not using a horse unnecessarily

[46zilzal]

Iike to see riders KNOW when it time to go to the stick and when it is not. That horse has to come back in three weeks and the best ones don't leave everything out there with nothing in the tank. If this one is NOT ready today, don't punish it trying fro the impossible, or if it is out on the front, it only needs to win by a nose not 14.

[Observer]

While I understand the logic to your thinking, I do not agree with riders who judge a race, and ease a horse accordingly, especially a horse in a winning position.

Horses are very keen. The last think you would want them learning is to ease themselves when they are in front.

I'm not for punishing them, but I am for them being ridden out through the wire.

[breakage]

or if it is out on the front, it only needs to win by a nose not 14.
Geez I'd sure hate to have my horse win by a nose when it could have won by 14. You might have to pry my hands off the jockey's neck if I lose the photo :D ...j/k. I'd be ok with 3 or 4 lengths though. :)

[CryingForTheHorses]

A horse moves when he wants..Not when the jock wants. The thing your rider needs to know is when?

[the little guy]

A horse moves when he wants..Not when the jock wants. The thing your rider needs to know is when?If the horse moves when he wants, why does the rider have to know, as that's when the horse will move....at least according to you.

Is it me?

[breakage]

Is it me?
No

[Observer]

A horse moves when he wants..Not when the jock wants ...

I don't agree with this statement the way it first comes across .. which to me was that the horse is in control .. however .. in thinking further, I'd image maybe you're eluding to the horse's "transmission" .. that a rider can ask for acceleration, but that doesn't mean it's going to be there .. that a horse will only accelerate when ready, willing and able.

Regardless, I feel strongly that all horses need to be ridden out through the wire. That does not mean whipping and driving, but it irritates me when riders ease their horses before the wire (especially a horse en route to a win) .. the more dramatic the easing, the more it bugs me .. it's instilling a bad habit. Obviously if a horse is in distress or has done all it can, I can understand a rider backing off, but when a rider actually stands up as though he's galloping out before crossing the wire .. to "save something for next time" .. that's just not right.

[Steve 'StatMan']

I think he means the jockey needs to get the horse to be willing to wait for the "when", hopefully the horse follows his training instead of his instincts. We've seen rank horses, and some horses run off with a rider. If the 120 pound rider says "No, not yet" but the 1200 pound horse says "Forget That! I REALLY WANT to run NOW!" the horse is going to win the the battle with the jock - at the probable expense of winning the race. Horse may not know what it takes to win - may not even care - he gets 4 quarts of oats, a bath and a massage whether he wins or loses. Sometimes, when he's really run his best, they make him stand around while terribly winded, tired and all wound up, around a bunch of those "hind leggers" until the one holding the little box makes a bright flashing light with it, then he can be led home where things can go back to normal, unless they take him to a new home for reasons he never knows.

[hurrikane]

I'm not sure the horse knows where the wire is or when they cross it. They only know the Jockey stood up and eased off. Not that they won or lost or crossed the wire.

I'm not convinced all jockeys know either.

[kenwoodallpromos]

Hurrikane is probably correct that some horses and riders may not know exactly where the wire is. They just know their trainer is wearing a suit and so they had better look good too! LOL.