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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TK’s Turn Wins Blue at First Dressage Show!
Hey E and B, TK (TK’s Turn) and I got first place in our dressage test class! Granted, there were only two of us in it, but still! We did Intro A and got a 63. It was only our third ride together since TK came off-the-track. Leslie and Coin Maker won their class also,…
Barnwoodbo Begins New Training Regime
It is hard to believe it is the middle of October already and we have had Bo for five weeks. We have been busy. My friend Staci had the last of the fall shows and her older event horse came up lame. Old age gets us all eventually. I guess the timing is perfect since…
Taking 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.
OTTB Construction Easily Adapts to New Surroundings
Construction (we call him “Gus”) arrived at Bits & Bytes Farm on Monday, August 11th. The nearly 30 hour journey to Georgia did not seem to upset him at all. He walked from the road to the barn without any trouble, and he even stopped to munch on some grass. We took the first few…
Nothin’ Much Rattles “Huey’s” Chain
Wanted to send some quick pictures we took over the weekend of “Huey” aka Admiration, since I’ve been promising them forever. This canter is the first time we’ve really cantered – I’ve let him gallop some just to get some energy out, but this time he actually sat back and collected. It was wonderful! As…
Tucks St. Aly and Our Spotlight Stories Page
This is the story that started our Spotlight Stories.
Cortableau – One Month Update
Cortableau handled being in an unfamiliar place at the hunter pace – new horses and different terrain with no problem. We actually had our first canter ever a few minutes into the ride, and we did a couple of canters up hills. So I got braver and, when we got to the really big field, we cantered again.
Starting Stiff as a Rod
Am thinking also to keep the mounted “work” to a couple of times a week for now and focus on continuing to loosen her and get her shifted and “right” in her work–loose flexible and relaxed with just enuf saddle work to make sure she continues to feel comfortable with it. Does any of this sound right to you guys? and any other suggestions? I am giving her back and haunches good deep rubs whether we have worked or not to try and make sure she stays muscularly as loose as I can….funny—was massaging her poll and upper neck the other day—she started yawning over and over and twisted her neck around to me some much she practically turned herself inside out…lol. Was the funniest goofiest thing, she was practically looking up at the ceiling.
Reign Day Goes Home!
Reign Day was listed on the Bits & Bytes Farm Web site as a Thoroughbred Horse For Sale – Prospect Horse at the Track. He was purchased by John Reynolds, DVM and his wife Valeri to be a new Pony Club mount for their daughter Julia. Julia was busy with school commitments in February so we were asked to bring Reign Day to Bits & Bytes Farm for some training.
“Woody” aka “Blind Date” is Wonderful!
“Woody” is absolutely wonderful. We couldn’t love him more. He is very very handsome and he went to his first ‘AA’ show several weeks ago and did wonderfully. He placed 5th in one of his over fences in the Baby Greens and couldn’t have looked better or been more confident.
Team “Splash Protect” Flourishing After First Year Together
Here is Splash Protect’s, “Finnegan’s”, long overdue success story. Well it’s been more than a year since I began my OTTB adventure. I must say that I am totally confident that I made the right decision, despite a lot of doubt in the beginning. We have been through some rough times, all of which was…
Is That You Joe Bear?
Tucks St. Aly has made it home to Texas and his new mom Alex Kemper! Dearest Elizabeth and Barry, Well I’ve gotten a few pics here, I know there aren’t any of him in the stall or anything yet, but those will come soon. I was mostly just trying to get these ones uploaded so…