10/04/2026
Datesfreedom 16.2h 2019 OTTB gelding with Pulpit and Yes It's True lines
🌎 Located in Lansing, NY but able to be seen at the at the Kentucky Horse Park from Oct 6-Oct 11.
Dates is a Stall 13 Supported Horse available now, but will compete in the Thoroughbred Makeover in Lexington, KY with Aubrey (10/5-10/11) before heading to any new home. ** Stall 13 is the non-profit wing of Kivu Sporthorses. **
Datesfreedom ("Dates") is kind, comical, talented, and very ready to start really clicking up the levels of any discipline. Dates is a warhorse who ran 53 times, retired sound, but somehow after his last race in Nov last year, managed to bounce from the track to a boarding facility and into the auction pipeline within weeks. Stall 13 Thoroughbreds with the help of Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds and the Finger Lakes track community stepped in and rerouted his post-track outlook.
Since then, Dates has let down and successfully started an eventing career. He has competed in schooling horse trials and a derby, as well as jumper and dressage shows. He’s easy at a show and completely professional in new environments (as well as overnight in stalls).
Dates is brave to fences and fancy on the flat. He’s also very smart – which leads to two things: 1) he thinks he is hilarious and is often like the annoying little brother on the ground 2) swing a leg over and he is pure professionalism and 100% try. Paired with the right human, there are no limits for what he can go do.
Sit up, put leg on and he finds it easy to stay round and lightly in contact. In dressage, he has all the ability to turn heads and score well. And to fences – both on xc and in stadium - he’s simply game and ready. The courses he has seen have not always been green-easy, so he knows how to canter through a flowing brook (thanks GMHA) and how to stay with a rider’s line and slice associated distances into angled direct approaches or wait and bend (Thanks Beyond the Backstretch). He can ride forward or wait, get his change and go.
Dates has no stall vices, is good in a herd, is good for the farrier (and wears four shoes w pads up front), good on ties, good tied to the trailer, and ground handling, good for the vet, basically, just a damn good egg who has been there and done that at the track and who is now progressively learning how to navigate sport horse land.
Dates has a bunch of experience at shows (and is a total gentleman off property) but is still far from being a packer. He needs a rider and a barn who understands that, can provide structure and boundaries, but who also have a good sense of humor. Look, Dates thinks he’s hilarious, part of you needs to too. His comedy is mostly of the goofing around on the ground and then looking at you like there’s no way that could have been innocent little ole me ilk.
Under saddle he has shown no tendency towards vices or reactivity. He’s work oriented, so give him a job, a challenge and teach him the skills to do it well, and he’ll show up every day ready for more. He is a forward ride that needs a confident rider, but I feel like most eventers who have gone through Novice on a TB would have no issues bringing him to that level and beyond. I think Dates would excel as an eventer or fox hunter but there’s no reason he can’t also climb the levels in pure dressage or in show jumping or frankly any discipline you want to teach him.
Dates would do well with an intermediate or better, brave, gritty, fun-loving junior, ammie, or pro. This is not the horse for anxious, tight or inexperienced riders, but for those who meet the mark, he’s got all the heart to put towards whatever discipline and whatever goals you have.
Dates is available for adoption through Stall 13, inc (www.stall13.org) and is currently listed negotiable in the very low fives. For more ℹ️ and exact 🥕s, see www.stall13.org or kivusporthorses.com apply. Dates requires an adoption application and contract, but has no restrictions on re⛵️. Reach out directly (please do not comment questions) for more info.
