What’s the first thing you do when you walk into the barn and see your horse with his or her head hanging over the stall door and nickering at you? I’d be willing to bet the that majority of us grab that squishy pony nose and plant a big ‘ol kiss right in the middle!

Need a new nose to smoosh and smooch? Here are three OTTBS looking for new homes and second careers, all with irresistibly kissable noses and potential as an event horse:

Soft Landing. Photo via CANTER Maryland.

Soft Landing (COURAGEOUS CAT – CARRIED AWAY, BY DIXIE UNION): 2015 16.0-hand New York-bred filly

Soft Landing is in need of exactly that. She’s perfectly sound and currently still at the track working and racing, but not quite competitive enough for her connections to keep her around. They’d like to find a new home for her in order to make room for some more lucrative horses in their barn. This filly has a nice athletic build and is going to look fabulous with some more weight and muscling!

Located at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland.

View Soft Landing on CANTER Maryland.

Beach Life. Photo via Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds Inc.

Beach Life (MARSH SIDE – BLUE KIMONO, BY STORMY ATLANTIC): 2015 16.3-hand

Beach Life has been nicknamed “Marcia Marcia Marcia” by her connections, likely because this big beautiful redhead gets all the attention! Gorgeous as she is, she hasn’t shown any glimmer of being a good racehorse in her three starts, so it’s time for her find a new career she can be more successful in. With that nice shoulder and strong hindquarters, she certainly looks athletic enough to find success elsewhere. It also doesn’t hurt that she’s a sweetheart and sound!

Located at Finger Lakes Race Track in Farmington, New York.

View Beach Life on Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds Inc. and on Facebook.

Art Vandaley. Photo via CANTER Illinois.

Art Vandaley (DISTORTED HUMOR – FUNNY MOON, BY MALIBU MOON): 2014 15.3-hand Kentucky-bred gelding

We’ve featured this stately youngster before and can’t beleive he hasn’t been picked up yet, plus his price has recently been reduced! “Art” has a great racing pedigree and sold at Keeneland for $200,000 as a yearling, but hasn’t been able to live up to that price on the track. In 15 career starts, he made a respectable $25,000, but that’s not enough to keep him in training. Since he’s been out of training, you can see in his jog videos that he has a little pent-up energy and sass, however, he was sweet and happy in his stall. We can see this gelding loving cross country and Seinfeld fans will love hearing his name over the loudspeaker!

Located at Fairmount Park Race Track in Collinsville, Illinois.

View Art Vandaley on CANTER Illinois.

There’s another special award on the table for this year’s Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) Thoroughbred Makeover trainers – and this one is for all you West Coasters!

The Georgia B. Ridder Foundation is generously sponsoring a $2,500 award for the top-scoring California-bred at the 2018 competition on behalf of After the Finish Line. In honor of the California-breds competing this year, let’s take a look at three currently available for adoption through CANTER:

Alpine Blue. Photo via CANTER CA.

Alpine Blue (SWISS YODELER – BLUEGRASS GIRLS, BY BLUEGRASS CAT): 2015 16.0-hand California-bred colt

This good-looking guy is, yes, still intact, but if you don’t mind gelding him he’s definitely worth a look. With a great bone structure and some good sport horse-producing names in his pedigree, Alpine Blue has got some serious potential as an eventer. Oh, not to mention he used to casually jump out of his paddock as a two-year-old. He bowed a tendon before he ever got to race and therefore remains untested on the track but it’s now fully-healed and he’s ready for a job to do!

Located at Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, California.

View Alpine Blue on CANTER CA.

Remy Set Go. Photo via CANTER CA.

Remy Set Go (BLUEGRASS CAT – R LUCKY STRIKE, BY IN EXCESS (IRE)): 2016 16.0-hand California-bred filly

Who doesn’t love a shiny chestnut? This glowing young filly still has been in training for four months and just isn’t showing any promise on the track, so her connections feel it’s best to let her move on to another career. With a quiet disposition and kind eye, she looks like she wants someone to be her person. At just two years old, Remy is a bit sore from training but is otherwise sounds and could use some time off to grow before starting her next chapter.

View Remy Set Go on CANTER CA.

Bella Ronski. Photo via CANTER CA.

