Category: Horse Racing

The Greatest USA Horse Racing Controversy Ever

The most controversial horse racing incident in America must be the hoo ha involving Sinbad The Sailor and his jockey Dirk ’the Long’ Johnson . Sinbad was the first colt to win the Triple Crown after Secretariat did in 1973. His regular jockey Dirk ‘the Long’ Johnson nearly did not get to ride Sinbad in the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, because of the incident. Sinbad The Sailor had won the Kentucky derby by a nose, and, then, followed that up with an all the way three lengths win in the Preakness Stakes.

Sinbad’s owners, Ben and Letty McGurt, were required to pay a late entry fee into the Preakness, because the horse had not been initially nominated for the event. The colt’s trainer was Jack Raisin, who trained the 5 YO out of El Paso, Texas. Sinbad had not raced earlier in his career due to a host of tendon injuries; most thought that the horse was a dud and would never make it as a racehorse. Jack Raisin brought in Jimmy Laughing Bones, a well known American Indian horse whisperer, to see if he could heal the colt and get him performing on the race track.

Well, the history tells us that Jack and Jimmy brought that horse back like Lazarus from his deathbed and he won those races to be immortalised as a legend. However, it is Dirk ‘the Long’ Johnson who is infamously remembered for his taste in tall escorts; one who just happened to be the Belmont Park steward’s daughter. When Dirk was caught with his pants down in the mounting yard with Lucy Van Kut there was an immediate inquiry into the matter. Dirk was found to have brought the industry into disrepute and was suspended prior to the Belmont Stakes.

It was only through the intercession of the Senator for Texas, Lorne Green, that Dirk ‘the Long’ Johnson was given a stay of proceedings and allowed to pilot Sinbad The Sailor to victory in the Belmont Stakes. Dirk’s hand on the whip was hardly needed, as the colt they called ‘Sin’ saluted by four lengths to win the Triple Crown. It was, unfortunately, the last time “Sin’ ever raced, and he was shortly after put down; the tendons had bowed for the final time. Dirk Johnson, however, went on to bigger and bigger things; and a statue of Dirk has been erected near the mounting yard in old El Paso. This was the greatest USA horse racing controversy ever.

Equine Skeletal Injuries: Is There Hope For Horses?

So often we hear of horses having to be put down after an injury. This is a very sad aspect of the horse racing industry. Indeed this is something that cannot be fully avoided especially since accidents are just around the corner. Even when one practices caution with their racehorses, once they are on the racetrack, you can’t guarantee their safety anymore. As such, there have been a number of horses who have suffered injury while racing. Is there hope among vets for solutions to broken fetlocks, broken legs, etc? Can horses recover if given physiotherapy, or osteopathy, etc.?

Before we answer the question, let us first consider common injuries racehorses acquire in the lifetime. Suspensory injury on horses which is also known as a torn suspensory ligament is an injury that has the potential to limit or end your horse’s career. This is why it should never be taken for granted as it requires timely and effective treatment in order for your racehorses to recover from their injury.

Aside from leg injuries there is also ocular injury in horses which are considered to be quite a common equine emergency. This includes puffy and swollen eyes as well as eyelid laceration which are something that requires immediate attention.

A number of horse owners consider the conservative approach for healing horses which includes time and R&R remain essential for helping a horse recover from tendon or ligament injury. Duncan F. Peters, DVM, MS, director of the Sport Horse Division at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, in Lexington, Ky, explains that the body’s healing system is complex. While newer treatments might provide functional improvement in the healing process, they do not speed up the process itself, he notes. “The time factor is still necessary, and R&R is part of the process.”

A racehorse career is not considered to be very long and as such, injuries such as these can totally ruin a good run. Recovery and rest with regards to their suspensory injury can take from 8 to 12 months for them to be able to get back to the racetrack which is a considerable amount of time that you can end up wasting. Of course, you don’t want to put the welfare of your racehorses in jeopardy however, a number of owners today found a way to help speed up their recovery and they were able to find these with the help of professional osteopaths.

A number of people are able to make use of compassionate care for horses today which includes equine osteopathy and physiotherapy massages. Osteopathy will help to prevent sickness by recognizing early signs of disharmony in the body. This modality will increase the level of performance and general well-being of a healthy horse.

Physiotherapy works hand in hand with osteopathy in providing the care racehorses need that is given to them in a timely and effective manner. It is good to hear that physiotherapy can now be applied in help treat as well as prevent the occurrence of racehorse injuries which in turn reduces the likelihood of injuries from ever happening to them.

Make sure that your racehorses are in tip top shape and ready for any race. Consider acquiring the services of a physiotherapist as well as an osteopath who are well versed in dealing with horses.

The Mental Life of Racehorses: What Do They Think & Feel?

