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Kalley Krickeberg’s

Off-Track Thoroughbred Program

A transformational program grounded in passion, practicality, and 35 years of proven horsemanship.
The OTTB Project Mission Statement

To create awareness about adopting or purchasing the OTTB, and to provide a comprehensive, tailored, and balanced program that successfully transitions them into new careers—supporting both horse and owner every step of the way.

The OTTB Transitional Training Program

Kalley’s OTTB Transitional Training Program is built for horses coming off the track shifting into new careers. It’s about helping these athletic, high-drive horses slow down, think, and learn to connect through feel and understanding.

This program combines the fundamentals of Balanced Horse Training with a thoughtful, step-by-step approach designed specifically for the Thoroughbred Racehorse mind. It teaches both horse and handler how to replace both instinctive and ill-trained reactions with calm responses — creating confidence, control, and partnership on the ground and under saddle.

The program lessons and instruction cover three core phases of transitional training, each organized into essential steps and stages, helping the Off-Track Thoroughbred find mental balance, follow a light feel, and get a fresh start. Each stage builds on the last, keeping the training process simple, clear, and safe for both horse and human.

The Thoroughbred has always been my “heart” breed, and the success I’ve had retraining the Off Track Thoroughbred specifically into ranch horses and Polo horses, is the reason I have the ability to get along with any breed, any disposition, any temperament. I have garnered a reputation for being a “fixer” because, from the beginning, I learned to adapt to the horse, instead of making the horse adapt to me. This fundamental belief is a thread I sew throughout my training philosophy and program.
We must have a plan and goal, then adjust the path to goal according to the individual if we expect to have long term success. Putting the OTTB Transitional Training Program together, supporting the horse and owner with their goals and plans, at this point in my career, is one of my most crowning achievements. Seeing life through these eyes and 35 years of training all classes, breeds, disciplines, and having studied with some of the most incredible horsemen in the world, makes this project very special to me. It gives me something to hand off to you that is proven – grounded in practicality, reason, accuracy, and passion. And, tt is a way I can give back to the industry – the industry I love.

The OTTB Transitional Training Program

  • Groundwork with Obstacles
  • Purpose Driven Riding Skills
  • Western discipline and Polo base

Why a Western Discipline/Polo/Ranch Focus:

Because all horses can have success in life and successes in any discipline if:
  • They can learn to give to pressure accurately and appropriately vs pulling or pushing on the rider or handler
  • They can ride on a LOOSE rein.
  • They can be ridden ONE handed
  • They can give the majority of their focus to the handler or rider when asked
  • They can go, stop & turn as in the Polo horse, Stockhorse, Cowhorse, Working Equitation horse or Ranch horse
With a Western discipline or Working Equitation style one-handed riding focus, it forces the rider/trainer to teach the OTTB to relax and be okay with; maneuvers, obstacles, ropes, cows, mallets, and organized chaos. The horse learns to manage life and keep their wits about them, and not simply be “held together” which easily happens when riding with 2 reins and contact. Polo, Working Equitation, Western discipline competitions, and ranch work require one-handed riding, and most times it is required to do the work on a loose rein.
Teaching a horse to walk trot and canter on a LOOSE REIN is one of the most valuable and important things a horse can learn for their own self-control and mental stability.
The faster you can teach the OTTB that the goal is right in front of them (to watch their feet over challenging terrain, obstacles, follow a cow, move with a cow-flag and/or follow a Polo ball) instead of being mentally miles away searching for the invisible finishline, the faster they will become a teachable partner. **Important to note: a partner HELPS, a partner doesn’t fight, they aren’t afraid, they don’t try to trick, work against, or out do their counterpart… they HELP. They do their job so you can do yours.
We need to help teach the horse to be adaptable to change, by giving it a set of skills and expectations to work within no matter what. This creates stability in the horse.
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Transitional Training Program Details

Phase I

Ground Manners

Building Safety, Respect, and Trust
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Phase II

Groundwork

Building Body Control and Mental Connection
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Phase III

Riding

From Track Horse to Riding Partner
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Ready to Start Your Horse’s Transformation?

