Barrel O’ Fun – Arena Bordem Break!
Barrel O’ Fun Level of Difficulty: Advanced Well, we have had 2 weeks of indoor-arena weather and I’m bored out of my mind already. I hate riding indoors, mostly because my horse hates indoors. He’s claustrophobic, doesn’t like riding with more than 2 other horses in the ring, and when the weather turns—he turns… into a big grumpy beast! So we’ve learned to deal with it. I don’t get in the saddle without setting up some sort of obstacle. My theory is if I set up a game for us, he won’t subject me to his own games (which are not my idea of fun). So after 2 weeks of No-Stirrup-November torture, it was time for a break in our equitation work. Here’s what we did! Level 1/Day 1: The first day I rolled out some barrels and just got Oz used to them. I literally gave them a kick and let them stay wherever they landed. I warmed up walk/trot around them, using the barrels as pivot points for circles, to bend in and out of, and halt in front of. Halting in front of the barrels is important. It gets Oz between my hand and leg, and keeps me thinking “Halt Straight” as I have a visual reference (the barrel). The first time I halted in front of one of the barrels it was about 10 feet in front. I gradually got closer until he was trying to jump the barrel after I halted, at which point Continue Reading →
Posted in Oz by admin
Welcome to our Off Track Family “Legacy B”!
Get your buckets out! This one is totally drool worthy! 2 weeks ago I posted a picture of my horse Oz, and his pedigree in an Off-Track-Thoroughbred group (Facebook). It was “post your pedigree” day and everyone was joining in, posting whether they owned a sibling, cousin, knew the horse when it raced, knew the trainer, past owner, or simply thought the horse was dashing. All innocent fun, right? It was great to learn about my horses bloodlines, and that his great grandsire BailJumper was both a racing and jumper stallion. I already knew about his dad’s (Skip Away) $6.9 million Hall-of-Fame earning winnings on the track, but I didn’t know how many fans he had. There was something else I didn’t know about his dad, and I received a notification an hour after I posted that caught my attention. It was in regards to his 2010 colt who was running his last race that week. Sue, who is involved with CANTER PA (Thoroughbred re-homing charity organization out of Pennsylvania), knew of my horse Oz’s half brother who was coming up for sale the next week. I privately messaged her and said something like “Thank you, but I really need another horse right now like a fish needs a bicycle. Oz likes his title of most spoiled horse in the barn, and intends to keep it”. Sue replied with the contact information for the owner, giving me a 1 week head-start on everyone else (and reminded me it wouldn’t take Continue Reading →
Posted in Horses, Lego by admin
Off Track Eventing: Strength shows not only in the ability to persist, but the ability to start over
Welcome to Off Track Eventing! This website is dedicated to the (horse) trials and tribulations of an eventer and their dedicated groom who are tied together by their admiration of Off The Track Thoroughbreds (well, that and their family tree). Follow the blogs of Bruce Lamb (Eventer) and Kate Veinot (Dedicated Groom & Recreational Rider), enjoy interviews & audit reports with top clinicians, and articles containing valuable lessons learned during their adventures! Not everyone gets it right the first time, including our ex-race horses. We’re willing to share our adventures with the world so we can learn from each other’s successes and mistakes (mostly that of the later on this site). We hope you enjoy, discuss, laugh, and ride on!
Posted in Uncategorized, Welcome by admin