Why were you successful in the 2022 Derby?
I think the reason we were successful is to not get in a rush and take it one ride at a time. These events are more of a marathon than a sprint.
Additionally, I think it’s important that these horses are well-rounded athletes. The time spent riding drills and running patterns in the arena while important, is sometimes better spent taking them outside and going down the trail. Working on obstacles and giving them another job lets their minds relax and grow. I personally put my young horses on cattle to teach them to react in a timely manner. This helps you in the future when you need to ask them for a fast response, such as being asked for a turn or a rollback in our patterns. It builds a foundation of trust.
What advice would you give to future competitors?
When you are campaigning your futurity and derby horses I think it’s important that as tempting as it can be to push these young horses, it is important to let them grow into themselves at their own speed. The payoff is worth the wait. It’s important to set goals so and enjoy the journey. As great as it is to win the goal for most not all of us is to have a horse that’s going to be a partner for years to come.
The most important part when building a futurity, and derby, horse comes down to picking the right horse for the job. You look for a horse that has the right kind of disposition for this since it is such a short amount of time to get a horse prepared. Another big factor is considering the build of the horse since these are young horses you want a horse who has already started to fill out and has a strong build to be able to handle the amount of hauling and conditioning required to be successful as well as stay sound mentally and physically.
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