Time is absolutely flying by with Imposing Ruler (Henry) and Gray Magician (Gray). I am no stranger to bringing along multiple horses at a time, but two horses on the fast-track to the Thoroughbred Makeover is a more daunting task. Even though both of my mounts are working toward the same goal, the two could not be more different.

On one hand, I have Henry, a 4-year-old standing barely above pony-size who only saw the track twice. And on the other is Gray, a 16-plus hands, 8-year-old gelding with an impressive race record, who is better traveled than most adults. My hope is that both of them will be stepping into their respective rings at the Thoroughbred Makeover, fully confident in their jobs and ready to show the world what off-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) from all walks of life are capable of. But I know their paths to get there probably will be as different as they are.

For Henry, I am focusing a lot on the basics. He is such a sweet, honest guy that it’s easy to forget he just turned 4. Because he doesn’t have a lot of miles on the track, my job right now is to expose him to as many things as possible, while helping him learn new skills, like balance and self-carriage for dressage and footwork over small fences. We have been focusing on arena work and establishing a foundation that can be built upon slowly.

While he has been such a quick study in the ring, the most lucrative place to train young horses is off property. So much education and growth happens the moment you leave home, and with a horse that has only raced a couple of times, how they handle new atmospheres is always the biggest question. Thankfully, Henry checked off that box with ease on Sunday! He loaded up with some friends for a little adventure and ended up schooling in a dressage ring, trying his hand at small banks and ditches, and even took to water with no issue. I am so excited to potentially have a pony eventer on my hands!

While we will stick on our path of slow and steady foundational work while the little one grows, the plan for Gray looks a little different. Being a seasoned racehorse with a resume that includes 48 starts, Gray is an athlete through and through. He has been trained to the highest level of racing and seen it all — from flying to Dubai, to dealing with hundreds of thousands of screaming fans at the Kentucky Derby in 2019. And even though he has only been trained to race, his athleticism and race record mean that he is a bit more mature than Henry. He is very aware of his body, already very balanced in all gaits, soft in the mouth, and loves to work. He probably knows more than I do, so my job right now is to listen to him.

Gray Magician transitioning to off-track life. (Courtesy of Lindsay Gilbert )

As he transitions to off-track life, I am focusing on keeping his body and mind happy and healthy while we figure out what he wants to do. After spending the last several months resting and recuperating in turnout, letting him slowly acclimate to a new routine has been essential to keeping his mind happy. I have also had my wonderful team of vets go over him physically so that we know what path we need to take to keep his body happy. We have done flexion tests and gone over X-rays and ultrasounds to ensure his soundness, and longevity in his second career is our top priority.

Having gotten the green light from my vets to let him tell us what he wants to do, I’ve started really trying to listen under saddle. He loves having a job — the first few minutes of each ride start with a jig of excitement as if asking what I have in store for him that day. When I pick up the reins, he gets right to work. But even so, I can tell the slow and steady arena work that I usually do with my young horses bores him. I let him play over some poles in the ring to keep his attention while working on basic concepts like bending. Last week, I pointed him to his first crossrail. Unamused at first, he trotted over it like it wasn’t there. When I let him canter the small fence, he settled into a lovely rhythm and popped over it in adorable form!

Moving forward, Henry will continue to work on the basics of using his body and experiencing as many new situations as he can. Gray will continue to slowly come back into work, letting his body strengthen over time, while I try to keep his mind engaged. Maybe they will both want to event, maybe Gray will enjoy the challenge of competitive trail or Henry will really shine as a pony hunter. Regardless of where they end up, I know the future will be bright for both!

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.