all in Horse Country

Well, another month has come and gone and our progress continues to be hindered by the series of unfortunately chaotic events that seems to be marring 2024. 

After a spring and early summer of below-normal temperatures and a fair bit of rain, we got two solid weeks of excessive heat with no relief. And then, we got smoke.  Smoke that cost us two race days, and me a lot of riding time.

My province is on fire. Our greatest natural treasure is under siege by it.     

My elderly pets have been having health crisis after health crisis.

Holly Zecchin was in the market for a horse with the potential to compete in Western Dressage when she found Buckeye Warrior on the New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program website. Buckeye Warrior, a 2016 bay gelding, had run from 2018 to 2021, earning a total of $43,819. Unfortunately, at the time he was listed on the website, Buckeye Warrior was rehabilitating from a stress fracture in his left tibia. Consequently, there were no videos of him, only photos showcasing his conformation.

West Point Thoroughbreds will be represented by not one, but two graded stakes winners at the 2024 Thoroughbred Makeover: Cavalry Charge and Decorated Invader! Their Thoroughbred Makeover trainers, Erin Knehr and Mary Termer, will be telling the stories of these two winners in a joint blog entry each month.

Erin Knehr:

The perfect opportunity for me to take BOTH of my RRP hopefuls presented itself in May at the New Vocations’ 21st Annual All-Thoroughbred Charity Horse Show. This show would give me the chance to work out details with my packing list, provide long distance trailering experience, give more show experience for the two horses and prepare me for the Thoroughbred Makeover with two horses. It’s always been in the back of my mind: can I really compete two horses at once? How am I going to do this?!?!

In June, we took Scout to another local dressage schooling show. He was composed and did a great job earning second- and third-place ribbons. More importantly, he improved in every way. He was more relaxed and even more on the aids. He seemed to “get” the idea of what he was doing there, performing both tests smoothly. Kristen rode him again and did a wonderful job.

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