Evaluating Training III

RR a bit weary on this Sunday, but wanted to do the final post on the present subject. In prior post gave my opinion that way to evaluate a training program is whether it improves the athlete. On further thought there is one other way that every program has to be judged. This second point in one sense is merely a subpoint of improving the horse, but, probably Point #2 deserves to stand alone when it comes to our china plate athletes.

So, here it is. The two universal standards of any racehorse training program:
1. Does the program enhance performance.
2. Does the program preserve the athlete.

"PRESERVE AND ENHANCE"

A very few might recognize the above as the aphorism heading everything that Tom Ivers wrote.

Today's Nob Report as follows:

1/5/07 Rain and Rest
1/6/07 5f all out riderless pasture breeze. Tack work included some walking.
1/7/07 less than a mile of very light riderless trot-gallop just to get the horse settled for tack work. It was windy and brisk, hardly ideal conditions for early break of a well fed yearling (oops--2yr old).
I asked Nob if he wanted some help, but Nob continues to insist he will do this all by himself without any other hands. So, again i'm the spectator for our 10th session also watched intently by "Rolling Rodney" our big gray yearling Tomcat. I'm counting the sessions to see how long it takes before we're walking around the paddock. I'm predicting about session 20.
Today's problem, Art continues to leave the mounting stand before the mounting. Nob thus as the horse is leaving jumps on bellying and off they go walking to the other horses, who quite helpfully are standing like statutes (tuckered from their own workouts) about 50 feet away. Nob tries today to teach Art to halt using bit pressure. By 15 to 20 repetitions and about 20 min work total Nob reported the youngster was coming to a stop on request. Take note you other Derby prospects.