# Another 3 yr old critique! New OTTB.



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Well you definitely speak Thoroughbred. Nice quiet aids, providing nice consistent rhythm for him and he is receiving it very nicely. He looks like a keeper. Love how your introducing things to him in small increments he can wrap his mind around. I look forward to seeing more from him.


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

You are doing a fantastic job with him. He definitely looks like a keeper horse. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## LostDragonflyWings (Feb 1, 2012)

Thanks!

Yes, we are taking things slowly. He's still very young, so no need to rush things (plenty of time!). I want to get his trot and canter going nicely before we even consider doing anything over fences, and due to his age (will be 4 yrs in mid-Feb.), I don't want to rush starting him over fences anyways, so when we do start we will be sticking to tiny jumps every once in a while for a while. 

He has no problem with the trot poles though, and doesn't even seem to care that they are there, which I am very pleased about! We might have the opportunity to trailer out next month, just for him to get to look around at the grounds he will eventually be showing on. Although clinics will be available, he will just be going for the experience of being away from home and I won't be asking him to do anything (other than relax, be brave, and have fun).

I will definately keep the videos coming as he progresses in his training. I am already so thrilled with his progress!


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## DoubleS (Jun 11, 2012)

No crit, but you're doing a really good job with him, it looks like! He definitely looks more relaxed in the second set of videos! He's a cutie!  
I'm really looking into OTTB adoption right now. I'm going to be 16 in a couple months and its something I've always wanted to do! Did you get him through a program, like CANTER or something? 
(Maybe this isn't the thread for this, sorry if it isn't!)


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## LostDragonflyWings (Feb 1, 2012)

While I did browse CANTER when I started looking for a new horse, I got this guy from a fellow boarder who does OTTB rescue. 

Equine Racers - Re-Homing RaceHorses in Southern California


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## mbaron5731 (Nov 13, 2012)

Very plesant to watch!
You got a feel for thoroughbreds.
12 rides off the track. 
Very impressive 
Would LOVE to see more!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Add me to the ones saying that you ride beautifully and are well suited to your horse, and vice versa. I would be thrilled to ride as well as you do! Cheers.


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## Mariss (Nov 16, 2012)

He looks great! The main thing I noticed in the first video that you improved in the last ones, was his trot. I thought in the first one it looked like he was picking the pace and you were simply keeping up with him. In the last two, it looked a little more like you were telling him what pace to keep.


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## LostDragonflyWings (Feb 1, 2012)

Thanks!
Yes, the first videos are from our first ride and I wasn't asking anything of him. It was basically my pre-purchase ride. 

He has been doing super well at the trot, in terms of focusing, keeping the same rhythm, working on moving forward a little, etc. He is on/off about his bending, but does well a lot of the time! Due to his good progress, I thought he would be ready to work on the canter. The last time I cantered him was a while ago and he had issues getting his left lead (right was perfect). Earlier this week we tried cantering again, but it didn't go very well. We were in the larger arena (shown in the second set of videos) and he picked up the right lead the first try and did great... not rushing too bad and was behaving well! Then we tried the left lead and he didn't get it. We tried a few more times and then he FINALLY got it. He did well for about half a lap around the arena, then took off at a GALLOP and well... we had issues stopping. Half way through, I lost my left stirrup, but I managed not to fly off of him and we finally stopped. Needless to say, he's not ready to canter in the larger arena! So, tomorrow we will work back in the smaller arena.... canter and canter to the right, then try the left. Hopefully he will do better, but if not... at least he will have less space to run and I will be better prepared!


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## Mariss (Nov 16, 2012)

Oh man I wish you had a video of that! 

Thats what I did with my mare, I ride western but when I started to switch over to english I began by loping her in the round pen, because naturally she is very forward and it takes a lot of work to get her even to canter rather than gallop, and since I knew it would be easier to relax if there was less room and I didn't have to worry about steering!


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## LostDragonflyWings (Feb 1, 2012)

I will try to get new videos of his trot on Saturday or next week.

While he won't be jumping for a while, I am going to bring some standards into the arena so he can get used to riding around them and between them (either with no poles at all or a trot pole). My other TB (who is now retired) was 9 years old when I got him and had anxiety issues with poles and fences. He always got super "looky" at standards and poles, and while he did improve tons over fences, he never got over that 100%. I want the new guy to be comfortable working around standards, etc. so we don't run into some of the same issues.

He also just started working on a lunge line and is quickly picking up on voice commands!


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## Mariss (Nov 16, 2012)

Thats definitely the way to go, let them know there's nothing to be afraid of and let him get comfortable before you ask him to do something new!


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## LostDragonflyWings (Feb 1, 2012)

Mariss said:


> Oh man I wish you had a video of that!
> 
> Thats what I did with my mare, I ride western but when I started to switch over to english I began by loping her in the round pen, because naturally she is very forward and it takes a lot of work to get her even to canter rather than gallop, and since I knew it would be easier to relax if there was less room and I didn't have to worry about steering!


I know, me too! It probably would have been hilarious to watch! The barn owner saw the whole thing and complimented me on staying on. Haha! The galloping part wasn't the bad part... it was the fact we were in an arena and he was going very fast then needed to keep turning to avoid crashing into the fence!-- Those are the times I was visualizing myself face planting into the fence, but thankfully it didn't happen. He wasn't a good boy for taking off, BUT he was a good boy for not doing dirty stops and flinging me over his head.


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## LostDragonflyWings (Feb 1, 2012)

We worked in the smaller arena today and it is clear he is still unwinding from his little gallop incident. His trot was initially fast, but he settled down so we tried a right lead canter just one lap around. He did well until I asked him to trot and he wanted to run. We went back to a trot and spent the rest of the ride working on going slow and on transitions. I found myself slowly whispering "one...two... one... two..." for almost the rest of the ride, trying to keep my posting extremely slow in order to slow him down. It was hard to keep him busy in the smaller arena, as changing direction at the trot was a little tight for him (due to going a little fast and not wanting to listen/bend), and there was no room for figure-8s, etc. I think that boredom added to his speed and lack of attention... sooo, tomorrow we will go back in the larger arena and work on the trot.... circles, figure-8s, serpentines, diagonals, etc. so he can work and focus. We won't canter, so should be fine with the extra space. I am thinking we should go back to the trot for a while longer before we attempt to canter again anyways, since he is still so worked up over it.


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## Clava (Nov 9, 2010)

Very nice You are doing a lovely job just remeber he looks very immature and is still such a baby that some time off to unwind may do him a lot of good and let him grow, don't be in a hurry to jump much yet.


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## LostDragonflyWings (Feb 1, 2012)

Clava said:


> Very nice You are doing a lovely job just remeber he looks very immature and is still such a baby that some time off to unwind may do him a lot of good and let him grow, don't be in a hurry to jump much yet.


Thanks. Nope, definately not jumping anytime soon. He needs to be good at the trot and canter, as well as trot/canter poles, before we start over fences.


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## PintoJumper (Nov 21, 2012)

aw i like him. Looks just like the mare i owned last year.


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