Well, August is finally here. In the world of Thoroughbred Makeover trainers, there is a lot riding on this month. By the end of August, final entries are due, which means choosing your discipline for competition in October. For me, and probably for most others in my position, July was spent trying to determine exactly which disciplines would best suit my horses.

In late June, the small northern Idaho community near Coeur d’Alene was shaken by a tragic incident that claimed the lives of two firefighters and left another injured.

In the days that followed, Champions Retreat, a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organization in Hayden, Idaho, offered a quiet gesture of support to those most affected: an invitation for local first responders and their families to spend time with the retired racehorses that call the farm home.