Hi, I'm Sarah! This blog combines two of my favorite hobbies - horseback riding and cooking. This site is still a bit of a construction zone while I transfer content from my original food blog (SarahsBites.com).
I grew up in Charleston, SC and now live near Annapolis, MD. I started food blogging because my friends were always asking me to share recipes for things I made. Cooking for others is one of my favorite activities. I'm pretty sure I get that from my Grandma who loves cooking and sharing what she makes with everyone. “Eat! EAT!!!” is something she shouts often. Even if you say you’re full, she’s always asking, “Are you sure you don’t want something to knabbern on?” (She’s German, so there is also often a mix of German and English going on.) I think last time I visited her, we ate 3 or 4 times over the course of a few hours.
The Horses
Both of my horses are former racehorses, also known as off track thoroughbreds (OTTBs). Most racehorses go to new homes to start second careers when they retire from racing.
Cosmo
Cosmo is the horse you see in my blog's logo. He is a 2009 bay gelding. His Jockey Club name (racing name) is Lure of the South. He raced 79 times with 9 wins and retired from racing in 2018. He competed in the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover with his previous owner in dressage and show hunters. He also did eventing with his previous owner.
Cosmo is extremely athletic and smart, but doesn't love to use his talents for the competition lifestyle. He gets stressed easily, so I try to give him a low-stress lifestyle. We do primarily trail riding, but we'll also occasionally pop over some jumps and compete in trail obstacle challenges since he enjoys those activities, too.
Mikey
Mikey is a 2017 bay gelding. His Jockey Club name (racing name) is Magic Train. He raced 14 times and won once, though the one win was pretty impressive. He retired from racing in October 2021.
We were accepted to compete in the 2022 Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover in dressage and competitive trail. We made it to check-in at the TB Makeover, but ended up having to withdraw because he had a puncture wound that got infected. It was still a great experience for both of us to be at the Kentucky Horse Park during the show, and we had access to some top-notch vet care down there!
Mikey is an easygoing dude who tends to go with the flow. He's still learning things for his new job after racing. This year I've been focusing on dressage to continue building Mikey's foundation. We've started jumping, and have been showing in both dressage shows and combined tests (that include dressage and jumping) this year.