Seminar Update
By Paula Capestro, licenced trainer
in Florida and California
Dear BYRH,
I just wanted to drop a note advising you of my current situation. When you were here in California in August, I had just come home from a 30 day trip to Africa, and found my wonderful 3 year old had just bowed a tendon. As you know, I left him with a "reputable" trainer who said that he had no problem following my very explicit instructions to gallop the colt three miles- (1 1/2 miles in each direction) letting him cool down for a final mile. My colt was extremely fit and all I wanted was to tuck him up a little and put some wind in him. On the off days he was to live in a 1/4 acre grass pasture. In addition to that, he was due to be shod the day I left. He was not shod until two days before I got home-thirty days later! According to their own records, they continued to work him, even though they noticed a "bump" on his tendon. The vet was not even called to diagnose the problem until I got home. I insisted on an ultrasound of the tendon immediately. Although not too noticeable now, the horse is bowed. I have a year lay-up on my hands and the possibility that the horse may never start. I was bummed! The story was that they were not comfortable galloping him out of a paddock every third day. (You and I both know that every horse trains differently-and this horse needed to go only every third day to stay sound. Your seminar confirmed my own feelings that each horse is an individual and the trainer must be tuned into his specific needs. This is why the race track routine can be hard on trainers who would like to do things differently, but logistically can't, and hard on their horses.). Once I left, they brought him into a box stall and galloped him every day on long feet with a "bump" on his tendon. Now how he got the "bump", no one will say, but to keep working him without diagnosing the problem is just not caring...or did they hope I was too dumb to notice? I bred that horse and had four years of hopes and dreams dashed in a few short weeks in the wrong hands!
What is the moral of the story? For me it was to never rely on anyone who does not practice what they preach. In other words, if they do not volunteer to train with a method that you like, do not assume they will do what you want just because they say they will. I knew they rode their other horses every day , a mile and a half, and pulled them straight out of the box stalls. Their horses were always bandaged and various were being treated for "minor leg problems"..."to be expected in the training process", according to the trainer. Why did I think they would do mine differently? I had been so desperate to find a good place while I was gone-and I didn't want my horse to lose the conditioning I had so carefully worked him up to. He would have been better off turned out in a pasture!
The good news is that while I was cooling my heels and looking for a replacement horse, you sent me a referral who has a wonderful Kentucky bred filly by Hatchetman. This owner is very concerned about the health and welfare of this filly and wants things done right.
I did not have a facility at the time so I inquired about a beautiful spot a few miles from home that used to be a famous thoroughbred farm and is now a world renowned estate resort. The owner is receptive to bringing the thoroughbred farm portion back to life and has welcomed my ideas. Now I am busy trying to put together a facility that has it all. Currently we have a half mile track, trails, and rings. For boarding we have box stalls, stalls with paddocks, and paddocks. We are in the process of planning the construction of an enclosed 70 foot sand round pen, a center isle barn, resurfacing the track so we'll have the best footing around, and building more grass turnout paddocks. In addition, we're buying equipment to maintain the track on a daily basis. Hopefully, if all goes as planned, within a couple of months, we'll be ready to go full swing. I plan to ship to our two local tracks, Golden Gate Fields and Bay Meadows. I'll stable with a trainer there that I know when necessary, do our breezes and works over a few days, and go home for a break.
I want to try and race the same way. If our stock is good enough, I believe we will be competitive and will be able to preserve our animals for a lasting career. I will keep you posted and thank you for all of your support.
I would not have been able to do any of this without your help and guidance. Having had the sad experience with my colt, I recognize more and more how sensible and logical your training is. Young animals need to be trained-but they need movement, turnout, and recovery time between the gallops to heal and develop stronger bones and tendons. I think I'll be able to do that here in Carmel Valley at Stonepine Equestrian Center. Please invite your readers to come out and visit when in the area!
Paula Capestro, Carmel, California
Licenced trainer in Florida and
California
Office 408-626-0332
Cellular 408-671-1480
Fax 408-626-3159
It was a thrill to hear that Paula is really doing it! She is a very conscientious trainer who has had years experience with different kinds of equestrian competitions. I'll be doing a seminar out her way in February 1996. Call her for more information. I bet by then she will be racing and shipping in. - Editor