Leah Lang-Gluscic and her Thoroughbred AP Prime conquer the Rocking Horse Horse Trials Valentine’s weekend. Photo courtesy Eventing Nation
AP Prime, an off-track Thoroughbred purchased for a song—$750 cash— is continuing to advance up the ranks of the sport horse world, to the delight and pride of his owner, Leah Lang-Gluscic.
The pair conquered their first Advanced Three-Day Event on Valentine’s Day weekend in Florida, finishing double clear in the Cross Country.
“My trainer took me aside afterwards and said, ‘I’ve seen very few horses make an Advanced course look like Training Level!’ But that’s exactly what he did,” Lang-Gluscic says. “He’s so clever and smart that … I could feel him making decisions before we got to the jumps.”
Since the onetime investment banker and the big bay CANTER Illinois horse first met on a wintery December day four years ago, the pair has been moving almost effortlessly up the ranks.
Quickly flying up the levels, from Novice to Training and Preliminary, the pair conquered their first Advanced Level at the Rocking Horse Horse Trials in Florida, putting in decent dressage and show jumping rounds, but rocking in the cross-country.
“The coffin was the fence I was most worried about. Normally, he likes to move forward and really likes to attack the jumps, but the coffin had a funny distance, with a pretty short two-stride, and he really had to be patient and wait,” she says. “With all the big courses we ran last year, the course designers made forward-type courses, and this course was something kind of new for him at this level.
“But, you know how some people in life have amazing talents? Like Beethoven, he has a real gift.” (Please see the YouTube video below!)
In three weeks, Lang-Gluscic plans to bring out the maestro again for the Advanced Red Hills in Tallahassee. Should be a command performance!
AWESOME !!! Another shining example of what OTTB’s can accomplish after the track. Congrats to Leah for bringing this beautiful horse along so well !!!
Awesome! This also highlights how well Leah prepared her horse. A horse can have all the talent in the world and if the horse is rushed it can be ruined. What a great pair!
What an awesome pair!!! I am overjoyed that they found each other :):):) A Divine plan 🙂 I pray they continue to excel! ^.^
The horse does not have to be expensive to do this well. I just takes talent for rider and horse and hard work. What a great OTTB!
MY GOODNESS!!! UNREAL!! What a pair, what a demonstration of discipline, strength, beauty and athleticism! Both equine and human! WOW.
SUPER video! What an athletic and clever boy Leah has. “Prime” indeed!