Longeing

I talked to Three Chimneys’ vet, Dr. Morehead, earlier in the week and he suggested that I start bringing Smarty back to work, as it has been 6 months since his injury. I have been hand walking Smarty daily, and he recommended starting to walk him under saddle for a week before slowly incorporating the trot and working my way up from there. I’ll continue to check Smarty’s ligament for any heat or swelling through the process to make sure that he is good to go. Dr. Morehead thought it would be about 2 months before the horse is fit.

On Wednesday, I began working with Smarty on a longe line at the walk, all tacked up. I believe that he’s been longed before, as he sort of knows what’s being asked of him. We worked in a round pen, first tracking left. He did fairly well, despite falling in and bulging out just a bit. By the second day of walking on the line he was doing even better and moving forward nicely. Tracking right was a different story. He was having some issues on Wednesday and didn’t improve on Thursday; Smarty continually stopped and turned around. So we’re taking it a bit more slowly working to the right as I train him to go both directions.

So far he’s been great! No fireworks, bolting or over-excitement. At the walk, Smarty has a wonderful headset, relaxed and low. For the moment at least, there is none of the stereotypical racehorse tense-neck-head-in-the-air going on. I'll keep y'all updated on his progress!

Carrot stretches

I’ve begun doing a few “carrot stretches” with Mad for Smarty when I go out the barn. Essentially, it is a bit of yoga for my horse. You take a treat and hold it, say, towards his left flank. The horse then has to stretch their neck and work on bending to get the treat. There are several different positions I’ve been doing – left side, right side, in between the front legs – all to get Smarty stretched out and thinking about bending his body. At first when I held the treat to one of his sides he would try to spin in circles to get it. I wouldn’t give it to him those times, but instead would keep asking him to really make an effort to bend his neck and flex to the left. After a couple tires he understood what I was asking and would stand in place and only move his head and neck. I would give Smarty the treat while his head was still in the correct position or the stretch. That way, he’ll eventually learn to hold his position for longer intervals of time.

At first, Smarty was having issues flexing to his right. This was expected coming from the track, and I had already assumed that left would be his easier direction. He kept spinning in circles in an attempt to get the treat held to his right side rather than giving in a bending. Smarty was also less flexible to the right side; he wasn’t able to stretch as far to get the treat. But by the second day he was already improving and had a better idea of what I was asking of him.

The point of this exercise is to get Smarty thinking about bending and to build up a little strength and flexibility. When I begin working with him, Smarty won’t stretch down for the bit or bend but will try to carry his head too high and tense. These simple exercises will hopefully help him learn to relax and flex . Plus, it gives me another thing to do with him until I can begin work.

Race Record

As a huge racing fan myself, I think it's awesome having a horse with a history that is easy to research and track down. Of course, as I already followed all of Smarty Jones' foals at the time Mad for Smarty was running, I was able to experience his career as it was going on. For all of you that weren't quite as in-tune to what my horse has been doing for the past few years of his life, here is a bit of insight into his first career.

Mad for Smarty enjoyed a decent career as a racehorse before retiring from the track and sent to Bel Canto. His racing career spanned 19 months and covered six different tracks in his 19 lifetime starts. Mad for Smarty was trained by racing legend and Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkins and raced for Robert Clay of Three Chimneys Farm as a homebred. He retired with a record of 19 starts, 3 wins, a second and 4 thirds with lifetime earnings of $115,619 (anything over $100k in earnings is considered pretty good for a horse).

Mad for Smarty chillin' at Allen Jerkins barn in Florida. Photo by Kevin  Kraynak (Racing Heart Photography)

The colt debuted as a three year old in 2009, making his first start at Gulfstream Park in February in a Maiden Special Weight.  Coincidentally, he was up against another Smarty Jones foal making his debut, Farmer Jones. Mad for Smarty finished eight after running well off the pace and making up some ground in the stretch. According to Jerkins, the colt came out of the race with “a shin bothering him.” He was given several months off before making his second start in June at Belmont Park, with much more favorable results. He sat just off the pace before taking the lead on the turn and fought hard to the wire to get the win by a neck in the 6 furlong race over a muddy track.

Video: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race/USA/BEL/2010/6/10/3/race-3

The horse came back after exactly one month, making an appearance in an allowance at Belmont. He was a distant third in his first start against winners.  Just a few weeks later, Mad for Smarty ran at the prestigious Saratoga Race Course in New York, again placing third in an allowance. He followed this effort with two consecutive races at the same level at Saratoga, finishing out of the money both times.

Back to Belmont Park in September for his seventh start, Mad for Smarty was again victorious. Over a track labeled “heavy,” the colt was kept under a firm hold before angling out for the stretch run and taking the lead with an eighth of a mile to go, gradually edging away to a length-and-a-quarter win.  This race, which had been taken off of the turf due to the wet conditions, was an Allowance Optional Claiming race, in which some of the horses are available for purchase prior to the race for a set price. Mad for Smarty was not available for purchase; he was not in for a tag.

