A lot of horses that come off the race track have a TON on tightness in their neck and poll. This leads to their necks being very stiff because it’s painful/uncomfortable for them to bend their tight muscles. I would have someone come over and work out any tightness in his body leftover from his racing days. I hope this helps
@@TheCerberus67 holly is a trained vet - She would be the first to sense the horse is uncomfortable. I appreciate that she shows the part of training that aren't pretty and not everything is beautiful
@@loubielou82 I agree, I'd personally go to a physio over a vet, a dentist over a vet, a nutritionist over a vet. There are specialised and incredibly highly trained individuals in their specific field of expertise rather than a general equine vet, who are also amazing, however if there are any issues or stiffness I personally would always advise going to someone who will probably amaze you with how great their knowledge is in their field. Also like you said, everyone gets it wrong sometimes, vets can diagnose incorrectly, that's why second opinions from other vets are so commonly used.
No hate at all, just curious because everyone does everything so differently. Why start jumping before he’s established in the trot and canter work? Just seems like more stress introducing something new like jumping when he can’t canter quite balanced yet.
@@Ella-ok3lh could be the case but just me personally, I would rather have a horse with a super flat foundation who wasn’t started over fences than one that was rushed just so they could say he can do more. It’s so hard to undo “bad” habits than can come with rushing them.
@@slbequine4624 I totally agree, but as a dressage rider I am a little biased haha! But I love when show jumpers really put time and effort into flatwork, it's so important to create balance, suppleness and a strong core. I definitely respect Holly a lot and how she works her horses, but I think she might just love showjumping too much to wait till he's ready. Or maybe she has a good reason, I'm not sure, I don't know enough about jumping to say.
Also not hate but he needs much more work just to be able to even trot in a balanced way - his head is being wiggled in while his back end is not being used properly. Nice horse with lots of promise but needs to go a bit more back to basics
Its pretty normal to introduce an ott to jumping early on, the more exposure they have the better they'll be later on. Also you're not gonna teach them bad habits when the jumps are this small as she's teaching exactly the same principles as on the flat. All she's getting him to do is stay straight and not run off on her.
Well done! I've had a couple OTTBs who were very similar. They'd mow through rails but give solid jumps much more respect. The first 30-60 days is tough. You're helping them unlearn all the bad habits they picked up over the years without knowing what those habits even were, and how they'd get away with them. He seems really strong but you can literally see things click for him, and he'll eventually figure out that he's making more work for himself.. and that the answer isn't always run, run, run! :D Great vlog. Looking forward to the next few!
You have done so well and are both so brave! I was thinking, however, that a cross country vest might be a good investment. It's so much fun watching him learn.
Rocky is getting so beautiful! I had read that OTTB's have really only gone over perfectly flat, manicured ground, that is why the sight of a pole on the ground is totally novel and terrifying. Normally raised horses get much more experience walking over things and figuring out where to put their feet. So, he is coming from quite a deficit. That being said, WOW, you had some great moments with him that day. He has such a potential to be a wonderful riding horse. PS, you are incredibly talented AND brave!
Aw Holly i love this so much! Your patience is something we can all learn from. We all wish to be this type of rider but I don’t think people realise just how frustrating it can be with the amount of energy, time and education young green horses like this require. However the rewards are so great. Loving watching this journey, its real, unedited and educational. X
would u consider looking into different bits? i’m not saying go for a stronger one but maybe if he has a single jointed try a double jointed as thoroughbreds tend to have smaller mouths so they don’t like the single jointed hitting the roof of their mouths or something with copper/sweet iron might help him accept it better
Hè is not sound on his left hindleg and i think that is why he wont go on the left canter. When they do the left canter, de left hindleg needs to go in front first and needs tot carrie more weight.
Holly that was some of the best riding I have ever seen. Ok Rocky not so pretty , but he tries hard ! You managed to just sit him calmly despite the horse under you being all over the place. Under your gentle and so competent hand he will be fine. Bummed you didn't film any hoof abscess care content. Would love some "vet stuff".. Love you Dr . Holly. You are awesome !!!
