Wow, the place has this month gone?! With spring reveals in full swing and our eyes on summer season schedules, the calendar has been jam-packed as of late, and you already know what they are saying, “time flies whenever you’re having enjoyable!”
For Teddy Spaghetti, it’s been a month of recent experiences, well-deserved relaxation, and getting again to the fundamentals. For Natty Bumppo, it’s been one other month of attending to know one another and weighing our future choices.
Since we final checked in with Teddy Spaghetti, post-horse present, he has formally accomplished his first paper chase as nicely. As soon as once more fortunate to have his huge brother, a 2024 Thoroughbred Makeover graduate, to point out him the ropes, Teddy cherished attending to exit and about round Tranquility Manor Farm. The gorgeous six-mile course offered us with loads of by no means seen earlier than sights and challenges, and I’m happy to report that Teddy didn’t bat a watch at any of them.
Whereas new water crossings, open fields, slim wooded trails, painted logs, hedges, coloured coops, tires, and even corrugated pipes couldn’t gradual us down, it was definitely his lack of concern for site visitors that I discovered most spectacular. It’s great to have the ability to go at your personal tempo and solely bounce what you need, however it isn’t unusual for different groups with different targets to wish to go you or be in your sight line on the subsequent hill over. In my expertise, that may trigger anxiousness in even probably the most skilled and laid again off-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs), who keep in mind, spent their early days studying to run collectively in teams and hoping to be the one doing the passing.
However even when his huge brother acquired a little bit antsy, Teddy took all of it in stride. He cherished watching the opposite horses do their factor, solely additional confirming his appreciation for group actions and hopeful prowess as a future subject hunter.
After ending out Could on a excessive notice, it was time for the barn to modify gears and deal with our extra seasoned opponents, who headed right down to the Upperville Colt & Horse Present and the Loudoun Profit Horse Present to symbolize the breed in each the Take2 Thoroughbred Hunter and Jumper Divisions, in addition to the great Thoroughbred Growth courses.
When planning to spend the higher a part of two weeks away, it’s all the time a frightening job to determine what these left behind ought to do. Do they should hold working or can they afford to have a break? Fortunately, in Teddy’s case it was a no brainer. Completely lazy at coronary heart and having already achieved a lot, we knew he would like to have an opportunity to loosen up and lie round … and that he did. Fairly actually the truth is!
So now that we all know Teddy is well-rested and checking all of the containers away from the farm, it’s time to get again to the fundamentals at residence. Whereas it’s all the time essential to progress towards sure milestones, for my part, it’s much more essential to take the time to return and reaffirm what you may have already taught them. Particularly in Teddy’s case, our horse present and paper chase demonstrated that sure, he can mentally deal with hack courses, piece collectively a course, and bravely deal with life and exercise outdoors the ring. However might he steer higher, use himself extra successfully, and bounce tidier? Completely, and that comes from going again to our flat work. In truth, that’s the place you’ll discover us this subsequent month as his children are out of faculty and we gear up towards one other native present and our very first away present on the finish of July.
As for Natty Bumppo, he’s settling in splendidly and loving getting again right into a program of types, however will he be capable of make the Thoroughbred Makeover? I truthfully don’t know but.
I like Natty Bumppo’s persona and willingness to attach and search for approval, however sadly some previous well being points might show to be extra limiting than we had as soon as hoped, or at the least limiting in the timeframe he must progress between now and October.
Nonetheless, the beauty of the timing of his racing profession, albeit transient, is that he’s additionally eligible for the 2026 Thoroughbred Makeover. Subsequently, I’m diligently utilizing all of the groundwork instruments at my disposal, in addition to ponying to proceed to reveal him to new experiences, whereas staying underneath the required 15 coaching rides allowed ought to we determine to attend till subsequent 12 months as an alternative.
One other great factor about him coming from an area breeder and buddy is that we have now full entry to his historical past. Now that we’re residence from our away reveals, I look ahead to working with our veterinarian to determine what’s subsequent. If we expect he’s bodily restricted and needs to be aimed towards a lower-level second profession, which will have us contemplating new and non-jumping disciplines on the makeover. If it as an alternative proves to be one thing that a little bit extra time and strengthening would put behind us, we could also be seeking to delay restarting him all collectively. Both method, he’s a pleasure to have round, and I very a lot look ahead to serving to him discover his greatest path ahead, in order all the time, keep tuned!
The Jockey Membership helps many aftercare initiatives together with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the one accrediting physique in aftercare, and Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), which inspires the retraining of Thoroughbreds into different disciplines upon completion of careers. View the entire initiatives supported by The Jockey Membership.