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$420

$391 (7% discount) Billed Annually

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Markets for the Thoroughbred outside of Racing
Eventing
Polo
Jumping
Ranch
Trail
Endurance
Pleasure

What to Know About the OTTB

The possible Negatives with OTTBs Specifically
  • Flighty
  • Reactive
  • Pushy
  • Heavy in the mouth
  • Little/Low quality steering
  • Run over/Drags handler
  • Mentally “miles away”
  • Low self-control
  • Low emotional control
  • Possible stall vices
  • High probability of ulcers
The possible Positives with OTTBs Specifically
  • Already ridable
  • Exposed to high speeds yet controllable
  • Exposed to/Comfortable in high-energy, chaotic environments
  • Generally good with farrier and vet work
“Working with Kalley Krickeberg has completely changed the way my OTTB and I work together. When I first started, my horse had all the raw talent in the world but not a lot of direction. He was forward, sensitive, and athletic, but still very much a racehorse in his mind. Kalley helped us turn that energy into something focused and productive.”
Read Full Quote
Augie Staudacher & Lewis Cielo
“I’ve had the privilege of working with thoroughbreds for years, but have not owned my own until recently. I have had my thoroughbred since August and have hopes of him excelling in the hunter/jumper ring. His athletic build and personality are what drew me to him. Thoroughbreds are so versatile which makes them really special. I am so excited to see what the future holds for thoroughbreds taking a shot at a second career with the help of Kalley’s program. With the education Kalley is providing, the potential for this breed to excel in new areas is endless.”
Haley Kane

LVT for Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital

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Kalley Krickeberg is a world-class equestrian who developed her innovative Balanced Horse Training (BHT) curriculum through extensive study across multiple disciplines.
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Clinics, Events, Lessons & Coaching

BHT

Balanced Horse Training

OTTB

Off-Track Thoroughbred Program
OTTB Program – Phase I

Ground Manners

Building Safety, Respect, and Trust

Overview
Before a horse can relax under saddle, it must feel safe and understood on the ground.These lessons are about teaching the OTTB to think instead of react, and to respect personal space without fear or tension.
Why It Matters
Good ground manners create safety and peace of mind for everyone. These skills build mutual respect and help the OTTB learn that being handled is something to look forward to — not something to brace against. The horse begins to replace “flight” with “focus.”
What you’ll Work On
  • Moving quietly around people during stall cleaning instead of pinning ears, evading, or kicking
  • Lowering the head and helping to be haltered, rather than needing to be cornered or avoiding capture
  • Leading and backing calmly on a loose line, staying light on the lead beside the handler
  • Ground tying — standing still while the lead rope rests on the ground
  • Standing quietly for grooming, clipping, and cleaning feet
  • Ground tying for saddling — no helpers, no resistance, no avoidance
  • Tying patiently in various settings (stall, tie rail, trailer, patience pole) and learning to relax while waiting
OTTB Program – Phase II

Basic Groundwork

Building Body Control and Mental Connection

Overview

Once the horse is calm and manageable on the ground, it’s time to start communication through movement. These stages teach the OTTB how to yield to pressure, follow the handler’s focus, and develop confidence through purposeful work.

