The heart of the off the track thoroughbred.

Although the majority of horses I’ve worked with in my career are Quarter Horses and Warmbloods, there is something to be said for the heart of the thoroughbred. Especially one off the track. I’d heard before that they have a lot to give, which is part of what makes them so appealing despite the cons of taking something from the racetrack. It also explains how many make into 5* eventers, a sport that even at the novice level isn’t for the faint of heart.

It’s not just eventing that you’ll see OTTB’s thriving in. Jumpers are fairly common, as is dressage at the lower levels. They are also prevalent in the rodeo scene, competing in barrel racing, heading and healing, and even roping. And while Quarter Horses will always be a cowboys go-to for their sureness, trainability, athleticism, and versatility, thoroughbreds can also serve their purpose because of their speed and heart. So long as they aren’t too big!

My first experience with an OTTB was with a 6yo chestnut gelding named Mojo Rojo. He was purchased as a restart project that would come with me to the ranch in Texas. In the winter leading up to my move south, I kept him at a barn in Middleburg, VA so that I could ride him with my aunt and her friend. There we had access to hundreds of mountain acres; it was pristine land to ride on. Middleburg is a foxhunting-heavy town, so most there navigated to the area for that purpose. I would wake up and drive 3 hours to and from every day to ride him before starting work at my dad’s veterinary clinic that morning. As crazy as that is looking back now, it was so good for Mojo. He was always so brave out on trails, and I got to focus on getting him back into shape working the hills and doing the occasional gallop sessions.

Mojo and I on one of the many hacks in the beautiful valleys of Middleburg, Virginia

What I remember most about this horse was his try. He had a heart of gold, despite the stress he carried from his life on the racetrack. He was your classic OTTB; underdeveloped, significantly weaker to the right than left, grinding his teeth whenever he became overly stimulated (this was not pain related). But he embodied the heart that the breed is said to have and would stop at nothing to see a job through. To a fault at times, as these types of horses tend to go past the point of thinking. Meaning their bodies can outwork their minds. As a rider, it’s critical that you know when to quit, because you won’t tire them out. If we push them too much, they can stop thinking and kick into flight mode, so while their minds are done their body is not. Without knowing any better, you could continue to ride them, but you’d be doing more harm than good. There is a fine line of knowing when to quit, even when it isn’t perfect.

Re-training Mojo came with its own set of unique challenges. He had very little ground manners, which didn’t come as a surprise. Oftentimes manners are not taught at race barns, all they need to know about the young horses is if they can run fast and be competitive. So training outside of that tends to be neglected. I’m not speaking for all, there are exceptions, as some thoroughbred trainers do a phenomenal job in their training and care for the horse despite its potential. However, Mojo did not get so lucky in his upbringing. So I treated him as if he were a 2yo colt and started from the very beginning again, giving him a proper foundation. More on the importance of this here. He also only knew one gear - run. I had to spend a bit of time showing him that we didn’t need to go anywhere fast and that it was okay to relax and listen to my aids instead of running away from them. Then came getting him strong in his body. He was a bigger horse, standing at 16.3hh, and was most likely started and ran as a 2yo. I can imagine a gawky, awkward version of baby Mojo running around not knowing where to put his long legs while carrying the weight of a rider. Luckily for him, I had access to all the hills I ever needed and was able to incorporate hill work into his program. This drastically improved his fitness and muscle development. Then came the ability to sustain working in a proper frame, and with time he began to develop and thrive.

Mojo is the type of horse that would’ve made anybody happy. His personality was sweet, nosy, and goofy most days. He loved to work and would do anything asked of him. He was also exceptionally brave, and had very little spook or bolt in him. I owe him a great deal of my gratitude, as he showed me how to teach a hot, forward-thinking horse, as well as why these ex-racehorses are worth another shot at life after their short and aggressive careers on the track. Giving them a new job, a new opportunity and a new purpose is a special privilege that I keep close to my heart even to this day.

Mojo was always the first to come say hi even while in turnout.