OK, excuse the novel, but here’s the longer, more expansive version of why I did this and what my goals are, based around the conversation regarding Thoroughbred sport horses. This is a bit rambly because I did a voice-to-text while driving to the barn this morning to see her, but here are my cleaned up thoughts:
So I thought a lot about why I decided to do a Thoroughbred project this winter. And, you know, the reality of the situation I found myself in is I am in a great program with a great trainer who gives me a ton of opportunities. I’ve been super lucky to have ridden some incredibly nice sale horses—got to spend a couple of months showing a Grand Prix horse in little jumpers, for instance, and that’s fantastic. But the reality of that situation is that those horses are fleeting, right? It’s a constant turnover. And now, with my trainer about to go to Florida, the opportunities for me for the winter are fewer.
So here’s where I was: I’m at the point in my life where I am lucky enough that I can shoulder the expenses for a horse, I can shoulder going to a couple of smaller local, rated shows whenever I want to, and my options were to buy something very (VERY!) inexpensive or put that money toward a lease. Looking objectively at what I could have leased at the amount that I had to spend, it probably would have been something a little older, maybe something that you’d do 1m on or maybe 1.10m. Maybe an adult hunter that’s been there and done that, but maybe it isn’t the fanciest thing. And so I really realized, “What am I going to get out of that?”
And I absolutely don’t mean to say that from a perspective of “I walk in the ring and find all eight jumps every time,” because that’s not the case. That’s not the case for many amateurs. Right? But, at this stage, of riding for 25 years now, do I need to jump a course in a lesson every day? Do I need to flat a horse that is super broke through the winter when it’s 20 degrees, and my motivation is low anyway?
So the clear option for me was that I allocate my money as best I can and find something inexpensive with the goal of fun and learning. Next… why an OTTB?
I grew up riding them. I think I’m kind of the last generation to do that in some form, and I’m not old by any means (early-30s). I think we’re kind of the last set of riders that maybe knew how to ride them or knew what they were like.
Even if they were tougher or hotter or harder to get to the ring, I have always known them to be brave. I’ve always known them always to jump. I’ve always known them to be pretty personable, social horses that are easy to work around in the barn—and you can’t say that for a lot of young warmbloods.
This particular filly has obviously not done anything. Like, she is as fresh off the track as they come, but she’s in the fancy barn now, and we don’t know what’s she going to be or what job she’ll want to do. It’s too soon. We don’t know enough about her to say what our goals are. But the goal I feel like I can confidently achieve is to bring along a well-adjusted young horse who is a pleasure to work around in the barn and who is safe and sensible. And maybe the end goal is to confidently jump around 2’6”… Maybe I’ll bring her up to 3’? Maybe she’s someone’s great eventer or dressage horse?
It’s hard to say but, but I’ll also add that I am really heartened by the support in the Thoroughbred classes, right. If I were going to do the option this winter where I paid to lease an adult horse for the winner, those classes don’t pay up here. But if I do some of the TIP or Take2 classes, those pay. It’s not a ton, but it’s the difference between a $200 show versus a $50 show bill. That’s not nothing to me.
You know, I ultimately still believe in the thoroughbreds. I think there’s been an increase in their value. I disagree with the notion that we’re trying to fit a square peg in a round hole by using them as sport horses. I think they’re the ultimate sport horse. I think their versatility and their mind is unmatched. When they are fit and well-groomed, I find them incredibly beautiful to look at. I already find the filly beautiful to look at, and she’s 150 pounds underweight.
I also think, like any of them, it’s all about the brain. We’re going to go really slow with her, so today, I took her in the ring with a rope halter and led her around. My trainer was schooling another horse. And she walked around, essentially on her own accord, and sniffed every jump, watched the horse jump (which was pretty remarkable to her at first because she’s clearly never seen anything like that), and was led over poles which she stepped over carefully but without a spook or any study. And our indoor is SPOOKY AF. In the end, she was licking and chewing and quietly standing next to me. Then she was perfect for the farrier.
I think it’s an adventure. It’s something to work on this winter that is more rewarding to me than maybe jumping around a course every day—or heck, jumping at all. And, you know, what’s the point of trailering to do a show every weekend this winter for a ribbon in a 3’ class? So, yeah, I’m excited about the journey, and I think it’s possible to do it with the right support team. About 99% of horses in the barn right now are warmblood. But I want to encourage and promote the Thoroughbred sport horse as a hunter, and hopefully, this filly will help us do that and that more H/J riders can do it themselves.