Very very well done Holly! You kept your cool, have realist expectations and never got frustrated and gave up. OTTBs are hard, especially the first one. I had an OTTB that really reminds me of Rocky. He was tricky in the first 2-3 months then really came around. Hang in there Holly, you’re doing great!!
Hey 😊 I work with racers and have an OTTB. He has a similar issue, but in right canter. A friend of mine (also in racing) advised that when he picks up the right lead, to bridge the reins, lighten the seat and let him find his stride. When I took that advice, I found he would settle away in the canter, and because my hands were dropped (a lot like in racing) he chilled out and stopped panicking 🤷♀️ Like with Rockey it’s a work in progress, but it really seems to settle my lad down, thought it might help your lad 😊 He’s going to be a great boy in the end I’m sure 😊👍
Thank goodness you are such and experienced and patient rider….. thanks for showing us the good, the bad and the ugly 😂 he really is beautiful and I’m sure he will come a long way with your guidance..
Rocky’s progress is honestly incredible for such a short time!!! I was watching some the first videos with him and the the difference is INSANE! I guess that is just a testament to Holly’s training 😁.
I always loved your riding. But I think you had really unsteady hands in this one, alot of horses run away from "pain" .. i know its hard with a strong horse, I own one myself. And, maybe its a little to much to show jump and cross country after, I the same day. They can be really tired in there heads, when they are so green. Stop the game when he does it well enough so he gets the best experience, so hes tired in a good way in the end. 💗
What an exciting video, Holly. YOU ARE AN AMAZING RIDER!!!!!!! All that lefty/righty at the water would probably had me on the ground and I don't think I would have had the nerve to try Rocky on anything solid after the way he tanked you through those cross-poles. But that is why you're doing this and not a big chicken-liver like me :) You are also so kind and patient with him and know if you keep him toward the HORROR OF HELL that you are expecting such a poor little fraidy horse to walk through that eventually he'll go. It'll be really interesting to see how he goes in unfamiliar circumstances after this; as it seemed to me that he had an aHa moment. Something along the lines "I can trust this girl doesn't want me to fall into flames" -- lol -- and will now trust everything you ask of him. Thank you so much for the transparency in showing us Rocky's journey, warts and all. You are an amazing horseperson with all the right blend of compassion and knowledge that Rocky is so very lucky to have you retraining him. FYI, when you were warming him up he looked so collected and beautiful; that is the horse that is just around the corner for someone brave like you :) Just, wow, Holly. Thank you.
I don’t understand all the negative comments on this video. Was he a bit stressy? Yes. Was it messy? Yes! But when training horses sometimes it IS messy and it gets worse before it gets better. Look at how much his confidence comes on just in that one ride, he was really enjoying himself by the end! Sometimes we do have to push them out of their comfort zones a bit for them to gain confidence and to progress. I think anyone whose ever watched your videos can tell you are very passionate about your horses and wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise them. Also, just to give you some hope, when I started jumping my OTTB I was convinced I’d have to start a career in dressage as he was so awful but he loves it now and his technique is miles better. X
I love holly always watched her videos. But here it’s all going way to fast.. she started jumping him way to quickly… the flatwork is nowhere near to good enough to start jumping.. he needs more muscles and confidence … and her pulling his mouth all the time isn’t doing any good ..
Hey Moma there’s more than one way of doing things and everyone has different techniques, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. He’s making progress and he’s in good capable hands so he will be fine
@@laurablair6110 I had a few horses that were rushed into work and even after 6 years of trying to save the shit the previous rider did while putting him to work. I still had to retire her because mentally it destroyed her.
Thank you for sharing !! My mare braces whatever rein she wants to for that week, so I do 10/15m circles on the stiff rein and ask for over flextion, hoping it will help eventually but more depends on her mood… xx
Hey Holly, What a great vlog! I really appreciate his attitude in cross country, as i imagined before, he was a very good boy in making new experience and being more interested than frightened over all the stuff. Hopefully he will slowly getting the bending part. I’m very happy you leave him with his tension on the the day you bring him out and ent to the cross country part, i imagine it was good to change the environment and asking for others things to stop becoming frustrated that day. It looks like a Domino Effekt for me, he tries his best to bend, or at least the best he could do to stretch out his head on the other side,feels not entirely good for him, he compensate with speed and can’t handle his feet anymore 😅 but his trust is really improving and I’m very thankful to see the not so good or ugly to learn a lot of things about horse training and consistency in the End. So thank you for being this transparent and fair to show us how a pro like you is working with setbacks and things that need more working. I really appreciate this kind of vlog and being so curious about next week and his progress 💚
Oooh he's going to be super! What a drama queen though! All that at the water and then he's just like "oh ok....I'll walk through". And that super jump over the log....it's all in there! Loving these videos.
