OTTB Success Stories

Posts Tagged ‘Jumping’

Just wanted to let you know that Molly has started working with her trainer to teach Antioch to jump! He is doing fabulous so far, very willing. We moved our little group of friends to a private home/boarding location which has worked out so well. It is the four of us (our friends and their horses and our trainer). We have a great lighted arena and a beautiful barn and the horses get pasture turn out three days a week! Antioch is so happy! He has filled out and is just beautiful.

Brett and I went to our first A show this weekend. Blistering heat–105 degrees.  He was wonderful, and we got a nice ribbon in the equitation over fences class.

Judi

Hi Elizabeth,
Hope your summer is going well and all is good with you and yours. It’s been a while and I wanted to update you on what Golds Anatomy (his stable name is now “Riley”) and Laura are doing these days. Riley came to us May of last year (2009) and the first weekend of June this year (2010) Laura took him to his first recognized Area X Horse Trials. In spite of a few glitches in stadium they earned second place in Jr. Beginner Novice!

See more photos in Golds Anatomy’s new Photo Album.
Read more of Gold Anatomy’s Success Stories.

Laura had a blast and it turns out that “Riley’s” favorite thing is x-country. He is not afraid of anything (oh wait, a little iffy with water. This is Arizona after all) and acts like he’s been doing it all his life. The dressage rings were actually on a race track and he didn’t bat an eye. I think this is what he wants to do. Riley and Laura are becoming a solid team and she just loves him.

They are going to another event this weekend, wish them luck!

Leslie Hempleman

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Golds Anatomy was a Bits & Bytes Farm Prospect Horse For Sale directly from the race track in February 2009.

rFuhrluck was a former Prospect Horse on the Bits & Bytes Farm Web site.

Hi Elizabeth,

It’s been a long time. I just wanted to share a couple of photos of Fuhrluck aka “Seven” with you. As you can see he’s looking great! I still regularly keep in contact with his new owner, Dayna and I see him whenever I’m back in Ohio. I can’t imagine a happier, more loved horse.

“Seven” is a character and one of his favorite things to do is to play with and drink from the water hose. On the left is Jessy (Dayna’s daughter) and on the right is one of his best friends, Shana. I’ve been told that Shana wants first dibs on “Seven” if Dayna ever wants to sell him. She might have to fight me for it! But we’re probably safe as I don’t think “Seven” will be going anywhere anytime soon. He is the kind of horse you can’t help but love.

Furhluck loves to jump.

The following two photos are of Jessy and “Seven” at a schooling show from this past weekend.

I hope you are doing great! And, congratulations on your new bayby!

Amanda G. Sharritt

Read more of Fuhrluck’s success stories since 2007.

Please click here to read Furhluck’s oldest  success stories.

Thank you Amanda for the update. It is stories like these that made me get my own BAYby to train.

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Hi Elizabeth,

I wanted to give you an update on Wise Young Sage. He is AWESOME! Everywhere I go I feel like I’m with a celebrity. People literally stare at him with their jaws dropped all oohing and gooing over his beautiful floating trot & rocking horse canter. He has amazing potential to be competitive at the highest levels in eventing.

Wise Young Sage - May 2010

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I have had several people asking me if I want to sell him and I said HELL no! Sage has had some trouble with his feet so he has had the month of April off, he has no heel so I don’t know If that will ever grow out. He had a bad shoeing which didn’t help. He will be fine just some bruised heels.

Just a quick note from Minnesota. Bank President aka “Banker” is excelling at everything, he really is too smart for his own good. He is learning to bend and we have almost got him over the playful bucking issue. He has an amazing canter stride and really tries hard to please. He is so cute when her free jumps! He gets all excited now and you can’t even hold  him at the end of the ring anymore. All he wants is to go through the grid. He hit a rail once hard and scared himself. But he went back the next time and was so careful and scopey. It was amazing! He has already gone to 4ft and has plenty of room to go. Hopefully next month he will be far enough along in training to do some jumping while I am on him. Putting weight on him has been a struggle. Let me know if you have any suggestions. He is already on a weight builder supplement. More to come soon and I am uploading some pics this weekend of his free jumping skills.

Thanks again

Amy Atkins
Harvest Moon Stables

Hey Elizabeth!!

So much to report about Tru Native!!! This last month has had it’s up and downs with Truman. Now, we have made HUGE progress under saddle in just these last six days, in a row, mind you, which is a record!! It is really funny for me to learn about all of the “first’s” with a young, green horse.

