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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“Sage” is (at) Home on the Range

Jun 16, 2009

Home…Home on the range (in Texas)…..Sage is now finally here with me and he has a new best friend Tiger. Both of them are 4 year-old OTTBs and they are both beautiful fiery red chestnuts. You would think they are long lost brothers, because they are inseparable. They don’t leave each others side….even though they are turned out with three other horses. If you take one of them away from the other they whinny at each other it’s hilarious.

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Well Worth the Wait – First Ride!

Feb 2, 2008

The first real ride went very well.  He walked and trotted without a care in the world.  I will be taking Behren to meet my trainer for the first time on the 21st.

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Easy Going Thoroughbred Scores Big with New Family

Apr 9, 2009

Goldie is doing great, and we just love him. Everyone from the shipper to the farrier say they are impressed with how easy going he is. Laura has ridden him several times already and he was just a dream, talk about a stride!

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June is a Doll

Dec 8, 2010

June (A June Affair)  is an absolute doll and has settled in very well!  She is one of the sweetest horses I have been around and her “racehorse” ground manners are improving tremendously! I did get on her this weekend for the first time and she was as good as I could have hoped for. …

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Chilletecaux – SOLD!

Jul 31, 2009

Chilletecaux was a Bits & Bytes Farm Prospect Horse For Sale when he was purchased by Jane Chance of Locust Grove, GA. Watch to see her train Chilletecaux for his new career as an eventor.

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Barnwoodbo aka Bo has a “Purr-fect” First Ride

Sep 21, 2008

Thought I would let you know how we made out with Bo. I ran up on Friday morning to get him from the training center without my daughter because the window of opportunity was small. Now I have bought horses from pictures before but this is the first time the horse has looked better than…

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Mimi’s Ava Has a Busy First Week Off-the-Track

May 26, 2012

Mimi’s Ava ran her last race on May 17, 2012. She traveled to Bits & Bytes Farm on May 22. Her new owner Phil Yarbrough rode her for the first time on May 24th.The next day, on the second ride, Phil put his Western saddle on his ex-race horse and took her for a trail ride with another OTTB!

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Reign Day Goes Home!

Mar 20, 2010

Reign Day was listed on the Bits & Bytes Farm Web site as a Thoroughbred Horse For SaleProspect 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.

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Finder’s Chance Scores Well in Dressage

May 10, 2009

Finder’s Chance did great in his first show. Intro Tests A and B. I think he got 69% in Test A and 68% in Test B (even with an error). Except for the entrance and exit, he got all 7s and 8s. He really doesn’t yet have the concept of halting at attention.

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My First Ride on Brat Maverick!

Oct 26, 2009

Even though all I did was walk on a lunge line I felt an amazing thrill. The most surprising thing was how calm and collected he was. Even though I had read about it on the website, there was a part of me that still finds it hard to believe. It was only after my ride was over that I thought about the fact that I had just ridden a former race horse. Oh my gosh, what a an amazing experience.

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Great Game - First Ride!

First Ride on Great Game!

Dec 19, 2011

OK—I know am jinxing myself—can feel it—am positive of it—but…… My girl has had a couple of very good days…..Sat brought her in and she was pretty tense and wound tacking her up but once she was outside and she trotted off a few of her nerves(she was under saddle) I hooked up the long…

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Team “Splash Protect” Flourishing After First Year Together

Oct 3, 2008

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…

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