Drivers Kicking horses

[hbeck]

Is this legal? I feel like I see it almost every race I watch. The driver will often take his foot out of the sulky and kick the horse in its ass. Isn't it a fineable offense? Is it commonly enforced?

[wilderness]

Is this legal? I feel like I see it almost every race I watch. The driver will often take his foot out of the sulky and kick the horse in its ass. Isn't it a fineable offense? Is it commonly enforced?

Most of what your seeing is drivers using their feet to "pull the ear plugs".

Few drivers actually kick the horses, rather the driver "brushes" his foot across the horses hock to startle him.

There's a infamous photo of Stanley Dancer reaching under the seat of the sulky with his whip to brush the hock of Henry T. Adios in the 1960's at Springfield, Ill., which had the same effect as brushing the hock with his foot.

(both instances are violations and fineable. Some jurisdictions enforce these infractions with determonation, while other jursidictions avoid the penalties altogether.)

As an aside; in the early 70's at Windsor Raceway I saw Shelly Goudreau (RIP) draw his foot back so far, to kick a horse in the rump, that Shelly nearly fell off the bike, the horse won ;)

BTW you may view the USTA Fines & Suspensions every Friday:
http://www.ustrotting.com/trackside/Rulings/rulings_main.cfm

Standardbred Canada:
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/fines/

The Meadowlands:
http://www.njrconline.com/njrcrulings.html

[whyhorseofcourse]

Thanks for the links!

There was a fine for the guy kicking a horse on this fridays fines.

Wild???? When did the ear plugs become popular, now every driver does it. I can not remeber it a few years ago.

[wilderness]

Wild???? When did the ear plugs become popular, now every driver does it. I can not remeber it a few years ago.

About twenty years ago ;)

Perhaps you just weren't looking as closely in the past?

What was the Jack Van Berg horse that won the Derby wearing that full hood with his ears stuffed full of cotton ;)

[wilderness]

There is also a piece of equipment named a "gaiting bar or pole", to keep the horse straight in the bike.

Originally these were affixed during a race, however newer designs allow the driver to move the pole during a race.

[pandy]

Most of what your seeing is drivers using their feet to "pull the ear plugs".

Few drivers actually kick the horses, rather the driver "brushes" his foot across the horses hock to startle him.

There's a infamous photo of Stanley Dancer reaching under the seat of the sulky with his whip to brush the hock of Henry T. Adios in the 1960's at Springfield, Ill., which had the same effect as brushing the hock with his foot.

(both instances are violations and fineable. Some jurisdictions enforce these infractions with determonation, while other jursidictions avoid the penalties altogether.)

As an aside; in the early 70's at Windsor Raceway I saw Shelly Goudreau (RIP) draw his foot back so far, to kick a horse in the rump, that Shelly nearly fell off the bike, the horse won ;)

BTW you may view the USTA Fines & Suspensions every Friday:
http://www.ustrotting.com/trackside/Rulings/rulings_main.cfm

Standardbred Canada:
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/fines/

The Meadowlands:
http://www.njrconline.com/njrcrulings.html

Kicking is against the rules, but you're right, they are popping the earplugs and it looks like a kick.

[hbeck]

Thanks for all of the information.

[wilderness]

Kicking is against the rules, but you're right, they are popping the earplugs and it looks like a kick.

Pandy,
I've not been watching much Toronto racing as of late, however I've seen mentions that these infractions are being overlooked regularly.

[pandy]

Pandy,
I've not been watching much Toronto racing as of late, however I've seen mentions that these infractions are being overlooked regularly.

I guess it depends on the track. As you may know, when Walter Case, Jr. was driving he was fined and suspended repeatedly for kicking horses.

[wilderness]

I guess it depends on the track. As you may know, when Walter Case, Jr. was driving he was fined and suspended repeatedly for kicking horses.

Anybody unaware of "Walter's expertise and/or habits" has surely been on Mars for that past twenty years ;)

I grew weary of his name nearly ten years ago and the mere mention today results in convulsions and vomittting, which is not good for my keyboard!

[Murph]

LOL - Don, I'm in your boat on that one.

[botster]

Is this legal? I feel like I see it almost every race I watch. The driver will often take his foot out of the sulky and kick the horse in its ass. Isn't it a fineable offense? Is it commonly enforced?

Kicking doesn't bother me, it's when one comes back to the paddock bleeding from being whipped on the hocks, and or stifles, that infuriates me:mad:.

[wilderness]

LOL - Don, I'm in your boat on that one.

Hey Murph,
How goes it?
You catch the Hoosier Opener?
Understand there was a decent crowd?

Are the purses a bit higher or my imgination?