In search of some training advice...

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Dylan Christensen
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In search of some training advice...

Post by Dylan Christensen »

I have exactly one consistently good horse but lately he’s been struggling to get a win due to the stiff competition he’s been competing against. I’m trying to gear him towards the Imperial Empire week 7 but I’m wondering where I should run him as a prep. Would it be wise to try and just get him a win to boost his confidence or should I stay in that graded stakes competition? Right now I have him entered in a “sure win” but I could also move him to an allowance for extra safety. Or if I stay in Graded stakes competition what do you guys think is the best one to prep with(distance considered). Thanks for any help!

Kilcreggan
yeah
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Stormy Peak
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Re: In search of some training advice...

Post by Stormy Peak »

I don't know how sound he is, but you might try to just squeeze in some exercise, as that can boost his abilities by a very small margin....and I think every little bit helps. You might try gate, paddock, and pony training him, since he has had none of those in his life - just do like one every other week or so until you get them all in. Also, also maybe even gallop or swim him about 5 to 6 days before he races maybe once a season. He hasn't been galloped in forever, maybe doing that if you think he has enough time to recover before a race would help and help you see if he's at his peak, or a late bloomer or still progressing. It might also tell you if he's dropped from a stakes to an allowance level already. I've done things like that with my horses that are 'sound' and better....and it seems to help a lot of the time.

Also, unless it's a walkover, there's no such thing as a sure thing. :P I can't tell you the number of times I thought I had the best horse in the field and it finished 3rd or 4th for some reason. I've also seen some allowance races that seem to have better horses than a similar distance stakes race for some reason. Just keep an eye open for what looks like the softest race and place your horse and hopefully, soon, he'll get a win and get his confidence back.

Good luck with him,

Stormy
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Dylan Christensen
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Re: In search of some training advice...

Post by Dylan Christensen »

Stormy Peak wrote: 4 years ago I don't know how sound he is, but you might try to just squeeze in some exercise, as that can boost his abilities by a very small margin....and I think every little bit helps. You might try gate, paddock, and pony training him, since he has had none of those in his life - just do like one every other week or so until you get them all in. Also, also maybe even gallop or swim him about 5 to 6 days before he races maybe once a season. He hasn't been galloped in forever, maybe doing that if you think he has enough time to recover before a race would help and help you see if he's at his peak, or a late bloomer or still progressing. It might also tell you if he's dropped from a stakes to an allowance level already. I've done things like that with my horses that are 'sound' and better....and it seems to help a lot of the time.

Also, unless it's a walkover, there's no such thing as a sure thing. :P I can't tell you the number of times I thought I had the best horse in the field and it finished 3rd or 4th for some reason. I've also seen some allowance races that seem to have better horses than a similar distance stakes race for some reason. Just keep an eye open for what looks like the softest race and place your horse and hopefully, soon, he'll get a win and get his confidence back.

Good luck with him,

Stormy
I had totally missed that he’s never had any schooling or anything in his life. Thank you for pointing that out! Maybe a 3 week break and some training is in store? Maybe not? But for sure I’m going to work on training with him, maybe he’ll run like the freak he is a bit more consistently!
yeah
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Stormy Peak
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Re: In search of some training advice...

Post by Stormy Peak »

I have this pasted in my notes. This is an Approximate recovery time for exercises... and of course, this depends upon how sound your horse is, and how tired it is from long shipping and frequent racing. But it can help you figure out if you would like to exercise your horse if you think you need some information, like with the gallops, or think a horse could use just a little bit of stamina training and has the ability to recover fully before it races again...etc.

Estimated Recovery Times Of Racing or Exercises:
~Race -- about 9 days, if the horse was sent to a nearby farm right after the race - travel time and prior race schedule affects this.
~Timed Workout - 4 days
~Gallop - 2 days
~Teach Horse to Jump - 2 days
~Ponying - 1 to 2 days
~Swimming - 1 to 2 days
~Jogging - 0 to 1 day
~Walking, Paddock, Gate - 0 days Tiredness accumulates if daily

I *think* it was Regina Moore who posted this somewhere on the forum some years ago...hope I'm giving the right person the credit for this. Anyway, I've used these to help judge recovery time, like if I have a horse that likes to run every other week, but I can't find a race and he has to sit it out with 2 weeks between each race...I'll give him an exercise to keep him from going stale, but it still allows him some rest too since he's not actually doing so much as to tire himself out like a work would do or having a race scheduled in that spot.

Stormy
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Laura Ferguson
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Re: In search of some training advice...

Post by Laura Ferguson »

I wouldn't bother with the training - that is more helpful if you're coming off an extended break (think 4 weeks or more between races) or prior to the first start. The racing every 2-3 weeks giving him the experience/fitness. If you're pointing for a big effort, I would go with the confidence boost option, if he hasn't won in a while. Hope that helps!
Polk Buffalo
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Re: In search of some training advice...

Post by Polk Buffalo »

I have my own theory about some pedigrees. I notice that most of my horses from indominus are very inconsistent. They do speedfigures at about 65 for 3 or 4 races, then suddenly an 84 and then back to 65. Perhaps pedigree makes some horses more inconsistent even if distance, weather and all other parameters are the same. This is just my theory. I havent noticed this from I love to jump though...
Polk Buffalo Stallions
Yoboki Arabian Router 40k
Blue Daub Adee Appy Mid 20k

and many more...
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Dylan Christensen
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Re: In search of some training advice...

Post by Dylan Christensen »

Thank you all so much for the advice. I can now officially say Kilcreggan is back as he won against what was a very good field for it being a listed stakes race and in less than preferable weather conditions. With his confidence back the sky is the limit for this guy in the Imperial Empire, wish me luck!
yeah
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Stormy Peak
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Re: In search of some training advice...

Post by Stormy Peak »

Congrats on the win. : )

Stormy
SIRES: Turf Routers - Each multiple G1 winners

Tuck Everlasting
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