Hollywood Vic - SEE HIS NEWEST UPDATES ON
OUR SISTER SITE: www.OTTBSuccessStories.com
August 10, 2008
Hollywood Vic is getting taller and enjoying lessons with his mom Cheri Jackson.
July 8, 2008
Hollywood Vic and Lynn's Vision (aka Bubba) were former stall mates at the track. They remet at Bits & Bytes Farm where they continue their friendship. It is amazing that they remembered each other! Smart
guys!
May 12, 2008
Elizabeth,
I really appreciate all you help yesterday! I love re-learning
how to ride and you are a great teacher! This past Saturday, May
10th, was the third month anniversary of my purchasing H. Vic!
Wow..I feel like he has been in our family forever and I can not
imagine life without him in it!
In spite of the obstacles we have experienced, two abscessed feet..losing
shoes, bad weather here and there as well as my leaving the country
for spring break, I think we have come a long way. We have definitely
gotten in many grooming sessions on all those days I could not
ride! Everyone at the barn is commenting on how shiny he looks!!
Since I do not have any fantastic photos of myself on Hollywood
galloping through a field or hurdling over chicken coops, I thought
I would share with you this little video. (hope it works). I am still
trying to figure out how to edit movies!
THIS is what makes my day when I come out to the barn!
Check this out..let me know if it does not work.
Cheri
March 22, 2008
Happy 4th Birthday to Hollywood Vic. Hollywood's
big brother Paul give's him his birthday present. Hollywood Vic
loves Jolly Balls. March 22, 2008
Elizabeth helps new horse owners learn to
train their horses . . . and then she steps aside to let them learn
themselves how to train their horse!
February 14, 2008
Hollywood Vic was one of our 25
Special Horses. He was purchased by our favorite trainer to
learn how to become a race horse. He was too laid back and slow
so he was offered for sale to a "forever home". Cheri
Jackson has always wanted to own her own horse and keep him forever.
Hollyood Vic and Cheri found each other through our Web site. Congratulations
Cheri and Hollywood Vic!
Hollywood Vic and Paul Jackson get to know
each other. February 10, 2008
Hollywood Vic - November 18, 2007
June 11, 2007
Hollywood Vic with mom Becky and his exercise rider Matthew. June
2007
Well it has been quiet awhile since my last update. As you all
know Hollywood was in training last fall and I laid him up for
the winter. Wendy (the woman who broke him to ride) started him
back jogging in March and I picked him up April first.
His attitude
had changed so much. Gone was the quiet easy going horse in place
was a aggressive race horse. He thinks he is the man. He has
totally changed body and mind. He can't be galloped in company
because he trains too hard. I have to keep him by himself until
he breezes. He is funny in the barn and demands attention from
everyone. He also has grown up so much. Hollywood is never going
to be a big horse but I am happy with the horse he is maturing
into.
As for his training it has progress so quickly. He got okay out
of the gate the other day. I was so proud of him. He has been
ready to break for awhile but I have been trying to take it slow.
He has wanted to go faster then I would like.All of his breezes
have been good thanks to Matthew- I don't breeze him because
I am trying to keep as much weight off of him as possible so
he will stay sound and make the races.
I am so in love with this horse he makes my day every day. What
he lacks in size he makes up for in attitude. I would have to
guess he is probably a month away from running so as he gets
closer I will let everyone know. Keep your fingers crossed and
hopefully we will be able to put up his win picture....
Becky
December 26, 2007
Dillion and Hollywood Vic at the race track. Dillon loves Hollywood
Vic.
December 26, 2006
Well it is hard to believe that Hollywood has been at the track
for 30 days. He learned everything so well including going to the
gate. He surpassed my expections two fold.He is so very easy to
ride. I actually had to take him out of company because he was
getting way too competetive and I didn't want him doing too much
too soon. He learned how to eat carrots and peppermints and he
learned how to take his night sheet off and poop on it-HEE-the
joys of owning a smart horse. Hollywood learned to love his bathes
and would even hold his head up in the air so you could wash under
his jowls and chin. He also became good friends with Dillon- Richies
8 yr old son-who cried when Hollywood left. He wanted to know why
Hollywood couldn't just stay at the track and grow up.I explained
to him he needed some more time to be turned out.Well he will not
return until March of 07 to continue on with his training and hopefully
make the races.
Becky
Hollywood Vic's first trip to the track. November 6, 2006.
November 15, 2006
Finally an update on Vic. . .
He is the smartest horse in the whole world. I am so happy to finally get to know him. I have only really seen him once since I picked him up in the early winter 2006 and took him to be broke to ride. Last week, Hollywood Vic hopped right on the trailer when I went to pick him to bring him to the track to start his training. No questions asked.
Hollywood Vic was not at all upset about starting his career as a race horse. November 6, 2006
Got to the track and wanted to know where his food was-no baby stuff like whinnying and stall running. Elizabeth, Susan Browne and Barry got to see his first day on the track. He went to the track like he had done it his whole life. No spooking, no ducking, just a nice lope around the track. Since that first day he has been perfect. He has had his front shoes put on-no problem, teeth done, vaccinated again, Coggins pulled and he was bathed for the first time in his life! The first bath was fun- he wasn't quite sure but didn't make too much of a fuss, the next day he stood like an old man.
