From Training to Prix St. Georges: The Little Thoroughbred That Could

The Tenacious Thoroughbred! Throughout the month of May, we are featuring Thoroughbreds and Thoroughbred crosses.

Did you know… Dressage riders who compete with a member of this speedy breed are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program, as The Jockey Club is a participating organization!

It was “love at first ride” for this rider from Region 2 and her Thoroughbred, Rambo Ruckus, who she’s taken from being labeled as “scary” to a champion in and out of the showring.

By Taylor Storey

Hello, my name is Taylor Storey. I was 12 years old when I rode my first Thoroughbred, and I knew right then that I wanted a bay Thoroughbred gelding. My friend let me ride her horse, and I immediately fell in love with him. He was registered with The Jockey Club under the name Rambo Ruckus, and if I could have called him mine from that very second, I would’ve. 

I later received a call from her asking if I was still looking for a horse. She had mentioned Rambo was for sale, and asked if I wanted to take a lesson on him to see if I wanted to buy him. Of course, I said yes. One ride was all it took. I called my parents, saying I wanted him. The pre-purchase exam (PPE) was completed and papers were signed overnight, and he was officially mine. 

As many horses do, he came with some baggage. He didn’t like to be bridled or have his forelock braided, and he wouldn’t load into a trailer. He didn’t trust anyone. Though details weren’t provided, I was told he had been in some sort of accident, which caused these behaviors. After months and months of work and trust building to sort out his hangups, we became inseparable. One of his favorite treats is McDonald’s sweet tea. He drinks it straight out of a cup like we humans do. It’s the funniest thing. 

We began attending schooling shows, showing Training and First Levels. The trainer I had at the time deemed Rambo “scary” and that he “should be put down.” When asked why, we were told neither of us would amount to anything, due to our lack of funding compared to the others in the sport. Truth be told, Rambo did nothing wrong. That particular trainer didn’t want to work with us due to our limited funds compared to the others they worked with. Rambo and I weren’t fans of that answer, so we pushed ahead. The good news is, we found many others who were better qualified and more eager to help us along the way.

We worked hard and kept deepening our relationship, becoming active in the jumpers, 4-H, dressage, and trail riding worlds. There were plenty more rude comments and snide remarks that came our way, but we always worked hard and never gave up on each other. Rambo has been my constant childhood friend, taking me through high school, my first love breakup, my parents’ divorce, and when my best friend of a grandfather passed on. Rambo has been and is my light in the darkness, and I know without a doubt we saved each other. 

With my mom helping and supporting me, I decided to try qualifying for the Great American/USDF Regional Championships, and started going to recognized shows. We qualified, and at the 2022 Region 4 Championships, we even earned a wild card score to compete at the 2022 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®, where we earned the High Score Breed Award at the National Levels (Training through Fourth) for horses registered with The Jockey Club. 

We continued to work on Third and Fourth Level work, and in 2023, finished second in the Open Division of the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards for The Jockey Club, and first in the Adult Amateur Division, both at Fourth Level.  Rambo also helped me earn my USDF Bronze Medal that year. These awards aren’t just mine, they’re ours. I couldn’t have achieved them without him.

The 2024 season started off great, with us showing Prix St. Georges (PSG) for the first time and earning the first PSG score towards my USDF Silver Medal. Things took an unfortunate turn midway through the year, and Rambo ended up with a glute tear in his right hip. Horses being horses, of course. Time off and recovery were my top priority for him until we got the all clear to start working again. It felt great to ride Rambo again, but that came to a halt real fast; an abscess had brewed in his heel bulb, because why not, right?

Shortly after the abscess resolved, Rambo sustained what we thought was a small eye injury. After weeks of treating it and watching it get worse, it became apparent we needed to take him to the best vet in Kentucky. Rambo was diagnosed with a bacterial staph infection in his eye at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington. We didn’t know what the outcome would be, and all of us were wondering if he’d be able to keep his eye due to the severity of the infection. It was either save his eye or remove it. Rambo is a fighter, and he took everything in stride and pushed through. He spent over a week at Rood & Riddle before his eye responded to treatment enough to come home.

The continuous path to recovery seemed like it would never end. It took six to seven months of daily/hourly medicines, along with his other medications. He conquered through the long nights and days. In December of 2025, I had made the decision to semi-retire Rambo. He was telling me in his own way that “showing is fun, but I’m done.” Though it was very hard for me to process, I knew it was time. I could tell he was done, and just wanted to be loved on and ridden at home. 

We have been partners for 18 years now. He’s been my best friend through so much. Though told repeatedly that we wouldn’t make it, we said, “Watch this,” and we did it! We proved them wrong, and Rambo has the best heart. Not many horses have the heart, level of try, and fire that Rambo does! He’s the best Ruckus in the world. My love for the breed grew with Rambo, who has shown me to never give up, despite what others say about you. Thoroughbreds have the heart and willpower to do anything. That has pushed me to do the same in life!! Thoroughbreds are home! The same heart!!

Rambo and I say, “Never give up on each other, trust each other.” Prove them wrong!!