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Articles by Jen Roytz
When It’s Your First Time Doing The First Ride: OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane’s Pharmacy Original
“Less is more in those first few rides,” explains Jen Roytz. Greta and Splendor Beauty Jen Roytz photo Get Paulick Report in your Google feed For those of us who transition horses from the racetrack to equestrian careers regularly, the first few rides on a new horse are often some of our favorite parts of the retraining process. They give you a glimpse into what the future holds and what you’ve got under you to work with.
Built For The Long Game: Aftercare Spotlight Presented By Doc Lane’s Pharmacy Original
After 43 starts on the racetrack, Sorocaima has found lasting success with Buck Davidson at eventing’s highest levels. Former racehorse Sorocaima and Buck Davidson finished sixth overall and were reserve five-star national champions at the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane’s Pharmacy: The Ultimate Learning Curve
You can't get very far unless you're moving forward. While it sounds overly simplistic (and maybe even like a joke), it truly is one of the most foundational building blocks of training horses, regardless of their breed and pretty much for any discipline. Forward momentum is a key aspect of so many aspects of horse training, from teaching young foals to lead and teaching horses to lunge or long line to training them under saddle.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane’s Pharmacy: The Ultimate Learning Curve
Circles and lateral work are a big help in teaching former racehorses to channel their naturally forward inclinations appropriately. A horse who wants to be very heavy on the forehand (both due to his natural inclination as a former racehorse and also being conformationally built downhill) lightening into the aids on a circle to use himself more properly. Jen Roytz photo You can’t get very far unless you’re moving forward.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane’s Pharmacy: Building The Dream (Horse), Hunter Style
The recent launch of the $25,000 Thoroughbred Hunter Derby at the Upperville Colt and Horse Show earlier this month, as well as several other added money hunter (and jumper!) classes in Kentucky, Virginia and elsewhere, and many more in the planning phases for 2027 and beyond, has some Thoroughbred riders thinking about dabbling in the hunters, and some hunter riders considering adding a Thoroughbred or two to their string.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane’s Pharmacy: Building The Dream (Horse), Hunter Style
We ask inaugural $25,000 Thoroughbred Hunter Derby winner and 2025 TAKE2 High Score Hunter Champion, Sue Lyman, how she turns an off-track Thoroughbred into a successful hunter.
Aftercare Spotlight Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: A Track Record... In Grand Prix Dressage
Thoroughbreds are the equine poster child for versatility. On average, they retire from racing at just 5-years-old, which means they will spend the majority of their careers doing something else. That also means that if given the time, training, and opportunities, they can get really, really good at that new job.
Aftercare Spotlight Presented By Doc Lane’s Pharmacy: A Track Record… In Grand Prix Dressage
Jenny Spain has taken multiple off-track Thoroughbreds to the Grand Prix level in dressage Tara Jelenic photo Thoroughbreds are the equine poster child for versatility. On average, they retire from racing at just 5-years-old, which means they will spend the majority of their careers doing something else. That also means that if given the time, training, and opportunities, they can get really, really good at that new job.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: Setting Boundaries
Powered by Yahoo Scout. Yahoo is using AI to generate key points from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Key takeaways Powered by Yahoo Scout. Yahoo is using AI to generate key points from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane’s Pharmacy: Setting Boundaries
Boundary-setting is the foundation for a horse’s safe handling, manners, and trainability. Once they are out of your defined "personal bubble" you stop creating energy and be calm so they understand what is acceptable.
Aftercare Spotlight Presented By Doc Lane's Veterinary Pharmacy: Kentucky Derby Starter South Bend
It’s no small feat to make it into the Kentucky Derby starting gate on the first Saturday in May, but for the starters in the 146th edition of The Run for the Roses, it was an untraditional First Saturday in September when they walked onto the track. My Old Kentucky Home played to an uncharacteristically vacant Churchill Downs due to COVID closures and restrictions that significantly altered the timeline (and attendance) of the 2020 Derby (and other Triple Crown races).
