PDA

View Full Version : Do you have any other hobbies besides horseracing?


thaskalos
05-20-2010, 02:26 PM
Years ago, an old-timer I met at the racetrack told me that unless I stay away from the horses, I will never fully enjoy my life. When I asked him for an explanation he added that "the horses" are so addictive and all-consuming, that few serious horseplayers EVER aquire any other hobbies. The racetrack ends up consuming all of their spare time.

I laughed about it then, but now...at 48 years of age...I finally see the truth of his comments. Although, when i was younger, my hobbies were many and varied, the older I got, the more gambling-oriented my hobbies have become. Its as if horseracing has left a permanent stamp on my personality.

My question to the forum is this:

How many of you can honestly say that the racetrack is not consuming all your spare-time (family obligations aside), and that you have other, non-gambling interests that you like to pursue.

Or are you like me...and all your other interests pale when compared with handicapping and betting...

point given
05-20-2010, 02:43 PM
I like to bash a little white ball around when not playing the horses, although it too gets frustrating at times more often than not.Then its back to the ponies . Fishing used to be a calming influence , but I've gotten away from it as well as going to ball games as i will not pay to watch millionares .

46zilzal
05-20-2010, 02:46 PM
Photography is a fun one...Horse called Rambling Native with Brian Johnson up...a few years ago for owner Nick Fellicella, a wonderful guy who loves this game

rycommon
05-20-2010, 02:53 PM
Started with ponies as a very young man following my dad around. Eventually it consumes almost all my spare time. Finally about 15 years ago, I just went cold turkey and stop going to the tracks. Had to spend the time with my family and on my job. Now my kids are in college and I am ready to retire. I finally start to get back into it about a year ago. Things have really changed. I still don't go to the track but uses ADW's. Yes this can be very time consuming hobby.

Bruddah
05-20-2010, 03:21 PM
I believe everything is cyclical, including hobbies. I started loving this sport as a young man in 1965. I have gone through years wth little attention, to total attention to my Hobby. In the early 90's, about the time that simulcast started, I had to come to a decision. Would I expand that Hobby to cover many other tracks, or would I continue the present pace of my Hobby (all consuming). Both alternatives lost out in my final decision. I had discovered that the path to profitability, for me, was to specialize. Nothing like having a very profitable Seasonal Hobby. Especially if you'regetting older and enjoy people and other things. (JMH)

Hajck Hillstrom
05-20-2010, 03:32 PM
I too like to pound a lil' seed every now and then.... hence the moniker, Hajck.

McSock
05-20-2010, 03:35 PM
I made my first track bet in the early 70s. But I was playing poker long before then. Poker is still my main hobby. I spend about 4 hrs playing online and live poker that I do with the horses. Guess thats why I am a winning poker player and losing horse player. Damn I sure enjoy them both :)

jballscalls
05-20-2010, 03:39 PM
I love to write and play music and to read books as well as horse racing as my 3 main hobbies

BluegrassProf
05-20-2010, 03:49 PM
Strangely enough, handicapping is in fact quite far from what takes up most of my time. :D

I actually tend to approach horseplaying generally as more of an intellectual and sporting challenge than a source of revenue; I make considerably more "in my head" money than I do money at the windows (if that makes any sense).

In fact, despite the obvious focus of this forum, playing races is not what initially drew me to PA: it's a recognition that, moreso than any other group in the horseracing game, horseplayers have a better understanding of the complex realities of racing thoroughbreds...these are the conversations I'm interested in having. I came into horseracing not through handicapping, but from the "other direction" (I work horses off and on presently), but if you want to have realistic discussions of the game, it's easy: talk to horseplayers.

On that note, I also dip my toes in photography...few recent snaps (hoping small pics don't slow the page...if it's an issue, PA, feel free to edit):

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4625123554_c93064410b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2314/2200930508_dc406d2e99.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2234/2200138283_e66a39a1dc.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2337/2200932482_44daf1ef14.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2273/2200930884_7baf5b472b.jpg

Curlin @ KEE
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2285/2200927326_3d08127b95.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/4625143852_5bcba79294.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2373/2200964282_7f79e63dd9.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4624552311_52b41dd2d7.jpg

onefast99
05-20-2010, 04:12 PM
I use to bracket race for quite a while at Englishtown hence the name 0nefast99. I started the Corvette Challenge at Raceway Park and it has become a nationwide series for Corvette owners who wanted to drag race their cars. Today the series continues to run with 80-100 cars attending each race!

