West Point Thoroughbreds will be represented by not one, but two graded stakes winners at the 2024 Thoroughbred Makeover: Cavalry Charge and Decorated Invader! Their Thoroughbred Makeover trainers, Erin Knehr and Mary Termer, will be telling the stories of these two winners in a joint blog entry each month.

Mary Termer update on Decorated Invader:

Well, we’ve made it. We are one week out from the Thoroughbred Makeover. This has been the longest, yet shortest journey ever, and I’ve taken time to reflect on the last 12 months. From the arrival of my new partner and the retirement of my last one, to the slow and sometimes scary, albeit exciting path Finn and I are taking. 

Mary Termer with Finn. (Courtesy of Mary Termer)

If it hasn’t been apparent in my preceding blogs, Finn and I are entered to compete in dressage at the Thoroughbred Makeover. Some days are better than others. I still don’t feel ready, but does anyone at this stage of the game? So, my goal is just to get out there and ride, to make this just another experience and to continue to build the bond with Finn as this is just the start of our journey together.

Finn is a mischievous, happy, snuggly boy with a great forelock and the start of a long, thick tail (I LOVE a good tail!). Finn loves getting kisses on his nose and he is learning to give kisses back. He has learned the routine of turning in and out, and loves his pasture mate Rio. He still thinks most treats are poisonous, but LOVES the ones he eats. He even knows which pocket I carry them in and tries his hardest to nose wiggle them out when I’m grooming and tacking him. He loves a good face rub down once the bridle is off, and must get his drink of water before being hosed… these things are non-negotiable per Finn. 

I’ve had almost weekly lessons on Finn since April with my amazing friend and trainer Dona, as well as multiple show experiences at different facilities, with each one getting better than the last.

Our latest outing was at the Kentucky Horse Park for the USDF Region 2 Regionals show last month where we competed in the open show receiving supportive scores and comments from the judges and even being High Point Thoroughbred for the entire show!

I couldn’t be prouder as Finn handled the busy atmosphere like a seasoned show horse, if not better. We were even entered in one last show this past weekend but it got rescheduled, thank you Hurricane Helene, signed unhappy dressage rider. Prayers to all affected!

This journey to the RRP has definitely taken me out of my quiet, very personal comfort zone, sharing our highlights, struggles, and my thoughts, but I also must be thankful for it. Finn and I have met some amazing people and we have the most supportive group standing not behind, but with us. Here’s to the next 10 days, Finn and I will see you on the other side!

Erin Knehr update on Cavalry Charge:

Next week, it’s time!  The last few months of training flew by. We have come so far but still have so much to learn. The last five weeks of training we went to three different show venues with quite a mixture of results.

Erin Knehr aboard OTTB Cavalry Charge. (Rylee Knehr photo)

Our first show during this time was our first indoor, and overnight, show. Calvin is still getting heavy and a bit downhill in the turns, so we tried a new bit. It was a no thank you. I wonder what bit he raced in and if that’s legal in the hunter ring? Surely, they had more brakes? We also added 95-degree temperatures and huge overhead fans that were turned on just before we entered the show ring. I can’t complain, he held it together but was just really grumpy and unsettled, and he showed too much enthusiasm and enjoyment of dragging me around for the hunters.

We finished the first day and I decided to take him home for the night, turn him out, and try again the next day. We also decided to stay at the 2’ height even though I was originally planning on jumping him around the 2’6 on day two of the show. Sunday, I went back to his old bit, added ear plugs, and he went around like a star. We were the only one in our division so, happy to say, we were champion. The non-Thoroughbred Makeover crowd decided 95 degrees in an indoor, even with a fan, was not worth the sweat at least for the beginner hunter division.

A much more relaxed Calvin made his appearance at the next two outings, and last weekend we finally jumped around a big boy course. We are signed up to show in both the hunters and jumpers at the Thoroughbred Makeover, and the hunter division requires you to jump a 2’6 course and the jumper division requires you to jump a 0.8m (2’7) course. So, we went to a jumper schooling opportunity and went around the 0.8m height. He was very well behaved. 

Erin Knehr and Calvin jumping. (Rylee Knehr photo)

Calvin jumped around a little green in the first trip — while we could warm up, we were not able to jump the course prior to the actual trip. After he saw the jumps the first time, he switched into show mode and jumped without a worry. One of the nice things about the Thoroughbred Makeover is that the jumper division is not timed.  Right now, with Calvin we are all about consistency, in rhythm, pace, and excitement level. So, jumping around untimed is perfect. We can go nice and slow and not turn on his racehorse need for speed.

I am very pleased where we are at in his training, but it’s hard to predict what will happen at the show. He is still very green and every day can be different, but I want this experience to be positive and I think we are in a position to have a good experience. 

On the shoe front, this is a very uneventful month, thank goodness. Due to his expensive glue-on shoes, we have kept everything attached to his body. Not for lack of trying, as one morning he was wearing a bell boot around his cannon. Well, this is it, stop by and visit us at the Kentucky Horse Park next week at stall #628! Cavalry Charge and Decorated Invader are stabling buddies and will hopefully share some good luck with each other.

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.