Stages
What You’ll Work On
  • Forequarter and hindquarter yields at the standstill and in motion
  • Backing up lightly with the lead rope or training tooll
  • Circling (lunging) on a loose line at all three gaits
  • Stopping on a circle using cones or obstacles as visual focus points
  • Pressure and drive-line control — moving the horse’s feet with clarity and timing
  • Direction changes with lightness, encouraging the horse to turn toward the handler
  • Gait transitions: walk, trot, canter — up and down through feel and handler position
  • Backward spirals that end with the horse turning and waiting calmly to be caught
Why It Matters
This stage replaces racing instinct with responsiveness. The horse begins to understand how to read the handler’s intent, find comfort in stillness, and accept direction without anxiety. It’s the foundation of self-control.
This is where the OTTB learns curiosity instead of fear. We use obstacles to teach the horse to think and move through challenges calmly.
What You’ll Work On
  • Approaching, touching, or stepping on/over obstacles like tarps, bridges, and poles
  • Navigating figure-8 barrels, hanging tarps, and roping dummies
  • Building confidence to go over, under, around, and through new things
  • Accepting a Western saddle, breast collar, and back cinch without reaction
  • Repeating groundwork drills while saddled to confirm acceptance
Why It Matters

Horses coming off the track can often be desensitized to a soft feel, but hypersensitive to noise and motion. This stage rebuilds emotional balance — teaching them to pause, assess, and relax in motion.

OTTB Program – Phase III

Basic Riding Skills

From Track Horse to Riding Partner

Overview
When Groundwork is solid, the OTTB is ready to transition under saddle. These lessons help the horse understand how to respond correctly to pressure from the rider’s seat, legs, and reins — not act like they are continuously charging out of the starting gate of life.
Stages
What You’ll Work On
  • Mounting quietly from the ground
  • Bending to a stop at walk, trot, and canter in both directions
  • Yielding the hindquarters lightly and willingly
  • Rein to front foot at all gaits for balance and lightness
  • Backing up without pulling — one step at a time
  • Developing the “stall-to-a-stop” and relaxed standstill
Why It Matters

This stage establishes safety and control under saddle. It replaces reaction with response and teaches the OTTB to stay light or slow down/stop when asked to move out.

What You’ll Work On
  • The Rest-Area Cloverleaf Pattern: teaching calm rest points within work
  • Using circles, direction changes, and pauses to manage energy
  • Returning to calm after anxiety by revisiting earlier exercises
  • Building trust through repetition and predictable structure
Why It Matters

Thoroughbreds are forward thinkers. This stage teaches them that forward motion doesn’t mean racing — it means thinking. The horse learns rhythm, control, and patience.

What You’ll Work On
  • Riding in wide open spaces and staying mentally connected
  • Trail rides (ideally with a buddy horse)
  • Trail obstacle courses and trot pole patterns
  • Stick-n-ball, roping dummy, cutting flag, or light stock work
  • Advanced exposure like following a live cow or small group work
Why It Matters

This stage transitions the OTTB from “tolerating” to “trusting.” The horse learns to carry the same confidence outside the arena that was built inside it. Each new experience is approached with calm curiosity instead of tension, resistance or panic.

“You can’t rush trust and respect. You build it one experience at a time.” — Kalley Krickeberg

Working with Kalley Krickeberg has completely changed the way my OTTB and I work together. When I first started, my horse had all the raw talent in the world but not a lot of direction. He was forward, sensitive, and athletic, but still very much a racehorse in his mind. Kalley helped us turn that energy into something focused and productive.

Her training has improved every part of our program. In show jumping, she taught us how to balance, stay rhythmic, and ride each fence with confidence instead of just “getting to the other side.” She explains things in a way that actually makes sense, and she always pays attention to what both horse and rider need. Because of that, my OTTB has gone from unpredictable distances and inconsistent form to jumping around with power, straightness, and relaxation.

But what I appreciate most is that Kalley doesn’t just help create a competitive horse. she builds a complete, well-rounded partner. She helped us develop softness on the flat, better lateral work, and the kind of adjustability that makes everything else easier. My horse is more responsive, more confident, and honestly happier in his job.

Thanks to Kalley’s guidance, I feel like I finally have a horse who can do it all, and I’ve grown a ton as a rider along the way. I’m so grateful for the foundation she’s helped us build and the progress we continue to make because of her.

Augie Staudacher & Lewis Cielo