A Busy Couple of Weeks

The past two weeks have been busy, fun-filled, and informational for this communications intern!

Last Friday, the equine dentist came out to take a look at some of the new horses. Phoebe, Rugby, and Louie were the main three on his list to visit. As someone who has never really seen an equine dentist at work, it was an extremely interesting morning. Victor Torres (the MMSC’s dentist-of-choice) showed me the inside of the horse’s mouth, explaining to me what the issue was and how he was going to fix it. Then, after working to repair the problem, he would show me the finished product. I saw him file down teeth that were too sharp and even pull a baby tooth that was getting in the way! It was amazing to see the difference after Victor had finished his work.

Aside from the equine dentist, the past two weeks have also seen this intern primarily in the barn. (A lovely place to be!) Though I haven’t been riding (yet), I have been doing everything but. I, along with other interns and volunteers, have been bathing, grooming, feeding, mucking stalls, and bringing horses up from the paddock. To any non-horse person, this may sound a little tedious. However, for anyone who has ever been bitten by the bug (the horse-bug, that is), you know that it’s wonderful and worth every minute. It’s the perfect way to start a morning, before the pressure of class or work gets in the way. That’s my prescription for anyone feeling stressed out or overwhelmed--just go and spend some time with your horse. (Or, for those of you who don’t have your own, find some place to volunteer. Any horse time is better than no horse time!)

I hope you’ve been watching the first ride videos of this class. They're posted on both the Youtube channel (just type in “Marker’s Mark Secretariat Center”) and the Kentucky Horse Park website. These guys are worth keeping up with! We’ve got a really talented class here at the MMSC!

This week was a promotional one for the MMSC. Irene, Susanna, and I manned a booth at the Equine Career Fair hosted by the UK AgEquine Program and the Georgetown College Equine Scholars Program. This was an informative fair, with representatives there from Woodford Equine Hospital, Bloodhorse magazine, and (of course) the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center! We spent a few hours on Tuesday evening talking to individuals interested in either interning or volunteering at the MMSC. I enjoyed getting to share my passion about the work the Secretariat Center does. For me, the best part is giving these horses the opportunity and skill set to pursue a new “career.” They are not relegated to the corner and forgotten about; instead, they are given the opportunity to excel and to shine. Sharing this with a group of people all connected by an interest in horses made the time fly. Hopefully the MMSC will get in a good batch of new interns and volunteers as a result of a few hours of pleasant conversation.

--Ashlyn Anderson-Keelin

I had a great time at the career fair at the University of Kentucky! It was fun to meet new future volunteers and to educate them about the Center. Many people had heard of MMSC but some were unaware of what we actually do. It was nice to describe the basis of the Center and the everyday tasks that help make it. In addition to new volunteers, some were interested in the internship programs. As a current intern at the Maker's Mark Secretariat Center, it was wonderful to be able to inform them of what an internship entails. Illustrating an image of my day-to-day activities at the Center was amazing; it truly gave me a sense of home at MMSC. By the end of the career fair I had had an amazing time. I know that I am definitely a part of the MMSC Team and I feel a great deal of pride in that.
--Irene Kaar

Another Day With Our "Crazy" Thoroughbreds

Yesterday's tornadic storms have passed and revealed a beautiful sunny day PERFECT for bomb proofing some of our Spring class! Intern, Irene Kaar, volunteer Catherine Flowers and former intern Erin O'Keefe who stopped in for a visit, spent the morning testing the flightiness of Thoroughbreds.

Irene worked with the 3 year old filly, Victoria. Catherine buddied up with 3 year old gelding Duke, and Erin partnered with 5 year old Moon. The teams started with Natural Horsemanship games and before long horses' heads dropped, ears relaxed, and hind legs cocked. Horses moved off the "leg", yielded shoulders, backed up, came forth, and followed willingly.

Horses now calm, the girls moved on to more exciting challenges: The gnashing pink umbrella, the snakelike fluttering flags were pulled from the "terrifying toy bucket. Reactions varied from mild surprise to complete disinterest! So the next game was the obstacle course which included a small cross rail set between two brush jumps and a wooden bridge which wonderful Tony Yanek, MMSC farm manager, had finished making yesterday. The jump was not a challenge, so the girls moved on to a tougher obstacle: the eight foot long 10 inch high bridge. Victoria was scared at first, shaking, snorting and testing the wooden floor with her nose and one tentative hoof. With a modicum of coaxing, however, this willing little mare faced her fears and followed Irene across the bridge.
Moon, however, previously unflappable to the other challenges, refused the newest adventure. Only by switching to "Horse Time" meaning "it takes the time it takes" and using team work (i.e. Susanna's assistance) did Moon, one foot at a time (a very long time) placed each foot on the bridge and then stood there completely unfazed and, indeed, reluctant to get down.

Duke was a little foot sore, so he was retired early and Catherine soaked his foot in Epsom and packed his hoof. (Note to ourselves: Dukey needs front shoes!). A perfect patient, standing in a tub of hot water, he watched Victoria's every move with calm and keen interest.

Once again these three MMSC horses disproved the myth of crazy Thoroughbreds!