We are back in the office again and trying to get organized after our trip to the
2016 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium which took place in Lexington, Kentucky at the immense Kentucky Horse Park this past weekend. The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) does a fantastic job of putting on the entire event and we were thrilled to be a part of it.
We had a prime position near one of the entrance ramps to the main, TCA Covered Arena and – as usual – we received a slew of looks as onlookers and participants went about their business. (We’re a bit of a head turner – imagine that!) The more places we go and events we do, the more people come up to us that have heard of us or have an Equicizer of their own. However, no matter where we go, we always receive the entire range of human reactions - from skeptical to admiring to confused to sarcasm. Many people stop and listen, fascinated, and their criticism turns to understanding as they open their mind to the possibilities the Equicizer presents to both the avid rider and non-rider alike.
This event was especially fun for us as we were able to "revisit our roots" so to speak
(see our previous blog!) and there were many requests for jockey lessons by Frankie on the Equicizer! It’s always riveting for people to learn more about horse racing and the various aspects, specifically riding, as that is where our expertise lies and there is nothing cooler than getting to speak to a professional jockey in person. The questions are endless!
Saturday morning four former jockeys including Frankie, Remi Bellocq (Executive Director of the
North American Racing Academy), Chris McCarron (former head of NARA) and Rose Napravnik took part in a “How To Ride A Racehorse” demo which drew quite a crowd. They took a couple of riders from other disciplines and put them in a galloping position on their Off Track Thoroughbreds, offering direction and pointers on how to rider their OTTB’s as racehorses. Let me tell you – they did great but the struggle was real!
We had a wonderful weekend and met some awesome people. It’s always a thrill when social media friends and supporters come up to us, excited and looking forward to getting an Equicizer of their own (or telling us stories of the Equicizer they already own) but it’s just as satisfying teaching someone about the Equicizer who has never heard of us and encouraging them to get on, ride and feel the results for themselves. Those are the people that make these events so worth it! The chance to bring a little more joy and positivity to people’s lives emotionally, physically, and mentally is what makes our “job” so rewarding. We believe in our product and stand behind it whole-heartedly.
This will most likely be our last event for the year as we focus on holiday orders and the standard rush, but we’re still here, where we always have been, and we hope you’ll send us a message, say hello, and allow us the opportunity to explain to you why we do, what we do!
By Kayla Jarvinen
