Racing Ahead: Can You Train Your Horse?

Of all the many aspects of being a horse-lover, one that always sticks in people’s minds is that idea of training your horse to race. Although not all horses are made for it, and not all horse owners want to do it, then fact is that it is viable option for anyone who has a suitable horse and wants to make the most of it. Training your horse to race can actually be extremely exciting and thrilling, but you do need to make sure that you really know what you are doing. The last thing you want is for something terrible to occur, or for your horse to fall ill, so you need to take it slowly and to know what you are doing at every step. Let’s take a look at the main stages of preparing your horse for the life of racing as soon as possible.

Racing, Hafl style

Your Horse’s Health

Before you even think about getting started on a project like this with your horse, you need to make sure that your horse is as healthy as possible. There are a number of regulations that you will need to check on before you can get your horse involved in something like this. You need to be absolutely certain that they are fit enough to withstand both the intense training required and the act of racing itself, bearing in mind that they might have to race quite a lot if they are any good. For your own sake, and your horse’s, do not put them through the strain and stress if they are not one hundred percent ready for it.

Preparing For Handling

The early and most important step is to gradually get your horse used to the handling involved in racing. The way that jockeys handle horses is remarkably different to anything else you might have seen, so you need to be sure that your horse can handle it and that they are not going to suffer as a result of the specialised handling necessary for racing. The best way to do this is to gradually introduce them to handling in the way a jockey would. If you are unsure, you might want to look to the professionals. You can find out plenty about a jockey’s approach to horses, whether it’s by reading a profile of jockey Noel Fehily, or spending time with them in person. The more you know about the handling, the more you can prepare your horse for the racing life.

Handling horses gone wild

Conditioning

The process of getting your horse ready for racing is more or less just gradually conditioning them to enjoy the process itself. The handling is one important part of this, but only one, and you also need to think about what you might do in order to condition your horse to find more joy in the act of racing. Again, it is just a matter of gradually introducing them to it and getting them used to it. Start small, of course, so that you don’t frighten or stress them, and gradually work your way up until they are certain of what they are meant to be doing. You might be surprised at just how quickly they actually pick up on it.

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