Roman’s First Show

Sarah & Roman participated in their first USDF show over the weekend. Roman (aka Shedroe Warrior) is one of my former foster horses. While they had a bobble in their first test where Roman left the arena and it caused them to be eliminated, he evidently determined that this dressage thing wasn’t bad and did beautifully on his second test! They did so well, in fact, that he earned a 68.5% — good enough for first place! Many congrats to Sarah and Roman and I look forward to many more blue ribbons in your future!

 

Roman’s New Home

I was lucky enough to get to be part of Roman’s delivery to his new home today. I’ll let these photos I shot during the process speak for themselves. I really don’t think he could have gone to a better place or nicer person!

 

Roman

Roman is really coming along nicely. I rode him in a clinic with Linda Heiny on March 28 and really got some great information on what I need to do to continue progressing with him. Here is a pic from that ride:

 

I Heart Roman

So, in an amazing change of events, I find myself falling more and more each day for this short, QH-looking, smart-as-a-whip chestnut TB gelding. Its as much a surprise to me as it is to everyone else, considering I wanted nothing to do with Roman when he first arrived. But then, maybe that’s because he has done a complete 180 in temperament. His is an ugly duckling meets Beauty and Beast type story, where he is actually all three characters. You see, he’s learning to trust again. When he first arrived, he didn’t trust anyone. His fear response was to kick — and a lightening fast kick he does have!! That was him being a Beast.

At the same time he was kind of shaggy (because he eats his blankets, so he doesn’t wear one). He’s also looks like a classic QH. He’s been going through growth spurts and was kind of down hill. He has short, stocky legs and a butt that is a big, round and full as any QH I’ve ever seen. He even has the small head. In short, one would probably never guess he was full TB. Maybe an Appendix QH, but not full TB. This is him as the Ugly Duckling.

Then, around the end of January, I put him on the lunge line to see how we was moving. I could not believe my eyes when I saw that he had the most natural dressage movement I had ever seen. I just couldn’t believe it! He is a beautiful mover. Scope, suspension, and TONS of impulsion. In the words of Linda Heiny, the dressage clinician I frequently ride with, if he moves like this now, with race muscle, imagine what he’s going to be like with actual self carriage muscle. To see Roman move is to see him as Beauty.

And under saddle, he’s pretty willing, but you have to be very sure of yourself. I haven’t seen him spook at anything yet, but he’s the kind of horse that has to want to do something. There is no making him do something. But when he wants to do it for you, its amazing. He trot is big and powerful, and his canter is so smooth. And he is really easy to stop. There is no running away. This little horse’s perfect home would be with an experienced dressage or event rider looking for a diamond in the rough.

 

Magic & Roman Coming Along

Magic is really settling in well into life at the barn. Its pretty laid back here with not a lot of action, so its a great place for exracers to come and learn that life can have a slower pace. He does have some bite marks on his butt, but nothing terrible. He seems to have quickly figured out his place in the herd. He is also buddies with River, who is another TB gelding at the barn. I’ve seen the two of them running around together and playing. Their favorite game seems to be “I’m going to bite your butt and run!” Its pretty comical.

I don’t know if Magic had been lunged before, but he took to it pretty quickly. Its been cold and I’ve wanted to take it fairly easy on him, so he’s just been working on the lunge so far this week. However, I do plan to get on him tomorrow. I don’t think it will be a big issue. I would have ridden him today, however I was by myself at the barn much of the time and I make it a practice not to get on a track horse for the first time when I’m by myself. They usually don’t do anything stupid, but you just never know. I’d rather be safe than sorry. And I know there will be others out there tomorrow, so that will work out fine. Plus, I’ll have the week to prepare him for the upcoming clinic with Linda H, and it would be a good thing to have a couple rides on him before we go.

Roman is also going to the clinic. I’m really thrilled with how well he is doing. I rode him again today and he did really well. Like most exracers, he has a hard time getting off of his right front leg. When tracking right, moving outwards on the circle is really difficult for him, even at a walk, he really has to work to lift the right shoulder and move it over to the outside. It will get better with time. He’s also going through a growth spurt right now. He was 15.1 and fairly level when he arrived in November. He’s currently 15.2 in front and 15.3 behind. That doesn’t make it ay easier to lift the front end. Speaking of growing, his last baby teeth are falling out and his canines are starting to come in.

I lunged him outside yesterday too. He did great! I also let him run around the outdoor to get some action shots of him. These aren’t bad considering he’s having a hard time lifting the front end up and his neck is a little on the short side (not to mention being totally upside down from racing). Once he really gets some carrying strength and builds the right kind of muscle, he is going to be a very nice mover!

