Nicole Dlugosz: Retraining Thoroughbreds for Dressage

Back on Track Ambassador Nicole Dlugosz believes that with the right training, racehorses can learn to dance.

A passion for dressage and a love for Thoroughbreds inspired Nicole to participate in the Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover. After two consecutive top ten finishes in the Makeover, Nicole remains focused on proving Thoroughbreds belong in the dressage ring.

Keep reading to learn why Nicole encourages dressage riders to consider Thoroughbreds and how dressage can benefit all horses, including OTTBs.

Discovering Dressage

Nicole grew up as a horse-crazy kid in a non-horsey family outside Chicago. Her weekly lessons were her only horse exposure until she started leasing an Appendix Quarter Horse mare in college.

The mare captured Nicole's heart, and she ended up buying her after graduation. Initially, Nicole planned on competing in eventing. But as she learned about dressage while pursuing her eventing dream, she realized dressage was her calling.

"I'm a perfectionist by nature. The more I learned about dressage, the more moments I got to experience feeling like my horse really understood what we were doing. I loved it. Feeling the improvement in the horse through training, it was addicting."

Falling in Love with Thoroughbreds

Nicole had always felt drawn to Thoroughbreds, especially off-track Thoroughbreds. While she dreamt of learning to retrain OTTBs in college, she didn't own her first Thoroughbred until years later.

That first Thoroughbred, Mixmaker, was a talented dressage horse. She fell in love with the challenge of training him and learned Thoroughbreds had more potential than many people realize.

"It motivates me to take an average horse and improve them through training. When I started working with Thoroughbreds, I realized they had an amazing work ethic and ability to learn. They're so smart, and they pick up on things really fast."

Benefits of Dressage for Thoroughbreds

Many of the challenges riders face retraining Thoroughbreds are related to anxiety and tension resulting from coming straight off the track. Nicole found helping her horses gain confidence was one of the most rewarding aspects of the retraining process.

"The basics of dressage is the foundation for everything. It all boils down to good training. The more they understand the aids, the easier the job becomes."

Nicole believes dressage basics are essential for teaching Thoroughbreds rhythm and relaxation and setting them up for success in any discipline.

"It takes a little more time because you have to work through some of the tension racehorses come with before you can get into the nitty-gritty of dressage or other types of training. But once the baseline is there the rest is easy."

Why Dressage Riders Should Consider Thoroughbreds

Nicole is aware there are plenty of Thoroughbred skeptics in the dressage world, but she hopes her story can encourage more dressage riders to give these special horses a chance.

"I'm determined that dressage can be done on a Thoroughbred. I would love to be able to show that it can be done through the course of my riding career. Their ability to learn is so impressive. I want to encourage people that you don't need the fanciest or most expensive horse in the world to be successful at dressage."

While retraining a Thoroughbred may take longer, Nicole believes it's worth it. She'd love to see more upper-level riders choosing to work with Thoroughbreds, but she also thinks these horses could help increase accessibility to the sport at the grassroots levels.

"They're an easy point of entry for horse owners because they are so inexpensive. There are a lot of Thoroughbreds out there at the lower levels with amateur riders, which is great to see. But many Thoroughbreds also have the potential for the upper levels if given the opportunity."

The Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover

Today, Nicole owns three Thoroughbreds. She found her second OTTB through her work as an accountant at New Vocations, the oldest and largest racehorse adoption program in the country.

"I got him on a whim. I had purchased my own personal farm here in Kentucky, and Silver Spur just happened to pop up in an ad at work at New Vocations."

Silver Spur, AKA Sterling, was Nicole's first genuinely green Thoroughbred who came straight from the track. Unlike her first horse Mixmaker, Sterling was eligible to participate in that year's Thoroughbred Makeover, an annual competition organized by the Retired Racehorse Project.

To qualify, horses must have recently retired off the track and can only have been ridden under saddle up to 15 times before December 1st of the year before the makeover. Riders have less than one year to train horses to compete in the Makeover the following October.

There are ten different disciplines, including dressage. Nicole and Sterling finished in 8th place out of over 80 horses in her first year participating.

Her advice to riders interested in participating in the Thoroughbred Makeover?

"Preparation is key. You have to apply and be accepted to participate in the Makeover to ensure you're ready to train a green horse in 10 months. Once your horse is ready, you have to travel and prepare for the environment. It's a big event, and the environment plays a big role in their performance."

The Journey with a Special Horse

After enjoying the process of retraining Sterling for the Makeover, Nicole started looking for her next project to participate in the 2024 edition. She was thrilled to find a special chestnut gelding named No Ka Oi, AKA Kai. But their journey had a rocky start.

"He shipped here from Louisiana, and the day he arrived, he colicked for five days. It was really scary, but luckily he was okay. He lost a bunch of weight and was incredibly weak."

Nicole doubted she could nurse Kai back to health and train him in time to participate in the makeover. But her patience and diligent care paid off.

"We did some groundwork, and he started picking up weight, but we didn't really start the training process until March. He took longer to build the strength needed for the under-saddle work. But now, he's doing great. He's been showing all summer."

Nicole takes her Thoroughbreds to lots of shows to help them gain confidence in busy environments and prepare for the Makeover. Kai was a superstar, earning several wins at Training Level, even when competing against warmbloods.

However, the dressage competition at the Thoroughbred Makeover differs slightly from rated dressage shows. It's also one of the most competitive disciplines at the event.

"Everybody performs Training Level Test 2, which they judge like a normal dressage test. But right after you finish, you go into the arena next to it to perform a demo ride under another judge. The demo ride is basically a freestyle. It's your opportunity to show off your training."

This year, Kai and Nicole did just that to earn an 8th-place finish out of 99 horses.

Partnering With Back on Track

None of Nicole's success would have been possible without her commitment to providing her Thoroughbreds with the best possible care so they can prepare, perform, and recover at their best.

"Therapies are huge for them because they come off the track and are very body sore. Then, retraining completely changes the way they carry themselves and carry a rider. It can create a lot of soreness in the beginning if they don't get support."

Nicole uses bodywork, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, or massage, to help her Thoroughbreds feel their best. However, some Thoroughbreds are too sensitive for those modalities. Lots of turnout and movement are also vital for Nicole's management program.

Back on Track products help her Thoroughbreds recover and stay comfortable, especially as they transition to their new career. Nicole also finds the products beneficial at shows when they are in stalls for extended periods.

"Back on Track definitely makes a difference. I use the Mesh Sheets when they're stabled. At shows, I also use the No Bow Wraps to keep them from stocking up."

She became an even bigger fan of Back on Track after trying the people products herself.

"I have a lot of lower back pain, especially when I'm riding a lot. So, I tried the Back on Track Back Brace, and now I wear it almost every day. I completely noticed a difference between Back on Track and a regular brace. That's the coolest part about Back on Track. You can use them yourself and feel the difference."

What's Next for Nicole?

After this year's Thoroughbred Makeover, Nicole is looking forward to continuing to enjoy her horses and showing the world what Thoroughbreds are capable of.

"I'm at a point where I'm living my dream right now. It's been my lifelong dream to have my own farm and be able to train my own horses. Being able to focus in the last couple of years on Thoroughbreds in dressage, I feel like I've found my passion in my equestrian career."

Nicole is currently working towards training her Thoroughbreds up the dressage levels with goals to compete at Regional Championships and earn her USDF Bronze Medal.

Follow Nicole on Instagram @arizenacres and visit her website at arizenacres.com for the latest updates on her Thoroughbreds and to learn more about her!