Fitness for Racers - I'm stuck

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Madelene Gilbert
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Fitness for Racers - I'm stuck

Post by Madelene Gilbert »

(side note, I really wish we had a "Seeking Advice" forum section that wasn't just for New Players)

My barn was basically abandoned for a few years until Week 6 or so of last year. I scrambled to get my racers galloped and worked, but ultimately went to the races while they were still "Training Well". Now it's been several weeks and most have 4 races under their belts, but when I jogged again today they're still "Training Well". I thought races were supposed to give the most fitness? Am I not racing frequently enough? I typically run 3 weeks back, 2 weeks if I can't find anything.

Thoughts or suggestions? Do I try to sneak gallops in between races? Go back to a training schedule? I'd prefer not to do the later as these are "stakes" level horses, but I'm also concerned they aren't performing their best and as they're already old (4yo+) I'm trying to get as much out of them as I can before retiring.
Xander Zone
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Re: Fitness for Racers - I'm stuck

Post by Xander Zone »

If you don’t care about your race record just race them ! If you care use a BT race to get them fit
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Laura Ferguson
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Re: Fitness for Racers - I'm stuck

Post by Laura Ferguson »

If you're going three weeks between races, I'd sneak in a walk shedrow, then a jog immediately afterwards sometime around the two week mark. That'll help get them fitter without wearing them out for the actual race.
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Gwayne's World
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Re: Fitness for Racers - I'm stuck

Post by Gwayne's World »

It's surprising to me how many owners ignore training their runners between races.

Fully fit horses benefit greatly from this I believe unless I'm proven wrong. Their level of soundness should always be taken into consideration however.
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Madelene Gilbert
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Re: Fitness for Racers - I'm stuck

Post by Madelene Gilbert »

Ooo, I like Laura's suggestion. I'll try that!

If I'm honest fitness always confused the heck out of me and I guess I'm just old school and stuck in my ways. It was drilled into me as a newbie not to run your horses too often (even 2 weeks feels like too much) and since then I've always stuck to the 3 week rule. Trying to time additional exercise between starts and knowing which one to use for maximum benefit has me all
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Stormy Peak
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Re: Fitness for Racers - I'm stuck

Post by Stormy Peak »

Madelene,

I race many of my horses almost every other week.

My 'very unsound' horses are the only ones I ever race with 2 weeks rest between each race...and even then, about once a season they might do a race, then have one week rest and do another race, but that's it, after that they are back to 2 weeks between each race.

The 'somewhat unsound' ones usually get a 2 week rest between races about every 3rd to 4th race...but I try to do the 2 weeks rest after their 3rd race, then then go back to running every other week for 3 races before getting that 2 week break again.

The sound and very sound horses, might not get a 2 week break until after they've run about 5 times.

I use 1st class shipping, but if they are going from continent to continent and spending like 24 hours or more on a plane quite often, I'll try to throw in a little more rest too...because time in the plane -- while they don't get travel weary, they are also not getting any barn rest and that extra day of no rest can add up after some trips.

Sometimes I pick up a new horse from AJ or an auction - sometimes I get one who hasn't raced a year.
I'll do a work and a gallop, and will race them after they've had a 7 day rest. They are not fit at that point. But with that race...a week rest...and then another race...they are often fit after that 2nd race.

I don't think I've ever had a horse not be fit after 4 races. I think it's due to running them every other week, more often than not.

Stormy
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