For sale-Hot Roxie

I love the horses I get to work with every day and finding horses coming off of the track second careers is very important to me.

Hot Roxie is a five year old thoroughbred mare that I am trying to help her owners/trainers find a home for. She is about 17.1 hands and is by Game Plan (same as our pony-horse that I have also shown dressage) out if a Pirate's Bounty mare. I love Game Plan offspring for dressage/jumping/eventing because they usually have good minds, are strong over the top line, powerful, and have good suspension.

I was extremely short on time in getting a video of Roxie before I moved, the quality is horrible, but I think that there is enough there to give a general idea of what this mare has to work with.

Roxie's first ride off of the track:

I guess I should mention that she had only been ridden once in the last month (on the track to show her to a potential buyer). We hauled her out to where she is going to board for the summer, gave her an hour to eat and settle in, then tacked her up and I rode her. I didn't lunge her, just led her around the arena to show her things and then got on. She was awesome!

I didn't ask her for much because we had just taken her completely out of her normal environment and routine. I started out just walking her on a fairly loose rein focusing on steering, stopping, and just basic control. Her owners/trainers had put a solid foundation on her and I didn't anticipate that this would be a problem. It wasn't. Then I picked up my reins and Roxie just kept a nice, relaxed walk and stepped into the contact nicely. A lot of OTTBs will start jigging or want to go into a trot when we pick up the reins because, at the track, contact usually means go. I was happy to see that more contact didn't change her rhythm or cause any tension at the walk. I did ride with my hands a little lower than I normally would because she seemed more comfortable that way.

After about ten minutes of walking, I picked up the trot. I just wanted Roxie to stay forward in front of my leg into a soft, steady contact and to stay as consistent as possible in the connection. I didn't worry much about going into the frame or where her head is. She did really well and didn't try to pull on me or rush in the trot. The footing in the arena wasn't very consistent, so you can see where she bobbled and/or slowed down through the deep parts. On the firmer parts she was very rhythmic and steady.

We also worked on some halts. She halts fine, but doesn't understand the just standing there part very well yet. She did improve a lot on this by the end of the ride and I was very happy with her.

I didn't canter because I couldn't see well enough to keep out of the deeper spots. Finding Roxie a home would be nice, but I'm not going to risk hurting her to get it done. The video quality sucks anyway and I can't really use it as an actual sales video.

As far as general behavior, I was impressed. Roxie really wants to please and responds a lot when you reward her for something.  She has a good work ethic and is intelligent, with a pretty good confidence level. She relied on me when she wasn't sure about something and seemed really trusting of me. Roxie looked at things (there is a lot of stuff around the arena), but never quit listening and didn't get worked up over them. She is really funny in the fact that if she is a little spooked by an object, Roxie wants to walk up and look at it. The only time she spooked was when I let her check something out. I kept a loose rein and she stood there looking at it. I could feel her tensing up and when it was time to walk away, she spun about a quarter of a circle and ducked a little. It was easy to ride, I never even had to pick up my reins and she was over it in less than a second.

What prospective buyers need to know:

Roxie, obviously, hasn't had any (dressage) training, but already has a good foundation. I think she will be able to progress quickly, but will need consistency. She isn't a beginner horse and needs a fairly experienced, confident rider until she gains more experience. Someone quiet, patient, and tactful would fit her well. I don't think she is the type of horse that will respond well to getting muscled around. Roxie is the type of horse that will try really hard for her rider as long as you are fair to her.

I squeezed in a little time the day before we left to get this video. I wish that I could have gotten one in the daylight, but there just wasn't time. That's how much I like her though. If I didn't, I wouldn't have worried about it with all of the stress of trying to get packed and moved. Actually, riding her was a very refreshing break from all of the stress. She is a nice horse and finding her a new career at a good home is very important to me.

When I try to help people find a second career for OTTBs, I only deal with the people I trust and know to be honest. Her owners/trainers have taken very good care of her and Roxie has never been injected or had any soundness issues. She wasn't running as well as they would have liked and instead of forcing the issue, they opted to retire her and find her a good home.

Roxie is priced at $2,000, which I think she is more than worth. If she doesn't sell this summer, then I will continue with riding her in the Fall. Honestly, I wouldn't mind the chance to put some training into her. If I didn't already have too many dressage horses, I would buy her myself.

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Mother's Day

I have such an amazing mom! I rember when I was four and we would go out to feed at the ranch at night. She would tell me to pick the first star I saw. "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight!" Then I would make my wish and she would tell me not to tell anyone or it wouldn't come true. I never did and still won't, but I will say that what I wished for has led me to where I am today and how I live my life. Who would have thought that a children's rhyme would be so influential?

Thank you for always believing in me, Mom. You've taught me to follow my heart. Even when you knew I was making a mistake, you backed me and were proud of me no matter what. I might not have followed the path that society would expect from me and I certainly live an unusual life, but I'm happy. I wouldn't have that if it weren't for you. I love you!

