Training an OTTB is a study in literary proverbs… That sounds like a proverb in and of itself. Check out Britany Chism’s progress with her Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover hopeful, Itybityquikasakity. (more…)

“As I’m sure others can relate, I struggle with feeling like we are not where we should be … I am grateful for the supportive environment that the Retired Racehorse Project cultivates and have embraced the mantra ‘stay in your lane.'” (more…)

“With love, comes the risk of loss. The grief comes welling up … It comes crashing down as I unload Spider to get a checkup at the vet school and realize that we’ve been clients of the same surgeon there since Ben’s first trip 18 years ago…” (more…)

“As soon as I saw the name on the phone, I knew this vacation wasn’t going to be what I expected… I knew there was a problem. ” (more…)

“My focus with Luis (JC New Prince) up to this point has been balancing his body, hooves and mind. I have had glimpses, small moments, when all the pieces have come together, but we still have a long road ahead. I figure if I help him to achieve balance in mind and body, the riding will just fall right into place.” (more…)

“The last several weeks have been a rollercoaster. One moment she’s fine and the next every little thing sets her off and she’s shuffling backwards, away from whatever it is she doesn’t like…” (more…)

“There’re no shortage of new things to learn in the land of ‘not easy.’ Just when you get good at one part – there’s more to discover. It’s not all just hard work, long days, and riding out the bucks. Sometimes, it seems, learning is also produced through the hard decisions we have to make.” (more…)

“[M]y training journey thus far has reiterated that plans — with horses in particular — are subject to change. And that’s okay. I’m learning to enjoy the ride.” (more…)

“I’ve felt terribly guilty about not doing enough, but I realized yesterday that I just simply haven’t had the room in my head to see that it gets done . . . I think it’s time to do a reevaluation of priorities and to get back to the life of a Crazy Horse Girl…” (more…)

“I finally feel like I’m finding myself again, no longer a stranger to that excitement and passion I once had around horses. I’m still a work in progress but so is my mare and I couldn’t ask for a better partner. RRP Thoroughbred Makeover here we come!” (more…)

As Kate Coldren prepares for the 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover, she also begins an educational journey to learn as much as she can about equine body work and barefoot trimming. (more…)

“Kittie … was high octane, oozed class, and had a brain to boot. A veritable sports car, I like to think of her as a Maserati. I was instantly in love.” (more…)

“In the full-time trainer headspace of trying to do my best better, it is often everything — all colors of lights — all at once. These past two weeks have felt like one big intersection on the fritz, traffic for miles, some sporty high-speed vehicles trying to sneak through, some getting towed.” (more…)

“Looking back over the past 12-14 months, I am so glad I took the leap, pushed myself outside of my comfort zone, and applied [to the Makeover]… [T]he goal of competing in the Makeover has rekindled my love of riding and working with OTTBs.” (more…)

“In the words of a friend of mine ‘Kindness is free, give it to everyone’ — that is a good motto always, but especially to embattled horse show volunteers who have given up on sleep, so that you can have a wonderful time showing your horses!” (more…)

“We’re all in this for the journey. And hell, good stories are made more from the rough trails and comedy of the challenges than from the easy wins and smoothly paved roads.”
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“It seems cliché to say so, but I’m reminded again and again that we must not give up hope, even when, or perhaps especially when things get the most tough.” (more…)

“Maybe come October, the bay cousins will be stalled next to each other in the Kentucky Horse Park. Maybe, this year will be more about joy and progress than patience and simply going forward to get through. Maybe, just maybe, this year it might just be safe to hope.”

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“I know this is the absolute best decision – for him and for me. Accepting that you need help, and then actually accepting help, is progress. Team Spider has more members now, and that is amazing.”

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