Lexie Thacker walks out Indy 500 after completing Cross-Country. Photo by JJ Silman Photography.
What would it be like to experience the last three Kentucky Three Day Events and the past three Burghley (England) events not as a rider, but one walking the barns and caring for a top-level event horse as a groom? There are only a handful of CCI5*-L events in the world, so the opportunities are few. Lexie Thacker is among the intimate circle who have seen this level of competition from the inside as a professional groom.
Lexie, a resident of Lompoc and a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, takes us behind the scenes as a top-level event horse groom at world-class events. She gives us an up-close and personal look into being the groom for Indy 500 a top-level event horse – the top ride of SLO County resident Andrea Baxter of Twin Rivers Ranch in San Miguel, California.
Lexie Thacker (left) with Indy 500 and Andrea Baxter at the Kentucky Horse Park. Photo courtesy of Lexie Thacker.
“I jumped at the chance to go with Andrea and be the groom for Indy 500 at their first Rolex,” exclaimed Lexie regarding her first opportunity to groom at the country’s only CCI5*-L. “That’s a really big deal!”
“I did a lot of freelance horse grooming in college,” says Lexie as she begins to tell her story of how she got called up by Andrea. “I would work at shows on the side and groom multiple horses for a rider, sometimes while competing my own horse.” Her direct connection came from grooming for Bec Braitling, Andrea’s friend. Lexie soon learned that grooming for one horse at a top-level event is a different experience all together.
The happy faces of Andrea Baxter, Indy 500 and Lexie Thacker. Photo by JJ Silman Photography.
“You never stop moving all day!” explained Lexie regarding her experience grooming several horses as a free-lance groom. “At the big shows I braid, groom, tack-up do the stable work, and clean tack. Sometimes I also braid on the side.” This pace is somewhat slower at the top-level shows but the atmosphere is big and there is much more at stake.
“I get to meet a lot of the top-level event horse grooms at the big venues,” Lexie began to relate how she settles into the pace at a top-level show. “They are all nice and super helpful.” She gets to work along side some famous eventing riders too. “We’re all here for the same purpose, to compete and do what is best for the horses.”
Photo by JJ Sillman Photography.
Catering to Indy’s personality and keeping her happy so she can perform her best is Lexie’s biggest challenge with Indy 500. “Indy can be dramatic while traveling which can be stressful,” relays Lexie. “Ensuring she arrives safely and in one piece is the first battle.” Andrea has devised a fly sheet with pool noodles attached to help keep Indy from bumping herself in transit. “My main job after that is to keep her happy and healthy.”
Indy’s personality changes when on the road. “She’s pretty laid-back at home,” explains Lexie, “but can be dramatic on the road.” For instance, she can get attached to the horses she travels with and loose her mind when they leave. Lexie’s challenge is to bring her back to calm so she can perform.
One of the soothing tactics is to take Indy for grass walks, which is a calming environment found at Kentucky and in England, but not found at her San Miguel home. If Indy doesn’t travel well then taking care of the bumps and bruises becomes a constant job. “Indy is a full-time job!” exclaims Lexie. Andrea has friends along to help her stay calm and focused, but Lexie is tasked with keeping Indy calm.
“Indy is tough and resilient,” relates Lexie. “She’s a little unassuming horse but can get around these big, tough cross-country tracks with the best horses in the world. She’s a bit of an underdog, but she can get it done. It is so cool!”
For dressage, Lexie and Andrea both like the look of a braided tail. Indy’s tail is a bit sparse so a false tail is added to her existing hair. “I taught myself how to put in the false tail,” explains Lexie. A sound-canceling ear bonnet is also used. “The stands are full at these top-level events,” explains Lexie. The ear bonnet helps keep Indy focused on the job at hand and not so distracted by the environment with a lot of spectators.
Andrea Baxter and Indy 500. Photo by Julia Shearwood Equestrian Photography.
After the rider and horse leave the start box, the groom goes and watches the ride. At the big events there are screens showing all parts of the course. “I’m so nervous for them, my stomach is in knots!” expressed Lexie regarding what she is feeling while Andrea and Indy are on course. “I can see where they are on course. I breath a sigh of relief when she gets through the big stuff.” Lexie then meets the pair at the finish line, already knowing how most of the course rode.
Celebrating Andrea Baxter and Indy 500’s 12th Place finish at Burghley 2019. It’s truly a team effort. Far left is Jill, a friend of Connie Baxter, next Liza Horan, then Lexie Thacker with Indy in between her and Michlynn Sterling. At the far right is Connie Baxter, Andrea’s mom.
Nothing beats a good cross country day, but the job isn’t finished until horse and rider cross those finish timers in show jumping. The final result is truly a team effort and Lexie relishes in triumph as the horse and rider conclude the event with a top placing. Andrea knows how important Lexie’s role is and so appreciates her vital work.
What does Indy love? Spending a lot of time with a horse (or person) enables a groom to discover what a horse truly loves. Lexie knows what Indy loves. At the bigger events Indy gets body work done before the dressage phase and after cross-county. This massage time relaxes her and softens her muscles to relieve tension. Indy loves these massages.
Indy is also hooked on Baileys Tasty Treats! At Burghley a tub of these tasty treats (produced in the UK) is given to each competitor upon finishing the dressage phase. Lexie reports that Indy is obsessed with these treats. So much so that Andrea chips in extra money for freight to ship tubs of these treats back with them!
Liza Horan and Lauren Lucy share a laugh with Lexie Thacker (to Indy 500’s right) and Andrea Baxter as they make their way back from dressage at the Kentucky Horse Park.
“The first time I walked down the ramp at the Kentucky Horse Park, it was a dream come true,” relates Lexie as she looks back on her journey as a a top-level event horse groom. She had grown-up watching this event on television so was thrilled to be there in person.
“The big venues are my favorite places groom at,” remarks Lexie. “I love Burghley for the amazing grounds and the people are all so nice.” The Kentucky Horse Park is a classic venue where so many top horse and rider pairs from the US and beyond come to build exposure. “It’s a riding lesson in itself to watch these top riders. I always come home inspired in my own riding.”
Lexie’s big dream is to groom at Badminton. “The horses are housed in the old stable and the grooms sleep above them.” This California team just may see this dream come true as they look at next year’s plan. So, keep your eye out for more from this fantastic SLO County Eventing team.
This story has been shared with permission from Slo Horse News. To read more stories from Slo Horse, please visit their website.