Aftercare Spotlight Presented By Doc Lane’s Veterinary Pharmacy: Kentucky Derby Starter South Bend
Retraining with patience, balance, and basic gymnastics helps a former stakes horse swap speed for suppleness and success in the show ring. South Bend and Emily CastrenzeKristen A Photography It’s no small feat to make it into the Kentucky Derby starting gate on the first Saturday in May, but for the starters in the 146th edition of The Run for the Roses, it was an untraditional First Saturday in September when they walked onto the track.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: Use Rhythm To Get In The Groove
Rhythm is one of the most important elements in training horses and elevating their (and your) performance, regardless of discipline. Through rhythm, you can achieve balance, relaxation, connection and so much more. But what is rhythm? Rhythm isn’t about speed. It is about the consistency of a horse’s footfalls in each gait – walk (four-beat gait), trot (two-beat gait), canter (three-beat gait) and gallop (four-beat gait).
Turning Adversity Into An Advantage: Aftercare Spotlight Presented By Doc Lane's Veterinary Pharmacy
Sarah Hepler is not stranger to dealing with other people’s assumptions, and has made a name for herself, both personally and professionally, by proving people wrong. That ability to face adversity head-on and overcome it with a mix of grit and grace was forced on her in the harshest of ways when, at just 10 years of age, she and her parents, along with her best friend, were in a car accident – hit by a driver who ran a stop sign - that left her in a coma and took her friend’s life.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented by Doc Lane's Veterinary Pharmacy: Knowledge Shared Is Power Multiplied
“Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.” – Robert Noyce Thoroughbred aftercare, not only the concept itself, but the work that goes into it, has evolved significantly since the phrase first entered the industry vernacular. Today, there are more formalized programs, people, and initiatives – both nonprofit and private for-profit entities – focused on racehorse aftercare than ever before.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented by Doc Lane's Veterinary Pharmacy: Knowledge Shared Is Power Multiplied
“Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.” – Robert Noyce Thoroughbred aftercare, not only the concept itself, but the work that goes into it, has evolved significantly since the phrase first entered the industry vernacular. Today, there are more formalized programs, people, and initiatives – both nonprofit and private for-profit entities – focused on racehorse aftercare than ever before.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: Use Rhythm To Get In The Groove
Rhythm is one of the most important elements in training horses and elevating their (and your) performance, regardless of discipline. Through rhythm, you can achieve balance, relaxation, connection and so much more. But what is rhythm? Rhythm isn’t about speed. It is about the consistency of a horse’s footfalls in each gait – walk (four-beat gait), trot (two-beat gait), canter (three-beat gait) and gallop (four-beat gait).
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: How Sales Prep Can Benefit Horses In Off-Track Life Original
For many in the Thoroughbred industry, summer and fall is yearling sale season. Each year, thousands of Thoroughbreds who will go on one day to be racehorses and later riding or show horses get some of the most formative experiences of their lives in the summer and fall of their yearling year as they prepare for and navigate the yearling sales.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: Less Is More
Any parent can tell you that a young child’s attention span – the amount of time they can concentrate on something without becoming distracted, bored or frustrated – is relatively short.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: Transitioning The Feet Original
When it comes to transitioning Thoroughbreds from racing to off-track life, there are a lot of things to consider, but one of the most important is how you manage their feet during that process. The decisions you make, and time you take in those first weeks and months of life after racing, can make a huge difference not only in how easily and comfortably your horse transitions to off-track life, but how much money you spend on farrier and veterinary bills in those first weeks and months.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: Mind Your Bum
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: Mind Your Bum originally appeared on Paulick Report. If you watch how horses are ridden at the track, it is markedly different than how we aim to ride them as sport horses. While that sounds obvious (and it is), there is a whole lot more that goes into transitioning them successfully from one way of going to another, and so much of it has to do with the rider’s seat.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: Don't Be A Constant Clucker Original
Typically, this column centers around things to do to improve your horse’s training as they transition from racehorse to riding horse, but sometimes there are things worth talking about that fall into the “what not to do” category, and the over-use of clucking (or really any form of encouragement for momentum – use of the leg, crop, etc.) is definitely one of them.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Veterinary Pharmacy: Feeding The Recently-Retired Racehorse
Horse owners often fail to fully appreciate the incredible amount of change a Thoroughbred experiences when he or she transitions from being a racehorse to off-track life. From drastic changes to their daily routine and environment to re-acclimating to turnout and herd socialization, new ways of being handled and ridden, and a drastically different diet and exercise routine, it is a lot for a horse to process.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: Winter Weather Woes
Generate Key Takeaways For many equestrians, including myself, January hasn’t yet been the productive fresh start they hoped it would be when they made their plans and resolutions. Things like “ride more consistently” and “try new training exercises” don’t seem to have the same shine when the weather is in the single digits or lower, especially for those not lucky enough to have an indoor arena (and in some cases even for them too).