Hollywood Vic went to the track like he had done it his whole life. - November 6, 2006
Vic is very serious about his training, when I tack him up to go to the track he is all business. He goes with a big guy that is about 16'1 and little Vic stands about 15 hands right now. He has no problem keeping up with him though. They are a great pair and love going to the track together.
He goes with a big guy that is about 16'1 and little Vic stands about 15 hands right now. He has no problem keeping up with him though. They are a great pair and love going to the track together.
Let me stress-having a well broke thoroughbred is such an advantage. He is so well adjusted to everything and that makes my job so much easier to teach them at the track. He has already gone to the gate without blinking an eye. There will be lots of jogging and slow loping. He is behind on the growing part so I will take it really slow with him and see what happens. No pressure with Vic he'll let me know when he is ready.
Hollywood Vic shares secrets with "Friend of Bits & Bytes Farm" Susan Browne. November 6, 2006
This has been pleasant surprise having Vic at the track and I look forward to everyday he learns something new.
Becky
March 23, 2006
Hello Elizabeth and Barry,
As usual our visit was too short but par for the course Barry's cooking was awesome. I never thought I would find people that would love horses as much as I do but in you two, I have. Thanks again for being my friend and my partners.
Hollywood Vic tells his mom Becky about being broke to be a race horse. March 2006.
Update on Vic-he is now officially a gelding -all went well. He was gelded when the signs were in his feet so no bleeding, no swelling. Wendy has broke him to saddle and will continue to ride him for the next two weeks, lots of trotting and not a lot of loping. Right now it is very important to not stress his bones since I had his growth plates x-rayed and they are wide open. He will not work till June and then we will x-ray him again him to see if they have closed any. If you push them too hard when they are open it causes degeneration and can cause chips and early arthritis. He will not go to the track until his bones say it is time!
Wendy trained Hollywood Vic to take the saddle and be ridden.
Hollywood Vic is still a wonderful horse and the gelding didn't faze him at all. I can't wait to bond with him like all of the other people have been able to bond with the 25 Special Horses they have received from Joe. They all are such wonderful animals with great personalities.
Best of luck to all that have had the pleasure to get one of these horses. Wish Hollywood Vic and I lots of racing luck and he will be offered for sale after his career is over.
Thanks again,
Becky
December 27, 2005
Becky has been our on-site person at the farm where these 25 Special Horses were living. She worked hard with the vets doing vet checks, pulling Coggins and worming the horses so that they would be ready to go to their new homes. We hope that Becky will keep us updated as to his training and eventually his debut on the track. Here is Becky's first installment.
 Hollywood Vic - November 2005
Here goes my update. This is so everyone can see what goes into starting a horse to get to the races.It is a little different then starting a show horse but not much . . .
Hollywood Vic was way out in the pasture when I went to get him last Tuesday. It was cold and miserable and I didn't feel like walking way back to get him. Thinking he would come if I called, I did just that. Here he came galloping across the field like he had known me his whole life. He walked right at my shoulder with no halter on till we got to the gate. He stood patiently while I put the halter on him — for the second time in his life! He ate my hair while I wrestled to open the gate and he followed me out to the road to the awaiting trailer. His breeder, Joe, drove behind me in the truck since it was too far for him to walk. "Vic" acted like he had done it his whole life. I allowed him to stand for a minute before loading — since this would be his first ride and I wanted it to be a good one. Joe walked up and gave him a big hug good-bye and "Vic" jumped up onto the trailer. He's so cool. I closed the doors and we were off but not before "Vic" whinnied his final good-bye to Joe.
The trip took about four hours. I did stop for gas and "Vic" never took his head out of the hay bag. I have decided to let my friend Wendy Mahoney break him since she is the best at starting young horses and has great facilities for it. Her farm is Shamrock Stables located in Grafton, Ohio. I have ridden upwards of 300 horses that she has broke over the years and all of them have been great. She broke my other horse 'Strict Mister' who was just sold by Bits & Bytes Farm. She did a great job with him.
When I opened the doors to the trailer "Vic" looked out surveyed the farm and walked off into his stall. Wendy put him behind a full door for the night to see how he would do. She has had horses try to jump over half doors before, so she always waits a few days to see how they settle in before she moves them to the back training barn to start their lessons.
This week "Vic" was wormed again and will have his teeth done. His official training will not start until Jan 2nd. I want him to get used to living in a stall and her routine before he has to get trained. He will remain a colt probably until March or April if he handles it okay. I leave that up to Wendy, since she has to deal with him everyday. If he gets to be a handful he will be gelded promptly. He gets turned out with four other guys and is doing fine. She moved him the next day to the back since he was such a good boy.
As she starts with him I will let everyone know what is going on with him, her methods and his reactions. Any questions are welcomed and I will do my best to answer them. Click here to send your questions to me.
Wish me luck and thanks to all that has taken one of these special horse. They are so well behaved and loved. Joe thought of each and every horse as a his family member and it was a very hard decision to let them all go. There are still some beautiful horses left out there that need homes. There are only three that aren't broke but if you are looking for the perfect horse one of these might be that since you can teach them everything the way you want with no one else's problems to fix. See if you can't find a special place for one of these wonderful animals.
Thanks again and Merry Christmas,
— Becky and Hollywood Vic
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