There are ex-racehorses - and then there are ex-racing superchampions ! It was lovely to see eight of the Grand National's former winners strutting their stuff before the grandstand once more as they paraded before last Saturday's big race.
They may be leading quieter lives now than in their super-champ heydays, but they still all looked marvelously well and happy. And probably twice the weight they used to be ! Some looked more like chunky-hunky hunters than racehorses - and all had a very contented air.
Leading the parade came Miinnehoma, at 26 the oldest surviving Grand National winner and showing some venerable grey patches now. He won the National in 1994 for trainer Martin Pipe, with Richard Dunwoody in the saddle. Even at his great age the old warrior looked in good shape.
Then came Rough Quest ( winner 1996), and Lord Giyllene ( 1997) who is now enjoying life back at Hilda Clarke's. Papillon was led up by Katie Walsh, sister of jockey Ruby who rode Papillon to the winner's enclosure in 2000. A real family affair, Papillon was trained by Ruby and Katie's father, Ted Walsh. Pappillon is now a much-loved family pet.
Glowing chestnut Red Marauder looked rather smarter and shinier than when he battled to victory through the mud-plastered National of 2001, when only four horses managed to finish ( and two of them had been remounted after falls ! One of them was Papillon, under Ruby Walsh. He may not have won that time, but he still earned £25,000 for coming fourth.) Richard Guest, Red Marauder's jockey at the time, now keeps the horse at his Nottinghamshire yard. Richard said : " It gives him a real boost coming back here. He goes away and he's a different horse for a few months afterwards. He lives with us in a field with my fiancee's mare, Annie. He fell in love with her and I fell in love with Alison. He's 19 now and he's looking his age - he's had a few problems but coming here really perks him up."
Next came Bindaree ( 2002) and Monty's Pass, the 2003 winner who, we're told, never forgets he's a champ and is "very bossy" at home !
Last in the parade came the most recent winner, Numbersixvalverde, who won in 2006 and gave jockey Niall 'Slippers' Madden victory in his first-ever ride in the race. Trainer Martin Brassil explained that Numbersix only retired from racing at Christmas last year, so this was his first time in the parade of champions. He certainly seemed to enjoy it, and will doubtless be back for more. It will be a treat to see him, and the others, again next year.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
R.O.R Helpline for Ex-racehorse Owners
The Retraining of Racehorses organisation has long been a tremendous source of information, advice and support for ex-racehorse owners. Their website www.ror.org.uk is a goldmine of information, whether you need advice on care matters like diet and schooling, or are looking for competitions and events to take part in. They have had an email query service for some time.
Email: asktheexperts@ror.org.uk
Now they have also set up a telephone helpline for worried ex-racehorse owners.
The telephone number is 01780 740773
This is the phone number for the RoR consultants Fred and Rowena Cook of Equine Management & Training. If they are unable to answer your call immediately you're invited to leave a message and they will return your call as soon as possible. The helpline is available seven days a week.
Both Fred and Rowena Cook have extensive experience and expertise working with all types of horses from the various equestrian disciplines whether it be ground training, backing, schooling and jumping young horses or re-schooling and corrective training for older horses. Over recent years more and more horses off the track have benefited from their retraining and progressive schooling programmes, subsequently taking up new lives hunting, show jumping, eventing, dressage etc.
It's good to know that help is around when you need it. ( And with ex-racehorses, bless'em, that can be pretty often !)
Email: asktheexperts@ror.org.uk
Now they have also set up a telephone helpline for worried ex-racehorse owners.
The telephone number is 01780 740773
This is the phone number for the RoR consultants Fred and Rowena Cook of Equine Management & Training. If they are unable to answer your call immediately you're invited to leave a message and they will return your call as soon as possible. The helpline is available seven days a week.
Both Fred and Rowena Cook have extensive experience and expertise working with all types of horses from the various equestrian disciplines whether it be ground training, backing, schooling and jumping young horses or re-schooling and corrective training for older horses. Over recent years more and more horses off the track have benefited from their retraining and progressive schooling programmes, subsequently taking up new lives hunting, show jumping, eventing, dressage etc.
It's good to know that help is around when you need it. ( And with ex-racehorses, bless'em, that can be pretty often !)
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Hohlethelonely takes a rain check
The 3.40 race at Uttoxeter on Saturday (14th March) showed us an example of a racehorse apparently doing his utmost to become an ex-racehorse. Hohlethelonely (aptly named, since he was left on his own by the tape as all the other horses charged off !) quite simply refused to start. He was decently polite about it - no bucking or rearing or anything unpleasant. He just dug his toes in and said 'No'. And refused to budge.
