Often people talk about thoroughbreds in the sport “The Heart” is what is referred to as their greatest and biggest qualities: the heart to perform and give their riders everything in them to win. But although we as people tend to concentrate on winning, what we sometimes miss is what their hearts give us.
While I write this article, I realize that we are 40 days away from loading these children on the trailer at 5 o’clock in the morning to go to Lexington for the thoroughbred make -over from 2025. Although that can press a bit on the panic button in my stomach, it also brings a smile and I also brings myself in the time that year. But there is something special for me to the seller, and it’s just his heart. Augustus has been a time for him to slow down and just be a horse at a time in my life when I just needed him to be my horse and my friend. We have taken long hacks and spent a few extra minutes taking some grass under a tree on our way back to the shed, just sitting, where he just gives me a time to enjoy being a horse, and as my buddy.
If I had known exactly who this horse was, or the chance he offered last year when I agreed to take it, I would probably have said that as a young mother and wife I didn’t feel like I could do him justice. I had put my own dreams and desires aside for a while to concentrate on my family, to concentrate on the parts of horses (sales, training, etc.) that could yield an income to put food on the table. Not to say that competing does not do, but we all have no time and means to regularly take stern-plus horses to shows to really earn a living.
So every year I sold my make -over horses. I produced young horses to solid competition, horses that could constantly bring others the levels, and I could encourage them and enjoy watching those who make others dream. I have seen children run around the American event championships on horses that I have sold to them, mothers whose children went to university, come back to the show ring for the first time in many years, and many, other wonderful moments. And I still love that. But producing the seller and a horse of his quality has reminded me that those dreams are still in me: his heart has reminded me of me.
The seller made me excited to show him again and motivated me to do it, no matter how difficult it is to juggle with a toddler for the ride. He has been patiently in the assembly block for not only me to go on, but waited until my son walked behind him at full speed and tried to hug his helmet, to climb on the mounting block and let Mama go down to pick up and let him pick him up “and even today” tell Salesman to go “while he learns. Because of the spark he lit, when I was offered to buy my prospect Mare Shelbenie at the highest level (my 2020 make-over horse) this spring, I was no longer worried about the “things” and just said yes. And I am so grateful that she is also at home with us.
Horses like seller are different, and they are special and have a heart than sport: they have hearts that bring ours to life. To make us all dream a little more. REAK for a little more. And be better. And that is really the heart of the thoroughbred for me. It is the stories that the audience turns on the TV to watch the racing day, to hear about the underdogs, the trainers who have scraped nothing to be in the big stages, and that is what the seller makes such a good ambassador for the breed. His heart and his great Goofy red -haired personality. While we go to the makeover, I could tell you all the beautiful details in his training that I want to clean up, my deep desire to win on him, because who is not. But moreover, I am honored to be part of his story and tell stories about how special these horses can be, not only on the track, but also in their second career. And to be honest, how special they are to be part of our lives and families. My only hope is to do it right and to show you all the special this boy is.
The Jockey Club supports Many aftercare initiatives Including the thoroughbred Nacare Alliance, the only accrediting body in aftercare and thoroughbred Incentive program (tip), which encourages the retraining of thoroughbreds in other disciplines after completion of a career. View all the initiatives supported by the Jockey Club.
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