Have you tried long lining him? Its so helpful to them , as you can use each line seperatly like when your riding. You bend him, counterbend ,and really support them with your out side rein. I try to do it at least once a week. Great for them to really use themselves , without the riders weight . Love your videos, you are a fabulous rider ! 💗
Why start jumping when he doesn’t have the balance or strength for it? I had a horse in training that was so sore because his owner pulled him from he paddock when he was 8 and started jumping 3 weeks after😐 I thought you were responsible but apparently not?
Loving these Rocky vlogs! my ottb is the same (less of a tank), but I’m the UK gathering your reins in racing means GO, so this was a challenge we had to over come to begin softening on both reins and remove the tanking off episodes🤣
I test rode a promising horse on Tuesday... we went from a trot to my first ever gallop... took a few slightly panicked laps of the arena for me to pull him up!!
Holly you rode him very well there I was feeling for your poor arms mind, I remember the wooden mouthed tbs we use to ride and our arms were killing too. It was so nice when we had some that had lovely mouths phew. He did very well cross country he’ll end up loving that I bet. I applaud 👏 you for teaching him so well I love watching and I do believe I heard a little bit of some Aussie accent during this vlog 😂😂tfs😎🐎😎
That was wild! You are an amazing rider to hold on and calmly keep asking him for more. Rocky is making big progress every time, so it's an exciting time ahead. I cant wait to see how it will go xxx
OTTBs are a different type of animal for sure. But you're a capable rider and you'll have him right in no time. A trainer used to winter his horses at a barn I worked at, and he gave us rein to ride them as we wanted because it made them better. So every winter I would trail ride a string of small time racehorses. So much fun
Some racehorses 'hang' to the left or right, slows them up but can unfortunately become a habit if not picked up. Then theres a balance issue. You'll work thru it. Enjoying the updates, thank you🙂
Maybe he thinks 'left lead equals fast' from his racing days. He looks like fun though. You don't want a finished horse...way to easy! But he's a good boy, just needs confidence.
Great vlog Holly!! Isn't he is just the sweetest boy? When he gets a handle on his confidence he is going to be a cracking little jumper. He is already halfway there because he does trust you, it's just his fear overtakes it, bless him. Some of those jumps he did were really brilliant and neat on the cross country. I'm enjoying watching his journey with you so much hun and really looking forward to the next installment! Take care 😘❤
Holly, thank you for the videos, I love all your videos ..that boy needs to come home with you ..he is just so your Horse :). Lol I want to see him dressed in western tack 😂..I’m learning to ride western and I’m loving it 🥰
Maybe for racing they run faster if they bend to the right on both leads. I believe they do change leads in a race, especially if it’s a bit longer distance. He’s really coming along nicely, and so brave on the cross country. Looks like an eventer in the making! Kudos to you for putting such a lovely start on a horse for someone else. 😍😍😍
You have no idea how much this reminds me of the last horse i worked with their personalities are so similiar 😂 super sweet lovable afraid of their own shadow wants to put their feet right but when they dont know boy they all legs lmao 😂 this is so reassuring to me to see another equestrian going thru the same trials and tribulations somewhere else in the world
This is why it’s so important to teacv an OTTB that “pull ≠ go” before we start jumping😬 definitely not ready to be out jumping if he can’t canter on a normal rein
Glad for Rocky he is in your capable hands to bring him on for regular horsey life. I'd be interested to hear about your thoughts and experiences starting yr boys versus training Rocky post track... for some reason (because I adore Khal so much) I imagine you just saddled him up one day and hey presto perfection 🐎 🤣 .. thanks for sharing :)
I don’t know why people are going mad about holly jumping him? The jumps are tiny not like she’s thrashing him round a 140 course! Give her a break in racing they literally jump them over massive hurdles in full gallop so why are you all slating her for getting him used to tiny jumps! just because his dressage work isn’t perfect yet doesn’t mean he can’t pop some little jumps! If you don’t have nothing nice to say don’t say it! Your doing great holly
Holly is his bit fitting right , he acts like it is bothering him! He looked so handsome, he will be good if he can slow down! You are doing good with him, Rocky was a race horse right? So he just knows one speed fast and faster.! I was tickled to death to see your video pop up👍👍❤️🤍💙🇺🇸☀️
I feel your arm pain I get Dailey from riding race horses 😫 he would be very wrong and moving his head up and being tight because when she canter on races horse we have our strength pushing on there neck instead up there mouth and you would find if you got in a 2 point pressed your hand on his neck his would drop his head relax and a more relaxed slower canter because that’s how most race horses are taught to stay collected relax and slow down so when we have no pressure on there neck and our hands high he gets strong and stiff because he doesn’t know how to handle it so there’s a little explanation but your doing a incredible job with him and he’s improving so much!!!