I know I really shouldn't laugh ( though much of the crowd did, as well as cheering, when Hohlethelonely eventually consented to lope casually past the grandstand on his own while the rest of the field got on with the race.) It must have been bitterly disappointing, and frustrating, for his connections, especially since the horse has won and been placed before. "Plenty of ability, but a bit quirky," was how one TV commentator described him. Too true !
He had cantered down to the start well enough ( as far as you could tell from the TV screen, anyway.) And he seemed to walk up to the starting tape with the others OK . But then there was a false start ( not his fault), and that's where Hohlethelonely seems to have given up on the whole idea.
As the horses regrouped, you could see jockey Sam Thomas working hard on the leg-aids to try to coax Hohlethelonely to join up with the others. All seemed well - until 'They're off !' Well - they were, but Hohlethelonely wasn't. The field charged off down the track, and left him firmly planted behind at the start. You could glimpse poor Sam Thomas kicking away at Hohlethelonely ( who by now was probably being called something else) like Little Jimmy on a stubborn riding school pony, to absolutely no avail. Neither the best efforts of a top-notch professional jockey, nor the call of instinct to follow the herd, had any effect on Hohlethelonely. He had said 'No!', and that was that.
Which just goes to show that:
a) Thoroughbreds are clever beasties with minds very much their own.
b) No-one can 'force' a horse to race if it chooses not to.
c) Sometimes racehorses - even successful ones - just suddenly decide they don't want to do it.
There can be all sorts of reasons, physical and mental, for a horse to refuse to start. No doubt Hohlethelonely's trainer, Venetia Williams, is delving into all this right now and will come up with the answer. It could be something as simple and easy to fix as a small change in diet or tack. Then Hohlethelonely will be back winning races, which everyone knows he can do. But the answer may be something more complex, serious and longterm. It could be that Hohlethelonely was not just being 'quirky' ( ie. naughty, stubborn, and infuriating!), but was saying in the only way he could that he was deeply unhappy with something, mentally or physically. In that case, his connections may be considering giving him a long holiday, or even a retirement package to a different career and lifestyle.
Some horses love to race, and thrive on it. (Sometimes these can be the ones that are hardest to 'rehabilitate' into different, quieter lives. Like human high-achievers, they can seem to get addicted to the adrenalin, find it hard to wind down, and don't enjoy being under-employed.)
Other horses tolerate racing happily enough as an OK day-job. They are the 'good servant' types, that will probably adapt well in any lifestyle. Others hate it all, never settle to it, and don't usually last long because, deliberately or otherwise, they are just no good at it.
Whatever a horse's racing history and success, though, they all have to retire eventually. Sometimes injury ends their careers, or advancing age and slowness. Sometimes, it's a change in the horse's mindset. Their heart is just not in it any more, and they say so in their own way. Who knows what was going through Hohlethelonely's mind on Saturday ? ( Other than the word 'No' !) But if he says 'No' again, as emphatically as he did then, I fancy his connections will be starting to consider giving him a career change!
I know I really shouldn't laugh ( though much of the crowd did, as well as cheering, when Hohlethelonely eventually consented to lope casually past the grandstand on his own while the rest of the field got on with the race.) It must have been bitterly disappointing, and frustrating, for his connections, especially since the horse has won and been placed before. "Plenty of ability, but a bit quirky," was how one TV commentator described him. Too true !
He had cantered down to the start well enough ( as far as you could tell from the TV screen, anyway.) And he seemed to walk up to the starting tape with the others OK . But then there was a false start ( not his fault), and that's where Hohlethelonely seems to have given up on the whole idea.
As the horses regrouped, you could see jockey Sam Thomas working hard on the leg-aids to try to coax Hohlethelonely to join up with the others. All seemed well - until 'They're off !' Well - they were, but Hohlethelonely wasn't. The field charged off down the track, and left him firmly planted behind at the start. You could glimpse poor Sam Thomas kicking away at Hohlethelonely ( who by now was probably being called something else) like Little Jimmy on a stubborn riding school pony, to absolutely no avail. Neither the best efforts of a top-notch professional jockey, nor the call of instinct to follow the herd, had any effect on Hohlethelonely. He had said 'No!', and that was that.
Which just goes to show that:
a) Thoroughbreds are clever beasties with minds very much their own.
b) No-one can 'force' a horse to race if it chooses not to.
c) Sometimes racehorses - even successful ones - just suddenly decide they don't want to do it.
There can be all sorts of reasons, physical and mental, for a horse to refuse to start. No doubt Hohlethelonely's trainer, Venetia Williams, is delving into all this right now and will come up with the answer. It could be something as simple and easy to fix as a small change in diet or tack. Then Hohlethelonely will be back winning races, which everyone knows he can do. But the answer may be something more complex, serious and longterm. It could be that Hohlethelonely was not just being 'quirky' ( ie. naughty, stubborn, and infuriating!), but was saying in the only way he could that he was deeply unhappy with something, mentally or physically. In that case, his connections may be considering giving him a long holiday, or even a retirement package to a different career and lifestyle.