Horse racing is done on a regular basis with a considerable number of horses that are competing with each other. We often look at the sidelines and are focused primarily on the winning result that we often overlook the condition of the horses. A few questions often arises which sparks one’s curiosity on what they are thinking or feeling during a race. Do some of them have a sense of excitement and glory as they run towards the finish line? Or is that just us humans projecting this onto them? Can gamblers or betting people bet on the likelihood that some racehorses truly do psych themselves up to outrun other houses? Or is this just a complete myth? Do horses possess emotional intelligence? We might as well ask, what do they think about? These are questions often worth asking and let us try answering all of these today.

Racehorses are indeed aware that they are competing in a race. Camie Heleski, the coordinator of the horse management program at Michigan State University says, “This is mostly conjecture on my part, but I think that in the same way some horses like to be dominant in a herd, and be more dominant, say, in getting the feed when it’s given, I believe some horses also want to beat other horses in a racing scenario.”

Furthermore, Jenifer Nadeau, an associate professor of equine science at the University of Connecticut also shared her insights about it saying, “They take a lot from how the people around them are reacting because they are sensitive. That’s the thing about horses they do read people’s body’s language.”

In a way, horses do understand humans. Although horses can’t talk, they are able to pick up on subtle eye and body movements. Horses are sensitive to our communications and some visual or auditory cues are more easily deciphered by horses than others. As such, they are able to feel what their jockeys and their owners feel as well as how the crowd reacts with the outcome of the race.

Do horses posses emotional intelligence? Well most of them are used to help develop emotional intelligence which means they too have it in themselves. In fact, some people even use horses to teach effective leadership as well.

For instance, there are Equine Experiential Learning instructors that teach people that the most effective communication relies on our non-verbal actions and personal motivations as much as it does rational thought and speaking.

So now we know horses are highly sensitive animals, but can they even sense something is going to happen, are they clairvoyant?

A good example of this was Lady Wonder a horse that was purported to have psychic abilities. Over 150 thousand people came to consult the horse at the price of three questions for one dollar. Lady Wonder is said to have helped the Massachusetts police to find the body of a missing boy, to have predicted that Jack Dempsey would defeat Jack Sharkey in 1927 and to have helped discover oil with a number of horses following her footsteps.

You can also consider going to a clairvoyant when these horses are unavailable to your region. They have integrated their services over the internet for better access and reach for their clients today.

The Financial Hazards & Joys of Owning a Racehorse

Horse racing is done on a regular basis having a considerable amount of dedicated audience. Fans and followers alike love the thrill of horse races regardless of whether they betted on the horse race. Those who want to get closer into the action themselves often decide to invest in getting their very own race hose. With that being said, there are a lot of expenses in owning a horse that should be considered. What kind of expenses is involved? Let us look into the financial hazards & joys of owning a racehorse.

It should be noted that purchase price is just one part of the overall cost of the horse. What investors should look into is the cost of the upkeep which depends on the place that you are living in as well as the service that your stable provides. A little as $100 a month is what a simple pasture boarding will you cost. A stable boarding however, can cost up to $500 or more.

The breed, age and disposition of your horse can also affect its overall cost. Hay, salt and supplements can range from $60 to $100 per month and this is what most horse owners spend. Furthermore, you will need to keep your racehorses in a relatively good condition, trimming their hooves, adding shoeing as well as spend some resources to routine veterinary checkups.

Medical care to your racehorses includes vaccinations, de-worming and annual teeth cleaning which adds to your overall cost. This can cost as little as $300 a year for a healthy horse. You can however, pay hundreds or even thousands for a one-time treatment if your horse gets injured or ill.

Last but not the least is the jockey fee. You can’t have racehorses without a professional jockey riding them. A minimum of $35 to 100 is what jockeys can take home per race while also earning a percentage of the purse if the horse is able to win it all.

We’ve mentioned a lot of the racehorse cost, but what are its benefits? Rugby star Mike Tindal splashed out £12,000 on a racehorse and some may find this a bit too expensive for their taste. With that being said, Mr. Tindall was able to double, even triple or more his return as his horse is now said to be worth more than £200,000 which is pretty impressive. Of course, luck is also involved with his investment but nevertheless, he earned a good amount of money with this racehorse purchase.

Owning a racehorse may not sound as easy as it looks like but the rewards greatly outweighs their cost. Horse lovers and enthusiast are able to enjoy caring for their horses as they prepare them for the race ahead. Low documentation loans were able to help a considerable number of racehorse owners with their investment in a timely and effective manner. As such, racehorse owners are able to provide the needs and preferences of their racehorses keeping them in tip top shape as they ready for the race ahead. Seeing your racehorse win the competition is indeed a fulfilling sight to see in action as you rake in the rewards later. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to raise winning racehorses for your own today.