Beyond the backstretch

01/03/2024

First, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the following companies for working with BEYOND the backstretch and offering their creative talents , DK Equine Jumps New and These companies have been over the top supportive and have offered so much encouragement.

BEYOND the backstretch is a small, grass roots organization wanting to make a difference in the OTTB and Thoroughbred community by educating and fundraising for aftercare organizations and rescues.

The 2024 aftercare organizations that will benefit from BEYOND the backstretch will be and

Btbs in collaboration with is hosting a horse show at in Freeville, NY June 1, 2024, Joy Dunn has graciously accepted our invitation to officiate as the judge. The horse show welcomes all breeds and all levels and in addition to general awards, we will offer awards. We are looking at a fun day, great prizes and lots of networking opportunities.

Some of the items revealed in this reel will be available prior to the show. Check back in the next few weeks we will populate prices and a link to a platform to purchase the items. All proceeds will go back to aftercare.

After the horse show Btbs is looking into offering riding and educational clinics with Thoroughbred friendly professionals, we hope you will find something that interests you and plan to attend.

In closing, we are looking for owners who would like to "star" their OTTB's and TB's in our feature of the week. Super easy and great awareness to all the Thoroughbred enthusiasts.

Anyone wanting more information about sponsorship, feature of the week or volunteering. Please DM or email me at [email protected].

Last but not least, please follow and share out social media, we depend on you to help get the word out.

Thank you!

Send a message to learn more

21/02/2024

Please welcome Armando's Team and Elizabeth McLeod another great story about second chances and success!!!

I was lucky enough to see Armando's Team on Finger Lakes Finest in the fall of 2022, my favorite place to shop for my new partners. He was a bargain that I couldn't pass up, especially when I saw those big white belly spots. My plan with Squirrel, a name he earned for his squirrely behavior around the farm, was to be a quick resale project, but after those first few post-track rides, I knew he would be going nowhere!! This little red horse stole my heart and our journey began.

Squirrel and I spent the winter learning together. "Yes Please", was his response to everything I asked of him, and this is how he got his show name. It was after our first show together in May I set a goal of competing at the TIP Championships in Aiken, South Carolina the first weekend in October. We spent the rest of the summer successfully competing in hunter shows and even dabbling in a derby.

October arrived and with Tina Turk as my right-hand man, we set out for Aiken. Everything that could go wrong on that long journey did, but that's a story for another day. We arrived at Stable View exhausted and unsure if we even belonged. The facility was gorgeous as was every horse on the grounds. Squirrel settled in well and one of the best horseshow weekends began. I had no expectations of placing in any class. Divisions were huge and competition was fierce. Friday evening we had our confirmation class, again so large it had to be split into 3 sections with 20-25 in each. I knew Squirrel was pretty good-looking but never expected the 7th he got in that class. It was then I knew he belonged. Saturday morning we had 4 over fence classes. Two at the cross-rail height and two at 2 feet. Squirrel placed in everyone!! Sunday came with a chilly temp of 40 degrees. I was over the moon to place second in the cross-rail handy. Squirrel ended up fifth overall in that division out of 26.

We have plans to head back to Aiken this fall along with Tina and her new mare Rose. Our expectations may be a little bit higher but we will enjoy every ride!

14/02/2024

BEST Valentine post, please welcome and Zeppelin. A truly inspiring journey of love, team work and healing.

Zeppelin - 9-year-old OTTB Gelding - Jockey Club Name “Luas Brio”
I found Zeppelin right after I was diagnosed with melanoma. I found him online and drove 4 hours to see him the same day. Once I saw him, I knew he was my guy. Zep was loved by all his owners, including his breeder all of whom follow him on the gram. He gave me a reason to go outside, learn to have a new relationship with the sun, and heal. He has taught me so much about regulating my emotions, being brave, and fostering resilience for both of us.
We do a little bit of everything nowadays: Western, English, Trail, and we might even try our hand at Dressage this year. We entered our first show last year, which was an experience. We came in dead last in every class, but for us, I couldn’t have asked for better success. By the end of the show, there were motorcycles driving next to him, kids screaming, flags, loud announcers, and God knows what else, and he could have cared less. We found our way to relaxation in the storm.

We had a rocky start, but every day, he is a testament to the smarts, strength, and versatility of OTTBs.

13/02/2024

Elizabeth Taylor and King Charles first met at the Rivera Country Club in West Los Angeles. King Charles, a 7 yo Thoroughbred was trained as a show hunter and was owned by a wealthy socialite. The lady that owned him offered him to Ms. Taylor to ride. The horse was purchased for the National Velvet film for $800. Ms. Taylor fell in love with him and was offered the horse as a gift at the end of production. She kept him for the rest of his life❣️❣️❣️❣️

13/02/2024

Hey you..... stop back tomorrow for the "Thoroughbred of the week feature".