The tanking is almost inevitable with most OTTBs. My boy was super well behaved and very sensitive to my seat but he would still rip through a pair of riding gloves at least every second week. Eventually i gave up on the gloves and just let my hands toughen up, lol.
just an opinion...or a feeling? It feels like the racing life, brief as it was, inflicted some trauma emotionally, if not physically. So, you're helping him work through that.
Watching him go from terrified to trusting holly and having fun is mesmerizing.
A lot of horses that come off the race track have a TON on tightness in their neck and poll. This leads to their necks being very stiff because it’s painful/uncomfortable for them to bend their tight muscles. I would have someone come over and work out any tightness in his body leftover from his racing days. I hope this helps
I agree completely. This is very hard to watch. The horse seems unhappy to me and needs some gentle help.
@@TheCerberus67 holly is a trained vet - She would be the first to sense the horse is uncomfortable. I appreciate that she shows the part of training that aren't pretty and not everything is beautiful
@@loubielou82 I agree, I'd personally go to a physio over a vet, a dentist over a vet, a nutritionist over a vet. There are specialised and incredibly highly trained individuals in their specific field of expertise rather than a general equine vet, who are also amazing, however if there are any issues or stiffness I personally would always advise going to someone who will probably amaze you with how great their knowledge is in their field.
Also like you said, everyone gets it wrong sometimes, vets can diagnose incorrectly, that's why second opinions from other vets are so commonly used.
This video is basically Holly realizing she's riding an ex-racer 😂 my first few times cantering racers hurts my arms like crazy. So I feel your pain
No hate at all, just curious because everyone does everything so differently. Why start jumping before he’s established in the trot and canter work? Just seems like more stress introducing something new like jumping when he can’t canter quite balanced yet.
I totally agree! There might be a reason I don't know, maybe she wants to fast track things since she doesn't have that long with him?
@@Ella-ok3lh could be the case but just me personally, I would rather have a horse with a super flat foundation who wasn’t started over fences than one that was rushed just so they could say he can do more. It’s so hard to undo “bad” habits than can come with rushing them.
@@slbequine4624 I totally agree, but as a dressage rider I am a little biased haha! But I love when show jumpers really put time and effort into flatwork, it's so important to create balance, suppleness and a strong core. I definitely respect Holly a lot and how she works her horses, but I think she might just love showjumping too much to wait till he's ready. Or maybe she has a good reason, I'm not sure, I don't know enough about jumping to say.
Also not hate but he needs much more work just to be able to even trot in a balanced way - his head is being wiggled in while his back end is not being used properly. Nice horse with lots of promise but needs to go a bit more back to basics
Its pretty normal to introduce an ott to jumping early on, the more exposure they have the better they'll be later on. Also you're not gonna teach them bad habits when the jumps are this small as she's teaching exactly the same principles as on the flat. All she's getting him to do is stay straight and not run off on her.
Gosh. He reminds me so much of my OTTB, only Rocky is much tankier. He has loads of potential, I'm excited to watch his progression!