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: Creating 'Aha' With Pressure And Release
Have you ever thought about horse training as a conversation with your horse without words (well, without the comprehension of full sentences by both parties)? Instead of explaining to a horse what we want him or her to do and why, we have to communicate what we’re asking through other means in order to achieve the desired results. Often, that means making the right thing easy and rewarding and the wrong thing more difficult or unpleasant.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: Creating 'Aha' With Pressure And Release
Generate Key Takeaways Have you ever thought about horse training as a conversation with your horse without words (well, without the comprehension of full sentences by both parties)? Instead of explaining to a horse what we want him or her to do and why, we have to communicate what we’re asking through other means in order to achieve the desired results. Often, that means making the right thing easy and rewarding and the wrong thing more difficult or unpleasant.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Pharmacy: The Rule Of Threes
The past few months, my mornings have started a bit earlier than normal. We have been in “sales prep mode,” as we prepared our Thoroughbred yearlings for the Keeneland September Sale. A big part of our sales prep routine includes hand-walking our yearlings daily for several miles during the pre-dawn hours of summer, when the farm is quiet and the air is cool.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented by Doc Lane's Veterinary Pharmacy: Your Thoroughbred's First Off-Track Ride
The first ride on a newly-retired racehorse (or any young, green horse for that matter) can be exciting and full of promise and anticipation. That first time you mount a new horse often gives you an initial, tangible glimpse of what the future may hold for you both and the path you will take to get there. That eagerness, however, may also be mixed with nervousness, anxiety or apprehension, especially if you haven’t ridden many racehorses or don’t regularly sit on young or green horses.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented by Doc Lane's Veterinary Pharmacy: Learning To Lunge
When transitioning a horse to off-track life, my goal is to equip them with the basic skills and manners that will not only serve as the foundation for the many more complicated lessons down the road, but will create long term value and usability for them. Lunging is one of the first things I like to teach a horse off the track.
OTTB Training Toolkit Presented By Doc Lane's Veterinary Pharmacy: Find Ways To Give Them Easy Wins - Horse Racing News
Racehorse aftercare has come a long, long way. Just a few decades ago, if you used the word “aftercare” in a conversation, few would know what it meant, whereas today it is a common part of industry vernacular. Not only are there more aftercare organizations adopting out horses than ever before, there are more professional trainers incorporating the retraining and selling of Thoroughbreds as part (or all!) of their business model.
Q and A with Kip Elser
Longtime horseman Kip Elser recently announced he will be shifting his focus toward public and private bloodstock purchases, evaluations and racing stable management under the new banner of Kirkwood Equine Advisory. Jen Roytz sat down with Elser to offer a closer look at the upcoming changes. JR: We understand you did not open your training barn this year and will not be consigning at the 2023 2-year-old sales. You are obviously headed in a different direction.