RockHardTen1985
05-20-2010, 06:29 PM
I like to play poker... I look at that as more of a hobby, and time consuming type thing.... I play small buy in tournaments "$10-$25" and if your serious about winning you need to be patient and have some skill. I also like to play a little bit of basketball and we also play football sometimes.

RockHardTen1985
05-20-2010, 06:30 PM
O dam... Non Gambling, Well besides Bball maybe once a week, and football maybe once a month, I do nothing else.

Robert Goren
05-20-2010, 06:34 PM
A little poker and I am in fantasy football league most years. And of course I spend entirely too much time posting the off topics forum here.;)

samyn on the green
05-20-2010, 06:37 PM
Yes it is vital to have other interests. Horse playing can easily lead to a gambling addiction, a shallow unbalanced life and a mind consumed by gambling vice.

My life is governed by faith and family. With secondary interests in reading, fitness and playing sports. Occupying minor positions are work and ponies.

Zaf
05-20-2010, 06:47 PM
BluegrassProf,

Very nice photos :ThmbUp:

Z

Space Monkey
05-20-2010, 06:47 PM
I started playing in 1966, when I was 16. Once I got married in 1972 it stopped being an all encompassing part of my life. Raising 3 kids, working 6-7 days a week and coaching baseball and soccer put handicapping on the back burner for quite a long time. That was a good thing as I realized that my family had to come first. For those of you that were degenerate gamblers as a young man, you know that many of us never got it, and your lives suffered. Now 38 years into my marriage and proudly attending 4 college graduations, I can relax and become a degenerate gambler again :lol:

Oh, to get to the topic question, I was a pretty good bowler in my day. But thats gambling too. I play golf now, but I gamble there too :confused: . I play fantasy sports but I wouldn't do it if I couldn't win a good chunk of dough. So I guess I don't have a hobby that doesn't involve gambling unless its working out, doing my 12 oz curls :lol:

LottaKash
05-20-2010, 07:06 PM
BluegrassProf,

Very nice photos :ThmbUp:

Z

Yes, "BluegrassProf", I second that emotion.....Great Pix, nice compositions and cropping, and your photos have a nice vibrancy and resolution to them....I especially like the pix of the #2 horse, WOW, a study of a horse's muscles at work, for sure....:ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

best,

illinoisbred
05-20-2010, 07:11 PM
3rd that-great pictures and alot of very good photographers here.

JohnGalt1
05-20-2010, 08:27 PM
I read fiction, mostly mysteries, for one to two hours before I go to sleep.

Ejmenz
05-20-2010, 09:17 PM
Awesome Pics.

Racing is a time monger, I try to combine passions,
around 4:20 each day :cool:

raybo
05-20-2010, 10:49 PM
Horse racing is far from my only interest, since I scaled back in 2005 when I played full time for a while:

Pool, poker, computers, sailing, drag racing (gas dragster crew member), carpentry/woodworking, art (pen and pencil, mostly portraits), guitar (just basic rhythm and a little blues lead), modeling (primarily 60s and 70s muscle cars, except for the '58 Vette, my dream car since '58), yardwork, and, of course my morning visits to the coffee shop to gossip with all the other local old timers (most have never bet a horse race).

arno
05-20-2010, 11:14 PM
I retire in 2 weeks.

My plan was to be at Monmouth Park Wed to Sun.
I guess I am the only person upset they are going to three days a week instead of five.

Three days a week is not enough for me so now it looks like instead of 5 days playing Monmouth I'll be there 7 days a week playing assorted tracks.

Only other hobby I have is playing statistically oriented sports games with dice and charts and on computer such as APBA, Diamond Mind and Replay.

plainolebill
05-20-2010, 11:27 PM
I build cabinets and furniture in my shop as well as grow vegetables and fruit in our garden, do remodeling projects, read a couple of hours in the evening.

sandpit
05-21-2010, 08:35 AM
Oil painting.

GaryG
05-21-2010, 08:55 AM
The Viagra Mambo.....:jump:

Gorgeous George
05-21-2010, 09:23 AM
I play both gaelic and hurling. Hurling is a hard sport but beautifully played

heres a clip of it for those that are interested but i doubt it :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9zdiN8v30I

and heres the brutal side of it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfDdJUqxhD4&feature=related

PhantomOnTour
05-21-2010, 09:57 AM
Hurling-now that truly is field hockey!

