(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.
Fitness for Racers - I'm stuck
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- Madelene Gilbert
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Re: Fitness for Racers - I'm stuck
If you don’t care about your race record just race them ! If you care use a BT race to get them fit
- Laura Ferguson
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Re: Fitness for Racers - I'm stuck
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.
- Gwayne's World
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Re: Fitness for Racers - I'm stuck
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.
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
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
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
- Stormy Peak
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Re: Fitness for Racers - I'm stuck
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
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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Tuck Everlasting
Fee $30,500
Wolfman Jack
Fee $18,000