My Personal Thoroughbred Makeover

(Posted on Tuesday, March 8, 2016)

I am overwhelmed, no wait, I am excited….how can that be? I spent my day working and revising my kids sports schedules for the week given that my husband would be out of town and I would be down one driver. Baseball, lacrosse (times two – two kids, two different practice schedule), horseback riding lessons, Pizza Day and the Science Fair. How am I going to get through the week? Enter Spanish Affair aka “Briggs.” In the midst of finding a suitable mate for Lilly and finding out if she is in foal, I have decided to take on a new project. My own personal Thoroughbred Makeover. As you may know or have read here on my site, the Retired Racehorse Project recently announced the contenders for their 2016 Thoroughbred Makeover Contest. I didn’t submit my credentials for this contest, primarily because I didn’t think I fit the bill. I am not a trainer, nor a professional, or even an every day rider. What I am is a mom and wife who needs a stress-reliever. In my case, such stress-relief comes in the form of a horse. Three weeks ago, Robin (my mentor with Lilly), introduced me to John Funkhouser of O’Sullivan Farms. He had a 9-year-old gelding he’d bred and raced, and now he was looking for a new home for the horse. I went to look at him (without my expert sister/trainer), and decided on my own that I would take him in. Last week we picked up Spanish Affair. It was a rainy and muddy day and on the way back to the barn I kept asking myself, “What did I get myself into?” After a week of settling in, I finally rode him today. What a joy to be back in the saddle after retiring Lilly over a year ago. Briggs was a gentleman. For me, that means no bucking, racing off, or other such shenanigans. As a mom, I need to be very cautious on what I get myself into. Briggs, as we have decided to name him, doesn’t know how to stand still once you are in the saddle, doesn’t know the meaning of bend, and, to my surprise, doesn’t take any sort of treats, not even a peppermint. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. I am embarking on my own personal Thoroughbred Makeover, to show Briggs a new way of life. Hopefully along the way he will enjoy his first peppermint. I look forward to sharing more with you about Spanish Affair “Briggs” and our journey together in the months to come. Briggs cleaned up pretty nicely, didn’t he?

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