Good Morning,
I love this! Look who is at Del Mar having a few days of RNR. It is my dear friend, Jeanne Mayberry. She is the wonderful lady, who along with her daughter, April, taught ME my very first lessons at their training center in Ocala, Florida.
Jeanne is taking a few days off and relaxing in good Ol’ DEL MAR. She is here with her other daughter, Summer, and her family. In the photo with Jeanne is her grandson, BRYAN. Jeanne loves to come to the barn and visit with her ‘students’. I know John and Dottie always keep her up-to-date on how ‘we’ are all doing. It makes it so much FUN for everyone to stay involved.
April went on a vacation a bit earlier…so everyone is taking a moment to refresh before they gear up for another season of ‘breaking yearlings’. Dottie always equates this to ‘going to school’. The yearlings start arriving in late September (after the Keeneland Yearling Sale) to begin the program. They settle in and get acquainted with their new surroundings, and then start to learn their lessons: to wear tack, have a rider on their back and then learn to take the cues from the rider to jog, gallop, and lengthen stride etc. All of this is so, so important to every horse and his / her future.
These lessons progress throughout the winter and then in March, April, May and June, the individual horses… now 2…leave Jeanne and April to go to the racetrack to their respective trainers. When the horse leaves the training center depends on several factors. The most important is HOW the horse is doing and the progress he/she is making. Just like humans, horses develop at different levels and different stages. Some are fast learners and quickly ‘get it’. Others, may need a bit more one-to-one attention to learn a task and and master it. Learning for this horse may progress at a slower pace.
Meeting individual differences, in MY TEAM’S opinion, is just as important for a horse as it is for a young child and a developing student.
Just like school, the students leave each year to go on to a new teacher. The same principle applies here…the 2 year olds leave to go on to the race track, to their new trainer, and the next stage of their career.
I must say, I adore Jeanne and April. They always treated ME with such LOVE and PATIENCE. So much goes into the development of a race horse…and every lesson, every consideration, and every single person who touches you can have such an impact on your future. I’ve been SO BLESSED!
I think they feel I was ‘REALLY A TERRIFIC STUDENT’. I know they are EXTREMELY PROUD OF ME and WHAT I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
With Love,
Hugs to All~ (Have fun in Del Mar, Jeanne!)
Z
Arlene
Hi Zenny and All, Did I make #1?
Robin
Thanks for the information on the training process. I am the first one to post!!!!! XOXOXOXOXXO to you beautiful girl!!
Arlene
YEAH ! I made #1.
LOL, Arlene
DJ
You made it Arlene! #1 Zenyatta Fan today! Congratulations :)
Lois Gillespie
Z and Dottie,
Thank you for giving such interesting info on the pre-racing preparation for the yearlings. I so enjoy learning the fine points of early training and all that goes into making them competitive on the track.
Arlene
Hi again, Now I can take time to read your post, but I had to move fast to get to be #1!!!
Wonderful post concerning your kindergarden teachers. Nice April visited you not long ago.
Have a wonderful day everyone. Hope it’s cooling off and getting some rain in Texas. LOL, Arlene
Maryyette
Love You, Zenny!!!!!
Pam Green
How important those first teachers are for both horses and humans, they give you a hoof up in the right direction which will help you the rest of your career. As I am sure Jeanne did for you as we all know how well you came out Queen Z. Thanks Jeanne for a job well done, high hoof to you and all of the Z team.
Eveline
Hi Zenny, hope you have a wonderful day. @ All – tomorrow is the start of the European Championship Dressage. Wonder horse Totilas is competing under his new rider. http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2011/08/098.shtml Make sure you scroll to the end and watch the promo video, at 1.29 there are a few clips of Totilas that will give you goosebumps !
Sharyn
How well said – all the love and patience shown in the development of anyone, animal or human, pays off in the end! All of these special people surely developed you in to who you are and all you have accomplished so far!
Have a great day too! RNR sounds good!!
Celeste
What a beautiful message. We should all allow for such patience and caring for many aspects of our lives. I think it is beautiful that you are blessed with the connections who truly do get what horses need to develop to their full potential. Too many times horses or children are rushed beyond what they can do and the results are not so good. Thank you to all of Zenyatta’s lovely connections for all that you have done and continue to do. Thank you for sharing with us here.
Judy Idriss
Hi Zenny, It’s always such a treat to read your daily diary. So much wonderful information. It would be great fun if we fans could hear more about how your training went when you were first sent to the center in Florida. Cute stories, etc. Also does anyone know when your half-sister “E” will be running? I will be at Del Mar the weekend of The Pacific Classic. It sure would be wonderful to see her race. Take care & have a great day!
Maria K.
Hi Queen Z, I love reading your diary posts. You’re always providing us a lot of valuable information. Thank you so much for the updates and info. Everyday I look forward to reading your post. I love you Zenny!
