Nutzz N Boltzz Represents Standardbreds Well

August 11, 2019 - “The ride had over a hundred horses and riders from all over Ontario to support Breast Cancer. I’m pretty sure I was the only person riding a Standardbred that I could see,” noted Fran Brethour who rode Nutzz N Boltzz in yesterday’s event in the Dufferin Forest near Mansfield.

“It’s their 10thanniversary. I believe they usually raise around $20,000 in donations each year. Even though Nutzz N Boltzz is only four, and only had a couple of rides on him before I got him a few short months ago from OSAS, he acts more like an eight-year-old seasoned horse,” praised Fran who is a strong advocate of Standardbreds as riding horses.

“I’ve put about 50 to 60 rides on him so far. My job has been easy training him to be a saddle horse because of all the hard working trainers and grooms who break, handle and rub on these horses every day. I need to teach them to be soft, supple, bend and be responsive to my seat and legs, that’s about it, all the foundation and hard work is already done.

“It’s partly because this breed’s nature is to be willing, kind, bold and smart but the people spending the six and seven days a week caring, feeding, jogging and training them at an early age is a big part of it. It’s hard to find really well broke, saddle horses nowadays because most people work outside the home and there’s not a lot of extra time for the consistency that young horses need,” reasoned Fran whose husband Fred is a judge with the AGCO following a career as a trainer/driver.

Nutzz N Boltzz is the third horse Fran has adopted from OSAS the first being the Odds Against mare April Odds who she sadly had to put down this past winter at 22.

“She was a super horse. I never would have gotten another horse if she didn’t age; she was special. She earned a lot of respect from naysayers over the years on the trail but she always proved everybody wrong! She would go places most horses wouldn’t go, she was unreal and looked after me while doing it.

“When I went to look at horses again I wasn’t super excited to be honest. I think that’s why I’m so elated because these geldings are on their way to being as good as she was,” explained Fran who in addition to providing Nutzz N Boltzz a great new home, also adopted Reven Up from OSAS recently.

A 12 year-old gelding, Reven Up is a son of Revenue S who Fran reports went for a ride away from home, the Ganaraska Forest, for the third time today and handled it like a champion. “This horse is pure gold,” she said.

OSAS has been making a concerted effort this year to expose the versatility and talents of Standardbreds to riding, competing and show people who haven’t been exposed to them before. An experienced horse woman such as Fran, aboard these graduates, is the best advertising for our horses.

“I’ve been riding horses for 27 years now – everything from hunter jumpers and barrel racers and lots of Standardbreds. Two things I know about these guys is that over the years they have become more refined, beautiful and athletic and when you put their bridles on, it’s business, they don’t look for excuses to get out of work, they show up every time. If trouble happens they seem to look to you for help, they don’t selfishly cash out.

“I ride alone a lot, over thousands of miles the past 13 years on roads, in forests, over ranches and at speed and I don’t think I could fill a hand of fingers of how many times I’ve been really scared or not wanting to ride my horse again. They’re smart, kind, tough, willing and safe – what else can I ask for?”

A quick learner, with yesterday’s ride being the first real ride away from home, Nutzz N Boltzz is a four-year-old gelding by Art Major who last raced late in 2018 from the Walter Whelan stable; he’d previously been raced by Bob Young. He earned a total of $16,137 before being placed with OSAS.

He’s a very well bred horse as his dam is Town Pro Miss a daughter of the great Town Pro. That mare was a standout three decades ago for trainer Stew Firlotte and breeder/owners and business partners Brian Webster and Ray Bednarz. The Big Towner daughter would earn $1.2 million during her illustrious career.

She was named two-year-old pacing filly of the year at the inaugural O’Brien Awards in 1989 and Horse of the Year the following season. She would go on to become a successful broodmare for White Birch Farm with her most successful performer being the $3 million winner Darlins Delight who has since produced $1.1 million winner Darlinonthebeach.

Well bred, well mannered and now very much well loved; Nutzz N Boltzz has certainly found his forever home.