Video: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race/USA/BEL/2010/9/17/7/race-7

After three dull efforts in New York (two at Belmont in AOCs and another in an Aqueduct stakes race) Mad for Smarty was again shipped south to winter in Florida. In his first start at Calder Race Course on December 30, 2010, he was a winner in the best race of his career, on paper at least. Breaking from the rail, Mad for Smarty sat in third off a slow pace, conceding two lengths to the leader. He received a perfect trip in the AOC, and angled out three wide coming for home to make his bid. The colt passed the leader with little effort and went on to draw away in deep stretch to win by 6 ½ lengths under jockey Jose Lezcano. He earned a 91 Beyer speed figure for the race, the best of his career.

Video:http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race/USA/CRC/2010/12/30/7/race-7

Smarty’s form tailed off after this race and he did not win again. The colt raced next in the Gulfstream Park Sprint Challege – a grade 2 – and finished fifth behind the likes of Tackleberry and Soaring Empire. He then faced another stakes field in the Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in March of 2011 and actually butted heads against eventual Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Drosselmeyer. Mad for Smarty was shipped back up to New York for the remainder of his racing career and ran in two AOCs, in for tag in both races, where he earned a fourth and third before finishing off the board in a claiming race at Belmont. In August, Smarty finished second in a race at Saratoga before making a two closing appearances at Belmont. In the final race of his career in September of 2011, Mad for Smarty was third in a high-price claiming race… and that’s where I come into the picture. Y’all know the story from there!


Mad for Smarty's past performances: 

Chronicle of the Horse article

This past week an article about Smarty and I was published in the Chronicle of the Horse magazine. Having my story printed in such a well known publication is certainly an honor! Ms. Mollie Bailey did a fantastic job with both the interview and the story; I am thrilled with how well it turned out. The link below is an extended version of the piece that was actually printed in the magazine, which appeared under the "Finish Line" column. I would like to thank Ms. Bailey again for spending the time to write a quality article and for taking an interest in my story.


Here it is!
A Passion For Smarty Jones Leads To A Fairytale Ending For Madison Scott
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/passion-smarty-jones-leads-fairytale-ending-madison-scott

Smarty turns 5

Treats!

Mad for Smarty was born on February 27, 2007 at Three Chimneys Farm, out of Robert Clay's mare Santaria (Star de Naskra - Act of Magic by Halo). Yesterday was, of course, the first time I could spend Smarty's birthday with him; it was a pretty exciting occasion. If Mad for Smarty wasn't a gelding, he would now officially be labeled as a horse, but unfortunately for him he is still just a gelding. My Smarty's birthday happens to coincide with the actual Smarty's birthday nicely; Smarty Jones was born on February 28, 2001.


To celebrate the event, I baked Mad for Smarty some delicious homemade horse treats. This was my first attempt making baked goods for a horse, and I think it they turned out pretty well (Smarty's seemed to think so, at least!). I used plenty of oats, molasses and peppermint. My pony loved them!

Smarty's also got a few special birthday carrots, the ones with the green stems still on top. He gobbled those up, too. 

Mad for Smarty was feeling good today. He was jumping and playing just a bit on the lead while I was hand grazing him. All of the horses at Bel Canto are pleased that spring is here and the green grass is coming up.

Photos!

Today was a gorgeous day out at the barn (70s and sunny - a typical Austin February) and I took way too many photos of Smarty while we were out for a walk. With the Equi-Pak on his feet, he isn't allowed to go out in the mud because it causes the material to deteriorate. With about 3 inches of rain over the last week at Bel Canto it was far too muddy for Smarty to be turned out today, so I hand walked him instead. And I happened to have my camera. 

Being way too majestic for his own good

Dangerous things can happen when a girl has a camera AND a pony.

I also put my saddle on Smarty for the first time today. It fits! I walked him around for a few minutes with the saddle on and girth tightened. Like everything else, he was totally fine with the whole process and wasn't bothered by my enormous and heavy (by his standards) saddle and my tightening the girth.

 

Tacked up! Partially, at least

New shoes

     Yesterday front shoes were put back on Mad for Smarty. The farrier recommended front shoes with pads with Equi-pak underneath for a few cycles to help his sole grow out. Smarty has had a tough time adjusting to being barefoot and this should help. He is still barefoot behind. I went out to the barn to see him yesterday, and he was having no issues whatsoever with the new shoes and pads. He has also been started on a hoof supplement to promote growth. Hopefully these things in conjunction will take care of his foot soreness! So far, they are working wonderfully.

Nom nom nom

    So far here's the verdict on treats. Smarty does not like apples. At all. Which was unfortunate, as my mom had bought a bag for him. He'll take a bit and then won't touch the fruit. Carrots, in the other hand, are a big hit, he loves them! And peppermint. I have a regular peppermints that I've been giving him, and my friend Kara just bought a box of candy canes that were on clearance for him. Smarty is really enjoying those!

     Last weekend, my grandparents, parents, aunt, uncle and cousin came to Bel Canto to meet Smarty. They, like everyone else, loved him. My grandparents where especially thrilled to meet their new grand-horse!

With da fam