First OTTB Success Stories for
For a new off-the-track Thoroughbred owner there are lots of "Firsts". First Ride, First Show, First Canter or even their First Success Story posted to this site. If you are wondering what it is like to own and ride your own OTTB, read these stories from our buyers about their "Firsts".
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Deny & Liz’s Success Story
I have been riding and competing in the hunter/jumper world my whole life and leased an OTTB during high school and college. I knew that when it was time for me to get my next horse I definitely wanted a thoroughbred! As I was researching barn and sale horses I kept coming back to the…
Read MoreBrat Maverick Arrives at Bits & Bytes Farm
Brat Maverick aka former Prospect Horse -“Maverick” has arrived at Bits & Bytes Farm to meet his new mom Jodi Penn. We took a tour of Kentucky and Ohio to see the fall foliage and to pick up Brat Maverick. It was a whirlwind weekend of fun. Brat Maverick met his new mom today! Be…
Read MoreMr. Boston is OK in Oklahoma
Mr.Boston is fabulous!!!! Elizabeth didn’t want to go back to school!! She said that he would go and live in the dorm with her! We can’t wait to see what she does with him. For day 2 of riding him in our arena, they both look fantastic!
Read MoreConstruction’s Checklist: Canters (check), Crosses Creeks (check), Coups (check) and Carrots (check, check, check….)
“Gus” (Construction) is so incredibly happy with his new career and new home at Bits & Bytes Farm. His personality comes out more and more everyday and I absolutely adore him. He has recently perfected the art of rolling (every single inch of his body gets covered with dust) and decided he has a LOVE…
Read MoreCoin Maker Makes Friends at New Home
Hi Elizabeth, I just wanted to let you know that Coin Maker is doing great. We had him by himself for a couple of days, then in a pasture with our “baby” horses (2 3-year-olds and 1 2-year-old). Yesterday, we let him out with everyone and, other than the usual antics, everyone is getting along…
Read MoreMaverick on the Move!
His ground manners and patience are all improving. He’s been taught to be hobbled. I only did this because he was getting to be such a handful camping and on big trail rides, I feared for his saftey and didn’t trust him not to jump to get with the herds. He struggled some, but quickly learned to calm himself. The Sunday afternoon following the Saturday that he was first hobbled it actually paid off in an unexpected way.
Read MoreTaking It Slow Pays Off . . .
That was around 3 weeks ago. We made quite some miles in the last few weeks. From my last email till now he improved a lot and I decided to give it a try and entered in the Poplar Place schooling show last weekend. And I can tell you he was great…I had entered us in a 2′ jumper class and the Intro A Dressage Test.
Read MoreRap It Up’s First Ride
I rode Rap It Up for the first time today and he did great!!!!!!! He was actually pretty lazy! Not at all what I expected from him! He was pretty rowdy on Monday, but the more time he spent NOT confined to a stall, the better he was. He is adjusting to his new home very well.
Read MoreHollywood Vic and Cheri’s First Canter is Thrilling!
Sunday has gone down as one of the best days of my life! This was the first day I cantered on my beautiful OTTB, Hollywood Vic! Last week I wrote that I have been working on balance. The work has finally paid off with Hollywood and Elizabeth’s’ patience, we cantered today for the very first…
Read MoreSome Great Firsts
I can now say that my high-strung, drama queen Thoroughbred is calmer than a wild burro! Wanting to introduce Aly to his supposed to be future pasture buddy, the burro,Junior, I held Aly’s halter in the big pasture, while my dad held the burro; I walked up to them, Aly was pretty calm, eager to reach out and meet the burro, the burro was very stolid and looked suspicious, as soon as Aly reached out to touch noses and say hi, the burro wheeled around and freaked out; dad got him calmed down and we tried again several times. Then, Aly being quite laid back through all the ruckus, moved forward again, this time just to munch a piece of grass off the ground, as he did he hit a piece of the siding on the shop and it set the burro off like an explosive! he started backing up and pulling my dad across the pasture Aly, on a medium longish lead, just turned slowly, but interestedly around, as if to say, “wow this is entertaining, what is that crazy animal getting himself worked up about??” Seriously, Aly’s attitude really seemed like that, his eye was relaxed, head down, leg cocked, and totally at ease, in a pasture that, even in a halter, he was freaking out in the day before. I was very proud of my boy.
Read MoreCrowd Catcher is a Clothes Horse!
Crowd Catcher is sporting her new wool cooling blanket and having a carrot treat for her great performance under saddle.
Read MoreRiding Ridge
It has been two months since I moved Ridge to another barn, and I wanted to let you know that Ridge and I are doing great! My new barn is also located next to a lot of trails, so I am able to do trail rides with my daughter. Ridge seems to enjoy them!
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