“Everyone has heard of a diamond in the rough. It’s rare to encounter those diamonds and know you are in the presence of goodness.” –Mary Wormington
I have been riding horses for the past 8eight years. Throughout those years, I have never experienced such power than the power that the thoroughbred racehorse holds. Through multiple trips to Kentucky, and heading down to Keeneland racetrack around 6 a.m., I got to see this power first hand.
At the Keeneland racetrack, the morning workout for all of the horses were open to the public. Anyone could walk in and watch the horses get their daily run, even getting right up to the rail that the horses run past. When we arrived there, the sun was just starting to rise, the rail was still wet from the morning dew, and the first group of horses were just put onto the track. As we headed towards the track, from the parking lot through an arch in the building, I was standing in the yard where the jockey’s mount. I walked along this brick walk way, through another huge arch that the horses would walk through on their way to the track. As I walked, I imagined hearing the sounds that would echo as their hooves hit the cement, and as they would emerge from the tunnel, and I imagined how it would feel to hear the crowd. When I came out, I looked around, the stands were empty, and the place was silent. But in my head, there were thousands of people in the stands. In my heart, I knew that in a few weeks, the breeder’s cup classic was going to be held and people would be able to watch American Pharoah, who won the Triple Crown, run his final race, this would seal him as the only horse in history to win the Grand Slam.
As I turned my attention to the track, the first set of horses came out. The two year olds. Brand new to the game, and as fresh as can be. I walked over to the rail as the work out jockeys started to warm the horses up. As they came by, the jockeys would say good morning and smile.
The part of my heart, knew that not all of these horses were going to make it as racehorses, and my inner hunter jumper came out. As I watched each horse pass me, trotting down the rail, I couldn’t help but think “What is that horse going to do when he retires?” So I would start to guess. As I watched how each specific horse carried themselves, their unique personality, and the look they had in their eyes, I would start to pin them in what discipline I thought they would excel in. For me, since I ride English, I placed them in either Dressage, Hunter Jumpers, or Eventing. Though I knew that I might not be correct on what they could do, it was just fun for me to picture them in a different career.
As I stood, I remember a beautiful grey passing by, and I thought about my boy. My nine year old off the track thoroughbred that only had three starts, which he raced on a broken cannon bone which no one knew about. As the grey passed me, I started to think about how when my horse was four, how peculiar he would have looked in the small saddle, and a small jockey on his back. Then I began to think “If that cannon bone wouldn’t have been broken, could he have been a great racehorse?” I pondered on the thought for a while, picturing him on the track. But in my heart, I knew that if he wouldn’t have hurt himself, I wouldn’t have him today. And I was so thankful to have him.
Then, with every horse that passed by me, I remembered that the odds are a majority of them wouldn’t make it in the racing world; and how many people wouldn’t give them the opportunity to become something great. My heart began to hurt for all of the missed opportunities the horses were neglected of, in return could have been a great horse for another rider. All because of a stigma that people had against these particular horses, thinking they can’t be used for other things.
On average 20 thousand thoroughbreds are born each year and registered with the Jockey Club. And roughly 10 thousand of those thoroughbreds are sent to slaughter because they were either injured, or just didn’t do good on the track. Horseracing is all about making money, and if you have a horse that isn’t making you money, then they are disposable. They aren’t seen as pets. That’s 10 thousand missed opportunities.
Now, not all owners are like that. There are tons of people that if their horse doesn’t do well on the track, they will either give them to an adoption center like Makers Mark, a different thoroughbred rescue or they will find someone that is willing to retrain them to do a different job.
Going back to my original question, what makes a thoroughbred so great? I could list dozens of facts, that would hold true to anyone that has ever owned an OTTB, but I will give the major ones.
Their Willingness to do Anything
Much like little kids, they are similar to a sponge. Most of them love to learn something new; they like to do something different every time they go out. Only a thoroughbred will push himself to his limits for you. Once he knows how to do what you want, there is no other horse that will work harder for you than him. There might be days that you go out and he might not want to work, or cooperate, like I said, much like a child; but at the end of the day, they will always do whatever they can for you.
Though you are teaching them, they are Teaching You.
I can testify that while working with my OTTB, I have grown to become a better rider. Though I thought that I was just teaching him to go around some jumps, he was teaching me some very important life lessons. The first being patience. When we started to build a relationship, my horse asked me to be patient, for he didn’t always understand what I was trying to ask. When I would start to get frustrated (which was a lot), I knew that I had to try to relax, because maybe I wasn’t doing enough for him to understand what I was asking. He made me rethink how to do somethings, in order for him to understand.
He taught me compassion. I have had several horses throughout the eight years that I have been riding. I am not one to say that every horse that I had was perfect, because a few weren’t at all. But he was different. When we first went to go look at Ice (my OTTB) , he looked ridiculous. I didn’t see what he would become two years later. I looked at him, probably the way some people looked at him as he raced, “He won’t be anything”. I was stuck with him, so what could I do. When we got him home, I could tell he was asking me to give him a chance. Eventually I did, and he has grown to be the best horse that I have ever had the privilege to own. I am so ashamed to say that I didn’t show him compassion, and that at first, I thought so lowly of him.
They Represent Us.
When I look at my horse, I see everything that I have ever wanted to be. The pure power and strength that they hold, but they are so gentle and kind. They love unconditionally and forgive so easily. They don’t hold grudges and they try so hard to make you happy. When I am on my horses back, I feel free. They represent the freedom that we all wish and long for. This goes for any horse. These animals become our best friends, our therapy, and our shoulders to cry on. With every day that I get to be surrounded by these animals I know that I am in the presence of greatness and freedom. I wish that I could describe how amazing these animals truly are, but you can only understand if you have had the opportunity to be around them. These OTTB’s show us that all of these horses that are coming off of the track, don’t have to be sent away. They can make someone very happy.
I know from this day forward, I will always have an OTTB no matter what. Because I am not going to let an opportunity become another one of those numbers that get added to the slaughter list. I am not going to say no to an opportunity to grow.
