OTTB Diaries: Month One
“To understand the soul of a horse is the closest human beings can come to knowing perfection.” - Unknown
One of my favorite aspects of having a personal blog is the ability to go back to previous posts and read and see photos of previous memories. Having had E.T. for just over a month, I figured now is the perfect time to start an “OTTB [Off-the-track Thoroughbred] Diaries” series so I can post about the previous month and be able to reflect on our highs, lows, progress, and all of the fun things in between!
Our First Days Together
Month 1 with E.T., has been a whirlwind of emotions - after a successful trip from Louisiana that was slightly delayed due to weather, he settled nicely into his new home here in northern Virginia in the first week of December. He was the definition of a mannerly gentleman on his travels, giving the transportation company no fuss during his long trip. Upon arrival, he was polite and let me lead him to his stall where he enjoyed a much deserved meal and warmth as I fitted his new blanket to him - with a mug of hot chocolate in hand and a bright red nose on that very cold December night, I was as excited as a young child on Christmas morning.
Training: Groundwork and Relationship Building
The next several weeks have been filled with many hours spent at the barn, working on groundwork and building our relationship. E.T. really enjoys being groomed and sits politely in the cross-ties - he particularly enjoys colder days when I turn the heater on above him in the wash stall. In the arena, he has adapted wonderfully to his Pessoa lunging system which has already made a positive impact on his balance, strength, and self-carriage. An OTTB with several years of racing experience, he struggles carrying himself to the right, and I can’t wait to see the continued improvements to his strength and balance to the right in the coming months.
E.T. is confident, brave, and affectionate. Although he has had his moments of being testy and spicy (we are in mid-winter, after all!), he always aims to please and is so willing to learn. He is patient, and he loves to work. We did have one ‘hiccup’ of a day last week when working on standing at the mounting block when he was uncharacteristically spooky and hot-tempered, but with patience and perseverance we ended our work session on a positive note. I had a lovely chat with his previous trainer who gave me some helpful pointers, and my wonderful barn family has been helping me troubleshoot the day and pinpoint what was working, and what was not. We will continue to monitor his diet (alfalfa may be a culprit for the hotter-than-normal behavior); additionally, I am waiting for my saddle fitter to come out to make sure we have a saddle that fits E.T. perfectly, and I am very excited to begin de-sensitization work with him and a local trainer this week.
Diet: A Messy Little Cookie Monster!
E.T. is slowly beginning to fill out and doesn’t seem to be a fussy eater, although my goodness he is a messy eater! Over the course of a few weeks, we transitioned him from the grain he was getting in Louisiana to grain fed at the barn here, and he has adapted very well to it. We are also feeding alfalfa to support weight gain, and he has been started on a hoof supplement, as well as a weight gain/maintenance supplement. He also seems to enjoy the salt lick in his stall.
On the treat front, Mrs. Pastures cookies are a firm favorite of his. He has proven to be entirely uninterested in both carrots and apples, and I have not yet found another treat he enjoys as much as the Mrs. Pastures cookies.
Introduction to the Herd
The transition in with his new herd was a bit of a slow process and resulted in a few bumps and bruises, so to speak, but E.T. is slowly and surely establishing his fit into the herd and is getting along with the other horses. He seems to enjoy hanging out by himself for the earlier part of the day, and will spend some time with his herd mates as the day progresses - at present, he seems to be low/mid-rank in the herd, and I’ll be curious to see how he continues to adjust as the weeks and months go on.
Up Next: Looking Forward To Month Two
Here’s to hoping that this snow and ice melts away soon — I am very eager to begin working with E.T. under saddle once my saddle has been fitted to him. I plan to continue working with him in the Pessoa system a couple of times a week, and I’m looking forward to lessons and beginning desensitization and more advanced groundwork training with him. I’m working on E.T.’s timeline so I don’t have any firmly set goals for us at the moment beyond continuing to build and strengthen our bond, and continuing to work on his balance and self-carriage, particularly to the right.
It’s been a blissful first month with my lovely new horse and I feel immensely grateful for him, and so excited for the wonderful partnership ahead of us!
