Bits & Bytes Farm

07/11/2024

Our horses all have fans in their stalls. But, Cowgirls Pride is so sweet she has a halo.

06/20/2024

I am so proud of Imtiaz Anees and the Seahorse Equestrian team. Imtiaz shares our love of Thoroughbreds and he always puts the horses first. We were fortunate to have had the opportunity to train with him at Bits & Bytes Farm. - Elizabeth https://www.facebook.com/share/v/MHfvXT4b13wfEuuM/

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05/30/2024

So many Thoroughbred Facebook groups are asked the same question over and over..."How can I get weight on my Thoroughbred?"

Head on over to our website to solve that mystery.

Maintaining a healthy weight in off-the-track Thoroughbreds can be a challenge. After ruling out dental issues and parasites, the next step is to evaluate the horse’s diet.

05/24/2024

In the heart of the meadow, under the vast blue sky,
Stands a thoroughbred horse, with a tear in his eye.
His coat as sleek as the night, his spirit wild and free,
His owner was a soldier, as brave as one could be.

The soldier, strong and valiant, with a heart so kind and true,
Fell in the line of duty, under the sky so blue.
His love for his horse, was a bond so deep,
Now in the meadow, the horse silently weeps.

The horse remembers the gallops, the wind in their hair,
The soldier's laughter echoing, in the crisp morning air.
He remembers the gentle touch, the soothing voice so light,
Now all that's left are memories, in the quiet of the night.

The soldier may be gone, his voice no longer heard,
But his spirit lives on, in the heart of his thoroughbred.
The horse stands tall and proud, under the sky so wide,
Carrying the memory of his soldier, always by his side.

On this day we remember, the soldier brave and true,
And the love he had for his horse, under the sky so blue.
The thoroughbred stands in silence, his heart filled with pain,
Waiting for the day, he'll be with his soldier again.

05/09/2024

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3551598675151709&set=a.1478343605810570

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05/08/2024

If you missed the Kentucky Derby, watch it now. It was an incredible race.

Mystik Dan holds off Sierra Leone and Forever Young in the 150th Kentucky Derby to land Brian Hernandez and Kenneth McPeek their first win in the historic ra...

04/29/2024

Sunday xc schooling with Cowgirls Pride and friends. This Western Pride mare is so smart and sensible. Cowgirls has only been off the farm three times since we purchased her from her breeder as a three year old two and a half years ago. She had never seen a water complex but that did not bother her. She took it like a duck to water. I love Western Pride babies. We have sold several including: Made In Her Image, Justnamehimeddie, and Twisted Pride. They all have great minds and are sensible.

04/27/2024

Training does not have to be boring. Today at Bits & Bytes Farm we had an obstacle course set up. We did a lot of leg yielding, half halts, simulating x-c ditch jumping, and gate opening. All of the obstacles were easy to do but also challenging. The course was set up so that horses/riders of different skill levels could compete. Cowgirls Pride was the youngest horse competing and she handled the course like a pro! Tomorrow we are heading out to do some real x-c training.

04/21/2024

This is sooo very important! A very special friend was seriously injured when her horse walked away from the mounting block as she was getting on. The horse was not nervous but just used to jockeys being tossed up as the horse heads to the track. Your Thoroughbred my not have ever been taught to stand. It is your job to teach them this important skill.

Over the years, one of the bad horsemanship traps that I found myself falling into was letting the horse that I was getting on walk off before I had asked for that.

And part of that, I think, was because when you are younger and agile, it just doesn’t seem like any sort of big deal to catch up on the fly.

But it is also true that the moment of mounting, and, to a slightly lesser extent, dismounting, makes the rider vulnerable to all sorts of problems, including some particularly bad falls. Which is why it is so important to teach the horse to stand quietly like a rock until the rider is on, has both feet in the stirrups, has gathered up the reins and has asked the horse to step off.

Just as horses learn the habit of walking away too soon, so they can be taught not to, but it can’t be one way on Saturday, another way on Monday. Consistency is what creates habits, so if you want your horse to acquire the habit of being still while you are getting on, teach that daily.

Try not to make such a big deal about it that it makes the horse nervous or feel trapped, but take the time to readjust if he steps away or sideways from the mounting block before you are ready.

Like so much about horse training, we are creating conditioned response. But not nervous response, which is what we get when we are in a hurry or when we get intense.

04/08/2024

Saint Lawrence still has his glasses from the 2017 eclipse.

03/29/2024

I captured this image on Good Friday in the barn a few years ago.

03/23/2024

Not everyone should own a Thoroughbred.

I have such mixed emotions about this one! I began training in the day that thoroughbreds were being used less and less, and warmbloods started being used far more often on the show circuit and in lesson programs. As a trainer, I can’t really say I taught a ton of people to ride on thoroughbreds.....

03/23/2024

I have a friend who had to make this decision this week for her 27 year old mare. I hope this will help others.

Karen Rohlf talks in a heart-felt way about how to make the difficult decision about euthanizing your beloved animals.

