Editor’s Note: A native of England, Iain Holmes started working with racehorses at age 11. He holds a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Buckingham, and he undertook post-graduate studies at Harvard, where he also played on their polo team. He worked for trainer Michael Matz before going out on his own to found the Iain Holmes Racing Partnership.
Well, I spoke to Peter, and he reports that everything at Fair Hill is Nicanormal. In part I, someone asked if I could explain typical day for a racehorse, so here I go:
The backside comes to life long before the average person’s alarm sounds. At about 4:30 a.m. the stable staff greets the horses for the first time that day. They look at their feed buckets, see if the horses ate all their dinner, and then unwrap their bandages – hopefully it is not like Christmas with a big surprise underneath.
The horses are usually walked around the shedrow for a few turns to allow them to stretch their legs and fill their lungs with the cool morning air. Some tracks have round pens where some horses seem to think they can practice for a potential career in rodeo if racing does not work out for them.
Upon returning to the stall, the horse is brushed off and tacked up so it is ready for its morning exercise. Once at the track, the horse might do one of multiple things – they might jog two miles, jog one and gallop one, do a two-minute lick (galloping one mile in two minutes), or a breeze. What the horse does depends on multiple factors, and it really all boils down to their trainer’s style.
After completing its exercise, the horse will be walked out under saddle before being brought back to the stall and having its tack removed. The hotwalker will put the halter on the horse – and as made famous in the movie Seabiscuit – walk it around in circles to the left.
Once the horse has cooled down, it will be led to the wash racks for its daily bath. Horses for the most part enjoy the bath, except for having their face washed. They are then dried off with a towel, and if the facility permits, will be taken to some grass for grazing.
After being taken back to the stall, a couple things might happen. They might have a visit with the farrier to get new shoes, have a routine appointment with the veterinarian, or people might come over to photograph a horse, for its record with the racing office.
There could also be some more work to do. At many tracks after the morning works, the horses are allowed to go to the paddock for schooling, just to provide them the experience of seeing the saddling area before they go there on race day.
Once the morning activities are over, the horses are left in peace while the staff rushes back home for a much-anticipated nap or some might head off to a second job. In the middle of the afternoon, the horses might be taken out to graze. This is a nice way to break up the horse’s day, and they always enjoy green grass. And, of course, they will be given their dinner.
So there you have it – a day in the life of a racehorse. I will try and answer any questions.
End note: This was part two of a two-part series of guest entries by Iain. However, he may make appearances throughout the life of this blog. For more information on Iain, visit www.iainholmes.com or see IHRP’s latest offering at www.DenisesGift.com , which aims to combine raising awareness about the need for organ donors with fabulous racing.