Q&A with Riley Mott
Tuesday, July 12, 2022 at 10:54 am | Back to: Q&A, Shared News Updated: July 12, 2022 at 10:54 am By Jen Roytz Riley Mott, a longtime assistant to his Hall of Fame father, Bill Mott, recently announced he was going out on his own. The 30-year-old will hang his own shingle after taking out his training license. Jen Roytz sat down with the younger Mott for this Q&A. JR: What has it been like coming up under your father? RM: To be honest, it's been like going to Harvard for horse training.
Don't Get Ticked: Know the Risks Ticks Pose and How to Protect Your Horse
Over the past decade, researchers and laypeople alike have noticed an increase in the prevalence of ticks throughout the Midwest. Some blame this “uptick” in ticks on global warming, while others attribute their proliferation on the increasing populations of wildlife in some areas.
Evolution of the Nursemare Business
By Jen Roytz From the moment a newborn foal enters the world, it has a bevy of hopes and dreams riding on its back. Ideally a newborn overcomes life's first few challenges in short order–it is delivered without incident, gets to its feet and nurses for the first time, consuming the colostrum and receiving the vital antibodies necessary for the foal to develop its immune system. Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned.
Q&A with Zach Madden of Buckland Sales
Zach Madden | Fasig-Tipton photo By Jen Roytz When Zach Madden announced Tuesday he is now the sole owner of Buckland Sales, as partner Ro Parra has decided to step back, we figured there might be more than the basic story put out to the public. Jen Roytz learned it's a feel-good story–someone using the success they've had to help others carve their path. JR: How did the idea of Buckland Sales come about? ZM: The idea came organically between myself and Millennium Farms back in the fall [of] 2015.
Cosequin Presents Aftercare Spotlight: A Rescue Of ‘Hopes And Dreams’ - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report
Serene Queen was a blue collar horse through and through. While she raced almost exclusively in the claiming ranks, she earned her keep and then some, banking nearly $240,000 in her 50-race career. While her 49th race in January of 2015 saw her visit the winner's circle for the 14th time, it also resulted in a change of ownership, as she was claimed out of Parx trainer Dee Curry's barn. Just a month later in Serene Queen's first start for her new connections, however, an issue arose.
COVID-19 Places Stress on Thoroughbred Industry, Aftercare – The Horse
COVID-19 is hitting the Thoroughbred industry hard. The effects of auction and race meet cancellations, while unintended, are far-reaching for horsemen and the animals who fall under their care. One of the most concerning trends we are seeing is an uptick in the number of horses retiring from racing earlier than anticipated and in need of rehoming now. We expect to see significantly more in the coming weeks.
Horse Health: How Common Are Heart Attacks in Horses?
Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at 10:14 am | Back to: Horse Health, Shared News By Jen Roytz In horses, humans and all other mammals, the heart is responsible for delivering oxygenated and nutrient-rich blood throughout the body and removing metabolic waste through a vast network of blood vessels, therefore any disruption in this process can have detrimental effects.
Mitigate Your Horse's Risk for Infectious Diseases
By Jen Roytz We’ve all heard the old adage–“An ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure.” That approach cannot be overstated when it comes to managing horses. The more one can proactively avoid or prepare for threats to their horses’ health, the less time, money and worry will be spent on fixing what may have been avoided. This line of thinking is especially important for horses who travel for training and competition, such as racehorses.
A Life-Threatening Diagnosis--Gutteral Pouch Mycosis
By Jen Roytz The first sign is often a simple trickle of blood dripping down from a horse’s nostril. Often dismissed as something as simple as allergies or a broken blood vessel from bumping their head, when the cause is guttural pouch mycosis, the trickle of blood can become a stream and soon a gush in a matter of days, if not hours or minutes. Guttural pouches are unique to a small number of animals, including horses.
Running In Different Circles - TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 2:33 pm | Back to: Shared News Updated: August 1, 2017 at 9:38 pm Sergio de Sousa competing in show jumping | SNH Photography by Jen Roytz Best known in racing and breeding circles as managing partner of Hidden Brook Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, Sergio de Sousa wore a different hat (a helmet, actually) this past week, making his career debut in the show jumping ring aboard Isle of Giants (Giant’s Causeway), a gelding that he raised and sold as a yearling on behalf...