If you have a Thoroughbred you'd like people to meet and hear about, please DM me.

Please save the date, June 1, 2024 for our benefit show held at

09/02/2024

Let's make a difference and have a whole lotta fun! SAVE THIS IMPORTANT DATE June 1, 2024. The show will be held .

All the proceeds from this horse show will be donated to Thoroughbred aftercare and rescue. The 2024 organizations benefitting are and

08/02/2024

Thank you for your continued sponsorship, we are grateful for your support and belief in our mission!❤️🎉

07/02/2024

Have you 💋your OTTB or unraced Thoroughbred today?

Here are some fun facts about the Thoroughbred:

Did you know a 17 yo OTTB named Lukas was deemed the smartest horse in the world after identifying 19 numbers in one minute according to the Guinness World Records.

The Thoroughbred generally have larger hearts and lungs than other breeds. Secretariat's heart weighed a whopping 21 pounds ❤️.

Thoroughbreds have influenced many horse breeds, popular breeds such as the American Quarter Horse, Standardbred, and Morgans just to name a few.

Many Thoroughbred crosses have gone on to become recognized horse breeds themselves. Breeders often introduce Thoroughbred bloodlines to improve athleticism to Westphalian, Danish, Dutch, Holsteiner and Hanoverian registries.

Today, all purebred Thoroughbreds trace back to just three founding stallions that came to England in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The High-Jump World record is held by a Thoroughbred, a chestnut stallion called Huaso cleared 8ft 1.25 inches in 1949.

While the Thoroughbreds are most recognized for racing, and speed. The Thoroughbreds can be much more after retirement from racing or unraced Thoroughbreds, programs like and have begun to take hold and demonstrate to the world the Thoroughbred can be a formidable competitor in many arenas and disciplines.

05/02/2024

Thank you for your renewed sponsorship in 2024. Btbs is grateful.

31/01/2024

Save the date, June 1st, 2024, for the BEYOND the backstretch Benefit Horse Show . The show will welcome all breeds but place an emphasis on showcasing OTTB's, their versatility, their hearts, their trainability and their athleticism. The horse show will offer Thoroughbred Incentive Program awards. There is something for everyone !

All proceeds from this horse show will be donated to Thoroughbred aftercare, the two organizations chosen as recipients for 2024 are and

As a young organization BEYOND the backstretch's mission is to bring awareness to OTTB's, soft landings and second chances after their retirement from racing, along with fundraising for much needed aftercare.

In an effort to "spread" the word we will be offering BEYOND the backstretch merchandise for purchase. Check back for updates and please share, share, share!

30/01/2024

Once again we looking for proud OTTB owners that would like to feature their unicorns on BEYOND the backstretch.

BEYOND the backstretch wants to let the world know how amazing OTTB's and Thoroughbreds are !

Please DM me for details !

26/01/2024

SO…… lets have some fun and make some money for Thoroughbred Aftercare and Rescue, I have been thinking for months about a theme for the BEYOND the backstretch Benefit Horse Show. The show will be held in Freeville, NY on June 1, 2024. REMEMBER ALTHOUGH we are showcasing Thoroughbreds and OTTB’s this show will have something for all breeds, the more the merrier.

DRUM ROLL Please – The theme for this years horse show will be “WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE”, a play words as the OTTB’s retire from their racing careers and step into the “JUNGLE of learning their second careers”.

DK Equine Jumps New (Facebook) has assisted in designing some awesome “fun, jungle” jumps for the horse show. In the reel attached you will see the prototypes, DK Equine is an absolutely top notch jump builder along with being super easy to work with and AMAZING people. If you are looking to add to your jump repertoire these are your folks.

More fun facts to follow about the horse show, keep checking back, and share, share, share!

Please send me some feedback and your thoughts, it takes a village.

We will be looking for some sponsors and volunteers soon, we are about 3 months away from the horse show!

Anyone directly willing to be a jump sponsor, please reach out !

25/01/2024

Thank you for making so many great choices in your feed lines while paying special attention to quality. My Thoroughbreds enjoy FiberMax and Fiber Advantage. Horses prone to ulcers FiberMax is great choice.

My TB's all look fab!

My seniors love your ETC Senior Low Carb, also makes into a great slurry.

My ponies and mini use your Balancer! And our midnight snack consists of your mini forage bits.

A special shout out to for being out local feed source !


Thank you for your continued sponsorship.

19/01/2024

We received some great news! We have been approved for Thoroughbred Incentive Program awards for 2024. Our horse show will be an all breed horse show with a little extra spotlight on those amazing OTTB's and non raced Thoroughbreds. The horse show will have a mix of hunter jumper classes and weather permitting a true Derby class over natural obstacles.

Please save the date, June 1, 2024!!!!

Check back often to on out social media for exciting events!

