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RE: [RC] [RC] JJ the ex-race horse - Laurie Durgin

The only variable that might seem to enter in here that is not in track racing , is--- the horses can still see each other or other horses around. On some endurance rides , they are with horses , then the other horses leave them out of sight around the bend, and that could certainly play into some kind of anxiety perhaps.

From: Magnumsmom@xxxxxxx
To: christina_mccarthy@xxxxxxxxxxx, ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [RC]   JJ the ex-race horse
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2005 11:14:40 EST

Christina wrote:

>I did neglect to leave out that JJ is an x arabian race horse.
> This of course could have something to do with him wanting to
> catch up no matter what. How does one teach an x race horse
> not to race? And the bucking/hopping that occurs if he doesn't
> get his way (how does one discipline the horse when he pulls it?).


First, stop making excuses just because he is an ex-race horse.
:)   :)   :)

It turns out, that if you visit the back track when the horses are being
worked
each morning, they know and are taught a lot about being good under saddle.
They HAVE to be.

What you will see is horses, young horses, mounted at stall side and ridden
quietly at a walk to the track for their workout. They are not spooking and

dumping their riders... they are not running around willy nilly.   Some are
ponied, but no one has the time for all of that so they are taught early on
to walk quietly under saddle amongst all the other stuff going on... horses
getting spray baths, people cleaning out stuff, trucks going in all
directions,
feed being delivered / dumped, treatments going on, horses being worked
at speed at the track.   They *do* know how to calmly walk undersaddle.

Second, when they get to the track, they do not just get "let loose to run
as fast as they can untiltheyslowdown!". Nope. They start on the outside
rail and walk / trot in the opposite direction. Even though other horses
are
working at a canter / full speed on the inner parts of the track. They DO
know how to walk / trot on command. They have to. They cannot "get
away from their rider"... they would blow a tendon. Race horses *are*
legged up to speed over time. They *have* to be. They *do* know how
to behave.

Third, let's go to the canter. Many days horses are only worked at the
walk,
trot, and canter. They are not breezed at speed everyday. So they work
at a canter in the center of the track. Oh, and they do all this *by
themselves*,
not with a "buddy horse". AND they canter NICELY in the center of the
track,
in the proper direction (opposite from the trotting / walking horses) *while*

other horses are being worked at speed along the rail. So there are horses
running past them on the left *at speed* and they must stay with their rider
in an easy canter for their workout. Most days this is all they do.

So, what you need to do is take JJ, grab him by his bridle, look him in his
eye
and say "Because you are an ex-race horse, I *know* you know how to be
good when other horses are working faster than you!   YOU, stay with ME!"

And I'd suggest you visit back track way-too-early in the morning and watch
the race horses doing their workouts.   It will give you a lot of insight
into just
how much JJ really knows, and how much he is snowing you.   :)   :)   :)
Besides,
it's fun.

Plus, he knows how to do a lot of other things... like ignore traffic and
bullhorns
and papers flying around and loose horses... OK, some get loose, but it's
very
dangerous and people avoid it at all costs. Besides, it's dangerous to the
horse's
legs, and that's someone's race hopeful.

Magnum is a TB ex-racer and one of the best horses I've ever met. He's also

smart enough to pull all kinds of tricks... on me, on other horses... he's
also
good enough that once I got his number, he behaves just fine.

One of the most important things about buying or adopting a good ex-racer is
to
make sure they were handled right at the track. Make sure they had *fun*.
That
is the whole point for man and beast at the race track... it's FUN.

Kathy Myers
in Santa Fe, NM
... contrary to popular belief, I love flat track racing as long as it's fun
for the
horses. They think (or they should) it's the best thing ever invented to
square
off against each other and just race / run for the fun of it. It's up to
us people
to make sure they are as safe as possible while doing it. Oh, and have some

opinion about who will get to the finish line first.   I love flat track
racing at it's
best...   the classic distances... 1 1/4 miles and up.



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Replies
[RC] JJ the ex-race horse, Magnumsmom