A Day In The Life Of A Work Rider - A Trip To The Races

[Elf On A Shelf]

Morning! I thought I would give you an insight into what goes on throughout the day so I will update every so often!

Today I have Big Doug's down at Doncaster. He runs at 2pm. Because Doncaster is a good 5.5hour drive we came down the day before so he can have plenty of time to chill and relax before he runs. So I set off just before 2pm yesterday as I had to stop in at Hexham .. yes I thought I had got out of it but no! I still ended up at that hell hole even if it was only for 10mins! To pick up another driver.

OK let's rewind slightly. I packed my truck first and in my truck I have enough feed and hay for 2 horses for 2 days, always take a bit extra just incase! Can't forget the carrots either! I have the horses rugs and my kit bag which has a bridle (ring bit, grackle and tongue tie), breast girth and neckstrap. I have a set of paddock sheets, a sweat sheet for the winners enclosure, a different sweat sheet for cool down, a set of boots and a tea towel - do not underestimate the value of a tea towel! Oh and a lead chain! The grooming kit, vet kit, haynets, feed and water buckets live in the trucks at all times, each truck has it's own set.

OK so off I set with 2 horses. There aren't any others staying overnight so we take a companion along so no one is on their own. Ratty has been an admirable companion recently and has got to go to more tracks than he would normally! He is on a mini break so travel and time off eating isn't going to interrupt his training as he isn't in any. We got to Donny at about 8.30pm, got the horses off and gave them a 5min leg stretch before popping them in their boxes. Water, hay and food is put in then they are rugged up and patted good night. The runners feed is doubled up at night as many will eat most of what they are given over night but won't eat much the next day. The companion just gets normal rations as he has nothing to do but eat and will have food available to them all day. I then head off to my room which is onside and I have a view of the stable yard from my window. You would think I would just go to bed seeing as I had been up since 5.30am wouldn't you? Nope! I don't tend to go to bed until 10.30-11pm normally and so I ended up scrolling through TikTok and making sure the yards fb page is up to date.

6am dawns bright over the stable yard but the track is covered in mist, it looks quite cool! We always feed the horses at 6am and being away from home is no different. I take the hay in with me and pick up the boys feed buckets. Douglas had eaten all but a handful of food, good lad! Ratty had eaten everything as I had expected him to. So breakfast is normal rations, with added carrots and I give it to them and leave them to it. I have no need to do anything else but leave them in peace to eat.

Just after 8am I headed back down to walk them out. We give them a good 10-15 march round the stable yard and just before I set of with Big Doug's I grab the shampoo to wash his socks and his tail. May as well dry it as we walk! Doug's hadn't eaten much of his breakfast but I know after a walk they do tend to eat more so after he went for his walk I took Ratty out for his leg stretch. No need to wash him, he isn't running or going near the public! A quick muck out and water change and I can abandon them again for a wee bit. In this time I have had a great breakfast and a shower and have written this. I'll head back out about 10.15am to take Doug's hay and food away. Soz pal! No more til a good hour after your race buddy!

I will pop updates on as my day goes on as time allows.

Dinner time! Spillers HDF cubes x2 scoops, a good handful of AlfaA, carrots and haylage.



What I woke up to this morning.



Walkies for Big Doug's




Ratty's turn for morning walkies



Definitely get well fed here!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

So interesting! I know very little about behind the scenes of race day. The track looks beautiful, and so does that breakfast.
Good luck for his run.

 

[Rumtytum]

Love your insights! One day perhaps you could write a proper book - I would definitely buy and it might turn into a bestseller to fund your ‘retirement’ ?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Since my first post this morning I have been for a walk round the track, plaited up the pony, decided on what Doodles I am doing on his bum, maybe, still not 100% sure ?? and took the colours bag in. There's not much to do in between times when you are away over night, I get very bored!

Snoozing after having his mane done.



Not my neatest tail plait, they never seem to go right at the top!



Big Doug's race in the racecard.



What he will be jumping today - the big fences!

 

[bonny]

Is he ok after his fall ?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Not quite sure why the last one has only just posted but here is the final chapter.