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One day, during my ride, my cell phone started going off. What was the problem, oh yeah, my young, green horse knows nothing about technology, HA-HA, my older “made” horse that I sold before Truman, would just stop politely and let me answer my phone. Well, Tru’s head went straight up sooooooo far and he started taking off. Of course, I couldn’t let go of even one of my reins to get my phone out of my pocket to shut the thing up, and it rang for about 30 – 40 seconds, which seemed like an eternity. I just went along for the ride, trying to circle, using the one-rein stop, and calm him down. After my phone ceased it’s ringing, he was huffing and puffing and couldn’t believe that noise came from me!!! After we finished (I had to calm myself as well), I put him away and I went into his stall and had a friend call my phone. I was holding it, and it rang. Well… he came right over to it and tried to eat it, couldn’t care less!! Wasn’t the least bit frightened of the noise. I am assuming his fear of it under saddle was because I was on his back and the noise was over his head. He freaked out wondering why I would be making that wierd noise! We have been working on this under saddle. He is getting better about my phone going off now but is not totally convinced that it is nothing to worry about yet. Anyone heard of VIBRATE mode, what a concept, duh!!!

Then, there are the sun spots in the arena, which he attempts to jump. So funny, but now he just plows through them. Oh yeah, he loves to do ground poles, the more the better. He even loves to jump cavelletti’s. I want to work on a bit of jumping along with the dressage. Three or four ground poles are excellent for getting a horses back up and good for their mind. Truman just loves all of that and I think he would love to jump. He doesn’t seem nervous to go over anything I lay down in the arena.

We have still had more stubborn, grouchy days than good in the first two months I have been riding him. His work attitude has been difficult to deal with under saddle. Lots of huffing and puffing, throwing his head in the air, running off, anything he could think of to get out of work. Even some bucks. I did start using a running martingale. I noticed that on your website, you use them on all of your horses you ride. So that has been a help with the head tossing. But, things are NOW sooooo much better and he is actually FUN to ride. Before, he was been putting in a bit of bucking and crow-hopping. So, I had a new chiropractor out hoping to get some answers to his grumpiness. He said his pole/neck were out, which led to his neck being a little crooked and the odd muscle bulgings, which was causing pain under saddle. Now, his neck issue might have been this way a very long time, we don’t know for sure. But to have developed odd muscling like that didn’t happen over-night. He also adjusted his right hip. The hip wasn’t bad, but if we don’t get the neck fixed, everything else will suffer. From the moment I started to ride Truman after he arrived from Ohio, he would huff and puff, and seem to be VERY stubborn and grouchy. He always seemed to get better by the end of the ride, so I assumed it was just his greeness, stiffness and lack of confidence at the start of the ride. So everyday, was to say the least, not fun under saddle. Now he is getting the proper adjustments he deserves! Hopefully over time this will relieve the pain and he will become the willing, agreeable guy under saddle I know he can be. The change in his attitude already is super.

This horse has the most powerful hind end I have ever seen. Everyone who meets Truman comments on his amazing, powerful hind quarters! Now, that he is getting the adjustments and building more confidence under saddle he is my Super “TRU”per. That is what I say, when we are cantering all around the arena, I say to him over and over, SUPER TRUPER!!!!!! He loves it. This horse is so powerful, that he can even canter right off from the WALK!!! All on his own, I just sit there and let him do it. He has the most lofty canter and seems to have great control over his hind-end to lengthen and shorten his stride or even slow it down and sit, all on his own accord. A dressage rider’s dream! HOLY COW, what I am seeing in the mirrors and feeling about that natural, uplifting, front legs off the ground canter gives me chills. Of course, when we gets to the corners, he is back on his forehand and downhill, which is to be expected. It is just so exciting to see the possibilities in that gait. After all of that cantering, we go down to trot, and that is when I see his true trot stride, relaxed, long and floaty. It does go away of course when he looses his rhythm and balance. But I am seeing glimpses of the things to come down the road as he learns his balance and develops strength and rhythm.