Some horses love to race, and thrive on it. (Sometimes these can be the ones that are hardest to 'rehabilitate' into different, quieter lives. Like human high-achievers, they can seem to get addicted to the adrenalin, find it hard to wind down, and don't enjoy being under-employed.)
Other horses tolerate racing happily enough as an OK day-job. They are the 'good servant' types, that will probably adapt well in any lifestyle. Others hate it all, never settle to it, and don't usually last long because, deliberately or otherwise, they are just no good at it.
Whatever a horse's racing history and success, though, they all have to retire eventually. Sometimes injury ends their careers, or advancing age and slowness. Sometimes, it's a change in the horse's mindset. Their heart is just not in it any more, and they say so in their own way. Who knows what was going through Hohlethelonely's mind on Saturday ? ( Other than the word 'No' !) But if he says 'No' again, as emphatically as he did then, I fancy his connections will be starting to consider giving him a career change!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Ten Tips for Loaning Out Your Horse
1. Decide exactly what you want before you start.
Be clear in your own mind what kind of home and workload you want your horse to go to, how far away, and for how long. You can always be flexible later if you choose, but don’t let other people decide these things for you. This will also help in your search for a borrower eg choosing local or national advertising, word of mouth, club networking, etc.
2. Check out all interested parties thoroughly, and don’t rush it.
Unless you know the potential borrower well, ask for formal references. Even if you do know them, check the grapevine and local gossip for opinions on their suitability. Don’t rely simply of personal recommendations (people can have blindspots about their friends.) Explore people’s motives and circumstances. (eg: if a person cannot afford to buy a horse, can they nevertheless afford to keep your horse properly ?) If more than one person is interested, take time to ‘vet’ them all.
3. Do mutual visits.
First, have the prospective borrower visit you and your horse at home, so they get to meet each other where the horse is comfortable. Watch how the ‘candidate’ handles your horse – catching, leading, grooming, tacking up. Then, if the horse is to be loaned for riding (and after you have given an appropriate demo) watch how the partnership tackles ridden work in the school, and maybe on an accompanied hack. If you have any doubts, say no.
If all seems well, though, do a visit yourself to the place where your horse will be kept. Check out all the facilities for safety and appropriateness to your horse’s requirements. If the new home is to be a livery yard, look up their website, and meet the Yard Owner/Manager. Ask him/her about the prospective borrower’s ability to look after and pay for your horse.
Ask about professional and emergency back-up (vet, farrier, dentist) and – especially if the horse will not to be kept on a big yard – cover for holidays and illness.
4. Make clear what the borrower will be taking on.
Take care to plainly point out any physical/medical conditions your horse has which will need special attention. Explain his diet, reactions to particular feeds, any allergies, and particular likes/dislikes. (Note the borrower’s responses to this information.) Make special mention of dates for flu and tetanus jabs, and any other regular treatments.
Be sure, before you agree anything formally, that both you and the borrower are happy with the kind of lifestyle and workload you want your horse to have.
5. Take are with identification
All British and European horses now need to have a passport, but it’s a good idea to take extra measures such as DNA testing, microchipping, freezemarking, etc. Make sure the prospective borrower knows these measures are in place.
6. Don’t be afraid to say ‘No’
If at any stage before making the agreement you feel that something is ‘not quite right’, or that a better loan home may be available, just say ‘no’. It’s your horse’s welfare and happiness at stake, after all.
7. Insist on a formal written Loan Agreement
Essential if you don’t know the prospective borrower – but equally important if you do! It’s vital that both parties understand and happily accept all the conditions of the loan, and that it’s quite clear who is responsible for what, and when, throughout the period of the loan. In particular, the exit strategy for both parties needs to be clear. Informal, verbal agreements (especially between friends) can very easily get forgotten or wrongly remembered – and much trouble and heartache can result.
When loaning to strangers, it may be best to use a solicitor to draw up the agreement. If you do not, then at least make sure you use a well-written document, like the sample on the BHS website.( http://www.bhs.org.uk/ ) Make sure you have it formally witnessed., and both you and the borrower have a copy.
8. Keep records
Take dated photos of your horse just before handing it over, to keep a clear record of the horse’s condition as it left you. This could prevent disputes later on if things go wrong.
Make sure you have all the borrower’s contact details easily accessible and backed up.
