Some flat work
Kaitlin Hartford, a 16-year-old eventer from Callahan, Florida, is blogging about her journey to competing in this year’s Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover with her OTTB Family Foundation, better known as Sven.
Welllll I am finally back! After not blogging for quite a while, because I got so busy and I kind of forgot, here I am! Time for an update on Mr. Sven!
Some flatwork. Photo courtesy of Kaitlin Hartford.
Sven and I have been working on a lot of flatwork and stretching down. He has been doing amazing with that and is slowly coming through his back. I have started to work on the freestyle portion of things to really prep for the Makeover, which is only about 100 days away. We will be showing in two weeks at Florida Horse Park and I am hoping to see a much improved dressage test and double-clear both phases!
As we prep for the Makeover I haven’t focused on the Makeover itself. I have more focused now on the fact that I am training Sven for the future. I think he has the talent to make it to the upper levels, but because he is my horse it is up to me to teach him. He is getting a lot braver at home! I have the best dad ever and he made me some new cross country and stadium jumps! I now have a roll top, a coop, and a box!
Soaring over a jump. Photo courtesy of Kaitlin Hartford.
He is becoming such a nice horse and I am so proud of him.
While I was gone this past week on vacation he got a huge cut on his leg so he is getting the week off of real work, so that he can heal properly and get back to work!! So long for now and I promise to update more often!