Bella Ronski (VRONSKY – C. R. BALLERINA, BY MOSCOW BALLET): 2013 16.1-hand California-bred mare

There’s nothing plain about this bay – she’s truly eye-catching! With a nice uphill build and gorgeous neck and shoulder, you just can’t help but picture this mare neatly jumping fences and fancy-prancing her way into the ribbons. Bella has 34 career starts and just shy of $40k in earnings – a respectable career, but she’s just not fast enough to be very successful. She seems to know he has an elegant presence, as she stood perfectly for her CANTER photoshoot and she seemed to be gentle, sweet mare to the volunteers who saw her. Clean legs and sound – come get her!

Located in Tracy, California.

View Bella Ronski on CANTER CA.

Dapple grays get all the attention. Yeah, they’re eye catching and flashy, but you better buy stock in purple shampoo if you want any chance in keeping them clean.

Why not embrace the brown and have the best of both worlds with a lovely dapple bay? Okay, so you may have squint to see those dapples sometimes and they’ll likely be totally hidden under winter fluff for half the year, but it’s super rewarding to watch a well-fed and well-groomed bay blossom in the summertime.

This week we’ve tracked down three bay thoroughbreds with dapples peaking through who are ready and waiting for you to take them home!

Luvuryan. Photo via CANTER CA.

Luvuryan (ARTIE SCHILLER – PURE AND SIMPLE, BY TRIPPI): 2012 16.2-hand Florida-bred mare

This six-year-old has nice big feet and a lovely uphill build and way of going. She seems like a solid citizen who’ll make a great partner to someone. Luvuryan did have a ligament injury back in 2016, but received shockwave treatment and proper rehab for it. She returned to racing and has remained sound since, chocking up 37 total starts and over $60,000 in winnings.

Located at Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, California.

View Luvuryan on CANTER CA.

Belvin. Photo via Second Stride.

Belvin (EMPIRE MAKER – MIDWAY SQUALL, BY STORM BIRD): 2010 16.0-hand Florida-bred gelding

The lovely dark bay coat that Belvin has is a stamp of many Empire Maker babies — could he also have the same potential as a sport horse that the offspring of the 2003 Belmont Stakes winner do as well? Belvin has been a Steady Eddie over his seven-year racing career, racking up 45 career starts and earning almost $200,000. He lost a shoe and popped an abscess shortly after arriving at Second Stride so he hasn’t been restarted under saddle yet, but at least that makes him still RRP eligible! With a race record like that it’s clear to see that Belvin has a good work ethic, plus the folks at Second Stride can already tell he’s a sensible, kind guy who wants to please.

Located at Moserwood Farm in Pleasureville, Kentucky.

View Belvin on Second Stride.

That Warrior Girl. Photo via Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds Inc.

That Warrior Girl (A. P. WARRIOR – I DO THAT, BY WHEELAWAY): 2012 16.0-hand New York-bred mare

It’s a touch hard to tell from the tilted picture, but That Warrior Girl is a really nicely balanced mare. Her trainer raves about her attitude and how nice she is to work with, not to mention she’s good looking and has a nice sport horse pedigree! She does have an old splint in one leg, but is sound and has no vices. That Warrior Girl earned a respectable $45k in 27 starts and prior to coming to Finger Lakes, she was running the turf distance races at Belmont — that bodes well for a career as an eventer!

Located at the Finger Lakes Race Track in Farmington, New York.

View That Warrior Girl on Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds Inc.

When I was a kid, I never really understood “Fun Size” candy bars. How could a smaller portion of sugary goodness such as Reeses or Snickers possibly trump the extra large King Size? Surely more must be better? King size is fun size, I used to say.

As an adult, I’ve come to understand that sometimes things are better in moderation (though to be completely honest, I’m still not convinced candy bars are one of them), but some folks just prefer slightly smaller horses. They can be easier to connect to and package, they’re super handy around turns, and when you do fall off you’re already a little closer to the ground!

This week we’ve found three nice-looking Thoroughbreds under 16.0-hands who are looking to show you what they can do in a second career:

Having Fun. Photo via CANTER California.

Having Fun (ARCH – WEEKEND PARTY, BY A.P. INDY): 2014 15.3-hand Kentucky-bred mare

Is this not the most perfect name to hear announced over the loudspeaker while you’re on course? Let “Having Fun” remind you that  riding is just that — a way to have fun! This young mare had a modest race career with 15 starts and $21,770 in earnings, but she’d really rather just cuddle with her groom than run fast. Having Fun has a total ‘in-your-pocket’ personality and is as sweet as they come. She may very well make a nice sport horse for her next owner/rider, particularly if she forms a strong bond with them!

