Horse Training
At Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock ,horse training and horse trainers are crucial to the success of the thoroughbred on race day.
When our horses are transported to the race horse trainers you can normally expect it to take up to 8 weeks of training before they are ready to start trialling and if they are to have 2 trials then the elapsed time from leaving the stud to appearing on race day will be around 12 weeks.
When horses are delivered to the trainers establishment, they should be in good condition, carrying a little excess is good as it gives the trainer something to work with.
Firstly, the horse will be shod by the stable farrier with work shoes, which normally last for 4 weeks. The horse may or may not be stomach drenched to ensure there are no worms present.
Training then begins and all trainers vary the program and use their own methods but generally the horse will spend the first 4 weeks in slow work on the track, slowly building up fitness and turning fat into muscle, spending time in a day yard, on a walking machine, treadmill and in a pool (if the trainer has these facilities) , or it could be hand walked for 30 minutes and even taken for a green pick of grass somewhere.
Generally in the 2nd month the training program is stepped up as the horse has a base of fitness and the horse is then building up work in distance and allowed to really stride , say the last 200m in a gallop. They continue this build up until they have the fitness to run 800m at race speed ,give or take or a couple of seconds . For sprinters they can run between 44- 48 seconds in their last 800m , so at this stage the horse maybe running 800m in 46 to 50 seconds.
Once the trainer believes that the horse is fit and well, it will be often given an unofficial trial( often referred to as a jumpout) or it may go to an official trial to gauge where the horse is at from an ability and fitness perspective.
After trailing the horse once or twice, the horse is generally entered into a race.
Obviously, sprinters and stayers are trained differently, trainers may or may not publically trial their horses before racing, and in Victoria there is a big push for all 2 yr olds to publically trial before they race for the benefit or the punters, not necessarily the owners.
You as an owner are welcome to visit the stables and indeed trackwork and trials by making an appointment with the trainer concerned. We provide regular emails and voice text updates to ensure our partners know when their horse is working and trailing should they wish to watch.
Visit our syndications on offer, and you could be involved in a quality thoroughbred with us with a trainer of your choice.
