We made it to the 2024 Thoroughbred Makeover & Synposium! This is one of the fun times where we get to chat in person, and this year was extra special as we got the opportunity to host the whole finale -- dare we say, we made it?! We share our experiences and interviews, including a few catch-ups with our Making the Makeover riders, and more. We also entice you and your own Makeover dreams by introducing an adoptable horse with New Vocations', Amanda Tucker. Stay tuned!

• Hosts: Joy Hills and Kristen Kovatch Bentley of The Horseback Writer
• Image Credit: Retired Racehorse Radio
• Title Sponsor: Kentucky Performance Products
• Media Partners: The Thoroughbred Makeover and New Vocations Racehorse Adoption
• Guest: Chris Bennings
• Guest: Christine Starer-Smith
• Guest: Lisa Alverez
• Guest: Jody Busch
• Guest: Susan Smith
• Guest: Sarah Hickner
• New Vocations Segment: Amanda Tucker, New Vocations Adoptable Horse
• Additional Support Provided by: Cashel Company, Retired Racehorse Project, My New Horse, and Listeners like You!

You're listening to the one before the 2024 Thoroughbred Makeover! We're about to celebrate all things thoroughbred for the next week and to kick-start we have our final panel with our Making the Makeover riders as they gear up for the competition at the Kentucky Horse Park. And while we might be chatting OTTBS, we also shed some love and light on our standardbred friends with New Vocation's, Bridget Hollern, as she brings us a training tip and our adoptable horse of the week. Stay tuned!

• Hosts: Joy Hills and Kristen Kovatch Bentley of The Horseback Writer
• Image Credit: Retired Racehorse Radio
• Title Sponsor: Kentucky Performance Products
• Media Partners: The Thoroughbred Makeover and New Vocations Racehorse Adoption
• Guest Name: Dana Johnson
• Guest: Chris Bennings
• Guest: Jody Busch
• New Vocations Segment: Bridget Hollern, New Vocations Adoptable Horse
• Additional Support Provided by: Cashel Company, Retired Racehorse Project, My New Horse, and Listeners like You!
• 
  

Today we are joined by listener, Anne-Louise Knox, who shares how the Winston Churchill Fellowship is allowing her to travel the world to learn more about off-track welfare. We catch up with Makeover hopeful, Dana Johnson, and how her horse and her are coming along. We wrap the show with Amanda Tucker from New Vocations where she shares her favorite bits for green horses and introduces our adoptable horse of the week. Stay tuned!

• Hosts: Joy Hills and Kristen Kovatch Bentley of The Horseback Writer
• Image Credit: Retired Racehorse Radio
• Title Sponsor: Kentucky Performance Products
• Media Partners: The Thoroughbred Makeover and New Vocations Racehorse Adoption
• Guest: Michele Pesula Kuegler of Wasabi Aftercare Fund
• Guest: Chris Bennings
• Guest: Jody Busch
• New Vocations Segment: Bridget Hollern, New Vocations Adoptable Horse
• Additional Support Provided by: Cashel Company, Retired Racehorse Project, My New Horse, and Listeners like You!

Today we learn about Wasabi Racing Ventures and the Wasabi Aftercare Fund with Executive Director, Michele Pesula Kuegler. We catch up with our Making the Makeover pros, Chris Bennings and Jody Busch. We learn about the unique quirks of the standardbred trot with New Vocation's, Bridget Hollern, and introduce you to our adoptable horse of the week. Stay tuned!

• Hosts: Joy Hills and Kristen Kovatch Bentley of The Horseback Writer
• Image Credit: Retired Racehorse Radio
• Title Sponsor: Kentucky Performance Products
• Media Partners: The Thoroughbred Makeover and New Vocations Racehorse Adoption
• Guest: Wasabi Aftercare Fund, Michele Pesula Kuegler
• Guest: Megan Smits
• Guest: Chris Bennings
• New Vocations Segment: Bridget Hollern, New Vocations Adoptable Horse
• Additional Support Provided by: Cashel Company, Retired Racehorse Project, and Listeners like You!

Time Stamps:

8:19 –Wasabi Aftercare Fund, Michele Pesula Kuegler

22:12 – Chris Bennings and Jody Busch

37:48 – Bridget Hollern, New Vocations Adoptable Horse

Today we're chatting with Danielle Montgomery from Turning for Home, and how to assess what talents or interests a horse might have in a second career. We catch up with Dana Johnson, one of Making the Makeover competitors. We introduce you to Amanda Tucker from New Vocations and introduce our adoptable horse of the week. Stay tuned!