I play soccer, and when I'm not doing that I'm playing a soccer video game.

thaskalos
05-21-2010, 09:58 AM
The Viagra Mambo.....:jump: I used to do that too...but I have forgotten the steps.

Gorgeous George
05-21-2010, 10:09 AM
Hurling-now that truly is field hockey!

I play soccer, and when I'm not doing that I'm playing a soccer video game.

i play a bit of soccer myself and follow it massively. Looking forward to the world cup, will be cheering on USA against the old enemy England :D fancy Spain to win it

breezing
05-21-2010, 10:28 AM
i ride a "never seen the track" TB mare - english.

nice pics blue

saevena
05-21-2010, 11:03 AM
A friend of mine, who has been to more tracks than anyone of whom I am aware, is at the track 7 days a week, except when traveling to another track in some other area of the country. I once asked him if he ever visited any tourist spots during his travels. He said no. He retired early in order to be at the track, has no other interests, and is the happiest man I have ever known.

1st time lasix
05-21-2010, 11:13 AM
competetive golf...stock market....red wine.....beautiful women....tv sports...laughter...cigars...movies......good restaurants....teasing banter with buddies.-----that covers most of my other vices. I try to get in at least three or four per day! :ThmbUp:

joanied
05-21-2010, 12:42 PM
I love to write and play music and to read books as well as horse racing as my 3 main hobbies

Not bad, dude...I went over and listened to a couple...kinda like 'Dreams in my Pocket'...you do have talent...it's not my kind of music...I am rock 'n roll...but I did like your music.
:) :) :)

joanied
05-21-2010, 12:48 PM
Bluegrassprofessor....:ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: fabulous photos!! Julien smokes...how about that. Love the one of Calvin...and the one with the big screen in the background...
photography has been one of my hobbies for a long time...but I never had the money to buy a top line camera....to get the kind of shots you have posted...so crisp & clean...again: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

Dahoss9698
05-21-2010, 03:01 PM
Bluegrassprofessor....:ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: fabulous photos!! Julien smokes...how about that. Love the one of Calvin...and the one with the big screen in the background...
photography has been one of my hobbies for a long time...but I never had the money to buy a top line camera....to get the kind of shots you have posted...so crisp & clean...again: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

I think that is Jamie Theriot smoking.

BluegrassProf
05-21-2010, 03:09 PM
It is indeed Jamie T.

Thanks very much to all for the comments re: the photos. Perhaps we should start another thread - I'd love to see some shots from other members... :ThmbUp:

Dahoss9698
05-21-2010, 03:14 PM
Great photos by the way...

joanied
05-21-2010, 04:20 PM
I think that is Jamie Theriot smoking.

oppsss:blush: ... :bang:

ArlJim78
05-21-2010, 04:36 PM
bluegrassprof, very fine quality photos you have there.

i'm all in on the horses. when i'm not playing, then i'm working on my data, models, etc, and often both at the same time.

nearco
05-21-2010, 05:02 PM
and heres the brutal side of it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfDdJUqxhD4&feature=related

Here ye go, Clare lads teaching the Blaas a lesson or two...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsHVNjA8SfQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKbjnDzYdRs

ldiatone
05-21-2010, 05:36 PM
I play both gaelic and hurling. Hurling is a hard sport but beautifully played

heres a clip of it for those that are interested but i doubt it :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9zdiN8v30I

and heres the brutal side of it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfDdJUqxhD4&feature=related

in the 2nd YT is that guy related to Matt Cooke?

Overlay
05-21-2010, 07:02 PM
To me, my handicapping-related activity is still the primary recreational pursuit from which I derive relaxation, enjoyment, and mental stimulation (not to mention returns from the wagering aspect). When I start regarding it as just another demand on my time, or one more source of stress in my life, that's when I'll give it up. (I do read on the side also, though -- mostly history, non-fiction, games, and puzzles.) (See the ongoing "Need Puzzle Help" (http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49048) thread on the PA Off-Topic -- General discussion board as an example.)

fmhealth
05-21-2010, 08:36 PM
Love the Options Market. Hard to tell the difference between the DRF & the WSJ. At 64, these activities keep my mind fresh & encourages me to keep up with the latest events in these ever-changing venues.