Well done! I've had a couple OTTBs who were very similar. They'd mow through rails but give solid jumps much more respect. The first 30-60 days is tough. You're helping them unlearn all the bad habits they picked up over the years without knowing what those habits even were, and how they'd get away with them. He seems really strong but you can literally see things click for him, and he'll eventually figure out that he's making more work for himself.. and that the answer isn't always run, run, run! :D Great vlog. Looking forward to the next few!
@@pfftxoxo1502 What? Respect, in this case, means regard. A horse can absolutely have regard for certain objects and not others. They aren't machines.
So impressed with Rocky’s confidence by the end of cross-country. Handsome fellow after his makeover!
I absolutely love this ottb series
Thank you for the video Holly! Rocky is so adorable, I love him. I always learn so much watching your videos.
You have done so well and are both so brave! I was thinking, however, that a cross country vest might be a good investment. It's so much fun watching him learn.
Rocky is a lovely horse. Lots of potential! Take your time with him. He will be worth it!
Rocky is getting so beautiful! I had read that OTTB's have really only gone over perfectly flat, manicured ground, that is why the sight of a pole on the ground is totally novel and terrifying. Normally raised horses get much more experience walking over things and figuring out where to put their feet. So, he is coming from quite a deficit. That being said, WOW, you had some great moments with him that day. He has such a potential to be a wonderful riding horse. PS, you are incredibly talented AND brave!
Aw Holly i love this so much! Your patience is something we can all learn from. We all wish to be this type of rider but I don’t think people realise just how frustrating it can be with the amount of energy, time and education young green horses like this require. However the rewards are so great. Loving watching this journey, its real, unedited and educational. X
would u consider looking into different bits? i’m not saying go for a stronger one but maybe if he has a single jointed try a double jointed as thoroughbreds tend to have smaller mouths so they don’t like the single jointed hitting the roof of their mouths or something with copper/sweet iron might help him accept it better
Just love you volgs Holly . Well done Rocky. Cant wait for next week .
Absolutely amazing!! You did so well! I also see me in the background brushing my boy 😂
My trainer's ottb use to lumber jack through everything too. She had to build solid blocks to teach him to jump over things. Now he's doing 2* lol
Hè is not sound on his left hindleg and i think that is why he wont go on the left canter. When they do the left canter, de left hindleg needs to go in front first and needs tot carrie more weight.
Yes! This is very hard to watch. The horse steps short on the hind with the abscess. Clearly reluctant & unhappy. Not ready.
Love these videos!! Following your progress with Rocky is awesome, I look forward to them every week!
Holly that was some of the best riding I have ever seen. Ok Rocky not so pretty , but he tries hard ! You managed to just sit him calmly despite the horse under you being all over the place. Under your gentle and so competent hand he will be fine. Bummed you didn't film any hoof abscess care content. Would love some "vet stuff".. Love you Dr . Holly. You are awesome !!!
Very very well done Holly! You kept your cool, have realist expectations and never got frustrated and gave up. OTTBs are hard, especially the first one. I had an OTTB that really reminds me of Rocky. He was tricky in the first 2-3 months then really came around. Hang in there Holly, you’re doing great!!
I love seeing you work with green / spooky horses. So much good stuff to learn!
Holly Rocky is coming along very nicely so excited to see him in the show ring.
Hey 😊 I work with racers and have an OTTB.
He has a similar issue, but in right canter. A friend of mine (also in racing) advised that when he picks up the right lead, to bridge the reins, lighten the seat and let him find his stride. When I took that advice, I found he would settle away in the canter, and because my hands were dropped (a lot like in racing) he chilled out and stopped panicking 🤷♀️
Like with Rockey it’s a work in progress, but it really seems to settle my lad down, thought it might help your lad 😊
He’s going to be a great boy in the end I’m sure 😊👍
Great video, you have come on so much with him!
With all this rain Rocky is going to get plenty of practice with water! 🤣
Wonderful job!! You know it takes time! You know it just makes you a better and better rider!
Really interesting listening ymto yoit training methods and how you handle the bad bits. OTTB 's are so rewarding, I've had a few of them !
I feel like you should be charging us for these vids - your expertise is amazing Holly!
😂😂 now that’s high praise!
Thank goodness you are such and experienced and patient rider….. thanks for showing us the good, the bad and the ugly 😂 he really is beautiful and I’m sure he will come a long way with your guidance..