9. Stay in touch
Establish the fact that you will always care about your horse and want to be kept informed of its progress. Phone the borrower within 24 hours of the horse arriving at its new home, to make sure it has travelled and settled well. Ask for the borrower to send you photos at intervals (dateable ones are good.) Build in to the Loan Agreement opportunities for you to visit your horse, by mutual arrangement. Visit within the first two weeks if you can, then at intervals, to check on your horse’s wellbeing. Don’t natter – the borrower must be allowed to enjoy the loan! – but keep in touch, send congratulations if your horse has achieved something, enquire after it’s health if you hear it’s been ill, and always be available to offer information or advice if the borrower asks. Also, keep contact with any other people in your mutual network ( vet, farrier, instructor, friends, shows, social events) so that you can get information on your horse from other sources. This will also help to publicly reinforce the nature of the loan arrangement.
10. Amend passport
If the loan is working out well and you both want it to continue long-term, you can notify the horse’s passport issuers, who will note the loan on the passport and their records. This clarifies the owner/loaner situation to any outsiders who may view the passport.
And finally – however successful the loan arrangement is, never forget that the horse still belongs to you, and it’s welfare is ultimately your responsibility.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Horse Loan Arranger to the rescue
I had almost committed to a new livery yard for Count. It was seven miles from home base, so not ideal logistically, but the facilities and people looked good.
And then, my friend ( and riding instructor) Laura mentioned a young pupil of hers. Meg was nearly eighteen, and an enthusiastic, capable and sympathetic rider who had long outgrown her pony. She ached for an ex-racehorse, but couldn't afford to buy one. Laura's suggestion: how about letting Meg take Miraed on loan ?
Out of the blue, a whole new scenario to consider! Actually I didn't need to consider long. I'd felt for some time that I'd taken Miraed as far as I could myself. We'd got past the ex-racer tantrums, through the re-schooling, and right up to winning at dressage and taking ridden showing championships. It had been long and hard, but we'd made it and I felt a real sense of achievement.
But Miraed was bored with all that now. ( She's a Lara Croft type of gal, and likes action !) Miraed needed to be going on now, doing more jumping, hunting, eventing - whatever - than I am fit enough for these days. I'd been vaguely looking out for a young ( and fearless!) rider for her ..... And here, it seemed, was the answer. I'd never intended for Miraed to actually leave the yard - but now, if she did, it would make room for Count.
I've loaned out - and borrowed - horses before. It can work very well for all parties, but it can also go very wrong, and it needs lots of checking out and safeguards. This time, though, it was all looking good. Although I didn't know Meg, I knew the livery yard she used very well - the facilities, the proprietors, and several of the horse-owners. I go there regularly for shows and socialising. Miraed would be in a well-run yard, with the same farrier, and same instructor, as before. I would have plenty of 'spies' to monitor her situation! And, lots of witnesses to the nature of the arrangement, to avoid any possible future 'misunderstandings' or wrong-doing. Importantly, Meg had the enthusiastic support of her parents. It was about as safe as these situations can be.
Even so, I took it step by step. First Meg came to see and try Miraed . Her Dad came too - a good sign. Meg stroked and talked to Miraed in a way I liked. We went into the school and I rode first, as you do when showing off a horse. Miraed was not at her most obliging but, thankfully, not too stroppy. Meg then climbed aboard and the two got to know each other while I watched carefully. Meg was quiet and tactful. Miraed tried it on. She jogged, swerved, and ran about with her jaw clenched and her head up in the air. Typical Miraed stuff. Meg sat through it, and then made her behave properly. I was impressed. Miraed is by no means an easy ride suitable for a novice, but Meg quickly had her sussed. After fifteen minutes Miraed had given in and was going sweetly, while Meg wore a great, soppy grin. She was in love.
We discussed loan terms, and I was glad to see Meg's Dad (clearly a horse-lover himself) was actively involved. We agreed a two-week trial.
I delivered Miraed the following weekend. Getting her ready to go, with all her kit, was like sending your kid off to college - and just as emotional. Miraed was finally growing up and going out into the world. When I led her down the horsebox ramp, and handed her leadrope over to Meg, there was a lump in my throat.
Miraed was not in the slightest perturbed. She walked into her new stable, received all the pats and polo mints from the assembled welcome committee, and tucked into her hay. Grub's Ok, job's a good'un!
There was never any doubt about the final decision two weeks later. Meg, and her parents, were both besotted with Miraed, and the yard owners told me the mare had settled in well. I made sure that they, and everyone else, understood exactly the nature of the loan, and in fact the yard owner signed as witness on the formal Loan Agreement.