 

Riding Roman

After a little time off for a stone bruise, Roman was officially started under saddle yesterday. I couldn’t have been more proud of him! We started off working in hand with the dressage whip so that he understands moving away from pressure. He quickly figured out about moving away from the tapping without over-reacting. He also figured out about moving towards me when I tapped on the far side of his body (so, away from tapping even if it is towards me).

He was very agreeable under saddle. If anything, he was a little sluggish. He was not opposed to me carrying a whip and moved any of the body parts over that I tapped on. This was very good in getting him to move his shoulders and/or haunches out and over on the circle. I finished the ride on a high note, which was when we actually had 5-6 trot strides with him stretching down over his topline into contact. He was such a good boy!

I really don’t think the ride could have gone better and I’m really looking forward to watching him develop under saddle.

 

Roman’s Coming Around

I think Roman has finally decided that he’s pretty much at a good place. His whole demeanor has changed in the last couple of weeks. He seems to be quite a smart boy and can size people up very quickly. He is also looking for a buddy. He just wants someone to join up with. In fact, he’s quite a sweetheart. I’ve determined that he can stand quietly in cross ties as well.

He and Stormy are both the bottom of the pecking order in the turnout group they’re in, so they have decided that being friends is better than fending for themselves. I’m glad that they have each other.

I haven’t been doing very much with Roman in regards to training because he is still so very sore and stiff on the right hind. That is to be expected just two weeks out of racing. I have been massaging the muscles in his right hind and his left fore. This really seems to help him. And he really enjoys it as well. He knows he’s not supposed to bite or nibble, but he reaches his head around toward me (when I’m working on his shoulder especially) and his lips quiver as though he wants to groom me. Its pretty cute.

I think turnout is going to be essential for him as well. He’s even more stiff in the morning when he gets turned out, but moves quite a bit better by the end of the day when he’s been out moving around on it. I’m sure the cold weather doesn’t help at all. The true test will be this spring/summer when it warms up and the horses are out all night long.

So anyhow, I also stuck him on the lunge line last night just to see what he knows. He understood about going out to the end of the lunge line and understood to try and trot. He is still very weak (or at least sore) in the hind end and its obvious on the lunge line. However, there has been tremendous improvement in his gait since he arrived and I think that is a good start. I’ll continue to massage the muscle and work him very lightly on the lunge line to help him figure out some balance.

I sure am enjoying watching him come out of his shell. He really is a good guy.

 

Shedroe Warrior (aka Roman)

Roman is a 2004 chestnut Thoroughbred gelding standing just shy of 15.2 hands. He came off the track on Monday, November 17, 2008. He is one of “Tony’s ExRacers” and is supported financially by a grant given to Friends of Ferdinand, Inc. from the Tony Stewart Foundation. Roman has been evaluated by the vet and farrier. He has also had his shoes pulled. He is getting some well deserved time off and pasture turnout to learn how to be a horse again. He is sore on three feet due to severe thrush and contracted heels. He’ll be evaluated again in a couple months once his hoof issues have resolved.

Personality wise, he is just looking for someone to trust. He LOVES getting massages and really relaxes into them. I’m looking forward to helping this guy come out of his shell. I think he’s going to make someone a really nice horse!

 

JC Cleared For Work, Roman Needs Rest

So the vet was out yesterday to give the horses a basic exam and see where they are after coming off the track. She looked at JC first. He was a very good boy and stood quietly during the exam. He also trotted along side me needing little persuasion so that the vet could see him go. The vet really likes him and mentioned that he was one of the nicer horses to come through the FFI program. He was declared sound and could begin light riding. The vet did mention though that although JC is tattooed an papered as a 2004 — which would make him 4 1/2 years old, his teeth say otherwise. His 4 1/2 year old teeth haven’t yet come in, which made the vet think he is only 3 1/2 years old. We’re going to keep an eye on his mouth and see what developes. He may just pop those teeth later than normal.

Roman was seen second and he was a bit more on edge. After some discussion, we think he may have been given Equipoise at the track, so it may be a while before he’s back to himself. At any rate, he is sore on both the left front and the right hind. The right hind is sort of a given with track horses since it is the leg that does the most work — in the left lead, they push off of it the most. However, the vet couldn’t find any reason why the left front is sore (no heat). There is an old splint that was popped some time ago, but its not warm. Roman is approved for turnout, but no work. We’re going to give him a month or so to see how he does on his left front.

Both horses will have their shoes pulled tomorrow.

JC was approved to head to a dressage clinic with me on Friday. I’m looking forward to working with him there and seeing how he does. It may be his first post-race ride.