Rocky’s progress is honestly incredible for such a short time!!! I was watching some the first videos with him and the the difference is INSANE! I guess that is just a testament to Holly’s training 😁.
Oh, bless him. He tries so hard. Good boy, Rocky!
I always loved your riding. But I think you had really unsteady hands in this one, alot of horses run away from "pain" .. i know its hard with a strong horse, I own one myself. And, maybe its a little to much to show jump and cross country after, I the same day. They can be really tired in there heads, when they are so green. Stop the game when he does it well enough so he gets the best experience, so hes tired in a good way in the end. 💗
What an exciting video, Holly. YOU ARE AN AMAZING RIDER!!!!!!! All that lefty/righty at the water would probably had me on the ground and I don't think I would have had the nerve to try Rocky on anything solid after the way he tanked you through those cross-poles. But that is why you're doing this and not a big chicken-liver like me :) You are also so kind and patient with him and know if you keep him toward the HORROR OF HELL that you are expecting such a poor little fraidy horse to walk through that eventually he'll go. It'll be really interesting to see how he goes in unfamiliar circumstances after this; as it seemed to me that he had an aHa moment. Something along the lines "I can trust this girl doesn't want me to fall into flames" -- lol -- and will now trust everything you ask of him. Thank you so much for the transparency in showing us Rocky's journey, warts and all. You are an amazing horseperson with all the right blend of compassion and knowledge that Rocky is so very lucky to have you retraining him. FYI, when you were warming him up he looked so collected and beautiful; that is the horse that is just around the corner for someone brave like you :) Just, wow, Holly. Thank you.
Some exceptional riding here. Well done great progress!
Ok Rocky is the absolute cutest horse 🤩 He's looking great!!
Can’t wait for the next video, love your videos x
I don’t understand all the negative comments on this video. Was he a bit stressy? Yes. Was it messy? Yes! But when training horses sometimes it IS messy and it gets worse before it gets better. Look at how much his confidence comes on just in that one ride, he was really enjoying himself by the end! Sometimes we do have to push them out of their comfort zones a bit for them to gain confidence and to progress. I think anyone whose ever watched your videos can tell you are very passionate about your horses and wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise them. Also, just to give you some hope, when I started jumping my OTTB I was convinced I’d have to start a career in dressage as he was so awful but he loves it now and his technique is miles better. X
Well said
I love holly always watched her videos. But here it’s all going way to fast.. she started jumping him way to quickly… the flatwork is nowhere near to good enough to start jumping.. he needs more muscles and confidence … and her pulling his mouth all the time isn’t doing any good ..
Hey Moma there’s more than one way of doing things and everyone has different techniques, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. He’s making progress and he’s in good capable hands so he will be fine
@@laurablair6110 I had a few horses that were rushed into work and even after 6 years of trying to save the shit the previous rider did while putting him to work. I still had to retire her because mentally it destroyed her.
Love this vlog. Rocky is really gaining confidence here. What a smart boy! Good job Holly for sitting all his silliness! Love from California⛰🌲☀️💙
It looks like you had a hard time but he learns real quick! Good luck with him! 😊
Thank you for sharing !! My mare braces whatever rein she wants to for that week, so I do 10/15m circles on the stiff rein and ask for over flextion, hoping it will help eventually but more depends on her mood… xx
Omg he is improving so much!! Also I rode at that Venue my last horse trails and competition
Hey Holly, What a great vlog! I really appreciate his attitude in cross country, as i imagined before, he was a very good boy in making new experience and being more interested than frightened over all the stuff. Hopefully he will slowly getting the bending part. I’m very happy you leave him with his tension on the the day you bring him out and ent to the cross country part, i imagine it was good to change the environment and asking for others things to stop becoming frustrated that day. It looks like a Domino Effekt for me, he tries his best to bend, or at least the best he could do to stretch out his head on the other side,feels not entirely good for him, he compensate with speed and can’t handle his feet anymore 😅 but his trust is really improving and I’m very thankful to see the not so good or ugly to learn a lot of things about horse training and consistency in the End. So thank you for being this transparent and fair to show us how a pro like you is working with setbacks and things that need more working. I really appreciate this kind of vlog and being so curious about next week and his progress 💚
Oooh he's going to be super! What a drama queen though! All that at the water and then he's just like "oh ok....I'll walk through". And that super jump over the log....it's all in there! Loving these videos.
