I first heard about the Thoroughbred Makeover competition when it showed up on my Facebook news feed as something one of my friends was doing. Emily Flaxman, now Emily Spicer, was a student of mine for awhile before striking out on her own as a professional.
Emily did very well in the first Thoroughbred Makeover. She earned fourth place with Go Wheeler Go.
It had been awhile since I had seen Emily, so we scheduled a lunch to talk about her experience in the Makeover. The thoroughbreds owners, Mark and Ann, came to lunch too. Emily graciously answered our endless questions. We talked about cross country hauling, what the Kentucky Horse Park was like, and the format of the competition. Emily shared the things she noticed that the judges like, and what they penalized. More than anything, Emily shared her experience of community and lasting friendships she gained through the experience.
Ann and Emily