Within the fall of 2020, Elizabeth McDougald had no plans to undertake a horse when she visited Horse and Hound Rescue Basis in Guthrie, Okla. She was there to select up a horse for one in all her college students, however with so many promising horses on the facility, she determined to search for a challenge horse for herself. Horse and Hound, an accredited Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance group, makes a speciality of retraining ex-racehorses and discovering them new careers.
Elizabeth is a coach at Glenridge Farm, a Hunter/Jumper barn in Elgin, Okla., based by her mother and father. Rising up, she labored with and retrained off-the-track Thoroughbreds, so discovering a challenge horse was not a brand new activity. One of many founders of Horse and Hound, Nelda Kettles, launched her to Wilky G, a “small, plain darkish bay, quiet, unassuming 3-year-old gelding.” Though Wilky G was removed from the tall, uphill, leggy sort Elizabeth usually skilled for Hunter/Jumper competitions, one thing about his sort demeanor drew her in. Initially, she thought he may make a great path or western horse for somebody down the road.
Wilky G was foaled in 2017 in Oklahoma and raced seven instances in Oklahoma and Texas, incomes $8,509 over his two-year racing profession. After retiring in June 2020, he was donated to Horse and Hound Rescue Basis, the place he stayed till Elizabeth determined to take him dwelling that fall.
Regardless of not becoming Elizabeth’s traditional profile for a jumper, Wilky G rapidly proved her instincts proper. “He had a kindness to him that drew me in,” Elizabeth defined. As soon as dwelling, Wilky G took to retraining with ease. “He was undoubtedly the little engine that would,” she remarked. He confirmed a pure aptitude for leaping and appeared to adore it, shocking Elizabeth, who had initially thought he’d be a short-term challenge. “I noticed I used to be having loads of enjoyable with the horse I believed I’d prepare and promote,” she stated.
Wilky G quickly grew to become the barn’s “Jack-of-all-trades.” He might be ridden bridleless, was a reliable path horse, excelled as an intermediate lesson horse, and even shone within the Jumper ring at rated exhibits. “I’ve had a variety of OTTBs, however he’s actually the kindest of the bunch,” Elizabeth famous.
Elizabeth and Wilky G most not too long ago competed within the Take2 Thoroughbred Jumper division within the spring of 2024. “He defies each younger OTTB stereotype,” she stated, praising his calm and easygoing nature. His quiet demeanor even allowed him for use as a lead-line mount at a horse present, and he commonly carries youngsters in classes at dwelling.
“The horse that was meant to be a short-term challenge doing something however leaping is now a barn favourite,” Elizabeth wrote. Wilky G continues to thrive beneath Elizabeth’s care, delighting each her and her college students in classes and at exhibits. “He’s doing fabulous,” she stated, including that Wilky G will doubtless stay at her barn for a very long time to return.
The Jockey Membership helps many aftercare initiatives together with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the one accrediting physique in aftercare, and Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), which inspires the retraining of Thoroughbreds into different disciplines upon completion of careers. View the entire initiatives supported by The Jockey Membership.