1pm finally rolls around and I go to start getting Big Doug's ready. I pop his bridle on but don't do up the grackle properly as I will be putting a tongue tie on just after I saddle and we head out for walkies at around 1.10pm. We always give our horses a good walk out before we saddle. Normally you pull out with your bridle on 30mins before the race, we pull out 45/50 mins before for a good walk round the stable yard. At 1.30pm I pop Doug's back in his box, take his rug off and start doodling on his backside. Just as I had finished this Ey Up Steve arrived with his saddle. Doug's was carrying 11st4lb so there was a bit of lead in the weight cloth. People laugh at me saddling as I like doing it by myself rather than have someone do the other side so I am always darting back and forth like a blue arsed fly between the sides. So it goes - non-slip pad, weight cloth, number cloth, saddle. Once that is on I stretch Big Doug's front legs then set about putting his tongue tie on. It's basically just a piece of tights that holds the tongue down to stop them from getting it back and choking on it. Doing them properly is an art form. You want them on tight enough that they do the job but not so tight that it cuts off circulation.

Final prep is hoof oil and we are good to go! Big Doug's is a total dude to lead up. He walks next you like a total lap dog. He does occasionally nearly take your head off when he swings his round to look at something but he doesn't mean it, he is just a goofball at times. Walking round the paddock we were announced as the Best Turned Out winner. Happy days! That's some extra pocket money for the yard!

Jockeys are up and I let him go. Off he lobs to the start ... and then completely fails to stop! Typical Doug's! The minute you move your hands he doesn't like it.

2pm. Race time. They jump off and Douglas immediately shoots into a decent 6 or 7 length lead. Jumping away nicely one deposits its rider in the deck at the first. One down, 7 more rivals to contend with. A circuit later Douglas is still popping away in front not a care in the world, the loose horse is being a bit annoying but at least it wasn't really getting in the way.

3 out and horses start to come upsides Doug's. On the flat between 3 and 2 out he slows down quite a bit and is getting tired. I know he has won over 2m4f but it looked to stretch him today. 2 out. He's down! It was a horrible, slow motion fall and I just start running. I run down the flat track next to the jumps track so I'm not in any danger of getting in the way of any other horses. I can see Derek is up on his feet but I can't see Douglas. He didn't come galloping back. Then the screens go up. I start running faster. I couldn't tell you what was going through my head I just knew I had to get to him. I couldn't see anything just screens.

As I reached the screens but before I could get behind them I heard the vet shout "Let him up if he wants up! Come on lad UP!" I could cry! He's still alive! That's a good start! As I get round the screens he is up and walking whilst vets and helpers douse him in buckets of water. I take his reins off of the lass who had hold of him and keep him moving. The last thing you want to do with a tired horse is stop. You can't afford to have th go down, if they go down again they rarely get back up. Derek is OK too thankfully. Once the vet deems him safe to head back to the stable yard the screens go down and we walk back for another good cold wash down. Poor Doug's he was knackered!

Back in the stable yard I wash him down head to toe in cold water from the overhead hoses, a vet comes to check he is OK and leaves me to it pretty much drowning him in water. I took him back to his box to scrape him down, let him have a good drink and swop his bridle for a chiffney. It is BHA rules that all horses must either have a chiffney or a bit in their mouths at all times when out of their stables. 10mins of walking later I was him down again as he is still very hot. Just as I was scraping him off again another vet popped over to check on him. You can't fault the veterinary care these horses get at the races.

I kept Doug's walking for a good 35 mins after his race until he had truly stopped blowing and was dry before popping him back in his box whilst I packed up the truck.

We left about an hour and a half after the race, just in time to watch the Gold Cup on my phone. Just before we set off I gave Doug's a syringe of electrolytes.

Big Doug's is OK, he is tired but he is fine and is coming home which is by far and away the biggest result of the day!

Big Doug's wears a ring bit as he is a keenass mofo!



All dressed and ready to go!



Ratty with his chiffney on ready to head for the truck.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Is he ok after his fall ?

He is fine thankfully! The screens went up which is never a good sign but he was just a bit winded and tired.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Thank you that is so interesting to read, you could definitely write a blog or a book!

Glad to hear he got up OK, must have been a massive relief! What sort of aftercare will you do in the next few days?

That's interesting they have to have a chiffney in when being led around there was a clip of Tiger after his race after he'd been washed down and he had one on, I presume its a safety thing as they're less likely to get away from you with one in?

