READERS FORUM
Dear BYRH,
Yes, I'm a horse lover! I was born this way. One of my earliest memories of life as I know it is from a time when I was about 3 years old. I can remember hearing the sound of pony hooves clopping down the cement sidewalk of our southern Florida subdivision. I also remember tearing around the house frantically begging each member of my house for a quarter. "Is it for the ice cream man?" They'd ask, knowing full well my intent. (The money was for an enterprising young man who had found a way to earn a few extra dollars from his farm sitting job. For 25 cents he would walk a small child around the block on horseback.) "Maybe no one of us have a quarter this week", they'd tease. "Hmm, must be for a quarter horse!"
When I was finally at the point of tears, I'd get my quarter and have my ride.
As I grew older, my love for horses grew. I rode my imaginary horse everywhere, taught my unwilling golden retriever to drive, and read everything that even vaguely mentioned a horse.
I hounded the few horse owners there were at school, begging to pet their horses, secretly ( and sometimes openly), wishing they'd offer a ride. The fever progressed. I went through several back breaking, callous building, muscle straining, heart rending jobs in the equine field until I finally found myself at a large thoroughbred breeding farm. The babies were cute and cuddly, and strong as oxen. Once I got used to handling them, I had time to start noticing their mothers. This one had an ear that hung forever to the side, like a cow's ear. They said some groom had twisted her ear as a form of restraint, leaving her permanently disfigured.
Now I started asking questions. Weren't the majority of these broodmares ex-race horses? Why were they so broken down at such a young age? ( One was a 3 year old filly they said "just didn't fit the program." 3 years old! Just a baby herself, and there to be bred and to remain a broodmare for life! What a waste!) I decided to see for myself, first hand, why these things were just accepted; what was making these beautiful animals become expendable. Why race horses were treated like wrecked cars and sent to the junk yard to be bred.
I took a job as a groom at a major racing stable. The pay and the hours were great! I was allowed to learn to ride racehorses in my spare time, and I only had 5 horses to care for. I had 2 fillies that were 2 to 3 years old. They were in the regular training program: galloping 4 mornings, working 2 mornings, and Sundays off. Sundays off consisted of one hour turnout, and spending the rest of the day resting in the stall. One of the horses was a 4 year old colt that had fractured a sesmoid and was just starting the come back program. Five mornings of jogging, one trail ride, and Sunday off, progressing to the regular program within a month.
My other two were yearlings that were broken to ride the first week, the difference being that the yearlings got to trail ride and gallop alot longer, (two months), before starting one slow work a week. Eventually, the trail ride was eliminated to make room for the other day of work. As these horses started training progressively harder, I started noticing alot of mushy legs, sore shins, popped curbs, etc. At first when I enlightened the trainer to these problems, he graciously entered my stalls to check my diagnoses. After the first few times it was made clear to me that the trainer did not wish to be bothered unless the horse was three legged when it came out of it's stall.
Soon my charges were "ready for the races!" The four year old shipped out. He came in second in his first race and broke down in his second race. I hope he is standing at stud somewhere. One of the fillies shipped away, and I never heard any more of her. The yearlings stayed with me, following the regular program.
The other filly also stayed because she "wasn't quite ready yet." She gradually became more and more sore on her left front leg. I wrapped, polticed, gave bute, etc but she was still sore. Her tendons were ultra-sounded. Her bones were x-rayed. She was blocked. All to no avail- the problem could not be pin pointed. She was ordered to stall rest, meaning she could not leave her stall for any reason for one month. She was hand walked for 15 minutes each morning in the shedrow. She would rear and try to get loose on the grass. But they would never turn her out...not even in a small paddock... to stretch and roll and loosen up. The second month she was allowed to "shedrow" or "tack walk"- meaning that I was to ride her in the shedrow at a walk each morning for 1/2 hour. I found it was best to do this very early in the morning while it was still dark and she couldn't see the track. Even with this , she faithfully blew up each day as we rounded the corner to the backside of the barn. She reared, bucked and carried on. Then came the big day!
Month 3 she was allowed to begin the comeback program. Day one of the program she ran away on the track, bucking and having a grand time. From then on, since she wanted to run, she was pushed to join the regular program by the end of the month. She broke down and was sent to the junkyard to be bred.
Well I got the answer to my question! I found out exactly what it takes to make a young horse useless for anything but the breeding farm. Jaded? Yup. You better believe I am! The question still remains; why is this considered to be acceptable?
None of my five horses needed 6 days of pounding a week to keep them fit. All of them would have been able to live a more relaxed life had they had more than a 15 minute turnout each day. ( Don't we want our race horses to gallop along relaxed?) All of these horses would have been able to heal themselves of injuries and avoid furthering their injuries if the pain hadn't been masked by bute and if the training hadn't continued. And would someone please define "stall rest" for me? What is restful about being confined to an area just big enough to lie down in and to turn around in, especially if you feel fine because of all the pain killers you're on?
