We did it! We made it to and through the Thoroughbred Makeover! Cheers to every single trainer, every single horse, the organizers and management, the fabulous vets, the volunteers, the spectators, the online supporters … EVERYONE who makes this event what it is.

It is known as the happiest horse show on earth, and our experience this year sure set that in stone for me! Since the inception of the Thoroughbred Makeover, I followed it from afar, dreaming that one day I would participate, but never knowing the impact it would have on my life.

Looking back at the journey I have had with Bronn to get to the Thoroughbred Makeover, I can’t help but get emotional.  

A moment of appreciation with Bronn. (Courtesy of Meghan McNamara)

As you all know, Bronn was coming off a month-long vacation heading into the Thoroughbred Makeover. Of course, his health is the most important thing, and when we discovered he needed to heal from some ulcers and body soreness, our goals for the big show totally shifted.

I mean, let’s be real, I’m not a very competitive horse shower as it is … mostly there for a good time, but as I wrote about in the last blog, I put WAY too much pressure on myself this year. I felt that if Bronn was with any other trainer, he would probably be winning every horse trial and jumping the moon, but he’s not with anybody else. He is with me, and though I am not the most competitive or bold horsewoman out there, I know Bronn wants for nothing, is loved beyond measure, and though our journey is slow and methodical I see now that it is perfect for us.

The drive from Colorado with a trailer gets up to 18 or more hours. It’s certainly no easy trek! Luckily, I horse-pooled with my good friend Kaylyn, who was bringing her two (Jockey Club: Sully’s Bro and Wahasha) to compete. Our travels were uneventful, and Bronn trailered so well, no worse for wear by the time we made it to Kentucky.

One of my favorite parts of the show is meeting our stall neighbors. In a seemingly weird turn of events, I was stalled across from a group of girls from back home in Austin, Texas! The week started out well, schooling both dressage and stadium on Tuesday. I was absolutely thrilled with him; he was such a professional! From the horse I couldn’t even hand-walk without a spook two months ago back to the horse he is known to be, cool as a cucumber taking everything in without a worry.

We competed in Western Dressage on that freezing Wednesday morning and Eventing on Thursday, and he did fabulously for where we are in training.

Bronn is a massive horse — I don’t believe he is finished growing — and he is learning how to use his body and relax into the contact. The show environment is quite stressful, so he was certainly more tense than usual, but that’s OK! He tries SO HARD and because of that, he oftentimes tries to predict what I am going to ask, next which adds to his tension. I absolutely adore this trait in him, and as we continue with our dressage work, I know he will become unbeatable in the sandbox!

The jumping! I didn’t think it was possible for me to become more obsessed than I already am with this horse … but here I am … I was SO NERVOUS for stadium and cross country. The sport is so new to me, and with our health issues, we certainly had some cross country and stadium setbacks.

Going into it, I know I didn’t want to push him or for him to have a negative experience. My only reason for not scratching was to get out there and try, exposure to a new course and different jumps, and have a positive time. Turns out, he had WINGS!

Stadium came before cross country, and though we had a couple rails, he jumped everything exuberantly. Then for cross country, he warmed up bold and brave, even jumping a Novice-height fence!

An emotional gallop at the Thoroughbred Makeover. (Courtesy of Meghan McNamara)

While we were out there, I lost a bit of my nerve heading toward the biggest jump on course, and reading off my energy, we ran out. I tried, but truthfully, I didn’t have it in me and I was not going to force him over it. We retired, but proudly! It was a positive ending, as we had never jumped stadium or cross-country fences of that size! I asked the judge if we could still do the hand gallop up the hill and she said of course, and off we flew.

There are no words for what it feels like to gallop Bronn. In those 20 seconds, the emotion of the journey seemed to come to life. Bronn is the first horse I have “trained” on my own. From the moment he walked off that van, I promised him he would have the best possible life I could afford.

We’ve had fabulous days and incredible rides! We’ve also had rides where I’ve ended up in the dirt and he had to be caught by strangers, mornings spent doctoring abscesses and wrapping legs, long trailer rides to specialized vets helping with his cancer diagnosis, both fighting through fear and insecurities. I would trade it for nothing. Galloping up the hill in Kentucky was the celebration of our partnership and dedication to the Thoroughbred Makeover and his aftercare, and it was pure bliss.

This past week, as I fought the “horseshow hangover,” there was a lot of emotional letdown, but the biggest emotion I’ve felt is gratitude. I am so grateful for my friends and parents that came to Kentucky to support me, the trainers that helped get me there, the family that boards him and puts horses before themselves, my friend who found him for me on the track, his previous owner who still checks in and cares deeply for him, and for the industry that gives us these incredible horses. It was so much fun to see friends I’ve made from across the country because of this show. I hope if they are reading this, they know how incredibly special they are to me!

I am so excited for what the future holds for us, as we all know, the Thoroughbred Makeover is just the beginning!

The Jockey Club supports many aftercare initiatives including the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the only accrediting body in aftercare, and Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), which encourages the retraining of Thoroughbreds into other disciplines upon completion of careers. View all of the initiatives supported by The Jockey Club.