Re: RC: Re: where to get ex-racehorse arabs?

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated Wed, 10 Jan 2001  4:58:31 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
"Heather Hamper" <hnhamper@hotmail.com> writes:

<< Hi All

I have bought several arabians from Poland over the last few years, 
specifically for endurance and ultimately as breeding animals.  All arabians 
in Poland race providing they fulfill the basic criteria.  Without exception 
we have had problems introducing them to endurance because of their 
competitive attitude.  As we had purchased these horses as long-term 
breeding prospects we were prepared to take the time to re-educate them but 
it is a pain.  >>

A great deal of this is the inherent attitude of the individual horse, as 
well as the race training.  Some are completely unfazed by the hullabaloo of 
race training, whereas others (and I think the latter are often purposefully 
selected in at least some race breeding programs) simply have that "jazzed" 
mentality and get their adrenaline up over anything that they could possibly 
perceive to be a racing situation.  Let's face it--there is NO pressure to 
select for calmness in a racing program--or for quick recoveries, etc.  The 
goal is speed, speed, and more speed, and trainability only comes into 
account if the horse is too rank to be trained at all.  Just one more reason 
why I don't look much to racing or to racing breeding programs to produce 
endurance prospects per se, although there ARE some spectacular individuals 
with the capability to do both.  (In other words, the talents to do both 
sports are not mutually exclusive, but just because a horse is good at one is 
no reason to think he will excel at the ot
her.)

Heidi