The countdown is on for the Thoroughbred Makeover, and as a trainer, the pressure is on to prepare your horses for the big event. Each horse you take to Kentucky is at a different stage of training and experience. Widget Factory has had less experience due to some feet issues, while Drafted needs more exposure to larger crowds and work on being supple. To address these challenges, you decided to enter them both into a licensed, overnight show called “Dressage at Lexington” at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Va.
The motto for the weekend was “Screw It, Let’s Do It,” and you even designed shirts for the occasion. Despite some setbacks, such as Widget’s anxiety from a previous show and Drafted’s abscess, you decided to push forward and give them a positive experience at Dressage at Lexington. Both horses loaded into the trailer and made the three-hour journey to Lexington the day before their classes. After settling them into their stalls and unloading the tack, you took the opportunity to hand walk them around the horse center to acclimate them to the larger environment and all things horse show.
Drafted, being the brave horse, helped Widget navigate the new surroundings, ensuring that Widget wasn’t feeding off any nervous energy. Walking around the huge indoor arena complex provided ideal practice for the upcoming Thoroughbred Makeover show, as it exposed the horses to different sights and sounds. By familiarizing them with the rings where they would be showing, you helped alleviate any potential nerves they might have had on show day.
The day of the show, the horses received fresh baths and their manes were braided for their tests. To manage riding two horses in the same introduction dressage classes, a friend rode Widget for this show. Despite a minor incident in the ring next to them during Widget’s test, he completed it successfully. Drafted also performed well in his test, although there were some areas where he could improve, such as suppleness and accepting the bit.
In their second class later that evening, both horses seemed more relaxed and performed even better than in the morning. Widget, in particular, had a standout performance in his Introduction B Test, earning a third-place finish. This experience at the overnight show allowed you to see both horses in a different environment, expose them to more horse show nuances, and ride in different arena settings.
Ultimately, the decision to take both horses to the overnight show proved to be beneficial in their training and preparation for the Thoroughbred Makeover. The exposure to new environments and experiences helped them grow and improve, setting a positive tone for the final countdown to the big event. With only two months left until the Thoroughbred Makeover, the hard work and dedication put into their training will hopefully pay off in a successful performance at the event.
