Avoiding The Same Mistakes

I continue to read with interest the fall out from the Breeder's Cup, the new stud fees are being announced, Stormello has been retired, the 2008 season is almost here, the horse racing world marches on.

My promised finale on how "training causes injuries" is in the works, I'll introduce (drum roll) "The RR Rules", and thereafer, hopefully having made my case against conventional training, the blog will take a closer look at Preston Burch, Whittingham, Bill O'Goram and T.J. Smith of Australia as to how they prepared and raced horses, and see if we can learn anything.

For today I'm considering my new little horse and how to fast track him to the races, all the while looking over at last year's yearling Amart trying to figure how after a year we're basically nowhere with Art except that we have a fit, exuding good health type horse.

So, where did we go wrong with Art and why is he still so far from the races? Weather of course and numerous hoof problems as well as lack of physical maturity would cover the generalities. But, the experience with Art also gives me to opportunity to avoid the mistakes I made, and there were several.

With this new guy I've avoided the quick introduction to the herd that I gave Art last year. I've been very protective of the Shore Breeze yearling, and this has avoided "chasing" by the herd and injury risks that involves. I've given this horse additional time to get his bearings before commencing everything, and I've been more comfortable with that then I was starting Art last year training right off the bat. I'm working with the little colt, but in a very deliberate, totally in control of every variable manner.

Additionally, Art reminded me (it's happened before) how devastating to training foot problems can be. Instantly with Art's arrival, rain, deep mud and lost shoes, five of them in the first 45 days, and then one abscess after another. This simply must be avoided!

Thus this afternoon I'll be consulting with the Farrier's section of Breeder's Supply in Lexington as to an appropriate yearling shoe. When the rains come this year (and luckily we're back into our normal relatively dry weather pattern), instead of leaving things to chance, I'll be aggressively applying anti bacterial soaks (probably bleach) to the hoofs daily during abscess weather. And, of course, there's a dozen more things that might go wrong that I've yet to think of. It's a no margin for error business, and I'll be trying once again to pull that off.

The weather has been great. In good weather my horses move forward quickly. We'll see how it goes!