Stalls Training

[Irish Stamp]

This has become a bit of a bugbear of mine - having seen various horses prove fractious in the stalls, get loose at the start, miss the break, lunge left or right - mainly 2yos but in the wake of seeing the US horses at Ascot and how quickly out of the stalls they were in relation to our UK 2yos but:

How much stalls training do British trainers actually give their 2yos?

It can't be too much to ask that your horse is more than aware of what it needs to do at the start of a race.

 

[Guest_]

Two separate points....how quickly the horse loads and breaks.

Slow loading is indeed a bug bearer of mine.....horses look like they have barely seen stalls before....its is even worse in Ireland than in the UK.

The breaking from the stalls is different and unfair to compare American horses to our own given the different style of racing and race riding. Europeans will generally trying and have their horses relaxed and taken back in their races - were as American racing is all about early pace so the break is far more important to them.

 

[krizon]

Thing is, IS, that putting your horse through stalls training at home, even if you have staff making a racket and it going in alongside a stablemate, etc., is only 50% of the experience. The other 50% comes on the course itself. Your well-behaved youngster at home, who may go in and pop out very amenably, hasn't experienced the noise of the crowds around a parade ring, the burst out onto the track with a lot of horses it doesn't know, the unfamiliar surroundings, and, if there are a lot to load, the noise of the stalls themselves, let alone various babies squealing, stamping, rearing up, etc. Suddenly, Li'l Miss Sweetness becomes distressed by the occasion, and the upset starts - especially when handlers have a lot to load. Another reason why not to compare the UK to the US is the number of runners. The USA dirt, for example, seems to rarely get beyond 7 or 8 per race - while here we may well race at the max of 14. So there's more time in the stalls, waiting. Even US turf races don't seem to host as many runners as the Irish or the UK do, although someone will no doubt point out that I'm wrong - but I don't think I've ever seen 18, 20 and over runners in the USA in one race.

 

[Flame]

This has become a bit of a bugbear of mine - having seen various horses prove fractious in the stalls, get loose at the start, miss the break, lunge left or right - mainly 2yos but in the wake of seeing the US horses at Ascot and how quickly out of the stalls they were in relation to our UK 2yos but:

How much stalls training do British trainers actually give their 2yos?

It can't be too much to ask that your horse is more than aware of what it needs to do at the start of a race.

IS, generally a trainer will put a horse through 3 or 4 times prior to a race. At Channon's, whilst they are yearlings in December all the yearlings one morning will walk through them, then stand in them, prior to stand in and it open and just walk out. The first lesson is to mainly educate them in going in and not to be scared by them, giving the horses confidence.

The around mid February time (again in the indoor ride) all the 2yo's will go through 3 - 4 times one morning. First time walk through, then stand in and let them jump out at their own accord. The next two times, you pop them out, but baring in mind you only have around 50 yards to a bend, you just let them hack away.

The ones who are good here won't have any more training but around 50 - 60 who aren't natural will do it once more a few weeks later.

Normally a day or two before the horses debut, they will be taken up the gallops and placed in a three bay stall with normally another 2yo about to run and an elder horse. All three are lead in and popped out, this would be their main stalls work. They would do this again 3 or 4 times, until you are happy that they can jump out into an adequate stride.

Also with all the yearlings at Channon's. Throughout the winter after they have done their 5 or 6 3f bunch canters, you walk home into the picking paddock. Prior to picking on their backs there is a man made wooden stall. To get into the paddock you need to walk through this. Each yearling will walk through on the way back into the yard, and will do this every day for a good few months. Some will jib or need encouraging, and some refuse point blank. But they all seem to get used to it and its good education for them.

I would expect this would be a similar process for most leading yards.

 

[Toobe]

Flame - most of the bigger yards have wooden stalls, though not at the entrance to the paddock, but they do work on the principle you mention, so as it becomes a regular occurance, especially for those that are slightly adverse to the process. A trainer can't get his licence without showing he can access use of stalls.

 

[Irish Stamp]

Thanks Gal, Kri, Flame and Toobe for the responses.

Like the idea of the wooden stall Flame - hope most yards would adopt something like this

 

[Flame]

Flame - most of the bigger yards have wooden stalls, though not at the entrance to the paddock, but they do work on the principle you mention, so as it becomes a regular occurance, especially for those that are slightly adverse to the process. A trainer can't get his licence without showing he can access use of stalls.

I am aware Troobe, I worked in the industry for ten years. Whether a trainer has use of stalls and whether he / she uses them is an entirely different matter. Some horses don't see stalls until they get to a racetrack, which is wrong but certain yards never ride their horses either.

 

[jinnyj]

Some yards are worse than others with problem horses in the stalls and their use of "horse whisperers" - I worked for one large yard that was not good with their stalls training preferring instead to do it for the first time the week before the horse ran. My own horses used to get alot of practice - starting with when they were being backed, we would lead them through umpteen times so they never bothered. Then when we taught them to jump, I would always use an older sensible horse along side (Kahlua Bear usually - he loved it and was a brilliant calming effect on the babies). Also once they jumped out fine, I would never over do it at home so they didn't get pannicky. If they jumped slowly first time, they soon cottoned on the second time they raced. I never ever had a problem with any of mine at the races either going in or standing in there.

Also in the US, because the work is all done on the track, the horses are more used to the whole stalls thing. They use stalls handlers to lead in and hold them in there and all the horses must pass a stalls test before they even run.

 

[Toobe]

I am aware Troobe, I worked in the industry for ten years. Whether a trainer has use of stalls and whether he / she uses them is an entirely different matter. Some horses don't see stalls until they get to a racetrack, which is wrong but certain yards never ride their horses either.

Thats sadly quite right I believe, though have never seen that and only heard about it. Don't think I would have wanted to be involved with a trainer of such practice and it must be have been hard going if you have.

 

[Toobe]

jinnyj- Oh no the dreaded "horse whisperer" !!!

 

[Harbinger]

I don't think I've ever seen 18, 20 and over runners in the USA in one race.

You've never seen the Kentucky Derby? About the only time it happens, but hard to miss.

 

[jinnyj]

jinnyj- Oh no the dreaded "horse whisperer" !!!

Think most of them shouldn't be necessary. If a trainer constantly has to employ someone to sort out their problems perhaps they should look at why they are getting the problems in the first place?

 

[Toobe]

Totally agree "horse whisperer" is the new terminology for experienced horseman. I feel it's a bit the same with the "backman" My attitide is change whose on it and make sure it's being strapped and finished up right first or the problem will keep reappearing. you usually find the day before sweat marks on the ones who also seem to predominately get achy niggles.