Wednesday Videos from Kentucky Performance Products: Behind the Scenes with Icabad Crane and Manighar

America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred Icabad Crane moved up to Preliminary this season and has two good runs under his belt, finishing third at both Full Gallop Farm in February and Pine Top Farm in March.

Phillip Dutton has been commentating training videos as he works with the 10-year-old Thoroughbred to develop his skills as an event horse. Proud owner Anita Motion has been posting these videos on Facebook, which we linked to here and here.

Today we have another great training video from Herringswell Stables that combines course work with grid work. Phillip warms Icabad up working on his adjustability on a circle before starting work over a bending line exercise. This serves to get the horse coordinated and landing on the correct lead heading into a controlled, balanced turn, Phillip explains.

He then builds up a grid, jumping it both ways, with verticals on each end and a cross rail bounce in the middle to keep Icabad straight. Finally, Phillip puts the two exercises together with a wide oxer at the end to encourage Icabad to bascule over the fence.

“That was a great workout for him,” Phillip says. “He worked on adjusting his stride and controlling the turn. He seemed to enjoy himself and stay nice and confident … overall very proud of him.”

We’re really enjoying these free mini-clinics that not only allow us to get to know the horses and the program they participate in, but also impart valuable education. Thanks to Phillip and Graham and Anita Motion for sharing your horse with us!

And in some exciting news, Icabad has a new ex-racehorse friend in the barn. Manighar (Linamix x Mintly Fresh, Rubiano) is a 9-year-old French Thoroughbred owned by Earle Mack who won three Group 1 races in Australia before coming to North America. He was trained on the track by Graham Motion and retired in February with $3.6 million in earnings.

Manighar has started his new career training with Phillip, who seems very happy with how the horse is coming along.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the progress we’ve made. He’s gone from being what I call real ‘racehorsey,’ which is inattentive and wanting to canter and go fast, to understanding about bending around your leg and being able to go in bit of a frame.”

Welcome to the club, Manighar! Go Eventing.

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