Congratulations to Springtime Family Members Kim and Kate for being accepted to compete in the The Thoroughbred Makeover!
We are over-the-moon excited to announce that one of Springtime’s very own, Kate Conyngham, will be competing in this year’s Thoroughbred Makeover at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, in October of 2019. She will be riding Ann’s O’Prado (barn name Quin), a 4 (coming 5) year old off the track Thoroughbred gelding who is owned by another Springtime employee, Kim Barefoot.
What is it?
The Retired Racehorse Project is an organization that helps to raise awareness and place ex-racehorses into non-racing homes and careers. The Thoroughbred Makeover is a competition that includes over 600 trainers from across North America who compete in 10 different disciplines including barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, eventing, field hunter, freestyle, polo, ranch work, show hunter and show jumping. The variety of divisions show just how versatile the Thoroughbred breed is.
A Bit About Us
Kate has ridden, shown and bred horses for over 30 years as an amateur but has never competed in the Thoroughbred Makeover. She aims to showcase her riding skill and training knowledge at the competition. Kim bought Quin in October, 2018 with the hopes of restarting him to see where his potential lies. Quin had a total of 23 starts and raced mostly as a 3 year old, with his career earnings amounting to $20,360. Kate and Kim met while working closely at Springtime together and their friendship quickly developed. Both rider and owner were aligned in their views on training and horsemanship, so the partnership was natural.
Our Trusty Steed
Quin left the track sound and healthy. He is a very calm, thoughtful and curious horse. He has been started slowly with an emphasis on ground work, giving to pressure and gaining awareness of his body. We are working on straightness and learning how to have a balanced, rhythmical canter.
Based on Kate’s experience in the hunter realm and the strengths that Quin is showing, we feel he would do well in the Show Hunter division of the Makeover. We are still very open to curtailing our goals based on what Quin shows an aptitude for. Unfortunately, there is no “standing still” or “treat-eating” division – he would surely excel in those!
Quin was recently moved to a new facility that offers a variety of settings such as a cross country course and miles of trails. We are planning to expose him to many different environments before the Makeover including off site schooling sessions, local horse shows and clinics.
We are looking forward to the upcoming months and documenting Quin’s progress on the road to the Makeover. We hope that you follow along with us for more photos, videos and updates!
