Jock Safety Concluded

I've been forced this month to take a look at the subject due to our own "safety" problems at the farm. Thinking about safety--also in view of the published serious injuries of the last few days--it seems fairly obvious that much could be done improve chances of riders caught up in serious events.

While it is less a need for jocks due to foot placement, for exercise riders an effective safety stirrup might prevent most of the serious injuries out there. Additional pads have always been a weight problem for riders. With modern light weight materials appropriate padding, better helmets with strategic bars inevitably will come on line.

What causes the delay? Likely as all in our sport, the few manufacturers probably lack both funds for research and an adequate market for production. If you're going to make a change in a product you risk your entire enterprise with an accusation of negligence.

Seems to me that changes in safety equipment need come first from proposals originating in organizations such as the NTRA Safety-Integrity Committee or be mandated by Racing Commissions. As a rider, I wish they'd get on it.

Training:

Tues. 8/24: Off

Wed. 8/25: 4 x 3f riderless speed to get back into speed work + one mile walk under tack.

Thurs. 8/26: 1 mile walk trot around the newly plotted course. The progress this night--instead of the ears up ready for the bolt, the horse had more normal twitching ear movement through most of this work. That's sort of big and will recommence galloping tonight.