Life After Racing – Change Of Pace

Courtesy of NZ Horse and Pony Magazine

With his good looks and beautiful movement, Amanda Burton’s Change Of Pace is the first Standardbred in New Zealand to qualify for open ridden show titles at Horse of the Year.

Amanda’s much admired ‘Crash’ can more than hold his own in any company and was Supreme Champion Paced and Mannered Horse at the Stratford A&P Show in 2017, and has also won open park hack classes.

Reporoa dairy farmer Amanda has ridden for most of her life and has shown in both the Western and English riding disciplines.

The nine-year-old 152cm ‘Crash’ (by Knight Rainbow) was trained by Gavin Smith, racing under the name Bosemani, but it soon became obvious that he wasn’t going to be fast.

He came to Amanda four years ago via Michelle Morrison and the team from the Canterbury Recycling and Rehoming group.

“From when he started his new life as a show horse, Crash has stepped up to everything I have asked of him,” she says.

Amanda has trained Crash basically the same as she would any other horse, and explains that the biggest challenge is if a Standardbred has been in harness is that they will have built up different muscle groups, and it takes time for them to build the correct muscles for riding instead.

“I have had quite a few judges and fellow riders ask: ‘Why a Standardbred?’

“Well that’s very easy to answer. They have a great temperament and a trainable nature, which to me is very important.

“Crash is entered into the Paced and Mannered Park Hack of the Year and Rising Star Park Hack of the Year and it will be great to get this lovely breed out in the show ring at Horse of the Year.

“But until then I will treasure every day I have with this very special horse with a barcode on his neck.”