It wasn’t simple to gather the motivation to write this evening following a less-than-stellar day at our competition. However, such is the nature of interacting with horses; it’s a rollercoaster. They aren’t robotic entities and are allowed an off day now and then, as long as one can reflect on it and look ahead.
Last time, we anticipated Maverick’s second formally recognized horse trial at Kentucky Summer. We found considerable success there. His dressage presentation demonstrated evident improvements, which has been the trend each time he enters the arena. His stadium performance was impressive; a minor lapse led to a dropped rail at the second obstacle, but I was extremely pleased by his composure in such a significant venue as Rolex Stadium.
Cross-country day presented some mental challenges. I had various personal matters weighing on me, which influenced my performance, but Maverick compensated admirably. With the exception of a detour to the second obstacle and a brief hesitation at the water feature, his performance was near perfect! His confidence and bravery were apparent, signifying the potential of a top-tier cross-country horse.
Since then, we’ve been dedicated to refining his flatwork. I’ve invested time in collection exercises and introducing lateral movements. Managing his rib cage is essential across all three phases, and I’ve seen significant improvements in his overall rideability as a result. Maverick certainly experienced some intense moments learning these new skills, but he consistently adapts and remains composed.
Moving on to today’s competition: The dressage phase was satisfactory. I felt like we had effectively advanced in several facets of his performance; yet, he lagged slightly behind my leg and lacked the necessary responsiveness during upward transitions. During our stadium round, he seemed to be rushing towards half of the jumps while not performing at his best on the remaining ones.
Given that it was a mini-trial, we transitioned straight into cross country. He warmed up adequately and successfully cleared the first jump; however, following the second jump, I suspected that it might not be our day. His pace was excessively fast between the obstacles, making quiet distances challenging, and he lacked confidence during longer distances. He paused at the fifth obstacle but recovered to clear it, and repeated this at the seventh. At that moment, I decided to conclude the event and concentrate on training at home.
An essential lesson for competitors is recognizing when conditions are unfavorable. Today embodied such circumstances. The ground was firm and uneven due to recent baling, and Maverick displayed scrapes on each leg, suggesting he might have been trapped in his field overnight. While he never appeared lame, he was not entirely focused. Whether attributable to the heat, the terrain, some discomfort, or just an off day, we intend to follow the earlier advice—reflect, and progress forward.
Despite the challenging times, there were still some wonderful moments, and this doesn’t detract from his promising future.
Our scheduling has undergone some modifications leading up to the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover, where I intend to enter him in both dressage and eventing. We’ll participate in some jumper rounds at World Equestrian Center Ohio in a fortnight, and then the following weekend, I plan to give him another full horse trial at the Starter level to rebuild his confidence at Kentucky Classique. He will likely compete in the beginner novice category at Meadow Lake Equestrian Center on Sept. 21, before we head to Stable View in Aiken, S.C., during the last week of September for our final run prior to the Thoroughbred Makeover.
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.