I love seeing this progress happen!!
Already the first month has passed 😱 time goes way too fast! I think he’s a really good challenge for you and you both are doing amazing :)
Rocky is very cute and personable. He's going to make someone a great best friend !I
reminds me of my boy did his first real jump without a major stop today!!!!!
Super riding, well done ! I'll be having a similar experience on Saturday when I jump my young cob for the first time in the school ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
OMG The halter at the 19:30 mark - where did you get it from? 😍😍
He's gonna be so cool someday!
Its nice to see him gain the confidence after a while
Have you tried long lining him? Its so helpful to them , as you can use each line seperatly like when your riding. You bend him, counterbend ,and really support them with your out side rein. I try to do it at least once a week. Great for them to really use themselves , without the riders weight . Love your videos, you are a fabulous rider ! 💗
Why start jumping when he doesn’t have the balance or strength for it? I had a horse in training that was so sore because his owner pulled him from he paddock when he was 8 and started jumping 3 weeks after😐 I thought you were responsible but apparently not?
Completely agree with ur comment!
Loving these Rocky vlogs! my ottb is the same (less of a tank), but I’m the UK gathering your reins in racing means GO, so this was a challenge we had to over come to begin softening on both reins and remove the tanking off episodes🤣
Unfortunately he goes faster when I loosen my reins so I’m not sure what way he was trained 😂
I test rode a promising horse on Tuesday... we went from a trot to my first ever gallop... took a few slightly panicked laps of the arena for me to pull him up!!
Holly you rode him very well there I was feeling for your poor arms mind, I remember the wooden mouthed tbs we use to ride and our arms were killing too. It was so nice when we had some that had lovely mouths phew. He did very well cross country he’ll end up loving that I bet. I applaud 👏 you for teaching him so well I love watching and I do believe I heard a little bit of some Aussie accent during this vlog 😂😂tfs😎🐎😎
That was wild! You are an amazing rider to hold on and calmly keep asking him for more. Rocky is making big progress every time, so it's an exciting time ahead. I cant wait to see how it will go xxx
Interesting, he seems to switch canter leads whenever he goes over the poles before and after the jumps
luckily for me my boy was race trained in the bush and if there was a log in their path they had to jump it haha!
OTTBs are a different type of animal for sure. But you're a capable rider and you'll have him right in no time. A trainer used to winter his horses at a barn I worked at, and he gave us rein to ride them as we wanted because it made them better. So every winter I would trail ride a string of small time racehorses. So much fun
so awesome!!
This just brings home how horses have to learn to carry and balance themselves ..this is not a given !
Some racehorses 'hang' to the left or right, slows them up but can unfortunately become a habit if not picked up. Then theres a balance issue. You'll work thru it. Enjoying the updates, thank you🙂
He reminds me so much of dahli! He’s such a good boy 🥰
Super interesting Holly.
Learning a lot from watching you.
My Standardbred is big, hot and can be aggressive. No one told him that most Standardbreds are equine angels.
My wife worked for a HOF Standardbred trainer for years and she loved them soooo much. But I heard they had one spicy stallion as well
Rocky looks even cuter after his makeover 🥺🐴
Oof, so worried you’ll have a nasty fall going over solid obstacles considering how he stumbled through the showjumps! Stay safe Holly ✨
Maybe he thinks 'left lead equals fast' from his racing days. He looks like fun though. You don't want a finished horse...way to easy! But he's a good boy, just needs confidence.
That's how my ottb was, now hes at a better barn with better training and he's a lot happier and doesn't race around
Great vlog Holly!! Isn't he is just the sweetest boy? When he gets a handle on his confidence he is going to be a cracking little jumper. He is already halfway there because he does trust you, it's just his fear overtakes it, bless him. Some of those jumps he did were really brilliant and neat on the cross country. I'm enjoying watching his journey with you so much hun and really looking forward to the next installment!
