Some people really REALLY hate the snow. You probably know exactly who I’m talking about… you might even be one of those people. I’m not. I actually… enjoy… the snow. Call it a by-product of…
Browsing Category OTTB Training
Tips for training ex-racehorses, including OTTBs and OTQHs, but really they apply to all forms of horses!
Training A Horse For Straightness
By nature all horses are crooked and asymmetrical. You probably understand this if you’ve ever ridden a horse who’s not quite sure what you’re asking them to do…. and you probably already know what that…
This Week With Indy: Getting to Maybe
After a two week hiatus for the annual holiday pilgrimage to my parents’ house in Northern New York, I’m back at the farm and that can only mean one thing for my boy Sure Prize…
Building a Balanced Horse
Any horse person worth their salt will tell you if you ride five laps to the right it should probably be followed by five laps to the left. Why? Because we’re constantly trying to make…
Teaching Your Horse to Ground Tie
Have you ever had trouble getting your horse to stand still? In the barn? For the farrier? On the trails? Does your horse have trouble tying or standing cross-tied? There’s a simple, practical skill you…
What Is “Collection” & Why Is It So Important?
Whenever you’re working with a horse you, as a rider, have a certain responsibility to that animal. It’s part of the moral contract that makes the whole endeavor of working with animals, and in my…
This Week With Indy: Conditioning for Relaxation, Ground Tying & Changing Up Our Routine
With the holiday season quickly approaching this is probably the most inconsistent time of the season for me in terms of how frequently I’ve gotten to work my boy, Mr. Indiana Jones otherwise known by…
Top 10 Most Helpful OTTB Training Books & Videos
Prior to August 23, 2018, the day that my own off-track Thoroughbred stepped off the trailer, I had zero experience in retraining an ex-racehorse. Sure I’d worked plenty of other broke horses, but never a…
Week 8: Indy Update! Group Lesson, Framing & Collection
After two, very long, painful, and rather boring weeks being injured, I am FINALLY back in the saddle. A few weeks ago I managed to clip my foot in a lawnmower and you can guess…
7 Easy Exercises You Can Do With Your Horse Even When You’re Injured
It sucks being injured. You’ll get no argument from me on that front. But possibly worse than any injury itself are those days, weeks or maybe even months that you feel helpless and useless. And…
My First Ride On An OTTB
Holy sh*t folks, we’ve arrived. I’ll be honest. I wasn’t expecting to ride an ex-racehorse today… but I did. And you want to know something? He was a perfect gentleman about it. It’s been one…
Taking What The Horse Gives You
As the fiancee of a barn owner in the horse boarding business, I can tell you that I’ve seen my fair share of people’s egos’ get in the way of their progress with their horse….
Beginning With The Basics: Starting My Retired Racehorse Retraining On the Ground
Since Indiana Jones arrived at the farm in late August, it seems like everyone is asking me, “So when are you going to take him for a ride?” And to be honest I haven’t exactly…
Exit With Caution
I had an oops moment. And in that moment I realized how lucky I was. It was really just a mental lapse but one thing’s certain with horses: mental lapses can turn into accidents in…
Day 1: Training an OTTB
Before Indy got off the trailer I spent the week prior reading just about every book I could on how to retrain an OTTB. I joined so many OTTB Facebook groups that my Newsfeed is…