03/21/2024

Just another day of despook training at Bits & Bytes Farm with Cowgirls Pride.

03/08/2024

It's Spring and that means shedding season.

Fat sources are among the most effective ways to accelerate shedding season

03/04/2024

King T'Challa made it to his new home in Tennessee yesterday. He was a special delivery to his new mom Bonnie by his former racetrack trainer Becky.

Becky finds us the best horses at the track and checks them out to make sure they are a match for our program. She has been a part of Bits & Bytes Farm since 2001. If you can get a horse that she owned or trained, you are getting an extra special Thoroughbred.

We don't just broker Thoroughbreds like many OTTB sellers. We work with the breeders, owners, and trainers and we know the horse we are selling.

Becky brought T'Challa down to Tennessee along with our newest horse that will be for sale soon, Uncommon Grace. We met her at T'Challa's new home and picked up 'Gracie' and brought her back to Atlanta with us. You can see her in the background.

Uncommon Grace is the sister to This Masquerade who we sold last fall. We have sold many horses for her breeder and they are all 'uncommon' and wonderful.

03/01/2024

We have a new horse arriving on Sunday at Bits & Bytes Farm. She is the sister of This Masquerade who we sold last fall.

This Masquerade never even made it to the website before she was sold. See our Valentine's Day post last month for a photo of "Masie" and her mom Laura Durham-Dixon.

Uncommon Grace is coming in for some training and will be available when we feel she is ready to find a new home. Watch our website for training notes on how we start a young, off-the-track Thoroughbred. 'Gracie' is a 2020 Thoroughbred filly by Wicked Strong out of Weekend Charade. This is a photo of her last fall as a three-year-old.

03/01/2024

King T'Challa has been SOLD! Congratulations to Bonnie DeMarco of Corryton, TN on the purchase of this fun-loving boy! He will be arriving in Tennessee on Sunday by special delivery. Watch for more photos!

02/27/2024

Happy Birthday Max! 27 years young. Max came to board with us a few years ago.

02/21/2024

CONGRATULATIONS to Cliff Sellen of Rio Rancho, NM on the purchase of Artemus Eagle.
https://thoroughbred-horses-for-sale.com/

02/14/2024

In my racing days, I sprinted so fast,
Chasing dreams of victory, unsurpassed.
But now I've left the track behind,
Found a love that's one of a kind.

On this Valentine's, my human dear,
I nicker softly in your ear.
No more racetrack stress, just hay,
In your love, I've found my way.

From the starting gates to our own retreat,
You and I, a perfect feat.
No more jockeys, no more race,
Just the rhythm of our hearts' embrace.

You groom my coat, so sleek and fine,
In your care, I've crossed the line.
No more crowd cheers, just your voice,
In your love, I've found my choice.

So here's a whinny, a soft love neigh,
Happy Valentine's, my person, today.
Off-the-track, but on the love track,
With you, my heart's never looked back.

Happy Valentine's Day from all the
Thoroughbreds at Bits & Bytes Farm!

02/13/2024

Right on time this year. Daffodils are my sure sign that Spring is here...that and the horses' shedded hair all over my clothes. HAPPY SPRING!

02/05/2024

SOLD! We are doing a mailing on this lovely gelding. EARLY RELEASE MAILING LIST members check your mailbox. You have an early preview of his website page with even more photos than are in the mailing. If you are not on the EARLY RELEASE MAILING LIST, sign up on our websites.

https://thoroughbred-horses-for-sale.com/early-release-mailing-list2/

01/30/2024

Welcome Nicole Hunt and her OTTB "Rain" - our newest boarder at Bits& Bytes Farm. We have lots of fun events planned for this season. Visit our website for details.
https://bitsandbytesfarm.com/newest-boarder-at-bits-bytes-farm-thoroughbred-rain/

01/24/2024

What a week! From 7 degrees on Saturday to almost 60 today with flooding rains expected over the next 24 hours.

There is always lots of preparation work on a farm to be ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at you.

Our arena was perfect for riding the last two days after being frozen solid over the weekend. Sarah and I got to play with our new cavalettes.

In preparation for the heavy rain, our arena is raked free of our hoof prints that could hold water. We are hoping not to get severe weather with thunderstorms or tornados. What a ride this winter has been.

01/22/2024

DAY SIX FINAL UPDATE: For those of you following the water trough experiment, here is today's update. Temperature was 24 this morning and the water had the thinnest layer of ice. The previous day's ice chips melted and so did the edge of the hole. The rest of the week shows temperatures in the 60s! That's Georgia.

01/21/2024

DAY FIVE UPDATE: Seven degrees this morning. Yesterday never made it above 25. There was a new layer of ice in the hole but it was easy to open. See the ice layers in the comments. Fame is enjoying a nice 'cold one' this morning.

01/21/2024

DAY FOUR UPDATE: 15 degrees this morning but the hole was easy to open as it had only one night of cold to form ice.

01/20/2024

MORE COLD WEATHER TIPS

01/20/2024

COLD WEATHER TIP