• Hosts: Joy Hills and Kristen Kovatch Bentley of The Horseback Writer
• Image Credit: Retired Racehorse Radio
• Title Sponsor: Kentucky Performance Products
• Media Partners: The Thoroughbred Makeover and New Vocations Racehorse Adoption
• Guest: Danielle Montgomery
• Guest: Dana Johnson
• New Vocations Segment: Amanda Tucker, New Vocations Adoptable Horse
• Additional Support Provided by: Cashel Company, Retired Racehorse Project, and Listeners like You!

Time Stamps:

15:54 – Danielle Montgomery

42:54 – Dana Johnson

58:43 – Amanda Tucker, New Vocations Adoptable Horse

We're chatting with Meg Smits about how her racetrack connections provides safe landing spaces for retired racers in her therapy program. We catch up with Mya Larson and Chris Bennings as they prepare for the TB Makeover. We wrap up with Winnie Morgan Nemeth from New Vocations bringing you TWO adoptable horses this week. Stay tuned!

• Hosts: Joy Hills and Kristen Kovatch Bentley of The Horseback Writer
• Image Credit: Retired Racehorse Radio
• Title Sponsor: Kentucky Performance Products
• Media Partners: The Thoroughbred Makeover and New Vocations Racehorse Adoption
• Guest: Megan Smits
• Guest: Chris Bennings of Morning Line Equestrian
• Guest: Mya Larson
• New Vocations Segment: Winnie Morgan Nemeth & HorseAdoption.org –Adoptable Horse Escadilla and Adoptable Horse WhyBabyWhy
• Additional Support Provided by: Cashel Company, Spalding Labs, Retired Racehorse Project, and Listeners like You!

Time Stamps:

15:00 – Meg Smits

37:11 – Mya Larson and Chris Bennings

59:43 – New Vocations Adoptable Horses

Today we're chatting with listener and HRN auditor, Lisa Dowell, on the adoption of her new thoroughbred and why an OTTB was right for her. We catch up with our Making the Makeover Riders, Jody Busch and Dana Johnson. We wrap up with Amanda Vance from New Vocations with a training tip and adoptable horse of the week. Stay tuned!

• Hosts: Joy Hills and Kristen Kovatch Bentley of The Horseback Writer
• Image Credit: Retired Racehorse Radio
• Title Sponsor: Kentucky Performance Products
• Media Partners: The Thoroughbred Makeover and New Vocations Racehorse Adoption
• Guest: Lisa Dowell
• Guest: Dana Johnson
• New Vocations Segment: Amanda Vance & HorseAdoption.org –Adoptable Horse
• Additional Support Provided by: Cashel Company, Retired Racehorse Project, RideTV, and Listeners like You!

On today's show, we're joined by RRP Executive Director, Kirsten Green, and Mareworthy Charities founder, Kyle Rothfus, to learn about their upcoming TB Broodmare Transition Symposium. We get a Making the Makeover update from competitors Chris Bennings and Dana Johnson. We then chat with New Vocation's own, Winnie Morgan Nemeth, and introduce you to our adoptable horse of the week. Stay tuned!

• Hosts: Joy Hills and Kristen Kovatch Bentley of The Horseback Writer
• Image Credit: Retired Racehorse Radio
• Title Sponsor: Kentucky Performance Products
• Media Partners: The Thoroughbred Makeover and New Vocations Racehorse Adoption
• Guest: Kirsten Green & Kyle Rothfus on the TB Broodmare Transition Symposium
• Guest: Chris Bennings of Morning Line Equestrian
• Guest: Dana Johnson
• New Vocations Segment: Winnie Morgan Nemeth & HorseAdoption.org – Adoptable Horse
• Additional Support Provided by: Cashel Company, US Rider, Retired Racehorse Project, Savvy Feeders, and Listeners like You!

Time Stamps:

01:00 - Kristen's Weekend Show

06:20 - Joy Updates on Astrid

12:52 - Kirsten Green & Kyle Rothfus

30:00 - Chris Bennings and Dana Johnson

44:00 - Winnie Morgan Nemeth