We used the template of the sample loan agreement from the British Horse Society website. It's very comprehensive, and can be customised to suit your requirements. The BHS strongly advises that a legal advisor checks through any contract you might draw up and agree, but having already checked and used this document in the past I knew it was sound for my purposes. The BHS also advises that you seek references for any potential new keeper of your horse before you agree anything, and also that the keep facilities are approved in advance . Sound common sense - I can't imagine letting a horse go without doing that.
The BHS sample loan agreement can be found at http://www.bhs.org.uk/ . Click on Welfare, then click on Leaflets (at the side). There is a link at the top right corner to the sample contract. Also on this page is an advice leaflet on Loaning and Leasing Horses, which you can download. The direct web page address for this is http://www.bhs.org.uk/content/leaflets.asp?id=20&page=Welfare&area=4
And then, my friend ( and riding instructor) Laura mentioned a young pupil of hers. Meg was nearly eighteen, and an enthusiastic, capable and sympathetic rider who had long outgrown her pony. She ached for an ex-racehorse, but couldn't afford to buy one. Laura's suggestion: how about letting Meg take Miraed on loan ?
Out of the blue, a whole new scenario to consider! Actually I didn't need to consider long. I'd felt for some time that I'd taken Miraed as far as I could myself. We'd got past the ex-racer tantrums, through the re-schooling, and right up to winning at dressage and taking ridden showing championships. It had been long and hard, but we'd made it and I felt a real sense of achievement.
But Miraed was bored with all that now. ( She's a Lara Croft type of gal, and likes action !) Miraed needed to be going on now, doing more jumping, hunting, eventing - whatever - than I am fit enough for these days. I'd been vaguely looking out for a young ( and fearless!) rider for her ..... And here, it seemed, was the answer. I'd never intended for Miraed to actually leave the yard - but now, if she did, it would make room for Count.
I've loaned out - and borrowed - horses before. It can work very well for all parties, but it can also go very wrong, and it needs lots of checking out and safeguards. This time, though, it was all looking good. Although I didn't know Meg, I knew the livery yard she used very well - the facilities, the proprietors, and several of the horse-owners. I go there regularly for shows and socialising. Miraed would be in a well-run yard, with the same farrier, and same instructor, as before. I would have plenty of 'spies' to monitor her situation! And, lots of witnesses to the nature of the arrangement, to avoid any possible future 'misunderstandings' or wrong-doing. Importantly, Meg had the enthusiastic support of her parents. It was about as safe as these situations can be.
Even so, I took it step by step. First Meg came to see and try Miraed . Her Dad came too - a good sign. Meg stroked and talked to Miraed in a way I liked. We went into the school and I rode first, as you do when showing off a horse. Miraed was not at her most obliging but, thankfully, not too stroppy. Meg then climbed aboard and the two got to know each other while I watched carefully. Meg was quiet and tactful. Miraed tried it on. She jogged, swerved, and ran about with her jaw clenched and her head up in the air. Typical Miraed stuff. Meg sat through it, and then made her behave properly. I was impressed. Miraed is by no means an easy ride suitable for a novice, but Meg quickly had her sussed. After fifteen minutes Miraed had given in and was going sweetly, while Meg wore a great, soppy grin. She was in love.
We discussed loan terms, and I was glad to see Meg's Dad (clearly a horse-lover himself) was actively involved. We agreed a two-week trial.
I delivered Miraed the following weekend. Getting her ready to go, with all her kit, was like sending your kid off to college - and just as emotional. Miraed was finally growing up and going out into the world. When I led her down the horsebox ramp, and handed her leadrope over to Meg, there was a lump in my throat.
Miraed was not in the slightest perturbed. She walked into her new stable, received all the pats and polo mints from the assembled welcome committee, and tucked into her hay. Grub's Ok, job's a good'un!
There was never any doubt about the final decision two weeks later. Meg, and her parents, were both besotted with Miraed, and the yard owners told me the mare had settled in well. I made sure that they, and everyone else, understood exactly the nature of the loan, and in fact the yard owner signed as witness on the formal Loan Agreement.
We used the template of the sample loan agreement from the British Horse Society website. It's very comprehensive, and can be customised to suit your requirements. The BHS strongly advises that a legal advisor checks through any contract you might draw up and agree, but having already checked and used this document in the past I knew it was sound for my purposes. The BHS also advises that you seek references for any potential new keeper of your horse before you agree anything, and also that the keep facilities are approved in advance . Sound common sense - I can't imagine letting a horse go without doing that.
The BHS sample loan agreement can be found at http://www.bhs.org.uk/ . Click on Welfare, then click on Leaflets (at the side). There is a link at the top right corner to the sample contract. Also on this page is an advice leaflet on Loaning and Leasing Horses, which you can download. The direct web page address for this is http://www.bhs.org.uk/content/leaflets.asp?id=20&page=Welfare&area=4
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Ex-racehorse livery needed!
