OCALA, FL (352today.com) – With the winter circuit now in full swing, Something Blue and Josh Dolan may be earning their share of blue ribbons at the World Equestrian Center.
A Star in the Making
Josh Dolan and Meg Robinson first laid eyes on Something Blue while walking through the shedrow of a barn. The 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding caught their attention when he stuck his head out of his stall.
“Meg Robinson and I were like, that’s so pretty with the eye and everything,” said Dolan. “Then we got the story on him, kind of what he was doing, he was doing the low adult hunters. He had never even jumped over three-foot in the show ring. These people had bought him as a just turning 6-year-old.”
Originally, Something Blue was meant to be a safe, low adult hunter for his owner. However, his trainer saw more potential in the gelding and shared that insight with Dolan and Robinson.
“She said, ‘he can be more than that. Maybe she’d sell him for the right money,'” said Dolan. “So, they sent us a video of her showing him that week, and I liked him. So, I drove down to Tampa to try him for the first time, and the tryout was medium, it wasn’t like unbelievable, so I called Meg, and I said, ‘I think I like him, but I’m not 100% certain. I need to try him again.’ He was showing at WEC, in those December shows, two years ago, and I tried him in the indoor. I got off the horse and Meg got on him. We left the indoor, and I said, ‘we have to buy this horse.'”
Dolan and Robinson called their veterinarian who was in Wellington to vet the horse, which led to Something Blue’s eventual purchase.
Following their decision, Dolan and Robinson had their veterinarian in Wellington vet the horse, ultimately leading to Something Blue’s purchase.
“From the very first moment, we didn’t even do a three-foot three class on him,” said Dolan.
Once in Dolan’s program, Something Blue began seeing immediate success. However, his transition to derby competitions was not without its challenges. Initially, he struggled to adapt to Dolan’s style.
“If I needed him to land left or if I needed him to land right, he didn’t understand that part, so initially we didn’t have a lot of derby success, like we had in the regular division,” said Dolan. “But I would say by late spring, early summer that year, things really started to click, and he kind of learned my program. We really kind of became a better pair. I really feel like ever since that first summer, he’s been with me whenever I’ve needed him. He’s a really special horse. The scope and the talent he has. And he is for certain the best quality hunter I’ve ever had.”
Pliable Program
Success doesn’t happen overnight, but Dolan’s Flex Farm LLC provides the ideal environment for training winning horses while maintaining a stress-free atmosphere.
“I think part of the reason so many of my hunters are so successful is the farm,” said Dolan. “Our energy is really good at our farm. There’s no pressure ever. That also translates over into the horse show too. They go over to the horse show and there’s nothing that’s going to surprise them when they go over there.”
As the winter circuit continues, Something Blue and Dolan are poised for success, ready to take on the competition and add to their growing list of achievements.