Horse Tales from the LOPE Ranch

You’ve Been Doing This For Years Now

At a recent LOPE event, a well-dressed rancher approached me. He was a leader in the racing industry for many years and even ran his own breeding farm at one point. Fingering his cowboy hat, he squinted at me and asked, "You’re LOPE, right?" In response to my nod, he said, "You’ve been doing this for years now!" Leaning in, he then asked with a note of incredulity, "Can you really find homes for these horses after racing?"

I was taken aback by his tone. He sounded surprised, skeptical and a little bit disapproving, as if I worked with gangster pitbulls. The idea that I might truly enjoy working with ex-racehorses or find it a pleasant vocation seemed far beyond his perspective.

And yet he was once a leader in the racing industry. How could he have such a negative view of racehorses? Didn’t he know (as I do) that these horses retrain well for new jobs? That they are awesome athletes in many careers (not just jumping)? And that the Texas-bred racehorses are often especially kind and easy to work with (due to their ranch-raised childhoods and good foundations under saddle)?

The answer appeared to be no to all of these questions. As we talked, I realized that he truly believed that racehorses were tough cases, hard to work with and even more difficult to retrain. Although he was a rider himself, he preferred his equestrian partners to be sturdy Quarter Horses bred and trained for western disciplines. For him, racehorses appeared to be in an entirely different category.

It seemed strange to me that someone closely associated with racing would be so uninformed (almost to the point of bias) about the horses in his industry. He seemed like a friendly, affable person -- but had less knowledge about ex-racehorses than some of the schoolchildren who visit LOPE on tours.

Most race trainers, outriders and jockeys already know a great deal about the athleticism and trainability of racehorses for post-track careers. But from my conversation that day, it became clear to me that this knowledge isn’t necessarily automatic for race owners (or even some breeders).

As the national racing industry struggles with the challenge of racehorse welfare (an issue strongly linked to public perception of the sport), it seems that their outreach efforts might need to include educating some of their own leadership. It is very difficult to be an effective advocate for something that you don’t understand -- no matter how good your intentions.

Racehorse Myth #1: Racehorses are Crazy

Most people think racehorses are difficult and nervous. Back when I rode in the Washington DC area, my barn friends didn't like the ex-racehorses. They thought all off-track horses were crazy, hyper or pushy. There was little sympathy or understanding of the racehorse's context, where it came from, what it was used to doing.

Probably the most important thing to remember about racehorses is that they are professional athletes at the track. Racehorses have an intense workout and training schedule - they are usually thin, extremely fit, tautly alert and ready to race.

At the racetrack, the horses are kept in stables (called shedrows) all the time - except when they are being exercised, cooled down or racing. When they are out of the stalls, the racehorses know what is expected of them - the exercise riders want a good workout, the jockeys urge them to race and to win.

So the racehorses dance and jog with anticipation, fighting the bit - because that is what they are praised for doing, as a prelude to a burst of speed, a pushing of their muscles in a hard workout or fast race.

Like all professional athletes, racehorses need a special, super-octane diet to fuel their powerful physical performance. So their feed is full of protein and energy nutrients, like "power bars" for people.

Remember Lance Armstrong during his last Tour de France? He was lean, muscled and very intense. Can you imagine trying to get him to take a nice slow walk with you then? He would have seemed hyper, driven, unable to relax and slow down.

A racehorse fresh from the track, full of high-energy feed, muscle and eagerness to race is a 1000-pound version of Lance Armstrong on his 7th Tour competition.

The racehorses just need time and a bridge from their old career to their new one. That's where LOPE comes in - we provide the transition, the time they so desperately need, to go from the racetrack to the riding trail.

At our ranch, we change their feed (to Nutrena SafeChoice) and turn them out in pastures with a herd, giving them some time to just be horses again. Only then do we restart the racehorses back under saddle, teaching them to do basic things all over again.

Only this time not at full speed.

Barbaro Article in Vanity Fair

There's a great article about Barbaro in this month's Vanity Fair - by one of my favorite nonfiction writers, Buzz Bissinger (author of Friday Night Lights).

Although Barbaro's story has a sad ending, I think of him as a bold, confident winner - even during his long rehab at New Bolton, you could his sass as he eyed the camera crews around him, trying to figure out if he could take a nip out of an unwary reporter or two.

He inspired me because of his courage during all those surgeries - a classic champion, he knew when it was important to be calm, to be focused, to give 100% in the homestretch, whether at Churchill Downs or in a post-surgery recovery sling. His bravery motivated me to write about him in our annual capital campaign letter.

Bissinger's article includes excerpts from Gretchen Jackson's journal. As Barbaro's owner, she wrestled with whether to euthanize him for months. She describes how it was Barbaro's spark, his fire during the months of surgeries that compelled her to give him every chance possible. Until finally the day came when his eyes were subdued, in pain, no longer able to push for the finish line. That was the day he was put down, surrounded by his greatest admirers, by the people who loved him most.

Bissinger's article is moving and well-written. My only quibble is with how he describes Thoroughbreds as moody, difficult and unlikely to be good patients for veterinary care.

I have personally worked with 115 ex-racehorses here over the last 3 years. Some were QHs, one was an Arabian - but the vast majority were Thoroughbreds. Many of them required rehab, some for serious injuries - I have worked with knee fractures, EPM cases, bowed tendons, torn suspensory ligaments, shattered sesamoids, hoof surgeries, tracheotomies and even a near-critical rattlesnake bite.

I also have restarted several back under saddle, often being their first rider after a long layoff from racing.

Although I am not a professional trainer or a veterinarian, the TBs have always seemed willing to meet me halfway, to work with me, even when they are in pain or learning something new. The Thoroughbreds have impressed me every time with their intelligence and eagerness to please.

It really is a myth that Thoroughbreds are inherently moody, crazy or difficult.

I'd like to invite Buzz Bissinger to come see our decidedly non-hyper racehorses here at the LOPE Ranch - they rarely move faster than a trot, happily waddling through our knee-high green grass (thanks to the Texas monsoon season).

Stayed tuned for my upcoming blog entries about racehorse myths!