Count’s arrival presented me with a problem. Where was he to live? The yard had no spare stable for the winter, and even the summer grazing was just about full to capacity.(Yes, it would have been sensible to sort this out beforehand. But sensible and ex-racehorses seldom go together. Sensible can mean missing golden opportunities. I try not to do sensible these days.) I had to find somewhere for Count long-term, with the right facilities for re-schooling a racehorse – and I’d been given only three weeks to do it!
Finding the ‘right’ livery yard ( for those of us without our own personal country estates, ie most of us) is always tricky. So many things have to be taken into consideration: facilities, like types of stabling, amount and condition of grazing, outdoor and indoor schooling areas, off-road riding, and so on; number of other horses present; distance from home; care and management packages offered, safety and emergency measures, and, of course, cost. Not only that, but for people like me, who like to do as much of the ‘looking after’ stuff with their horses as possible, it is also important that the yard owner/manager, and any staff, are happy with this, and don’t get upset by owners coming in and messing up their tidy routines.
The people at the yard are almost as important as the horse facilities. If the management is any way unsympathetic, unreasonable, unhelpful or inefficient, it can affect a horse’s wellbeing and make an owner’s life an anxious misery. Every bit as bad, for an owner anyway, is any type of feuding, cliques or bitchiness.
It’s also a good idea to check out the other horses at any prospective new yard. Ideally you are hoping for happy, calm, well-behaved animals that will be a joy to accompany when out hacking, and will befriend your own horse in stable and paddock. Any nastiness ( eg persistent kicking, biting) , or infectious habits like weaving, or refusal to be caught, or bad behaviour in traffic, should act as big warning signals.
Finding suitable accommodation for an ex-racehorse, where his rehabilitation and retraining can make calm and steady progress, means considering all the above plus some additional ‘ex-racer issues’. Here is a list of what I look for.
The ideal yard for ex-racehorses should have :
Large and airy stables, with other horses in view for companionship.
Facilities for daily turn-out, all year round. Preferably grass paddocks, but an outdoor school, lunge-ring or sandpit is better than nothing. All horses love to roll, buck and stretch their legs, and it’s a great way for up-tight ex-racers to let off steam and relax.
Sound, safe, and well-maintained fencing and gates. Avoid barbed wire if at all possible. Electric webbing fencing is fine so long as the current is ON at ALL TIMES. Slack pig- or sheep-netting is just great for getting horses feet caught in it.
Constant clean water supply, in field and stable.
Well-maintained, clean and plentiful grazing, for summer at the very least. A regular poo-picking regime is a must.
Safe schooling area. Outdoors or indoors ( both would be great ) Indoors is super-safe for scatty recently-retired ex-racers – but used exclusively does not fit them for riding outdoors later on. An outdoor manege with a high, solid-looking fence ( post and rail, sleepers, etc.) is fine for all re-schooling activities, and will help your horse to learn to work despite distractions. NB: attempting to school an ex-racehorse in an open field is optimistic, to say the least. In fact – as you soon learn when your ex-racer gets fed up and high-tails it into the sunset, with or without you on board – it’s downright crazy.
A regular, appropriate and strongly-enforced worming policy that covers every horse on the site. ( No good worming your own horse if someone else’s poor worm-raddled beastie is constantly re-infecting the pasture.)
A sensible isolation policy for new horses coming onto the yard. ( Ex-racehorses, having in many ways led cosseted, high-maintenance lives where they have seldom had to rough it , can have lower natural immunities than their humbler horse-cousins. And, if they are unused to field turnout, they may be bullied by their tougher new fieldmates.)
Clearly-displayed safety-and-emergency signs: No-Smoking, Fire Drill, Emergency Contacts, etc. A noticeboard for news and messages is also a good social tool.
Somewhere safe to store your stuff – Grooming box, First Aid kit, lunging line and whip, exercise boots, etc etc. ( I always take my saddles and bridles home with me, as so many yards are burgled for tack these days.) If you are providing your own feed, you will also need somewhere vermin-proof to store it.
Knowledgeable, conscientious and sympathetic yard owner/manager, who cares about the horses in the yard and is neither nervous nor dismissive of ex-racehorses.
Personnel on-site 24/7. I need to know that my horses will be checked last thing at night, and if one starts with colic at 2.00am someone will hear it and take appropriate action.
At least one friendly, sensible person with a quiet horse to ride out with when my ex-racer is having one of its ‘there are wolves out there!’ sessions.