» April Showers Bring May Flowers…And Rain Rot, Dew Poisoning and Abscesses
By Jen Roytz They say April showers bring May flowers, but that’s not the only thing they bring. Rain rot, dew poisoning and abscesses are some of the less enjoyable products of spring’s rainy days and muddy pastures. While some horses seem to simply be more prone to wet weather-related ailments than others, there are a number of things horsemen can do to minimize the severity of ailments such as rain rot, or avoid them all together.
» Lexington’s Ashwood Training Center Set to Reopen
Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 11:57 am | Back to: Shared News, Top News Updated: April 11, 2019 at 11:59 am Ashwood Training Center | Jen Roytz By Jen Roytz Ashwood Training Center, formerly Victory Haven Training Center, is scheduled to reopen May 1 after significant construction and improvements over the past year.
» Horse Health: When Foaling Goes Wrong
By Jen Roytz From breeding decisions to caring for a mare before and throughout her pregnancy, the birth of a foal represents a year or more of planning, spending and waiting. Ideally, the scenario proceeds uneventfully and the result is a healthy foal, but in the less than 5% of the time when things go wrong, they can quickly turn into a life or death scenario for both the mare and foal without immediate, educated assessment and intervention.
» New Orleans Bourbon Festival Highlights Louisiana Derby Week
By Jen Roytz Typically it’s Lexington that’s known for combining fast horses and smooth bourbon, but this week The Big Easy is putting both front and center, playing host to not only the GII Louisiana Derby, but the New Orleans Bourbon Festival. Presented by Beam Suntory on March 20-23, the New Orleans Bourbon Festival will be a coming together of many of the world’s finest bourbons and New Orleans finest cuisines, as well as live music, culture and more.
Cosequin Presents OTTB Showcase: Good Fortune - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report
Growing up in San Diego, Anne Lorkowski loved horses since she could remember, but living in such an urban environment meant she spent many more hours playing with her Breyer models than in the saddle taking lessons. That didn't put a damper on her passion, however. As Anne grew up, she got her “horse fix” wherever she could, and in 1987 she fell in love with Jack Van Berg-trained Alysheba from afar after his historic Kentucky Derby win.
» Horse Health: Equine Influenza and How to Minimize Your Risk
Thursday, February 21, 2019 at 12:39 pm | Back to: Horse Health, Shared News Equine influenza test tubes and swabs | Racing Post By Jen Roytz Biosecurity should be a year-round concern for any farm, equine competition venue or other location in which horses are kept, but recent outbreaks of communicable diseases around the world have horsemen on heightened alert.
TDN Weekend: Brewgrass Trail a New Taste of Lexington
By Jen Roytz The Bluegrass is synonymous with fast horses and smooth bourbon, but in recent years it’s the city’s burgeoning craft beer scene that’s making headlines and drawing locals and out-of-towners alike to its many breweries and tap rooms. While craft brewing has been popular in other areas of the country for years, Lexington’s first breweries opened their doors less than a decade ago, starting with Alltech’s Kentucky Ale, West Sixth Brewing, and Country Boy Brewing.
» Horse Health: You Can Lead a Horse to Water…
By Jen Roytz We’ve all heard the saying “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink.” Horses have to be thirsty in order to consume water, and the lynchpin in that scenario is salt. Dehydration in horses–or any animal–can quickly escalate from mild to catastrophic. Their internal environment is water-based, and salt is the driving force behind the regulation and distribution of water in and out of cells. “Salt is 39% sodium and 61% chloride.
» Horse Health: Alert – Baby on the way!
By Jen Roytz As we embark on a new year full of hope and promise, ’tis the season for early mornings, sleepless nights and seemingly endless anticipation for those in the breeding industry. Those tasked with helping the next generation of equine athletes enter this world go to great lengths to be on-hand when each foal is born and do everything they can to ensure a successful delivery, or to call a veterinarian if any problems arise. The foaling process is broken down into three stages.
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