This filly may never have had the strength or the ability to win races, but wouldn't we all feel better if we knew that her bones and muscles had been allowed to develop and strengthen, and that when warning signs were observed, she had been allowed to heal instead of being covered up and strained further?
I am now working at a farm where the training methods described in Backyard Race Horse are instilled. I see happy, healthy horses. Yes, minor leg problems do occur, but when they do, the horse is turned out and the problem usually disappears within a few days. No medications are used to continue training when the horse really isn't right. When the horse does go back to work, it is allowed to do what it is comfortable with, and is not pushed.
Therefore, it may heal and does not break down. Not only are the horses happy with this program, I as a horse lover, am too!
The Rambler
Dear BYRH,
I have just finished reading your Backyard Race Horse and think it is a must reading for any person with race horses and very good reference for all other horse owners.
I kept thinking when reading about the trainers hiding problems with medication and running up big veterinary bills for the owners and also the danger to the jockeys from medicated horses. Wouldn't it be great, if it was possible and required, for all medical treatment and medication of races horses to be published for the public. It would sure change the picture of owners going to trainers, jockeys taking horses to ride, and the public making their bets. Just a dream I guess. I have shown horses and rodeoed, team and calf roped, both with success. However, now I do some laser treatments, try to help horse owners and sell a few books for Equine Research Inc.
I am looking for information in identifying problems caused to horses in small pens with little or no turnout with free exercise. The book "Breeding Management and Foal Development" written by the staff of and published by Equine Research, Inc provides the information on possible problems. But is there anyone who has experienced the problems and identified the cause as lack of free exercise?
Rachel Thomas,
Box 4637
Huachuca City, Arizona 85616
Rachel-I think many problems at the track start
simply because of lack of free exercise for a period each day and that
is why the trainers and vets try to "help" the sore horses with pain reliving
medications. The problems then escalate.--Editor
Dear BYRH
We just returned from a vacation in Florida-we had visited, in Fairfield, Fl - with Roseanne and John Simmons (a trainer) my husbands' nephew.
My husband will be 77 on June 9th. About 25 years ago we owned a race horse "Savage Chief". He raced at small tracks near St Lewis and Evansville, Ind. Horses have always been a part of the Simmons family. You may have known Harold Simmons (trained in Florida) he was my husbands brother. My Husband, E.W. retired after 25 years with the Illinois State Police. I'm retired from being a food service supervisor. E.W. read your book-Backyard Race Horse- while we were visiting John and Roseanne. He really enjoyed it and I thought it would be a good birthday gift-don't you? Try to send us a copy by June 9!
Pauline Simmons, Benton, Ill
I think it is a great idea! The Simmons are a real horse family- John has been a trainer for years. When I saw him in Ocala recently he commented that he can't wait to get up in the morning to see how the horses are! That's a true horseman! And he is still training and hauling horses around the states!--Editor
Dear BYRH
Hi! I'm the lady who called you Friday about My Arabian racehorse. First
of all let me express my heartfelt thanks for the time you spent talking
with me. Enclosed is a check for the book-I look forward to reading it.
I am seriously considering coming to a seminar-there would be logistic
problems but heck- I've been spending $700 or $800 a month anyway on training
fees.
Within half an hour of our conversation I made arrangements to bring my horse home this Sunday. I'm going to turn him out into his old paddock and let him just be a horse for a few weeks and I will watch those legs closely, as you suggested.
I'd like to see him race, I want him to see a sound and happy old age. I got my other gelding at three years of age and he is 24 this summer. He's been ridden distances of up to 50 miles ( he did it in 6 hours and is as sound today as he ever was. In May I did a 30 mile ride with him (not competitive-just trailriding)-he was the oldest of thirty horses on the ride by ten years, and he did the best. So, as I told my trainer, I might not ever have trained a race horse, but I think I know something or other about conditioning a horse.
Maybe your book and seminar will show me how I can do both with my horse-a racehorse; and a sound happy long lived friend as well! I will not allow my baby to be hurt! So he comes home Sunday. My horse can't talk (well he can, but you 'have got to speak his language-I know you know what I mean!) but if he could, he would say thanks too! Doubtless you'll be hearing from me again.
For the love of the horses, yours truly, M.T., Michigan
The above letter was the result of a long conversation I had with M.T. about what was happening to her horse in training at the track. He was having many problems that he had not had at the farm and was being given many kinds of medications , some of which, if used for more than a few times, could have lasting harmful effects (Steroids, ACTH, etc). She has plans to keep her horse and wants him sound for other endeavors when he is through with racing. If a horse needs a lot of medication in order to run, should he be running? What do the medications do to the horse when they "help" him run when he has lameness and soreness?--Editor
Dear BYRH,
Enclosed is a check for another book which I would like to give to my trainer. He is the young trainer I found who is open to your/ my unconventional ideas on training racehorses.
Thanks for the copies of the newsletters. I am a part time worker and full time "struggling " writer- artist doing what I love-writing, drawing, and of course working with my horses. The vet bills for my poor beautiful 4 year old Arabian in the three months he spent at the track haven't helped-thank goodness I saw your articles in the Arabian Finish Line! I brought my horse home and put him in his large paddock (it has a large box stall attached-he can come and go as he pleases) and I monitored his legs. I am happy to say I believe no permanent damage has been done. Within a day (actually within a few hours) he went right back to the old routines he had before leaving my farm.