What makes a trainer decide to use boots? I know some trainers always use them, I think Venitia Williams and Gary Moore uses those premier equine ones, but some never seem to use them. I'm surprised surely, especially as you can get air cooled ones, more would use them? I know you don't want to heat the tendons but would some of the xc type ones help give extra support to the leg given the speed they are going and the way they brush through the fences? I know xc jumps are hard but you always see them on xc, but it varies racing

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

When we get home tonight Doug's will have electrolytes in his feed. Tomorrow morning he will get trotted up to check soundness, go for a 15 leg stretch on the horse walker then spend a few hours in the field. Sunday will be 45mins on the walker then in the field. Monday he will go trotting and probably go on the water treadmill.

The chiffney rule was brought in more for the highly strung flat horses than the jumpers but it is a blanket rule across both codes in every single stable yard.

Boots - every trainer is different and their reasons for using or not using boots varies. Douglas had front boots on today as he has a bad habit of knocking his front fetlocks with his muckle big feet so it is to stop him getting wee Nicks and scrapes. If he knocks a fetlock he swings his leg sideways and says Ow! Same for the odd horse we use back boots on. The boots are on for such a short length of time the heating factor doesn't really come into it. Most people use them just to stop scrapes and cuts. If a horse is going to do a proper injury it will always do it regardless of what it on the legs. You just lesson the blow and prevent the minor injuries with them.

 

[[59668]]

This is so interesting thank you

 

[Equi]

Glad doug got up and seems to be okay it must be absolutely heartstopping to watch them fall. Well done on the turnout win though, well deserved! Hope he isn't feeling to sorry for himself tomorrow.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Glad doug got up and seems to be okay it must be absolutely heartstopping to watch them fall. Well done on the turnout win though, well deserved! Hope he isn't feeling to sorry for himself tomorrow.

The falling isn't the worst bit. It's not seeing them galloping back towards you and not knowing what has happened. Then you see the green screens. That's the worst bit! The whole run down to those screens will forever be the very worst of your life no matter the outcome! Thankfully today's was a good one.

 

[Billyandme]

Really interesting reading this. There is definitely a book in you. Keep going please

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Thank you so much for sharing! It's so, so interesting to read!
I'm glad he's OK, he looks really super smart before hand!

 

[Nicnac]

Love your posts Elf. Definitely a book in there - I know to you it's just your day to day but to me it's absolutely fascinating and love the detail you include. Different world!

 

[Equi]

Love your posts Elf. Definitely a book in there - I know to you it's just your day to day but to me it's absolutely fascinating and love the detail you include. Different world!

For me too, I really enjoy hearing about the care that goes into it...i doubt many people who bet/go to races think about that part. And that is what needs to be shown. So i love these little blog posts.

I also want to see a book of my life from @Cortez but so far she won't relent ill keep asking though.

 

[Prancerpoos]

Thank you for the posts - what a great insight they are. Please keep them coming!

 

[Berpisc]

Another thank you for your posts, they are so well written and informative.

 

[Marigold4]

Poor horse

 

[paddy555]

Poor horse

I am struggling with the double standards.
There are plenty of posts on here, my horse, naps, rears, bucks, bites when he is saddled, shakes his head and the rest of the long list.
The replies quite rightly are get a vet, dentist, saddler, physio etc etc
It would be cruel to carry on riding, don't ride till it is sorted, poor horse etc etc

and they are quite correct, it would be cruel to do so to an animal who is simply there for our pleasure. That person could cause further pain and discomfort to the horse. People are quite rightly very critical.

OTOH we have a horse who is knackered and tired, he could easily have broken a leg as he came down.
No outrage at all and people merely comment the write up is interesting.

As you say,, Marigold, poor horse.

 

[nagblagger]

Thank you Elf for this interesting write up. !
This thread is about the life behind the scenes of racing, not for us to pass judgement whether someone is pro or anti racing, maybe that should be another thread, not to distract from this interesting insight of the racing world.
I think we all agree that the horse welfare should be put first, and no doubt questions will be asked, with all of them, what went wrong and how can we make it better - but not on this fascinating thread please.

 

[stangs]

I'm torn. On the one hand, Elf's posts are always interesting as they provide an insight to a part of equestrianism I have no experience in. And, in this case, Elf has no control over the horse being ridden, so giving constructive criticism is a bit pointless.

On the other, all those dead horses at Cheltenham has left an awful taste in my mouth. Racing is one of the several disciplines I find beautiful in theory and vey uncomfortable in reality. And I struggle to ignore the fact that he did fall - shouldn't the jockey have pulled him up if he was struggling? - despite the fact that, otherwise, this is an interesting thread.