OK, so 13 may be unlucky, and you’ll certainly be very lucky to find all of these points together in one place. You’re likely to have to compromise on something – you pick. I spent a couple of weeks travelling round my locality visiting different livery yards and weighing up the pros and cons for each, trying to discover which would suit Count, and me, the best. It wasn’t easy to choose. And time was running out.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Windsucking
Windsucking ( for the benefit of any non-horsey uninitiateds dropping by here) is NOT an new Extreme Sport, nor a racy party game, nor any kind of expletive deleted. It is, though, a very irritating, and occasionally dangerous, bad habit picked up by bored horses.
It involves the horse grabbing hold of almost anything sold – stable door, manger, fence posts, gates, wooden bars or sparring, even metal bars – and then arching his neck and gulping down air with a big grunt. This action forces the air down the gullet into the stomach, instead of into the lungs. There are two direct effects. Firstly, the air in the stomach impedes good digestion. Over a period of time, this makes the horse unthrifty – a ‘bad doer’ – because much of the food taken in is in effect going to waste. Sometimes, the horse can ‘binge’on the gulps of air and actually give himself colic.
Secondly, the grabbing hold with the teeth ( called ‘crib-biting’, for obvious reasons, though by no means limited to mangers ) gradually wears down the teeth in an unnatural way. This can be easily seen by checking the teeth – one reason why it really is a good idea to ‘look (even) a gift horse in the mouth’; at least you’d know what you were getting. The uneven teeth mean that food may not be chewed properly, leading to increased digestive and thriftiness problems. And all that chewing can wreck your stable, fencing and gates !
The primary cause of windsucking, as I said, is boredom, but ( like so many bad habits, equine and human) it can also be sparked off by nerviness and fretting. Some people say it is ‘infectious’, in that other horses in a stable yard, especially youngsters, will copy the windsucker/crib-biter. ( Just as ‘weaving’, that other nervous/boredom habit, will be copied by others.) I have never actually seen other horses copying windsucking myself – it isn’t, in my experience, as ‘infectious’ as weaving. But if a had a valuable youngster I dare say I wouldn’t want to risk it by letting him hob-nob with any horse with these habits.
Sadly, the ‘cure’ isn’t as simple as giving the windsucker more work and mental stimulation – though this will certainly help. Giving up your regular gulps must be like trying to quit cigarettes. Not easy. Traditionally, people have fitted ‘cribbing collars’ –basically a stiff leather strap that is fitted around the horse’s throat, with a heart-shaped piece ( of leather or metal) fitted close by the gullet, to prevent the sucking in of air. Bright horses suss this out quite quickly, and wriggle their way round it.
There is also the surgical approach – by piercing two holes, either side of the mouth. This makes it impossible for a vacuum to be created in the mouth to force down the air. But surgery is surgery – expensive and only to be considered in consultation with your vet, for sound medical reasons.
Unless your windsucking horse is really suffering , you may well decide to settle for removing as many chewable items as possible in the stable ( or at least the ones you want to keep !) and daubing Cribbox , or even something like Jeyes Fluid, on the rest. You can feed your horse off the floor ( more natural anyway) and then keep him as physically and mentally occupied as you can, with work, companionship, regular turnout-and-play sessions, and maybe even stable toys. ( I’ve never yet seen a horse able to crib-bite one of those huge footballs.) Windsucking is manageable – but it can be a darned nuisance.
Not surprisingly, windsucking ( along with crib-biting, and weaving) is officially a stable vice and technical unsoundness. It must be declared up-front by the vendor of any horse with the habit ( however slight or infrequent) – or else the hapless purchaser, on making the discovery, has every right in law to return the horse and demand a full refund.
Not that there was any hint of doubt where Count was concerned. Not only was it right up there in his catalogue entry (‘Has been seen to windsuck’), and announced by the auctioneer as he entered the ring, but Di pointed it out to me personally in the stable, even as she was extolling Count’s many virtues. “He does windsuck – but not all the time. Only a bit. He doesn’t do it when he’s turned out.” Di had a very winsome, winning smile. “And he’s such a sweet horse, he really is.” Hmmn… I had a look at his teeth. Not too bad, actually. And after all, there’s no such thing as the perfect horse…..Sometimes you just have to chose what you are prepared to compromise on.
In fact, Di was totally accurate. He doesn’t do it when he’s turned out – so all fence posts and gates are safe at our place ! But that’s not all. During the few weeks at the end of the summer that Count was able to be out 24/7 ( between winding-down from full training and then coming back inside for autumn nights) he didn’t windsuck at all, neither outside nor in the stable. Even when brought in for saddling-up etc, and for feeding and handling, he never even thought about grabbing and sucking during the weeks he was living out in the field full-time. Now it’s winter, though, he comes in for the night and gets straight in to windsucking for Britain .
