When Al Gillen set out to adopt another horse from MidAtlantic Horse Rescue in 2022, he had a clear vision: something smaller, older, and ready to settle into a quieter life alongside his senior horse, Stardust. What he found instead was Pep Talking: a big-bodied, 6-year-old Thoroughbred with a bold personality and plenty to say.

Gillen had known Beverly Strauss of MidAtlantic Horse Rescue for nearly 20 years and trusted the process completely.

“I knew the adoption experience would be smooth and that we’d get full disclosure on everything,” Gillen said.

During his first ride on Pep Talking, Gillen encountered a horse who was eager to please but full of energy. “He was jumpy and especially strong on forward motion,” Gillen recalled. But a ride around the rescue’s property sealed the deal. “I asked him to nose into heavy brush or walk up to farm equipment. None of that fazed him in the least, which was very encouraging to me for what his new job would be.”

Enjoying a trail ride. (Courtesy of Al Gillen)

After trying several horses, Pep just stood out. “He felt like the best fit,” Gillen said.

Pep Talking, a 2016 gelding, earned more than $67,000 in 26 starts before arriving at MidAtlantic Horse Rescue in July 2021.

“This is actually the second horse I’ve adopted from MidAtlantic,” Gillen shared. “I got Stardust back in 2006. With Stardust now a senior, I wanted a younger horse to be ready to fill his shoes, so to speak, when the time came to dial down his activities. That has not happened yet, so I now have two active horses.”

Pep proved to be a handful during his retraining, so Gillen partnered with a dressage trainer.

“The goal was never to make Pep a competitive dressage horse," he said. "We’re just using the training as a foundation for his real job – my main trail mount.”

At first, Pep’s responses were often a little explosive. “He’s never been malicious in any way, just full of strength and speed, which was his answer to anything challenging,” Gillen explained. But with patience and consistent work, Pep began to settle and thrive. “He’s got a strong work ethic and a big personality,” Gillen said. “And in the barn, he’s definitely risen to the top of the herd – keeping the older boys on the move.”

“[He’s] become a fun ride that is safe, sane, and brave on the trails. Today, I feel 100% comfortable taking either Stardust or Pep out for whatever ride I have in mind.”

Now more than two years into his retraining, Pep is thriving. Gillen rides him two to three times a week, exploring trails, participating in hunter paces, and tackling judged trail rides and obstacle courses.

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.