all in Horse Country

It’s three and a half months until the Makeover, but who’s counting, right? Ha! But in all seriousness, this year of preparation and training with Salesman has just flown by. And writing these monthly updates just keeps sneaking up on me, making the months feel even shorter.

When Leslie and Anthony Arcuri lost their beloved horse Ghazi in October, the grief was intense. Ghazi had been part of their family for 30 years and had been through life’s highest highs and lowest lows with the couple.

Gucci, a 30-year-old Thoroughbred that the Arcuris adopted in 2004 from the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) in Montpelier, Va., was grieving, too. Ghazi had been Gucci’s best friend for two decades. It quickly became clear that Gucci needed a new friend. Gucci was TRF’s first successful adoption from their Montpelier location.

“Galerio is a very special horse to me,” Ashley Nelson said. “I galloped and groomed him as a coming 2-year-old.” Nelson groomed and rode him until he was claimed during a race in November of 2019. She had had a special bond with the horse and one day hoped to retire him.

In my experience with young horses it seems like when they have a first show experience as good as the one Maverick and I had, it really helps some light bulbs go on for them. Maverick has definitely followed suit in the weeks since my last update here.

I can’t believe it’s June already – it feels like just yesterday I was updating everyone on the April progress of the dynamic duo. But alas, there are 18 weeks and 2 days until Oct. 8 – the official start of the Thoroughbred Makeover - but who’s counting?

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