I brought my baby home but have not given up on my race horse dreams. Though our exposure has been brief, my husband and I have been bitten by the racing bug. I have had, actually, long since given up on finding a way to share with my husband my love for horses. He is not a rider and I love endurance riding, in which one spends hours riding. But I discovered, to my delight, Ron loves the pageantry and atmosphere of the track! Feeding carrots to the horses on the backside, flashing his owners pass to the admittance people on the frontside, and talking to the relatives about our racehorse are just a few of the joys of racehorse ownership!
His eyes no longer glaze over when I start talking Arab bloodlines and he grabs the copies of Finish Line out of my hands as soon as I bring them in from the mailbox. Our eight year old daughter likes the track too. Mt Pleasant Meadows has a nice family oriented "country fair" atmosphere. Alas they market themselves badly and attendance is generally light. Perhaps, more families like mine, racing sound, healthy, sensibly trained horses could help!?
So, with the idea in mind that we could still own racehorses, we went in search of a trainer who would work with our ideas. And I found one. Actually we had known him before -he had been employed by our previous trainer until they parted ways because of differences of opinion as to how the horses were being trained. There is an entire soap-opera/Dick Francis style story here I won't go into. Suffice to say the last straw for him came when the trainer told one of the pony riders to keep one of his horses cantering in the post parade before a race because he limped too bad at a walk!!! And I sent my horse to this person! I went into this game very trusting and nieve--but am learning fast!
Anyway our horse will continue training with the new trainer and the training will be partly track trained and partly farm based. We are convinced we will not have the outrageous vet bills following the program he and I worked out together. If the horse starts having leg, back, tie up problems again I will have to find a way to train him from the farm entirely--or just endurance ride him as I'd originally planned.
The new trainer already trains following many of your principles, and I'd like to give him a copy of your book. The more wide spread we can circulate your common Horse sense approach, the better for the horses and the industry.
My previous trainer and I did not part on good terms and I can honestly say this was his choice. As politely as I could, I told him that I was uncomfortable with all the injuries, soreness, medicine, and medical procedures my horse was undergoing and as he was unwilling or unable to work with me on an alternate training regime for my horse (believe me-I didn't want to give up on the idea of racing him, so I asked him if he would be willing to train a little--okay--alot differently.) I was polite but he was not interested in working with an owner who didn't simply send the horse, pay the bills, show up on race day, and not ask too many questions. From keeping my ears open on the backside I have learned a thing or two.
The Arabian industry is begging for new owners / people to get involved. My experience shows why they become involved and just as quickly get uninvolved again!
Thanks for the books, your time, your advice--I'll keep in touch.
Yours for the horses, M.T. , Michigan
You have touched many good points here...it is great that your husband now is involved in the program...that really makes the horses a family project.
I also feel for the trainer-he surely thinks he is doing the best he can to get the horses to the races--but in the process he might harm your horse. His style does not suit your goals--you want a sound horse for another career if he is not fast. Some trainers feel the pressure to win at all costs so their style evolves with little time for the healing process between hard works. The shortest route with the fastest results is with medications. It would be hard to expect a trainer to change his style for you. He does what works for him (even though it can ruin the horse) and his attitude may be very appropriate for his other owners. Maybe they don't want to know anything except when the horse will run and when the horse will win. I know how difficult it is to have a horse ready for a race and then see that he is a little off on entry day--choosing to wait until he's right may put him back two weeks and the meet may be a short one. The owner has expectations and will be upset if his horse doesn't run...after all...he is paying day money!
It is at times like these that an informed and educated owner is the trainer's best asset. He can understand and help with these difficult decisions. Can your previous trainer think that the horse will run well when he is lame? You are better off with a trainer who wants to work with you because you want to be a part of the complete program. The development of a race horse really takes more time than most people allow for...owners push trainers for answers and results too soon because the costs are so high. Trainers, knowing that the horse needs time and experience, instead, push him forward and hope he won't crash. What happens is that a particular form evolves for the horse and he runs well for a few races and then crashes-usually never to be seen again... or he'll be off a year or so and come back a lesser horse. When the trainer takes the real necessary time to allow the horse to grow into his job, two years may have passed. Now, at four, the owner learns he has a healthy, fit, sound horse that more likely than not, will be too slow to win more than a race or two! This horse will be useful and able to have another life. The problem is the cost of all that racing training that the owner will never recuperate. That's why if owners understand, and like their horse, and have a place to keep him for the "down" time, the costs aren't as bad. Statistically, many many more lose than win. If that is understood up front, then we can still have a good time and end up with a sound horse for another life. Keep things in perspective and become educated owners.
Racing is a difficult, humbling experience for most of us. It has great moments of glory and many agonies of defeat. Those who are in the business for the long run, and do the right thing, are the real every day heroes in racing!--Editor