Racehorse "Rollercoaster"

[Lacuna]

Just watched an article on ITV news about this racehorse training machine - never seen anything like it and wondered what people on here might think of it.

http://www.itv.com/news/2017-07-11/...-20m-machine-puts-horses-through-their-paces/

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I'd rather swim the horse than use that contraption.

 

[GirlFriday]

I don't think it is designed to provide resistance training like swimming, I think it says they are actually planning on using it like a big horse walker at (up to) a gallop? Looks dangerous to me in the event of a fall. But then so does carriage racing at a gallop and I suppose this is not much worse than one e.g. one of a team going down? (I've seen that happen at a speed - horrible)

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Yeah that's what I don't like. What happens if a horse breaks down? How quickly does the machine stop? And how safely?

 

[catwithclaws]

My thoughts are similar, what happens if a horse breaks down or trips - and also what of the horses in the row behind if the machine needs to stop quickly, surely gallop to standstill within a couple of strides would be just as injury inducing? Nope, don't like the idea at all

 

[AmyMay]

Just completely awful!

 

[Follysmum]

More money than sense. Whatever will they think of next

 

[Sukistokes2]

I can see no gain in it at all. Part of the conditioning of race horses surely, is getting used to carrying the weight of a jockey. My biggest concern is losing the human touch, a jockey or stable lad/lass would feel that first missed stride and unevenness in a horse and pull up. They could run on lame on the machine. I think its about saving money. I doubt anyone with any scene will get rid of their lads and lasses for this.

 

[LadySam]

A jockey/track work rider has to get on at some point. Not sure I'd want to ride a horse that had only been doing that, lovely and fit with no mouth on it!

 

[Greylegs]

Looks horrendous to me. Nice to have a covered track, but why not just ride on it? Looks like the machine can "train" about a dozen horses at once with just one guy at the front driving it. Can't see it's money saving either as it cost £20million to build. A vanity project by someone with far more money than sense.

 

[Sukistokes2]

Looks horrendous to me. Nice to have a covered track, but why not just ride on it? Looks like the machine can "train" about a dozen horses at once with just one guy at the front driving it. Can't see it's money saving either as it cost £20million to build. A vanity project by someone with far more money than sense.

If you look there are seats for a person between each pair of horses.

 

[turnbuckle]

It does look rather deranged. Perhaps it could be converted to carry horses on box rest in a sling? That way they could feel they were lobbing along.....

 

[Antw23uk]

Nothing surprises me about the racing industry sadly Its all about the money!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Nothing surprises me about the racing industry sadly Its all about the money!

Yes and thanks to all that money that the Irish and the Arabs are pumping into racing it is providing jobs for thousands upon thousands - more than you ever realises. There's not iust the stable staff there all the racecourse staff, the transporters, the bookmakers, scientists etc. Yup scientists. They make and trial all the new veterinary stuff! The world would still be in the dark ages with regards to veterinary science if racing didn't throw money at it left right and centre.

You make no money in racing. Unless you buy a cheap £800 yearling that wins the Derby 2 years later. But you've spent £20k to get them there. And the chances of doing that? Virtually impossible.

If your in racing for the money then you need put in a padded cell!

 

[AppyLover]

I've driven past it as it was being built a few times and wondersed what it was I had assumed just a covered track. Seems stupid and dangerous for both horse and the poor sod that's going to have to get on it after it's strong and fittened up.

 

[ester]

I find it interesting, if it was inherently that dangerous and you are putting expensive 2yo on it would they take that risk and spend that sort of money on generating that risk? I find that hard to fathom. The harnesses are quick release if one trips etc, what happens with the one coming behind it I haven't found anything about and I wondered why they didn't send them round in pairs, but I think that is probably due to the link up to the console which is measuring their vitals.

It is maybe important to point out that it has been touted for pre training - it is an interesting concept scientifically to I think essentially generate the concussive forces which are arguably good for strength during the growing process without having to put a weight on their back.

 

[ester]

I do find this picture quite amusing though, you can tell who is more tech keen

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

It's funny we don't like this because it is mechanical and takes the human element away from training the horses but realistically is it much different from having a team of 6-8 in-hand in a wagon? Ok you wouldn't be driving at such speeds but what if one of those horses fail, you still have half a dozen others and a cart to stop without quick release kit unless you have a good strong, sharp knife.

I would prefer them to be split up into pairs with 10-15 lengths between each set to give those behind safe time to stop if needs be.

 

[dizzyneddy]

More money than sense. Whatever will they think of next

^
Totally agree with this!

 

[zaminda]

When I worked in Oz, we had a giant walker they could canter on. We used it for everything from time to time, and horses coming back from injury would often have a prep just on the walker, before being turned out again. This worked well for them.
However, I have worked for someone who trained horses on the treadmill a lot. They were not the nicest to ride, didn't have great mouths, and didn't really know the job. Personally horses need to understand what they are doing before they are got fit, so that they don't damage themselves more when they are older by trying to run off with everyone who rides them.