Horse Country

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Thoroughbred Makeover, Salesman, aftercare, eventing, hunter, jumper, dressage, training, schooling, cross country, OTTB, retired racehorse, pasture, turnout, competition

Thoroughbred Makeover Diary: Turning a Corner in Training with Salesman

As we approach May, I cannot believe that we are already five months away from the Thoroughbred Makeover in October and halfway through our training period. Overwhelming as that may seem, I feel so confident in Salesman and his progress. With five months to continue to take the foundation we have created in him at home, we will go on the road and start competing in eventing. I thought I would take some time to bring you in on what this last five months has included.

Summit County, OTTB, aftercare, eventing, dressage, cross country, Brianna DiRocco-Toy, Mid-Atlantic Horse Rescue, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, ulcerative colitis

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Success Story: Healing Through the Heart of Summit County

Brianna DiRocco-Toy’s journey to finding Summit County was far from straightforward. She tried 13 different horses, each one bringing her closer to her perfect match, yet none quite right. Initially, Summit County wasn’t even on her radar. Brianna had her eyes set on another horse, only to discover that it had too many limitations.

OTTB, Thoroughbred Makeover, aftercare, hunter, training, Teddy Spaghetti, Thoroughbred, retired racehorse, canter, trail riding, Natty Bumppo, competition

Thoroughbred Makeover Diary: New Opportunities and New Decisions

Well, it’s official. I will have some decisions to make as to who my Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover competitor will be! Or, for the first time ever, will I take more than one? As a professional in this business, I never know what horses will come my way, and when it comes to the Makeover in particular, obviously eligibility plays a large role, but so does a horse’s physical and mental acuity to be able to progress in the given timeframe. So how do we know?

Headlights On, Aspyn Nicole, Bridgett Nicole, aftercare, training, hunter, Arashi, OTTB, pony club, Horse and Hound, rescue, equestrian

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Success Story: Headlights On, Future Bright

Headlights On, a chestnut gelding born in April 2019, never raced but found a new purpose through the Horse and Hound Rescue Foundation, where he arrived in September 2022. Bridgett Nicole and her family had been browsing the Horse and Hound Rescue Foundation website for several months when her youngest daughter, Aspyn, expressed a serious interest in adopting a horse of her own.

Thoroughbred, makeover, Jordan Sigmon, Maverick, Valobra, Retired Racehorse Project, OTTB, retired racehorse, training, horse show, trailer, aftercare

Thoroughbred Makeover Diary: Progress in the Right Direction with Valobra

To me, the most important thing you have to learn how to do when it comes to bringing young horses of any breed along is to trust the process. It oftentimes feels like for every step you take forward, you take two or three back. That has definitely been the theme of the last couple months or so for Valobra, aka “Maverick” and me both.

I had major surgery in early February that kept me out of the tack for about six weeks. During that time, I sent Maverick to get some training hoping it would be a good leg up to have us show ready by early May.

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