Thoroughbred Logic, Presented by Kentucky Performance Products: 4 Makeover Horse Typologies
Whether it’s the well-prepared horse or the one that had a number of ups and downs on its journey, there are certain types of horses you see at the Makeover.
Welcome to the next installment of Thoroughbred Logic. In this weekly series, Anthropologist and trainer Aubrey Graham, of Kivu Sport Horses, offers insight and training experience when it comes to working with Thoroughbreds (although much will apply to all breeds). This week ride along as Aubrey shares her logic on the types of horses you see at the Thoroughbred Makeover.
It is officially post-Makeover season. That means everyone has hauled home from Kentucky, made the emotionally requisite Facebook posts recapping the experience, and settled into one hell of a horse show hang over. For some, the end of year season … and the holidays… starts with Thanksgiving. For a lot of the rest of us, that slow down kicks off with that drive home from Kentucky.
Usually, I haul back to Georgia and try to find space to take a breath, edit photos, reflect on how things went and and leg up my favorite knucklehead of a mostly retired eventer (Forrest — Don’t Noc It) to get him ready for his once a year fun competition at the Big Cheese Eventing holiday show. This year didn’t go nearly as normally.
Instead, Forrest is in Georgia eventing with my students/friends and I am in New York. Add to that that I was grateful that Ramen (Plamen) came in 6th in Field Hunters and didn’t make the finale (well, only grateful so that I didn’t have to leave late Saturday evening or Sunday morning). We loaded up early on Friday and hustled away from the Kentucky Horse Park to get back to the Finger Lakes and pack up my house and my barn (again). This time though, Kivu Sporthorses was only moving across the region to a more permanent setting: my own place (insert emojis of trepidation and excitement and also how the hell did this happen?!?!?)
Ramen (Plamen) looking the part in Field Hunters at the 2024 RRP Makeover. Photo by Lauren Kingerly
That is a number of articles in and of itself, but before I go spinning off on another set of moving tales: the Makeover.
The year I had Makeover FOMO was 2017. I watched my social media feed and saw so many friends compete beautifully turned out horses in a number of disciplines. I had just started a post-doc that actually paid a semi-legit salary, so I started wondering if I had the ability and the chops to get the horse and go play on such a national stage. Short story, I bought Forrest (Don’t Noc It) and despite all of the wrenches that horse threw in my plans that year, we made it to KY in 2018 … and I haven’t looked back since.
Forrest (Don’t Noc It) at the 2018 Makeover. Photo by Kassie Colson.
The first years I brought horses (2018 was Forrest, 2019 was Juice, aka Pulpituity, 2021 was Vanderboom Ridge, aka Western Ridge), I had personal horses who were Makeover-bound from their purchase. To the best of my ability, they were prepared, had competed amply, had gotten used to staying over night in new places, and were largely ready for what I was about to throw at them. From the 2021 Mega Makeover forward, though, as my business shifted more and more toward Thoroughbred sales, prepared horses often found new homes along the way and I began taking greener and greener kiddos to compete.
Juice (Pulpituity) bravely clicking around stadium at the 2019 Makeover. Photo by Kassie Colson.
This year takes the cake with Neil (Lute’s Angel). I have a variety of excuses, but the reality is I did not adequately prepare him. I acquired Neil at the very end of June and had a friend pick him up as we traveled with all my horses in the move from GA to NY. Staying at a beautiful barrel racing farm on a mountain in Bath, NY, I was unable to find anywhere to leave jumps set… so with my schedule and the understandable request to take down what is set up so they can drag for barrels, we barely jump trained and ended up scratching Show Jumping as our second discipline. And because I was scrambling through the move and just getting going, we didn’t haul to shows in the region either, so our dressage was not just kind of green, it was screaming neon green.
This is about where Neil is on jumping — huge talent, but little experience. Photo by Lauren Kingerly
In that vein, Neil showed up at the Makeover as the greenest horse of mine to date. It was his first show. His first dressage test. His first time being judged or seeing a warm up arena. Note to everyone reading this: do not be like me. This was dumb. But thankfully, Neil is smart. He might have come out of his skin for the first couple rides on site, but when it came time to ride Training Level 2 and his demo, he took a breath and laid down a test that left me impressed. He finished up in the top 1/3rd of around 100 competitors and I could not have been prouder of this little horse (who decided to grow two inches at the hip a month ago).
Neil pulling it together despite my poor preparation for dressage. Photo by Lauren Kingerly
Each year, I want to get back to the early years — the years where I got to focus on one horse and really show them off when I get to KY, as opposed to just survive. And in that, it makes me realize just how wide the range of horses is that show up to the Makeover and why the competition really does level the playing field to a degree between professionals and amateurs. Here’s my abbreviated typology:
The well-prepared horse
The well-prepared horse had put the hours in, the training, the competitions. Set backs have been weathered, but the horse is still strong and ready to go show off what they know and have proven they can do. These types of rides are the ones to watch at the show, hoping they will do so extremely well because they have earned it. But these also can be the heartbreaking rides, where expectation of quality work is tied to young Thoroughbreds in a big, electric atmosphere.
Jennifer Vickers Kelly and Pisces (Fedora Freya) rocked the well-prepared category, laying down a beautiful test and finishing 6th in dressage out of a huge field. Photo by author.
The rising-to-the-occasion horse
I love watching these rounds. These horses have been set up to succeed, but are really asked to step up to the plate and into this level for the first time at the Makeover. In eventing, these are the horses who have run Starter and schooled some Beginner Novice, but maybe have not completed a full three-phase at the level of competition. They’re prepared, but they’re also a gamble. Watching them gamely figure it out — stronger at it every day in KY — is one of my favorite parts of this competition.
Ilse Simmons and Skater (Skate to Heaven) stepped up to the BN plate and laid down great rounds in stadium and eventing at this year’s Makeover. Photo by author.
The horse who has had an up and down go of it
These guys are heart-warming because their riders are just so proud of them for getting to be there and watching them put in the effort. Up and down horses maybe hit lameness issues or let-down challenges. Maybe their brains unraveled as they started to compete, or their bodies got sore. Either way, these horse and rider combinations often don’t win and many times, they don’t even make it all the way through their discipline. But if you want to see riders show off extraordinary horsemanship and pride in their horses and their utter level of try and heart, look at these folks.
Bria Barden and Zeuss (Illustrated) have had a bit of an up and down year, but they put in a beautiful set of rounds in show jumping and quality dressage tests. Photo by Lauren Kingerly.
And I couldn’t do this category without Noodle (Unstoppable Force) and Adela Narovich, who was all smiles and pride for her horse after his effort in Show Jumping. Photo by author.
The horse who was not really quite or at all prepared
Hi! That’s me this year… These are big gambles — and honestly, don’t do it. But, the horses in this category go one of two ways: they either step up to the plate like Neil and say “Fine, you might have not prepared me for this, but I got it — hold my beer,” or they unravel. These horses might be the ones crashing through fences, bucking wildly in warmup, or being led around while walking on their hind legs. Sometimes this category works out for the rider… but often it’s a huge ask of the horse and sometimes it is just too much for their brains and/or bodies.
Neil preparing for his tests. What a good, brave kid. Photo by Lauren Kingerly.
That said, I’m still glad that I managed to get there — poor preparation and all. But, yeah. Here’s hoping that next year I can be a little more settled, a little more on top of getting these guys ready. And also, here’s hoping that one of my 2025 Makeover horses will be the fabulous Koops.
So take a breath, throw a leg over your favorite ride and enjoy the slide into the slow season. And here’s hoping those Makeover hangovers dissipate quickly, too.
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