Our prior experiences weren’t ideal, but a strategy was devised to address the situation. Fortunately, the plan has been successful. Following the incident at Meadowlake, Maverick was relocated to my trainer’s facility. While this requires more travel, it has significantly benefited him.
The day following Meadowlake, we engaged in a light XC (cross country) training session to evaluate progress. This session proved to be his most successful XC training to date. While he exhibited excessive enthusiasm in some areas, I was pleased to observe this improvement. Subsequently, he was settled and introduced to his new companion, a former 4* competitor, with the hope that he would impart valuable knowledge during their shared time.
Our focus then turned to show jumping, in preparation for WEC (World Equestrian Center), with primary emphasis on Maverick’s flatwork. Success in jumping always stems from proficiency in flatwork, necessitating a foundational approach. He is maturing and learning to harness his power, which should positively impact our dressage scores.
WEC Ohio is a favored show venue, and the availability of a more affordable schooling show allowed us to provide experience to the younger horses. Maverick surpassed expectations in adapting to the environment. On the schooling day, he was somewhat overwhelmed by the jumps and overcompensated, but he displayed focus during his first class. This provided an opportunity to refine his rideability and explore inside turns. Despite some minor errors, I was pleased with his performance, and we captured some excellent photos!
The subsequent week featured the Kentucky Classique Horse Trials, also hosting the United States Eventing Association Area 8 Championships. Shortly before the competition, we discovered our eligibility for the Starter Championship division, which was exciting considering this horse started his first full courses in May. The dressage phase was generally positive, with a minor miscommunication in the left lead canter transition. He achieved a score of 32, which I was happy with. The cross country phase demonstrated that Meadowlake was an isolated incident. There were some jumps near trees that required focus, but he ultimately took control and finished strongly. I inadvertently completed the course 14 seconds too fast, incurring some speed penalties, but the experience was beneficial. Show jumping on Sunday was also successful, with one rail due to a delayed half-halt. We finished ninth, and he participated in his first prize-giving ceremony and victory gallop, which he found unimpressive.
The upcoming weeks will involve refining his flatwork, grid work, and cross country training in preparation for his final event before the Makeover, to be held at Stable View in late September. With each ride, I am increasingly grateful for persevering through his initial challenging period off the track.
The Jockey Club supports many aftercare initiatives including the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the only accrediting body in aftercare, and Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), which encourages the retraining of Thoroughbreds into other disciplines upon completion of careers. View all of the initiatives supported by The Jockey Club.
