This year, America’s Best Racing and the Retired Racehorse Project will be sharing diaries from several trainers preparing for the 2023 Thoroughbred Makeover competition, scheduled for Oct. 11-14 at the Kentucky Horse Park. Meet adult amateur rider Morgan Hayden and her RRP hopeful, Goldie, as they gear up for their maiden voyage to the Thoroughbred Makeover.

As we approach the starting dates for the Thoroughbred Makeover so many things come to mind. Are we ready? Is there something we still need to work on? And, more importantly, have I done enough to prepare Goldie for this adventure?

Realistically, the short answer to all of these questions is yes. We are more than ready, we have been more than prepared, and yes, the number one thing we need to work on is just having FUN!

However, beyond all of those thoughts and questions, I started thinking about just how far Goldie and I have come together in such a short time. Goldie is the youngest horse I have restarted for the Thoroughbred Makeover and the youngest horse I have ever personally owned.

Goldie at Real Rider Cup (Courtesy of Morgan Hayden/Maggie Kimmitt Photography)

You take for granted all of the things that come easy for your 9- and 12-year-old horses and quickly forget just how hard what can be perceived as the simple things are for a 4- now 5-year-old like Goldie. Not only have we come far, but you start to think, why am I really doing the makeover and why was Goldie the one I chose to do this process with?

When I think about MidAtlantic Horse Rescue and the Retired Racehorse Project, they have the same common goal: to bring awareness to Thoroughbred and aide in their transition to their second career, home, or next chapter in very unique ways.

But was I really the one transitioning Goldie? After almost eight months of training, it is now obvious that it has been Goldie transitioning me this whole time. He has transitioned me as a horsewoman, a rider, and as a genuine person. Truthfully, for as long as I can remember, I have never had patience and have always struggled to truly just have fun with things that bring me joy. I would tense up, stress out, and just let it all go out the window because, for some reason or another, I just thought everyone was watching me and I needed to be some form of perfect. Goldie has truly brought new meaning to my life and now has really allowed me to actually have patience and laugh or giggle as hard as I can while riding if things do not goes as planned or how they should. Like the first time he went into the water at Pacific Farms Inc., and jumped every water jump at 3-feet high because he could not figure out how to make it stop touching him, or recently at the Fair Hill Thoroughbred Show when he jumped the 0.7-meter course at questionably 3 feet with his front end and 3 feet, 6 inches in the hind for no other reason than he just did not want to touch the poles.

Sometimes, I would find myself laughing so hard I almost fall right off. The memories we have created together will forever be cherished through this journey, and I am overly excited for the memories we make while we are at the Thoroughbred Makeover.

So, when it comes down to it, I chose Goldie because I knew so many months ago that he was truly different, but I can confidently say I never knew just how different he was. I never thought about the difference he was able to make in my life. However, I am overly happy that I chose him and he really chose to trust me through this adventure with him, as I could never imagine it any other way at this point.

Just remember the Thoroughbred Makeover is just the beginning step of what is yet to come! I cannot wait to be in Kentucky and see everyone there, and hopefully you all will enjoy the short video attached of Goldie’s start to finish so you are able to reflect on just how far each of you have come as well!

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.