This all makes me think it’s partly an anxiety-thing, related to his racing days, and that daily stable routine reminds him of this and triggers the habit. Which then makes me think that, with time and relaxation, together with interesting new work, he may well grow out of it. Certainly hope so; he’s doing terrible things to the stable door !
It involves the horse grabbing hold of almost anything sold – stable door, manger, fence posts, gates, wooden bars or sparring, even metal bars – and then arching his neck and gulping down air with a big grunt. This action forces the air down the gullet into the stomach, instead of into the lungs. There are two direct effects. Firstly, the air in the stomach impedes good digestion. Over a period of time, this makes the horse unthrifty – a ‘bad doer’ – because much of the food taken in is in effect going to waste. Sometimes, the horse can ‘binge’on the gulps of air and actually give himself colic.
Secondly, the grabbing hold with the teeth ( called ‘crib-biting’, for obvious reasons, though by no means limited to mangers ) gradually wears down the teeth in an unnatural way. This can be easily seen by checking the teeth – one reason why it really is a good idea to ‘look (even) a gift horse in the mouth’; at least you’d know what you were getting. The uneven teeth mean that food may not be chewed properly, leading to increased digestive and thriftiness problems. And all that chewing can wreck your stable, fencing and gates !
The primary cause of windsucking, as I said, is boredom, but ( like so many bad habits, equine and human) it can also be sparked off by nerviness and fretting. Some people say it is ‘infectious’, in that other horses in a stable yard, especially youngsters, will copy the windsucker/crib-biter. ( Just as ‘weaving’, that other nervous/boredom habit, will be copied by others.) I have never actually seen other horses copying windsucking myself – it isn’t, in my experience, as ‘infectious’ as weaving. But if a had a valuable youngster I dare say I wouldn’t want to risk it by letting him hob-nob with any horse with these habits.
Sadly, the ‘cure’ isn’t as simple as giving the windsucker more work and mental stimulation – though this will certainly help. Giving up your regular gulps must be like trying to quit cigarettes. Not easy. Traditionally, people have fitted ‘cribbing collars’ –basically a stiff leather strap that is fitted around the horse’s throat, with a heart-shaped piece ( of leather or metal) fitted close by the gullet, to prevent the sucking in of air. Bright horses suss this out quite quickly, and wriggle their way round it.
There is also the surgical approach – by piercing two holes, either side of the mouth. This makes it impossible for a vacuum to be created in the mouth to force down the air. But surgery is surgery – expensive and only to be considered in consultation with your vet, for sound medical reasons.
Unless your windsucking horse is really suffering , you may well decide to settle for removing as many chewable items as possible in the stable ( or at least the ones you want to keep !) and daubing Cribbox , or even something like Jeyes Fluid, on the rest. You can feed your horse off the floor ( more natural anyway) and then keep him as physically and mentally occupied as you can, with work, companionship, regular turnout-and-play sessions, and maybe even stable toys. ( I’ve never yet seen a horse able to crib-bite one of those huge footballs.) Windsucking is manageable – but it can be a darned nuisance.
Not surprisingly, windsucking ( along with crib-biting, and weaving) is officially a stable vice and technical unsoundness. It must be declared up-front by the vendor of any horse with the habit ( however slight or infrequent) – or else the hapless purchaser, on making the discovery, has every right in law to return the horse and demand a full refund.
Not that there was any hint of doubt where Count was concerned. Not only was it right up there in his catalogue entry (‘Has been seen to windsuck’), and announced by the auctioneer as he entered the ring, but Di pointed it out to me personally in the stable, even as she was extolling Count’s many virtues. “He does windsuck – but not all the time. Only a bit. He doesn’t do it when he’s turned out.” Di had a very winsome, winning smile. “And he’s such a sweet horse, he really is.” Hmmn… I had a look at his teeth. Not too bad, actually. And after all, there’s no such thing as the perfect horse…..Sometimes you just have to chose what you are prepared to compromise on.
In fact, Di was totally accurate. He doesn’t do it when he’s turned out – so all fence posts and gates are safe at our place ! But that’s not all. During the few weeks at the end of the summer that Count was able to be out 24/7 ( between winding-down from full training and then coming back inside for autumn nights) he didn’t windsuck at all, neither outside nor in the stable. Even when brought in for saddling-up etc, and for feeding and handling, he never even thought about grabbing and sucking during the weeks he was living out in the field full-time. Now it’s winter, though, he comes in for the night and gets straight in to windsucking for Britain .
This all makes me think it’s partly an anxiety-thing, related to his racing days, and that daily stable routine reminds him of this and triggers the habit. Which then makes me think that, with time and relaxation, together with interesting new work, he may well grow out of it. Certainly hope so; he’s doing terrible things to the stable door !
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