I was so discouraged these last few weeks, feeling he just hated to be ridden. I love him so much and I didn’t want to give up. I just wanted more than anything to just have ONE good ride without resistance. But now, he is a happy-camper and a super “Tru”per. He knows I am not going to push or hurt him. It just took many weeks for him to figure this out and now that his neck is getting adjusted, he is even better. He is a strong-willed horse though and I know the road ahead with him won’t always be smooth sailing. It is an AMAZING feeling inside of pride when you have been working sooooo hard and finally accomplish something. I know that Truman feels that excitement along with me. He is a different horse under saddle this last week and I know he feels proud of himself as I am of him! He is my best friend and we have developed such a deep respect and trust for one another!! That is part of why things are going better, it just took Tru awhile to feel comfortable. Now, I can start really teaching him about dressage since he is becoming a great student.

OH, one more thing, I found out he does have a horse-challenging side to him. He does not like Jack, a black Swedish horse my friend Lucinda owns. Jack is an alpha horse. So Truman gets all worked up when Jack is in the arena. At first, I thought he just wanted to be near him trying to get out of work again, using Jack as an excuse. But then the other day, when we passed left to left, Truman spun around, ears pinned and wanted to go at him!!!!! I realized then, that he is wanting to challenge Jack. Of course, Jack totally ignores this young fellow, and I think that made Truman even more frustrated. Oh Yes… I have had quite a few first’s myself these last few weeks. Never a dull moment, that is for sure. Attached are more pictures of my beautiful baby and me.

Hope all is well with you Elizabeth, and your wonderful Bits and Bytes Farm. I still get on the website often, it makes me feel connected to other’s who are on the same journey as me. Thank you for that!!!

BEST TO YOU!!
Lauren Wittkop

We recommend all horses (not just ex-racers) get adjusted by a GOOD equine chiropractor. No horse will be able to perform well if his back or neck are out of alignment. Getting your horse adjusted and then doing the exercises to keep the muscle strong will help the horse hold the adjustment. If your horse is out of alignment he will buck and be reactive because he is trying to tell you that he HURTS. Listen to your horse and you will find that he will reward you by trying to please you. This is so typical of a Thoroughbred. – Elizabeth

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I was hoping to get some pictures of Fast Commander today at a lesson, but my husband was needing the digital camera for something he was doing. Hopefully I’ll be able to get some soon to send. “Commander” is great and seems to retain everything despite erratic schedules. He has jumped up to 3ft in lessons. He has really become more coordinated & athletic as he has matured, and he has gotten quite good in his lateral work. Anywhere we go, someone asks, “How big is he?” (17HH & still all legs.) He’s a pleasure to ride & I think he has a ton of talent. Of course, we still have lots to learn as he is not truly five yet. We are starting to think about Spring show schedules and wish for the end of a cold Winter.

I hope all is happy & healthy with you guys.
Stephanie

Austin's Wolf is successful at 3'

Hi all!
This weekend Austin’s Wolf and I did our second 3′ show to get more experience under our belts.

We were not as fit as I would have liked – holidays and family visits through off our schedule and we did not have a show in December.

Started with a Friday night schooling in gale force winds with about 15 horses in the ring all jumping every which way…..  took us longer working than I wanted to settle.

Saturday was a nice day and we had a couple good rounds….

Sunday we were both tired and had two flat classes and a couple more over fences.

We placed, but not as well as I would have liked the second day……

Attached are a couple of pictures from my resident photographer Josh.

Hugs to everyone!
Laurie

Austin’s Wolf now has a Photo Gallery with Albums show all his winning pictures.
Be sure to read all of  Austin’s Wolf’s Success Stories.

Dear Elizabeth,
I am not a good e-mailer and I apologize. There have been many times when I’ve thought of you and Becky in the past year. (Can’t believe it’s been a year). I bought Mr. Inquisitive from you when he was 3 years old last December. He has been such a pleasure. I have been taking it slow with his training since I am in no hurry and he seemed to benefit from this approach. He is an excellent jumper-my trainer loves him. He uses himself very correctly and is nice and steady. We’ve gone to a number of shows just to hang out and then to eventually school. It’s paid off.

I ‘ve been riding him myself since the first time we tacked him up and I have to admit I was a little nervous. At 57 I was asking myself what was I doing!! He could have been so different but he has taken such good care of me. I will send you some pictures when I get a little technical help with that one.

Thanks for putting in all the time and effort to make a difference for so many horses and people. I couldn’t be happier. Happy Holidays!!

Warmest wishes,
Suzie Jacobson

Read more about Mr. Inquisitive who was a former Prospect Horse For Sale on the Bits & Bytes Farm Web site in December 2008.