Willing (More Than Ready – Thedevil Wearsnada, by Uncle Mo) is a lovely 7-year-old 16.1 hand Thoroughbred mare who truly lives up to her name and has the right bloodlines to become a fantastic sport horse.

In her five starts as a 3-year-old, Willing failed to distinguish herself as a racehorse and was initially retired to be a broodmare, however in the three years after she left the track, she produced just one foal (who she promptly rejected, necessitating a nurse mare). Wanting the best for her, her owner sold her to me with the hopes she could become someone’s horse of a lifetime (and I have no doubt she will be, for the right person!).

With former broodmares (even ones that didn’t do it for very long, like Willing) I tend to take things slower than if they were coming straight from the track. Having been largely on turnout for the past several years, she lacked the muscling, fitness and work mentality that the typical off-tracker comes with, so for the first 30-45 days, we worked on the foundational stuff – learning to cross tie, groundwork, lunging, etc., with an occasional flat session or group hack here and there.

Over the past 60 days, Willing has been doing more consistent work, flatting 2-3 times a week, hacking out both along or in small groups, doing ground pole exercises and has recently started over fences work (popping over cross rails and 2’-2’3” verticals – she has a lovely form and is slow over the fence). She is starting to learn to go in a proper sport horse frame and to understand simple lateral cues, such as leg yields and spiraling out of circles.

In the coming weeks Willing will start hauling off-site for training sessions and to try her hand (hoof) and cross-country schooling and maybe a small local show. While she has the form over fences to do well in the hunter ring, she is sporty, maneuverable and bold enough to do well in eventing, dressage or the jumper ring. She is really starting to offer that lovely shape and feeling of “sport horse” rather than “racehorse.”

Willing is very sweet (loves attention, interaction and especially treats!), but has a bit of sass to her as well. She is a forward ride and, like most mares, she prefers to be asked rather than told what to do (I can relate!). She’s the type that comes out keen, but usually doing some groundwork and lunging (with games and exercises aimed at clicking into her brain and getting her into work mode, rather than meant to exhaust her) before getting on makes for a happy, productive ride. She does well riding in an arena with other horses working around her (I think she actually prefers it to being ridden alone, though she does both on a regular basis here).

From a nutritional standpoint, Willing is an easy keeper, maintaining her weight easily on minimal grain and pasture (or hay in the winter months), but will do best with someone willing to do a few simple things to curate an environment that suits her active mind. After living the broodmare life for several years, she much prefers being turned out with friends rather than in a stall and is working through not being herd-bound. 

She comes in daily for a few hours, (and I find is much happier with other horses in the barn). She can get anxious if in a stall by herself and away from her friends for extended periods of time and will weave mildly (with just her head, not her whole body). She’s the type of horse that I think would do well in a busier boarding barn environment rather than being kept in a 2-3 horse at-home barn.

Willing would be best-suited to a good-riding junior or adult amateur in a program with a professional trainer that has experience bringing along Thoroughbreds off the track. She is RRP eligable for the Retired Broodmare Division for 2026 and Brownstead Farm will reimburse a portion of her final entry fees if she competes!

Flatwork and first jumps: https://youtu.be/9bErM29J2Jo 

She is currently priced at $7,500 (trial rides and PPEs welcome).