18/01/2024

Easier said than done? Yes.

Save this as a reminder to yourself to be patient and keep moving forward towards your goals. ♥️

17/01/2024

We have begun contacting professionals to request clinic information.

We have reached out to Bernie Traurig, first and foremost for his attention to detail and building a foundation from basics along with his experience with Thoroughbreds.

Bernie is renowned not only for his riding talents but also for his teaching and coaching gifts. Bernie can offer something to all, dressage, hunters, show jumpers and eventing folks.

Something you may not know Bernie and his wife they founded
A 501c3, sport horse training and adoption center located in Northern California. Retraining OTTBs for second careers.

Instagram doesn't give me enough words to highlight all of his accomplishments, and there are MANY, Please check out his FB page and website www.equestriancoach.com.

did an excellent feature on him.
https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2020/11/11/bernie-traurig-a-man-for-all-disciplines/.

This is where all of you come chime in! The clinic would be held near Binghamton, New York, give me a hand of all of you interested. Please DM me for more information.

Any profits gained from this clinic would be donated to the 2024 chosen aftercare organizations and

10/01/2024

What is BEYOND the backstretch, and how we would like to help. Btbs is a grass roots effort to help subsidize Thoroughbred Aftercare. It was a brainchild of mine that came from “the place in my heart that says I want to make a difference”. I have always been a huge supporter of Thoroughbreds; I have had a love for them since I was a child. I personally own 4 OTTB’s and 1 TB bred for the hunter ring.

I held a board position at for a few years, from that experience I understand what kind of money and dedication it takes to run such an organization, while aftercare organizations apply and receive grants for funding or support from organizations like Thoroughbred Charities of America and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, The New York Racing Association and The New York Thoroughbred Horseman’s Association just to name a few, more funding is needed. My inner child was screaming to help in any small way I could, such as fundraising, offering more awareness of the aftercare programs and services, and more education on OTTB’s and TB’s themselves.

Last year was Btbs launch year, and we had some awesome ups and many downs, looking back I was naïve and I was sure “ROME WAS BUILT IN A DAY”, great ideas take time.

Our show was postponed, the backlash from the postponement was disheartening, months of hard work, phone calls, and raw excitement lend itself to disappointment. Btbs had sponsors that pulled away from our mission, and questioned our journey, but anyone that knows me understands that I may be downtrodden for a bit, but once I get my legs underneath me I don’t let little setbacks lend itself to failure.

Btbs needs to reach more people, engage support so we can knock this out of the park. This year not only will Robyn’s Nest Farm and BEYOND the backstretch host a horse show but we have plans to expand our horizons, we are looking to host a few clinics with Thoroughbred friendly professionals, host some educational events on saddle fitting, nutrition, and a derby event, we are open to any suggestions.

Soon we will be announcing sponsorship opportunities, volunteering opportunities and developments in our plans.

LET’S GET THIS DONE!

03/01/2024

Going forward, each year BEYOND the backstretch will choose 2 or 3 aftercare programs to support through fundraising for the year. The fundraising efforts will include our horse show, thoroughbred friendly clinics, educational speakers, and the occasional sale product, all the proceeds will be donated. Although "thoroughbred friendly" all breeds and disciplines will be covered.

BEYOND the backstretch is pleased to announce that we will be fundraising this year for the following aftercare organizations, and Please take some time to familiarize yourself with these awesome organizations.

We are getting busy lining up Thoroughbred friendly professionals for clinics and organizing our horse show that will be held June 1, 2024, more information will follow.

BEYOND the backstretch will also be involved in promoting and providing more information on , and the These programs are integral in promoting OTTB awareness and Second Chances, along with highlighting the Thoroughbreds in general. SOMETHING WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT!

HERE’s your part, we need your support and participation with sharing our mission, getting horse people excited, liking, and following our social media!

We will again begin our FEATURED THOROUGHBRED of the week, please consider sharing your journey with yours, we would love to hear all about your experiences and showcase your horse. If you know someone with an OTTB or thoroughbred, please encourage them to reach out. At the end of 2023 we drew from the 2023 participants and did a saddle pad/water bottle giveaway, we will do something similar for 2024. Our winner for 2023 was and her beautiful OTTB!

In advance THANK YOU as we GALLOP into 2024.

We would like to take a moment to thank the following for their continued sponsorship, and .0consulting

01/01/2024

Congratulations and Jazz Bear you are the winners of our saddle pad and water bottle ! Thank you for participating in our "feature of the week❤️❤️".

