How good a rider do you have to be...

[Steorra]

To ride out race horses?

I posted a similar thread in NL and had some really useful responses, but I know there is a slightly different crowd in here and would be grateful for more advice.

Has anyone here ever done it? How did you get into it? What did it involve?

Basically, I've had a very frustrating year in riding terms, and I'm looking for a new challenge. Firstly my horse was retired, then I has a few 'advanced' riding lessons that were horribly expensive and just not very good, then I was offered a gorgeous horse to ride very shortly before I moved from London to Cambridge and had to give him up! I'm now sharing a lovely mare but she is kept a long way from where I live and at the moment I can only get to see her once a week.

I'd really like to try something new but just don't know if this is a good idea. I've no experience of the racing world really. I enjoy riding sharp horses and have ridden a couple of ex racers but I've always focused on dressage in the past and obviously this would be a very different ballgame!

What do you think? Other ideas of how to get me out of my rut also welcome!! The NL lot ate my peppermint cremes but I'm willing to offer flapjack instead.

 

[boxcarhorse]

I would say you have to be experienced, well balanced and confident. It's a very different ball game from riding 'normal' horses.

Various things to consider... firstly you'll be expected to ride short and in a race saddle - which is very different event from an event/jump saddle.

Secondly, you'll be travelling at speed - galloping a fit racehorse is a lot faster than normal and you'll need a good degree of riding fitness and strength in your back & arms.

My experience riding out a bit, is also you won't be cut much slack as a 'newbie' but will just have to get on with it. Typically you would go to a racing yard early in the morning and ride a few lots. Which would normally mean hacking to a gallop and then galloping up it 2 or 3 times (depending on the length) then going back to the yard and starting over again.

Its not difficult, but the horses can be very sharp and strong at times and you have to maintain control on the gallop, go up in a particular order etc. as part of the training process.

 

[Steorra]

Thank you - you've given me some things to think about. In normal riding terms I'd say I am 'experienced, well balanced and confident.' Speed doesn't bother me as a rule though I know you're right to say that galloping a normal or even competition fit horse is different to galloping a racehorse. Riding short will be an interesting challenge though at least there will be no dressage trainer sighing over my short legs

My interest in this was sparked by a mate who used to (some time back!) fit in riding out around her day job. So I'm wondering whether there would still be demand for someone who could only do early mornings and weekends.

I'm also very aware that one person's 'experienced' rider is another person's 'intermediate but a bit cocky', and I'm not sure where I stand. On the one hand I'm up for a challenge, on the other I don't want to massively overface myself or get hurt. I know this is always a risk with riding and that's fine - I choose to ride afterall, and ride some sharp / temperamental / challenging horses - but that is in a riding style I'm familiar with.

*ponders*

 

[JenniferB]

I ride out pointers over the winter, and while it's not quite the same as riding out at a big NH yard we do have horses that run in hunter chases etc, it's one of the least amateur 'amateur' sports I've ever come across. I don't have to ride out in a racing saddle, but did do quite a lot last season and it makes a big difference (and prob actually made the difference between me breaking my leg rather than just bruising it badly when I got crashed into a tree...). As above you need to be balanced etc, and you also need to be fairly brave - it's a bit disconcerting the first few times, and in actual fact my first season of riding out I threw in the towel after a particularly hairy bit of fast work. I only got back into it because someone got broken and they were desperate! Love it now though, especially the jump schooling. If you're going to get into it and you're used to dressage length I'd suggest you get to the gym and concentrate on strengthening your calf muscles because jeez they'll burn by the time you're halfway through your second lot of canters never mind third... And yes it helps to have a strong upper body, but realistically if a fit TB decides it's going with you there's no amount of upper body strength will help - it's all about getting the horse settled in a rhythm, getting your bridge set and keeping your cool (in my limited experience anyway!).

Hope I've not put you off, it really is good fun if you're brave enough and there's nothing better than flying schooling fences! There are a few folk on here who are far better versed than me (JD Chaser for starters I believe) who will give you more pointers, enjoy!

 

[Bryndu]

Hi,
Not so much the type of rider but how fit and balanced you are. I used to race Arabs and although it was flat racing you do need to be quite muscularly strong to help yourself stay in the position needed. If this applies then go for it.
How about trying your hand at Polo? Very exhilarating (spelt correctly?) and just the right amount of drama and speed and also an acheivement from possibly scoring a goal.
Good luck
Bryndu

 

[Steorra]

Thanks everyone! If I do go for this it's going to have to wait until I get myself a car, so I might spend some of the intervening time at the gym. I used to row a bit so I've got some good legs, core and shoulders exercises that I think will be useful on top of the cardio stuff I do anyway.

I guess in terms of riding and bravery I won't know for sure until I try, but so far no one has shot the idea down in flames so it can't be too crazy.

Thanks again

 

[RachelFerd]

Depends on a lot of factors!!

I am a work rider at a successful flat racing yard in Epsom. It's my main job, been doing it nearly 2 years now and absolutely love it, but it was a bit of a shock to the system to start with. Our yard, like a lot of flat racing yards, will not have people in to ride out unless they have worked with racehorses before. We don't have the kind of horses you can put people on and expect them to make it up the gallop safely, and the easiest rides we have are also some of the best horses we have and worth far too much money to use as assessment horses.

However, you are more likely to find riding out opportunities at a NH or P2P yard, that or a flat yard away from one of the main training centres.... but there are exceptions and asking around (even on places like this forum) may reveal possibilities.

Yard to yard the horses vary. NH yards tend to have more easy chilled rides as the horses are generally older, and they are not so quick - are often more settled to ride up a gallop (although they will have their fair share of strong ones too). I have only worked in flat yards so far, and as I am lightweight have spent most of my time riding 2yos which is a whole different ballgame ! I have found it a normal everyday occurance to deal with jibbing, rearing, bolting, whipping round, catching other peoples loose horses etc.

When I first started, I used to get extreme burn through my thighs, but I don't feel any pain any more, lol. I evented before I rode out and thought my event horse was a strong ride... I had no idea!! On the pullers I ride really quite short because the shorter you ride, the easier it is to get a good hold of them, using your whole body position, not just your upper arm strength. Riding longer will unbalance you at speed as well as rubbing your calves and knees. The ideal body position is like a martini glass!

I wouldn't stop it for the world, nothing beats riding a good bit of fast work - love the horses and love the people and banter ... there is a LOT of banter !!