Posts Tagged ‘Trail Ride’
Trail Riding Triple Lindy
Hi Elizabeth,
I sure hope it was as beautiful in Canton as it was here! It took until about 11:00 for the dense fog to burn off and the sun to bring about a beautiful day. It hasn’t been this nice in forever it seems. I went and picked up some hay this morning and got back around lunch to prepare for my afternoon ride.
Lindy and I took our first of many long trail rides cross country. I’m guessing it may have been a first for her since she looked at everything. We rode up and down the hills, through the fields and on the trails through woods for about two hours. It was wonderful!!! She was very brave and very honest– no silly or thoughtless moves 
Lindy learned about stepping over logs and by the end of our ride she was a pro.
Our next outing will involve the little creek. Read the rest of this entry »
Five Weeks – Our First Trail Ride
The trail ride was the true test of whether I successfully ride my new OTTB.
Elizabeth,
This seemed like a fitting time to do an update story for you on Maverick. I really am both excited and sad to be moving Maverick next weekend. I honestly can not believe how lucky I have been to not only get Maverick, but to have been taught by you and to have met so many great horse people at your farm.
Update on Maverick:
5 Weeks and Our First Trail Ride
I have proudly owned Maverick now for 5 weeks and aside from marrying my husband and having my children, it has been without a doubt the best 5 weeks of my life. Maverick is the sweetest horse I could ever imagine and he is incredibly smart. Some people think of OTTBs as wild, crazy horses that might run away with you at any given moment. While I think that might be true of some OTTBs, I can tell you that it is not true of Maverick or any of the other horses I have had the pleasure to watch at Bits & Bytes.
This weekend Maverick and I will take the next step in our journey together. We will be moving him to his new home closer to me. I am excited to think that I will be able to see him every day, but I am also sad to see him leave his wonderful, temporary home at Bits & Bytes. In addition to it being a great facility, it has been a place of real learning and confidence building for me. I have learned from an expert (Elizabeth) how to do everything from selecting tack that works best for Maverick, to ground work, to riding in the ring, to our first trail ride together last weekend.
The trail ride for me was the true test. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in B&B Success Stories, Brat Maverick | 
Tags: First, Prospect Horse, Trail Ride, Trail Riding
Allegedly True – Lives Up to Nickname – “True Sweetheart”
Allegedly True at the track. He is less than two weeks at his new home and already he is going to hunter paces and trail riding.
“True Sweetheart” stood quietly for the farrier and then went on a hunter pace at the Metamora Hunt. He did very well and stayed right with the other four horses — did not spook at any thing. All in all, I think he did very well on the uneven ground and in a plain snaffle bit and with all the commotion at the start by the kennels. He also did some good flying changes.
Next Sunday he will be going on another “trail ride” thru the Metamora hunt country with a few other horses.
Cindy Dillon
Allegedly True was the stablemate of Rap It Up. Both horses came off-the-track recently and are already being ridden outside on trails and hunter paces. Most of the horses we place are quickly able to be ridden outside of the arena. If they are quiet at the track, they only get quieter at home.
“Rappin” on the Trails with an OTTB
I took Rap out for his first trail ride on Monday and he did great. We have several trails that include hills, creek crossings, ditches, logs, etc. and he passed his first test with flying colors. I took him out by himself (therefore no pictures, sorry) and he took everything in stride. He “eyeballed” a couple things, but had no “big” problems.
I just wanted to take a minute to let you know that Rap is coming along just fine. I also wanted to congratulate you and Barry on “selling” so many horses lately. I have been keeping an eye on your website and am glad to see all the success you are having. I wish you both much continued success in your endeavor.
Sincerely,
David
Knight Villain Building Trusting Bonds While Having Fun
Knight Villain is doing great. We recently went on a ride with our good friends Paula and Joe Bear to a neighboring farm to watch them school some cross country fences, and we got to explore some new trails and enjoy the sights and sounds of early spring.
Paula and Joe arrived early and we loaded Knight in about five minutes (oh, how that ground work pays off). The ride in the trailer was uneventful and both horses arrived fresh and interested in their new surroundings. They could see the horses in the pasture next to the trailer and eagerly whinnied to them as we prepared to set off.
Joe Bear and Paula school cross-country fences.
After a quick warm up in the arena, we were escorted to the trailhead by a couple of boarders and spent some time exploring the gentle hills and quirky little streams running through the property. Then it was time for Paula and Joe to hit the course. They flew over everything in sight with no hesitation and would gallop past us while Knight unconcernedly chewed on the grass. To those people who think that off-the-track thoroughbreds will explode and run off if another horse is moving by at speed, Knight proved them wrong. Read the rest of this entry »
Maverick on the Move!
Light Artillery is an ex-race horse gotten off-the-track by Bits & Bytes Farm. Click on this image to see his photo gallery.
Helloooo All!
Long time, no update, but boy o boy has there been a lot happening.
For starts, moved back to GA/FL In the last few months – Light Artillery aka “Maverick” has done SO MUCH! From camping, to tracking cows and day long trail rides, but I think his favorite has been being the biggest baby of the family. Everyone just falls in Love with the boy. I’m sending pictures of some of his family. Of course Reba is his blonde babe.
Light Artillery is now named "Maverick" and he has a girl friend.
In these first pictures he let little Amanda (I’m big Amanda) ride him and sit on him and rub all over and be completely under hoof to him. Read the rest of this entry »
Helmet – check, Phone – check, Brakes – check, Seatbelt?
Melissa Cavan loves her OTTB Bato Loco aka "Tux". Click on this image to see more Bato Loco photos in his photo gallery.
December was full of new experiences for Tux (aka Bato Loco) and me.
We went on our first field trip to another farm to ride. He loaded beautifully; however, he whinnied the entire drive. I wonder if he thought I was sending him back to the track! We were both nervous, but I think we did very well for our maiden getaway.
The first trip off-the-farm can be very upsetting for an off-the-track Thoroughbred. He has just begun to settle in to his new career and he is being loaded back into a trailer. To him, that means moving to another track. Do lots of short fun trips until your OTTB learns that he is not ever going back to the track again. – Elizabeth
Tux became quite a sourpuss for about a week after our adventure. He was cranky in the pasture, in his stall, and even when I rode him. I checked his temperature, watched him eat, looked for lameness, and (luckily) couldn’t find anything wrong. Winter blues?