29/12/2023

14/12/2023

This week's feature Thoroughbred of the week is Heavy Hitter, 2011 Kentucky bred OTTB and

I walked thru the backside of Finger Lakes Racetrack in November 2016 and saw a beautiful face in a red halter! He melted my heart and would weasel his way into being my heart horse. I didn't need another horse but had to have him. Huddy has been with me since 2016, we have had ups and downs, but really doesn't everything worth something have ups and downs? He was the first horse I got back in the saddle on after my hip replacement in 2017. 6 weeks out and he took care of me, pish posh to people thinking TBs are crazy. We have gone on to compete successfully in the hunters, took a break to work out some lameness issues, but you'll see us in 2024🙏🤞. Huddy is like a big dog in the barn with his boyish charm. Loves , peppermints and ... Huddy loves to be brushed and cuddled! And whether it's tears or laughter he's always there to make the 🌈.

Thank you for allowing me such a great horse and for taking good care of him during his racing career.

11/12/2023

Would you attend a professional OTTB friendly riding or educational clinic ? BEYOND the backstretch and are looking into inviting a few professionals to our area throughout 2024.

All breeds welcome!

Any proceeds would be given to THOROUGHBRED AFTERCARE.

Check back for updates in 2024.

27/11/2023

Another fabulous update on a local OTTB that competed makeover representing

Blondie did wonderful in the hunters as well as competitive trail. She has since been adopted and is enjoying her forever home.

23/11/2023

❤️🦃

Thanksgiving is such great holiday, it's not filled with presents but filled with something more important, gratitude and love. It's a day to shut the world out and all the bad and to spend time with your loved ones, human or fur.

It's a time to be thankful for all we have, all we are and for our journeys in life.

I am grateful beyond words for my beautiful family, my grown children and my grandchildren, grateful for my fur-babies, hoofed and with paws. Grateful for my friends, and my clients, I am blessed.

Keep those in mind in less fortunate situations, or those struggling with sickness, those who have lost loved ones, human or with fur, may they also have some peace and goodness on this day.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!



📸 drawing by White Stallion Studio

22/11/2023

RRP report on one of our "Featured OTTB", amazing pair! and Strut

So we could’ve won the whole barrel racing part for RRP but we went off pattern the first night (my fault) tried to adjust myself so I didn’t fall off and then all of a sudden there was a barrel in front of me and we went left instead of right 🤣 next night we came back and smoked a 18.9 seconds! Putting us 2nd in the overall horses for RRP and 1st in the 3D for the Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP) championships. We were 5th overall in the 4D for TIP championships even with a no time the previous day.

For fun we entered the TIP ranch mare halter class and won 🏆. We qualified for the championships shortly after and we took 6th overall. (She was super psyched and would not stand still).

Overall the experience was a once in a life time! Biggest horse show I’ve ever been to! Everyone was connecting through the makeover FB page, RRP trainers and riders. That was super fun and tons of commaraderie. It was amazing watching other disciplines compete too. So much fun. Food and drinks were amazing too🤣.

08/11/2023

Please welcome 2015 Eurodollar, his barn name is Jonesy and his new show name is Nostromo. His proud owner is

We are in California but, I’m 38, been riding and training ponies since middle school and then throughbreds for 10 yrs when I moved to California. Finally got my own horse, always thought it would be a young welsh pony but got an ottb! He’s 8, he has been through some things with past owners, and is being retrained.
We spend our time doing liberty, flat work and trail riding in hopes of being a trail, dressage, and hunter/jumper.
His favorite treats are german horse muffins and apple nuggets from manna pro.

Thank you Katy for sharing your beautiful boy!

01/11/2023

Drum Roll - Please welcome "Behind the Bling" and -
Thank you for your participation in our "featured Thoroughbred of the week"

In April of 2022, I welcomed Killian home. He was 6 years old, had been off the track for a year, and retrained with a professional. He is honest, has a great brain and a goofy personality that makes me laugh. I’m pretty high strung and he’s super chill so we balance each other out really well. He can take a joke which is good cause I tell a lot of them.

Killian’s JC name is “Behind the Bling” and though he raced, I’m not sure he was aware of it. He is out of Redeemed and Gianna’s Reprized- which is a Sweet Southern Saint lineage.
He’s 17 hands and really solidly built with a soft mouth and fantastic movement. We’re training for the 3 foot hunter ring. We spend our time practicing towards our goals, grooming and eating cookies, and going on relaxing trail rides checking out the scenery (I.e. mares).
I feel so lucky to have found him- he brings me such happiness and our partnership is so rewarding.

30/10/2023

I'm not naive enough to think I'm going to change all the problems thoroughbred face but I'd like to help change one outcome at a time.

I saw somewhere on social media bailing one horse from a kill pen finances the kill buyer to purchase 5 more ? So what we just turn a blind eye ? Don't these horses deserve better?Isn't that one life worth something ?

I say absolutely and hope that BEYOND the backstretch can and will make a difference for unfortunate thoroughbreds that find themselves in bad situations.

Through the horse show, fundraising and awareness we hope to be able to donate to aftercare organizations, allowing them to expand their arms to more Thoroughbreds in need.