Suzanne G
Dear Zenyatta,
What an inspiration to students everywhere! How fortunate for you and all of us that your teams recognized your individuality and guided you so well at each stage of your development. Now it’s your turn to guide. Enjoy the day and your wonderful 2 and 4-legged friends and family. Love and hugs, Suzanne G
Rosanne Glynn
How is her majesty doing? Would love to see a video of the queen and her baby bump!!!! :) oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxox
Heidi Kreizinger
Z – I have a question. In the massive heat wave in the past month, why did they allow the horses to run in that heat? I would think, just like humans, that they might suffer from heat stroke. Is this true or do horses have automatic air conditioners?
Love ya Z
Heidi
Holly Zemba
Very interesting thanks for sharing!
Trisha Veazey
As always great information. TLC is the only way to teach. Soft words of encouragement and love always receive the
best results.
You are a prime example of love gorgeous one.
Love hugs and kisses
Christine in VA
Hi Zen,
Do you remember the first time you had a rider ? How was it for you? What a lucky person to be the first !!! Then again you knew all along you were made for greatness. Have a great day MOMMY.
Mary
I am sure Jeanne and April are proud that they got to be your first trainers Z…we know how intelligent you are and how you love to please…I am sure you were a delight. I know they realized early that you were a little different..like you could take two strides to other horses one…not sure I said that right…but you know what I mean Z. You were special then and you are now….enjoy a relaxing day in Kentucky….hugs to you Z!!!
luvscritters
The patience shown you all through your career helped enable you to rise to the level of greatness you attained.
Horses respond so much better to patience and understanding than to demands and rushing.
My mare, Dash, is just two weeks older than you are — she was born March 17 — and I sent her to a “natural” horsemanship trainer when she was 3. I now ride that wonderful mare all over the woods in a HALTER, she’s just totally willing to do whatever I ask, I don’t even need to put a bit in her mouth.
The difference between a willing horse and a horse that has to be forced to do everything is like night and day. I’m so glad your handlers worked with you and allowed you to LOVE your job so you would want to excel!
Allen
Great information on the training process. Again thank you to Dottie and John for helping you with the posts, and to Sarah for all the great pictures. Have a great day Queen Z.
Yvonne and Maurice
Hi Zenyatta. Cute pic of Jeanne and handsome grandson, Bryan. Great diary. I recently saw a program on HRTV focusing on a training center – soooo interesting. We all know how proud you have made Jeanne and her family. Their love and patience was shown in every race you ran and your wonderful show of affection and love for everyone, and we all know you were their favorite student!! Just watched the Hall of Fame presentation that was broadcast by HRTV last evening. It was fabulous – I kept on crying with everyone – it was so special – congrats to all horses and our Jerry – what a wonderful special man! Love you so mommy to be. Please stay cool and comfy, eat well for two and have loads of fun with BBFs.
Jane Wade
No better place to relax than Del Mar and San Diego! Hope she has a great time!
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Wishing you a wonderful day Zenyatta…and you too Dottie! ;-)
harold moore
she sure did a great job for you BIG Z, and the best always comes to the top.
Jane Wade
Forgot to say that they did a really good job with you as their “student”! All of your teachers did a great job…look at the result! Thanks again for all the info!
Donna from Baltimore
Thanks for another great lesson about TB racing. I particularly like the story of when Jeanne called David and told him he either had a lot of slow horses or one really fast one – Queen Z!
Linda Deutsch
Jeanne sure did a great job with you – you are such a sweet and loving horse, Z. Thanks Dottie for all this info – it is so interesting. Hugs & Nose kisses.
Abigail from Montreal
As a former teacher, I just LOVE your message today, Zenny and Dottie! It seems like such a simple truth: allow each being to develop at their own rhythm and they will ALWAYS become the very BEST that they can be. Whether horse, child, dog, cat, teenager or adult, this is a TRUTH that too often gets swept away in equine, canine and human classrooms worldwide, in my opinion. In my own case, I always looked at my students as individuals, assessed where they were developmentally and then we moved forward TOGETHER from there. Even though arbitrary standards plague all kinds of teaching, you my sweet Zenny and your wise teachers demonstrate what can be reaped by taking this method! No question that you could NOT have become the CHAMPION you ARE without the human partners who guided you to greatness.
In my experience, any intelligent being taught with this kind of respect also learns to NEVER GIVE UP and to ALWAYS BE THE BEST THEY CAN BE. Students of this method are also KIND TO OTHERS because they themselves have been accorded respect and dignity.
Stella Bagwell
Dearest Queen,
I’m sure you still remember when you were in school, learning those first steps that would eventually take you to the track and stardom! :) No doubt it has always felt like humans were teaching you, but in fact, dear Z, you and your equine friends are continually teaching us humans much more. Especially about loving and caring for each other.
I hope your day in the blue grass is a very happy one.
Love you!
Stel