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140th Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby experience. I could write about the glamorous hats or rave about dresses. I could go on and on about the mint juleps, the majesty of the grandstands, or talk about the biggest television in the world. When it comes to the horses, I could (and probably will in the next post) about write a small book with tons of pictures. However, I won't. For now, at least.

The first turn of the 140th Kentucky Derby

There was one thing about the Derby that I will remember clearly for the rest of my life: The sound of 164,000 people cheering as the country's best three year olds came running down the homestretch.  The cheering starts from the moment the last horse loads in the gates and gradually escalates throughout the race to a level that I can't imagine any other sporting event could ever compare to. The grandstands vibrate with the roar of the crowd. There is so much  shared joy, excitement, and anticipation in the air. You not only feel like you're part of the present, but that you are experiencing the history of the past 140 years. You know what it must have felt like a century ago and you know what it will feel like a hundred years from now. No matter what has or will change throughout time, that sound, that feeling, of being at Churchill Downs for the last few seconds of the most exciting two minutes in sports will always remain the same.

Gone and lost my mind

Hell-horse has had a couple of fairly nasty episodes in the last few days. He will be doing well and then out of no where he decides he's not doing at all. In all honesty, he's dangerous in a lot of ways.

Two days ago, I told Ty that I'm about done with this horse (as a rachorse anyway). It's not worth Ty getting hurt over.

 Today, after Hell-horse threw another (though slightly milder) fit, I asked Ty if I should get on him and ride him around. Yep, I seriously lost my damn mind! I'm pretty sure Ty was thinking the same. He reluctantly agreed though and I quickly grabbed my helmet and vest before I could change my mind. I was really wishing I had my One K or GPA, but all I had at the barn was my chincy-ass exercise helmet, which I think is pretty much worthless. Great. At which point this morning did I decide to become suicidal? I hopped on anyway. For some crazy reason I felt like I needed to get on Hell-horse.

I asked our groom to take a picture as I had sworn I would never get on this horse.

Ty legged me up and I told him to lead me off a ways. Hell-horse was already pissed off from being ridden and felt like a bomb ready to explode. I reached up and just started petting and talking to him. He took a breathe and his muscles start to relax. I did the same. Woohoo! I might not die today....

My point of getting on wasn't to teach him anything, that's the fiancé's job. I really felt like he needed someone to get on him and not ask him for much, to realize that life isn't always hard. It's not that Ty just beats him all of the time, but when a horse is willing to fly backwards until he hits something and falls over, a person doesn't have much choice other than to get after them. The simplest thing, like asking him to change directions, can sometimes bring on one of Hell-horse's peddling in reverse fits. Even if you are just walking.

I just walked him in a big circle and left his face alone as much as I could. When he felt relaxed, we reversed and went the other direction. Then I did a few smaller figure eights with him. I rode him kind of like a horse that is barely started under saddle, just guiding him enough to get him to follow his head while moving forward. I babied him, talking to him and petting him for every little thing he did right (pretty sure the track people around us thought I was a wierdo). Hell-horse was really good! I stopped him, let him stand for a minute and then got off.

He was trying to pull down on me here. That was the worst thing he did. Well, that and tries to eat grass. I figured if he was relaxed enough to try and eat with me on him, it was a good thing.

It was probably a stupid risk to get on him, but I'm still glad I did. Hopefully it was good for him to just go for a walk and have even the tiniest of accomplishments rewarded. Do I think it will change him overnight? Absolutely not. At least he had that positive experience though and maybe enough of them will add up to make him better in the end. I wish I were fearless, that I were brave enough to ride him on the track. I never will be and I honestly doubt Ty would let me even if I were. Maybe one day I can do some dressage with him. Maybe. He does have some really good days, it's possible.

Viva Carlos' Magical Blog Hop: Appreciating what you have

Out of all my horses, Indy (Winndelynn) is the one I am most critical of. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I loved riding her sire, Winnetou, so much. A lot of things about her remind me so much of him, but she is a lot like her dam. I tend to expect too much of her too quickly and it's really not fair to her. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love her. We just haven't clicked as easily as I was hoping.

So when I saw Viva Carlos' latest blog hop, I figured it was a good chance to remind myself of all the things I love and appreciate about Indy.

1. Her big head that is a perfect cross between dopiness and femininity (is that possible?).

2. I can tack her up without tying/cross tying her and she won't move. I can just throw the lead rope over her neck and do what I need to do.

3. She is perfect to load, unload, pull her mane, bathe, groom, etc.

4. Her very large, but good feet.

 5. She follows me around like a giant dog. I can "lead" her around with nothing on her. She will walk, trot, halt, back, and do a turn on the haunches (in enclosed areas, of course).

6. Her very uphill and fluid gates.

7. Indy's sweet, soft, and kind eyes (like Winnetous).

 8. How she will just stare at me until I come over and pet her.

9. She really is pretty.

10. She is tall, but not too tall.

11. How proud she is of herself when I'm riding her and she gets something right.

My favorite picture of us. She was three in this picture and it was after our first official lesson together.

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