A few months after the 2022 Hillsdale County Fair in Hillsdale, Mich., Riley Clark began her search for a new horse. Her previous CANTER Michigan adoptee, Grander Plan (now known as Prince), had been a great fit, but Riley was looking for a younger Thoroughbred to retrain so she could eventually retire her competition mare. She also wanted to free up Prince to be primarily her dad’s horse.

Riley started her search at CANTER Michigan, where several horses caught her eye. However, it was a young mare named Tack Wise who truly captured her heart.

After riding “Tacky” at the CANTER Michigan facility, Riley knew she had to bring the 4-year-old home. Despite Tacky not being fully broken to the canter yet, her potential was undeniable, and Riley felt she was the right fit for her. So, Riley made plans to bring Tacky home.

An introduction to competition. (Riley Clark photo)

Riley welcomed Tacky to her farm at the end of January 2023 and immediately began working with her daily. Although Tacky was “very willing to learn,” retraining her proved to be a challenge as she wasn’t fully finished to ride. However, Tacky’s intelligence and good nature helped her pick up the training quickly, and she always tried hard to do what Riley asked.

During their retraining process, Riley took Tacky on various adventures, including trail rides in Hocking Hills, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and Drummond Island.

“She did amazing and acted as if she had been on trails her whole life,” Riley remarked.

Tacky also participated in 4-H group rides and started competing in local horse shows. Although Riley knew Tacky wasn’t quite competition ready, she took her to the Hillsdale Fair to gain show experience. To Riley’s delight, Tacky consistently placed in every class she entered.

Back home, Riley continued to work with Tacky on perfecting their speed patterns. Riley’s goal for Tacky is to take her to her second Hillsdale County Fair, where she aims to compete in the barrels and poles speed classes.

If you’re interested in Riley’s journey with Grander Plan, click here!

The Jockey Club supports many aftercare initiatives including the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the only accrediting body in aftercare, and Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), which encourages the retraining of Thoroughbreds into other disciplines upon completion of careers. View all of the initiatives supported by The Jockey Club.