Pletcher is a Brownstead Farm homebred who was sold as a yearling in 2019 and, upon retirement from racing due to a bowed tendon, was returned to us to rehabilitate and retrain. After having a year off and careful rehab under veterinary supervision, he began his retraining in December, 2022 and has been easy and uncomplicated. 

Pletcher is in work 3-4 days per week (a mix of flatting in the arena, hacking through fields and trail riding). He is very easy going and loves to learn - this is a horse that truly enjoys building a partnership with his rider. Currently his training sessions are focused on simple lateral work, trot/canter poles, changes of pace and other foundational tools for his tool kit, as well as hacks in open fields or trails to warm up and cool out.  He has also started to work on small, simple 2' courses, trotting in and cantering out and is happy to maintain a steady, even pace throughout. 

Recently, Pletcher spent ten days in Aiken, SC and did everything from trail ride through Hitchcock Woods and navigate his first small cross country jumps to school in arenas and open fields and hack at Bruce's Field during the busyness of a horse show, all without hesitation. A week later he was used as a demo horse at Road to the Horse, a renowned colt-starting competition at the Kentucky Horse Park. There, in Tik Maynard's clinic, he learned to navigate jumps and obstacles, such as poles, tarps, barrels and liverpools, on a line. It was a HUGE environment with stadium seating, crowds, loudspeakers, jumbotrons and activity, but Pletcher took it all in stride and successfully answered every question that was asked. 

While he is pretty to look at and wonderfully put together, his brain is what makes this horse one in a million. He clips, loads, ties/cross-ties, and stands for baths, vacuuming, body clipping and the farrier, as any mannerly horse should. He has been in a variety of different environments since starting his off-track training, including show grounds, indoor/outdoor arenas, tunnels, wooded areas, open fields, etc. and he is always the same ride. He also is unfazed by the major construction that has recently been taking place in the barn, dozing in the cross ties as loud hammering and earth-moving is going on just opposite the wall behind him. He hacks out on a loose rein and doesn't turn a hair when horses in surrounding pastures get jazzed and start tearing around their fields. He is the same horse at home as he is hauling off-site, both when it's 70 or 17 degrees, regardless of how hard the wind is blowing and gusting, and is happy to go over/under/through/around/between anything asked. 

His on-track veterinarian has seen him through the rehabilitation of his tendon this past year and has given him the all-clear to start jumping and progressing in his training without limitations. He is an easy, straightforward ride, loves hacking out in fields and on trails and would make a fantastic go anywhere, do anything partner!

Pletcher is being offered for $10,000 (firm). Trial rides and PPEs are welcome!