 

[Shilasdair]

Your post makes no sense, paddy555.
Yes, if a horse is misbehaving, lame or ill, it needs appropriate professional help before it should be ridden again.
This horse received appropriate veterinary help - with follow ups afterwards while Elf cared for him.
What's the issue?

And if a racehorse doesn't want to run or jump, believe me, no force on earth can make them.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

A horse can feel completely different from one second to the next. The Jockey is very experienced and would have pulled him up if he felt the horse was not capable of continuing. If he had jumped the fence cleanly he would have carried on galloping not a problem. Instead he fell and winded himself as he hit the ground. That takes more out of them than galloping to the line. I know the horse inside out and if the Jockey had taken a pull to go round the fence to pull up the horse is that obnoxious at times I am 99% certain he would have cooked his head and cannoned over the jump regardless.

This is not a thread to sing the praises of racing. Mine never are really. It's just an insight into what goes on in a yard and how I, as a long term member of staff gets through my days. I have never shied away from writing the nitty gritty stuff. Yes most of it is light hearted and meant to show the fun side but if you look back through the last fews years of this sparodic blog I have always said it straight as it is.

 

[nagblagger]

To be honest, if you know Elf's threads maybe brutal and honest about racing and you don't like the way she writes things, just don't read the thread.
I always go down the 'new posts' and choose what i want to read that is of interest to me. It's all personal choice, so my choice is - Elf keep writing....!

 

[Parrotperson]

Ok FWIW (not much I know) but I've had horses

1.drop dead out grazing

2. Run headlong into a tree whilst pratting about galloping in the field (dead)

3. Drop dead just trotting round a field being ridden

These horses are bred to do the job. They are fit, healthy and very well cared for (bar I guess the odd yard but that happens in every walk of life-there's always a bad 'un)

I hate it when horses die in races BUT its far worse for the people that care for them like Elf. FAR FAR WORSE.

And even when injured they get the very best of veterinary treatment (witnessed at cheltenham this week-race delays whilst ghorses were treated -wouldnt have happened 50 years ago) and they do their utmost to save them

Horses die of various causes. Best Mate dropped dead between fences. Who could passably have foreseen that? Certainly not Henrietta Knight.

Some of the people who complain about racing have no idea how to look after horses properly and shouldn't be allowed anywhere near an animal of any sort. But they think they know it all. Its the social media curse. Know alls come out in force without the knowledge to back up their claims.

And for those of you itching to say "but you make them do it" Go look up a video of "mad Moose". You can't make them do anything. Trust me!!

 

[humblepie]

The stewards will interview the jockey if they consider a horse should have been pulled up.

 

[Soap On A Rope]

I think Moosey settles most of the arguments on here !

 

[Soap On A Rope]

Ok FWIW (not much I know) but I've had horses

1.drop dead out grazing

2. Run headlong into a tree whilst pratting about galloping in the field (dead)

3. Drop dead just trotting round a field being ridden

These horses are bred to do the job. They are fit, healthy and very well cared for (bar I guess the odd yard but that happens in every walk of life-there's always a bad 'un)

I hate it when horses die in races BUT its far worse for the people that care for them like Elf. FAR FAR WORSE.

And even when injured they get the very best of veterinary treatment (witnessed at cheltenham this week-race delays whilst ghorses were treated -wouldnt have happened 50 years ago) and they do their utmost to save them

Horses die of various causes. Best Mate dropped dead between fences. Who could passably have foreseen that? Certainly not Henrietta Knight.

Some of the people who complain about racing have no idea how to look after horses properly and shouldn't be allowed anywhere near an animal of any sort. But they think they know it all. Its the social media curse. Know alls come out in force without the knowledge to back up their claims.

And for those of you itching to say "but you make them do it" Go look up a video of "mad Moose". You can't make them do anything. Trust me!!

Youv'e nailed it PP !!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I think Moosey settles most of the arguments on here !

Battlegroup planted at the start of the Grand National as did King John's Castle. I felt so sorry for the wee old guy that lead up KJC - he was at the start with the horse pulling and pulling on his reins begging the horse to move, he was in tears bless him! The horse was having none of it and just stood stock still. Took ages to get him to move off the track too! Even without a jockey or saddle on he wasn't for shifting!