The Proper Care and Training for Racehorses

Racehorses are muscular and flexible athletes.  Every good athlete requires ongoing care and conditioning to remain healthy.  Caring for a racehorse is easier said than done.  Above all, the racehorse’s health matters more than anything else.  Caring for racehorses requires several people, a considerable amount of time and hard work.  Here’s how to do it.

Preparing for Race Day

Racehorse trainers are tasked with developing dietary plans, therapies, supplements and conditioning strategies tailored to each horse’s nuanced needs.  Horses are dependent on groomers, their jockey, veterinarians and trainers.  The best horse racing trainers are cognizant of the fact that some of these animals are over-trained.  Over-training prior to an event is especially problematic as it can cause dehydration, cramping, strains and injury prior to and during races.  Do not hire a trainer for your racehorse unless he or she has the proper state license for training racehorses.  Trainers develop the racehorse’s daily routine for the proper training.  Ideally, the daily routine will also be designed to keep the horse calm and content in addition to preparing the animal for competition.

Racehorse Sustenance 

Daily racehorse training routines include specific feeding schedules and exercises that prepare the racehorse for competition.  As noted above, elite racehorses are world-class athletes in their own right.  These animals require more than a hay bale or a couple scoops of oats to meet their full athletic potential.  Racehorses must be provided with a specialized diet that enhances stamina, spikes energy and assists in muscle repair following strenuous training/races.

“Equine athletes are different from us in that they do not need protein to reach their athletic potential” says owner Richard Schibell.  These animals are herbivores.  It is particularly interesting to note racehorses have a comparably high prevalence of stomach ulcers.  This type of animal needs a diet rife with natural oils and fiber.  Otherwise, the chances of an ulcer spike that much more.  An example of a common blend can for racehorses includes maize, oats, alfalfa, beet pulp and soy oil.  This diet is carefully crafted to help the horse’s body store and digest food.  There is a common assumption racehorses require an abundance of protein similar to human athletes.

Therapy After Training

Once training is complete, the trainer will insist on several forms of therapy.  Cold therapy, hydrotherapy and heat therapy are available to help the racehorse settle down and feel pain-free.  Racehorses also benefit from massage treatment to boot.  The goal of therapy and massage is to decrease inflammation, encourage muscle repair, minimize aches and spike the flow of blood to sore areas.

Groomers are tasked with reporting noticeable alterations, injuries and other issues while grooming the animal.  Groomers must also shoe the horse in the proper manner and provide prescriptions as advised.  Trainers and veterinarians provide nutritional supplements, medications and inoculations.  Prescriptions must be monitored to guarantee the animal’s health and conform to industry requirements.  Racehorses are tested for illegal substances before they compete.  If test results indicate prohibited medications or other disallowed substances, the animal is disqualified.  Adding salt to this wound is the fact that the trainers and owners of disqualified horses are subjected to stiff penalties.

Caring for Racehorses After the Race

Your racehorse’s body and health are of the utmost importance after the race is over.  A racehorse is considered healthy if it is free from injury and in good health.  It is imperative the horse is cooled down after finishing the race.  This cooling down process mandates the horse is walked until its body regulates itself.  The aim is to return the animal’s heart rate to normal, lower the animal’s body temperature and provide much-needed rest.

Racehorses should not be provided with food immediately after races.  Horses that eat while their body is still hot can experience an array of medical conditions.  As an example, horses given food immediately after a race sometimes suffer from founder.  Founder is an extremely painful condition yet fairly common in racehorses.  This condition impacts horses’ knees.  Technically referred to as laminitis, founder manifests after the animal’s tissue folds connecting the hoof and pedal bone are inflamed.

A clay mixture is molded to the animal’s legs to fast-track recovery after the animal is positioned in its stall.  Once several days of rests pass and medical checks are performed, the animal will restart its training regimen once again.  Medical and performance concerns identified in the prior race are addressed in the subsequent training round.

For over 35 years,  Richard Schibell has been breeding and racing horses. Stay up to date with our content by following the blog at Richardschibellracing.com!

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