Jackie Grant was just twelve years old when she first crossed paths with a standardbred. The gentle gelding, who raced as ‘Hope Reins Supreme’, was the perfect partner for paddock plods, confidence-building and exploring local trails.
The next champ with a stamp to come along was the neighbour’s ex-trotter Billy, a willing horse Jackie steered around many a barrel in novelty rings and who gave her an early taste of success on the pony club scene.
Some years later, Jackie’s standardbred journey came a full circle when ten-year-old gelding Iggy joined her family. Sourced through a friend who had purchased him from Hero Retrainer Shory Park, Iggy was very green and quite a quirky character.
“The great thing about Iggy is there’s no guesswork with how he’s feeling”, Jackie laughs.
“He can be prone to anxiety at times and gets caught up in his head, but he’s also one of the smartest horses I’ve ever met”.
Realising that riding was quite overwhelming for Iggy, Jackie stripped his training right back. At the same time, she noted what an incredibly good type he was, with correct conformation and real presence.
On a whim, Jackie decided, a mere two weeks after taking him on, to bring Iggy to the All Breeds Show (ABSS) in Bendigo to have the experience of an outing under his belt. Given the prestige of this particular show, and the fact Iggy had never been out to any sort of horse event before, Jackie was rather floored when Iggy brought home a trove of sashes, including Champion Novice Led Standardbred against some top-quality, seasoned competitors.
Inspired by his early success, Jackie continued to seek opportunities to get Iggy out and about in-hand, whilst also recommencing his ridden training in January 2024.
Iggy’s progress under saddle was slow and at times felt to Jackie like one step forward, three back. An experienced, patient and considered horsewoman, Jackie invested in both Iggy’s physical health as well as mental, through thorough vetting and participation in horsemanship clinics.
A few months later, Jackie took Iggy to the St Arnaud Show. Overwhelmed with the grounds doubling as a racetrack, Iggy reverted to his familiar racing gait and was very tense across the event.
“I look back on that particular show as a great measure on how much Iggy has progressed across the past year”, Jackie reflects.
“In 2024 we missed the led classes and it was Iggy’s first event under saddle. He just paced flat out and got himself so worked up he ended up tying up (a medical condition where a horse’s muscles lock up after exercise) after the event from the stress of it all.
“One year later, he went back to the same show and produced a beautiful workout to claim the Champion Foundation Ridden and Reserve Champion Male Ridden broad sashes.
“It hasn’t been easy, but to look back on the journey with this perspective of how much difference just one year has made… well, it makes me incredibly proud”.
Between their St Arnaud appearances, Iggy and Jackie attended horsemanship clinics, HRCAV rallies and training days, ATHRA trail rides and shows.
“Variety is really good for Iggy, so I try to mix things up for him”, Jackie explains.
“He can be tricky at times, so I plan things out so we arrive a bit early and leave time to let him settle in and have a look around. I’m not worried if things go pear-shaped and I have to pull him up in the middle of a workout and bring him back to a walk. It’s all learning and experience.
“What I love about Iggy is that, despite his unsure moments, I never feel unsafe on him. I know he might get a little fast and strong, but he’d never intentionally try to hurt me or put me at risk.
“These little hiccups have also helped me bond with the standardbred community. We’ve all been there and had the days where things don’t go to plan. I’ve had people shout advice from the sidelines which has really helped me and I even experienced a cheer squad calling me a ‘rockstar’ and offering me a lot of support when I needed it the most”.
Valued as much as his show ring accolades are the quiet moments of connection that Jackie has shared with Iggy over the past two years.
“Over time, Iggy has really let his walls down to trust and show me his softer side. He loves having the side of his face stroked and will mutually groom me if I spend some time in his paddock.
“Although he can be tricky in some ways, he’s easy in other areas that make a big difference. For example, he’s amazing at just standing around for as long as you need him to be tied to the float or fence for plaiting or between classes and he doesn’t get separation anxiety.
“I’ve also recently acquired two new standardbreds, which I think reflects how I feel about the breed. They’re very clever, versatile and willing.
With recent success, including Iggy bringing home a haul of blue ribbons at the ABSS Spring Show Carnival in Elmore and having qualified for a consecutive Alabar Hero Series Final at VAS this coming January, the future is very bright for Jackie and her standies.
