Retired Racehorse Project First Ride

Exciting news!  I rode the new guy for the first time today.  I lunged him with the dogs first, and he just jogged sedately around a few times each direction.  When I saw that he wasn't going to be silly I led him up to the mounting block and went through my first ride rituals.  These include standing on the mounting block and stomping my feet, patting both sides of the saddle, and asking him to turn his head both directions.  Then I turn the horse around and do everything from his opposite side.  He seemed very unimpressed with my shenanigans, but Mahzi the dog was super hopeful that she would get a turn to climb the mounting block and pat the saddle too.  Miles the border collie and I have been training her since she arrived six months ago and this is one of her favorite tricks.

The new guy was easy to mount, he stood quietly and then walked off a little early, but that is to be expected since track horses are almost never mounted while standing.  They usually toss the jockey aboard while the horse is walking, so the fact that he was willing to stand at all is a major bonus.  He was a little hesitant at first, definitely trying to determine what kind of rider I am.  He walked carefully and trotted carefully, but once he realized I wanted him to stretch and swing he began to really lift his back and find his rhythm.  He did incredibly well with steering just based on my weight shifts, and he stopped very nicely when I took a deep breath and exhaled.  He actually started to match my breathing with his own, blowing his nose when I exhaled loudly.  He wasn't phased by the dogs romping around barking encouragement.

I don't always canter a horse in the first ride from the track, but he was so mellow and steady with such great steering and brakes I decided to give it a try.  I was absolutely amazed at the canter on this horse.  Big, swinging, balanced, uphill and rhythmic. We did a few figure eights at the canter while I tested out his leads, and after a little "getting to know you" he figured out very quickly which lead I wanted just by my weight shifts.

When we were done riding he was quite affectionate.  He nuzzled me and seemed very proud of himself as I praised him and told him how impressed I was.  His eye was very soft and relaxed, and he seemed even to strut a little bit as we walked back to the barn.  He almost told me that he really is kind of a rockstar, and he was glad I could appreciate his fabulousness.  

This horse is a phenomenal example of why I love the older track horses.  He raced until he was nine years old, retired sound, and obviously had terrific training on the track.  He is ten now, and has that confidence and balance I love to see in the older retired racehorses.  I realize that he wasn't a great fit in his previous home, but he is settling in here at Bit of Honey Training like he was made for this place.  After we rode I was so eager to tell someone about him that I called his previous owner.  She was pleased to hear how nicely he's settled into the routine here and she was as happy as I was that his first ride went so well.  She also told me that her first couple rides on him were equally nice, and that's why she took him out to ride the trails by himself, which then didn't go well as his anxiety kicked in.  I'm eager to see how he handles riding out here, since he seems so easy going, even despite the horse-rearranging with all the new ones coming in for training.

He was very upset by even small changes in the herd with his previous owners both at the track and in South Dakota, but here he handles all the regular shuffling of paddocks quite well.  It helps that I have a core herd of geldings who live here all the time, and they each take turns reassuring him over the fence.  Then there is Highboy, who always thinks that everything is fun and is eager for new adventures.  It's hard to be nervous with the sedate older geldings encouraging you and Highboy declaring that everything is awesome.
 
When we were all done I groomed him again and put him away.  He had a little snack of hay and then laid down in his warm muddy paddock for a mid morning nap while I worked the other horses.  When I went into the house for lunch I gushed about him to my husband who works from home.  I was so effusive in my praise for this horse that my husband felt the need to remind me I don't actually need another horse for myself, and he is for sale.  That's how impressed I was by this gelding.  Bless the affectionate iron horses.