wash rack and I knew his clever mind and quiet personality were on my side. The first day I used one cross tie and reminded him not to walk forward in the three sided wash rack. The second day I used both ties and kept the lead rope handy. He never made so much as a peep and now cross ties very well.
What's not to love?
After just a little more than a week as an OTTB, Courage is doing very well in his new life. I'd say his manners at the new barn have very accurately reflected how he behaved at the track. Because he was handled well, he's had a very easy time adjusting to the sport horse life.
Fancy!
I want to do more with him under saddle before I say too much there, but let's just start by mentioning that his reputation as a runaway on the track has absolutely nothing to do with the chilled out, mellow guy I see every morning.
It's happening! On Monday, I rode Courage for the first time. Redheadlins and Courage's race trainer were on hand to watch/assist, so obviously, THERE ARE PICTURES!!! :D
Walking!
We started out making big loops at the walk while I got comfortable. He was very good--looking around, but staying very relaxed through his body. I have to admit, I got pretty excited as I felt his back swing and his engaged hind end. Yes folks, things I have to bust my butt to get out of Cuna, Courage does naturally.
Good structure ftw.
(This in no way diminishes how I feel about Cuna. I'm simply pointing out how conformation affects function.)
Cute, not forward
After a bit, we moved into the trot. I thought he would be more zoomy and heavy in the bridle, but we cruised around on a mostly loopy rein and I had to kick like a pony clubber just to keep him going.
He starts out nice and forward, but then sort of peters out and needs encouragement. Shouldn't be a hard fix.
Ears up, stripy face!
I didn't want to do anything too challenging, so once he offered to relax his neck a bit, we called it a day. I was only on him for maybe 10 minutes, but I was grinning like an idiot for the rest of the day. I loved his trot--cadenced and bouncy and so much fun. This guy is going to be super cool. Heck, he already is.
Om nom nom
Due to the leg through the fence episode and my work schedule, he got a couple days off after that, which I'm sure didn't hurt him.
That left me all amped up for today. I've been reading/watching videos about riding OTTBs, plus grilling the people I know who have them. My obsessive energy has to go somewhere, right?
I pulled Baby C out and got him ready. He's still rocking the gauze and vet wrap look, so I wrapped polos over it to keep things clean and covered. We also did full cross ties for the first time and he was a total star. No silliness whatsoever. Win!
Once he was tacked up, we did a little more in hand work. I try to keep him on a very loose line and just halt/walk off of verbal and body cues. It lets him look around and acclimate while relaxing. Once his head drops to about poll height, we lunge for a few minutes. I'm mostly just lunging him because I feel like it's a good tool to have ready to use if/when that comes up. He's not terribly balanced on a small circle yet, and I want to keep him engaged and low key while he's working instead of letting him blast around.
Here we go
Once we were done, our favorite redheadlins was out to supervise round two.
Noted: I rode Cuna alone all the time and would hop on him right now without any prep if I thought that was best for him. Given that Courage is a new quantity learning a new job, I think it's prudent to at least have someone around while we get acquainted.
Plus, the advantage of eyes on the ground is that we get lots of pictures. Yay!
Trotting!
I think we were both a little more sure of ourselves this time around. I was more willing to ask him to go forward and he was happier to take me. He's super responsive to my aids, which is AWESOME. Currently, the problem is that this horse is too freaking easy. He's adorable, comfortable, and fun to ride. Geez. I want to take him to a schooling show next month.
Ahem. I do know that I just jinxed myself.
Black polos today
We trotted some big loops. I tried to keep my thumbs up and relax my elbows while keeping my weight in my heels. I also tried to keep him going forward. Mixed success on both.
I felt like he was steering really well (relatively speaking), so it was on to our next big adventure:
On a loopy rein
ZOMGZ TROT POLES!!! I want him going over and through from very early on, so here goes. :) We walked over them Monday, but there is nothing inherently challenging about lifting his toes at a trot, so we trotted them for the first time.
He was a total rockstar and didn't even hesitate.
<3
<3
<3
Then we progressed to doing a super exciting baby grand prix. There were three different trot poles laid out and we made turns and put a sweet little course together.
He bulged out a little bit around some of the sharper corners, but I just used my outside rein and leg, and he straightened right out. And they say racehorses aren't broke. Pssh.
I do want to get a more reliable forward button installed before we hit the crossrail circuit, but I don't think it's long in coming. Courage is just the cutest, smartest little horse who's only been off the track like... 5 days.
All that and a cute face
Oh, and I have to share this picture. This is us, trotting.
Just trotting. Not on the bit, not "doing dressage", not anything, on our second ride off the track. CHECK OUT THAT SEXAY ENGAGEMENT!!!
You see why this horse is cool?
Or not. It's not like I'm sharing. :-P
All thoroughbreds are crazy
After that, we walked around and discussed bitting options (yay using the collection!). Then Courage learned about the sacred rite of jump jump horses: talking to the instructor and getting scratches. He's a fan.
I know there are challenges ahead and that no horse is perfect all the time. I think even Cuna had a bad day once, though I'd be hard pressed to remember exactly what that day was. Regardless, I am absolutely loving this process and I am so glad I took the leap with this guy. He is the coolest little horse (who already fills out my 52" girth).