Located at Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, CA.

View Having Fun on CANTER California.

Baby Bling. Photo via CANTER Ohio.

Baby Bling (TOO MUCH BLING – MINI MOM, BY PARENTS’ REWARD): 2013 15.1-hand Ohio-bred gelding

He may be small, but Baby Bling has the potential to be pretty fancy. His sire line traces back to Fappiano (Courageous Comet’s grandsire) by way of Rubiano — a line known for producing well-balanced and athletic horses. Baby Bling is compact and easy to handle; he has a sweet disposition and is very affectionate. He retired sound after 32 starts and has since enjoyed some downtime on a farm away from the track. He’s still green, but given how well-mannered Baby Bling is he could be suitable for an amateur or young rider working with a trainer.

View Baby Bling on CANTER California.

La Candelita. Photo via CANTER Chicago.

La Candelita (MISREMEMBERED – VERONICA’S LAKE, BY SALT LAKE): 2013 15.2-hand Kentucky-bred mare

With her smaller stature and refined build, La Candelita may be as close to finding a “Thoroughbred pony” as you’re going to come! Right now at Arlington she’s racing-lean, but her connections say that at different tracks with a different racing surface she muscles up very nicely. She may be a chestnut mare, but she was friendly and respectful of her handler for her CANTER photoshoot. La Candelita had ankle surgery as a two-year-old which was fully rehabbed and never caused any complications during her 30 start career. She’s now retiring sound and without any vices, looking for her next career.

Located at Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

View La Candelita on CANTER Chicago.

More good news for trainers competing in the 2018 Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover later this fall, especially for those training New York-breds! The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, New York Racing Association, and New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc. are jointly sponsoring the $5,000 Empire State Success Story Award, which will go to the top-placed New York-bred at the Makeover.

With New York-breds in mind, let’s take a look at three currently looking for new homes and second careers:

In Harm’s Way. Photo via Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds Inc.

In Harm’s Way (HOOK AND LADDER – NEW HARMONY, BY A.P. INDY): 2010 16.2-hand New York-bred gelding

This horse’s story is a great example of the connections doing right by their horse. “Harmie” earned over $190,000 for his connections in his 27 career starts, before retiring soundly and being adopted out to a new home. Some time later, however, Harmie’s former race connections got wind that his owners were planning to have him put down due to foot soreness so they offered to take him back. He returned to them with terribly short feet and 200 lbs. underweight.

After some TLC — some shoes, letting his feet grow out, and proper nutrition – Harmie is back in top shape and his connections are enjoying riding around the farm, but he’s ready once again for a shot at second career; they’re looking to give him the chance to excel at being the riding horse they know he can be. He has a charming demeanor and those that know him describe him as an “in your pocket” type, plus he has great sporthorse bloodlines.

Located near Finger Lakes Race Track in Farmington, NY.

View In Harm’s Way on Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds, Inc.

Cent of a Giant. Photo via Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds.

Cent of Giant (FROST GIANT – CENTRINA, BY WHEELAWAY): 2015 15.2-hand New York-bred gelding

After just three starts, this three-year-old has made it clear that he’d prefer a career other than racing. Though he doesn’t want to race, he does have good bloodlines for jumping and his trainer says he likes to gallop and has no pull, buck, or spook. For a three-year-old, he’s a chill and easy to handle guy. Cent of a Giant has a balanced build overall and though he’s a little bum-high right now he’s still growing and estimated to reach 16.0-hands or taller. He’s RRP eligible, if you’re still looking, and sound with no vices — someone scoop him up!

Located at Located at Finger Lakes Race Track, Farmington, NY.

View Cent of a Giant on Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds Inc.

Titus Catienus. Photo via Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center.

Titus Catienus (CATIENUS – MIZLALA, BY UNBRIDLED’S SONG): 2008 16.1-hand New York-bred gelding

Titus arrived at the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center after enjoying five years of pasture turnout while rehabbing from a soft tissue injury. The old injury is now well-healed and folks at MMSC have put him into their training program where he’s happy to have a job again and eager to please his new humans. This handsome guy has already stolen the hearts of the staff through his friendliness and keenness to learn. Titus already goes in a light frame on the flat, has been introduced to pole work and small jumps, and enjoys going out on the trails. He also looks great in Western tack if you’re into that!

Located at Makers Mark Secretariat Center, Lexington, KY.

View Titus Catienus on Makers Mark Secretariat Center.