Bandon's Background

Bandon's exercise rider/assistant trainer from the racing string he retired from has been in touch with me so I can keep her updated on him. She was kind enough to share photos of him.

She also shared his history. I assumed that the trainer/owner who placed him with New Vocations had him his entire racing career since I'd gotten lucky so far to deal only with OTTB's in that situation. Bandon was not so lucky it turns out. He was originally with a trainer who constantly moved to different tracks, he basically lived out of a trailer to race before moving again. By the time he was claimed by his last owner he was suffering from painful dental issues and severe burns to his poll.

Rough grooms who handled him thought his head-shy behaviors were because he was a bad horse and he was handled terribly as a result. Thanks to this treatment, coupled with the pain he was in, he became a labeled a viscous horse. No one could even go in his stall.

Once the new owner and assistant trainer treated Bandon's pain they began working with him and really helped turn him around. This intense relationship they created with him will continue as they follow his progress now with me.

For a 5-year-old, Bandon has been through quite a lot. He's had 21 starts at 10 different tracks.

The irony is that before I heard all of this I was feeling a little like I cheated adopting Bandon. I moved away some from my original plan of  helping those OTTB's straight from the track that were being overlooked because they were a little banged up and instead adopted a horse that was labeled calm and usable. Turns out that Bandon had a long story of being overlooked and given a second chance all his own.