Take care 😘❤
Holly, thank you for the videos, I love all your videos ..that boy needs to come home with you ..he is just so your Horse :). Lol I want to see him dressed in western tack 😂..I’m learning to ride western and I’m loving it 🥰
He is sooo pretty i really really like his colours. Same as my horse ❤️❤️❤️❤️ and he seems so calm
Holly I want thank you I'm doing so good with my horse and I'm ride her and I have so much confidence in ride ing my horse thank you so much Nannette
Good stuff 🌈💖💙💗💜💚💕💫
awww!! good boy rocky!
Maybe for racing they run faster if they bend to the right on both leads. I believe they do change leads in a race, especially if it’s a bit longer distance. He’s really coming along nicely, and so brave on the cross country. Looks like an eventer in the making! Kudos to you for putting such a lovely start on a horse for someone else. 😍😍😍
The pony who was scared of poles… 🤩😍
All I can say is you are one patient hardy girl 💚🍀💚🇮🇪
You have no idea how much this reminds me of the last horse i worked with their personalities are so similiar 😂 super sweet lovable afraid of their own shadow wants to put their feet right but when they dont know boy they all legs lmao 😂 this is so reassuring to me to see another equestrian going thru the same trials and tribulations somewhere else in the world
This is why it’s so important to teacv an OTTB that “pull ≠ go” before we start jumping😬 definitely not ready to be out jumping if he can’t canter on a normal rein
I was about to say "I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU GAVE HIM A MAKEOVER AND DIDN'T FILM" and you said you had clips 😂😂
Same 🤣
Glad for Rocky he is in your capable hands to bring him on for regular horsey life. I'd be interested to hear about your thoughts and experiences starting yr boys versus training Rocky post track... for some reason (because I adore Khal so much) I imagine you just saddled him up one day and hey presto perfection 🐎 🤣 .. thanks for sharing :)
I was wondering about this comparison too.
I don’t know why people are going mad about holly jumping him? The jumps are tiny not like she’s thrashing him round a 140 course! Give her a break in racing they literally jump them over massive hurdles in full gallop so why are you all slating her for getting him used to tiny jumps! just because his dressage work isn’t perfect yet doesn’t mean he can’t pop some little jumps! If you don’t have nothing nice to say don’t say it! Your doing great holly
Holly, you have one sticky seat!
He is adorable! Great potential. It is fun watching him progress.
Holly is his bit fitting right , he acts like it is bothering him! He looked so handsome, he will be good if he can slow down! You are doing good with him, Rocky was a race horse right? So he just knows one speed fast and faster.! I was tickled to death to see your video pop up👍👍❤️🤍💙🇺🇸☀️
Mandurang south pony club grounds?
I feel your arm pain I get Dailey from riding race horses 😫 he would be very wrong and moving his head up and being tight because when she canter on races horse we have our strength pushing on there neck instead up there mouth and you would find if you got in a 2 point pressed your hand on his neck his would drop his head relax and a more relaxed slower canter because that’s how most race horses are taught to stay collected relax and slow down so when we have no pressure on there neck and our hands high he gets strong and stiff because he doesn’t know how to handle it so there’s a little explanation but your doing a incredible job with him and he’s improving so much!!!
are you at home or back in Australia?
Australia
I don’t miss riding the OTT. My standy is a hot standy and does the same thing as rocky will run sideways and ignore your reins and legs
🤦♀️
"Ready to rock?"
I see what you did there. 😏
nice
I think racehorses race with their heads bent outwards, which may explain why he doesn't canter left without it. But maybe I'm wrong.
4 weeks in he is clearly not strong enough or balanced enough for jumping. I couldn't watch this 😪
Completely agree with u
Want a beautiful horse i like him and I like the way you ride your horse and you know want you are doing win you ride your horse
Really you still in Australia?
She just got there in like August/September?
these comments are not it 😅 last time i checked its your horse
The tanking is almost inevitable with most OTTBs. My boy was super well behaved and very sensitive to my seat but he would still rip through a pair of riding gloves at least every second week. Eventually i gave up on the gloves and just let my hands toughen up, lol.
just an opinion...or a feeling? It feels like the racing life, brief as it was, inflicted some trauma emotionally, if not physically. So, you're helping him work through that.
Seems our ponies decided to get abscesses at the same time... smh