Do horses know where the finish line is?

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by Overlay

Shoemaker wished that Gallant Man knew (and could have overruled his jockey).

http://zipseatthetrack.blogspot.com/...llant-man.html

that's the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread

[slewis]

All kidding aside....Trainer Derek Ryan recently showed me how he trains his young horses to tell where the finish line is:

During morning workouts, he gets two assistants to stretch a long string where the finish line is.
On the string he attaches several large CARROTS. As the horses head for the carrots, they associate the finish line pole with the carrots!

Last week we ran a horse who virtually stopped at the eighth pole....
I asked Derek why and what happened?

He told me that the last time this horse worked he thinks Pletcher stole the carrots off the string!

[classhandicapper]

Mine definitely know. They tire in the last two jumps before the wire way too often for it to be random.

[Actor]

I think most horses know that when they get to the finish line the jockey will stop beating them.

I think a lot of horses know when they see the gate that they are about to be beaten. That's why they don't want to get into the gate.

[Crush]

What about reserve power? Is that only pushed out from the jockey?

Like the horse doesn't know by himself that he needs to boot it to the finish right?

[Hanover1]

If horse runs at same track at same distance for any period of time they learn where the wire is. You can mix things up all you want as far as routine goes, but in harness the gate swings at the same place every week, and they gauge the mile quite often. Scoring down in different manners does little in this regard, so the trip the horse is given comes into play when horse is suspect of easing up while finishing. Good thing is that most are brave, and know when its time to give all as well.

[LottaKash]

Many years ago when I was a "harness-groom", one of my duties was to "jog" one of my particular charges, twice a week and in some weeks 3x, each time a 5-miles distance.....Well, this guy absoutely "knew" when the 5-miles was up as he would just stop in his tracks at the rail opening leading back to the barn area, and he wouldn't go a lick no matter what you did to him....He would just stand there and "wait on you" to take him home.....In fact you wouldn't even have to take him there, he would just go on home by himself, and stand there at "his barn", just waiting for you to get his rigging off....He was about 13 at the time, and he just knew the drilll(s)...Most times you wouldn't even need a lead-shank, he would just follow you around like a puppy....

As for him at the races, he knew where the line was (I believe), because, in the last 1/8th, win or lose, he would give you his "all", he was just in a hurry to go back home, I guess....

best,

[magwell]

They are strictly creatures of habit

[Hanover1]

Originally Posted by LottaKash

Many years ago when I was a "harness-groom", one of my duties was to "jog" one of my particular charges, twice a week and in some weeks 3x, each time a 5-miles distance.....Well, this guy absoutely "knew" when the 5-miles was up as he would just stop in his tracks at the rail opening leading back to the barn area, and he wouldn't go a lick no matter what you did to him....He would just stand there and "wait on you" to take him home.....In fact you wouldn't even have to take him there, he would just go on home by himself, and stand there at "his barn", just waiting for you to get his rigging off....He was about 13 at the time, and he just knew the drilll(s)...Most times you wouldn't even need a lead-shank, he would just follow you around like a puppy....

As for him at the races, he knew where the line was (I believe), because, in the last 1/8th, win or lose, he would give you his "all", he was just in a hurry to go back home, I guess....

best,

Reminds me of Seatrain up in NY.....u-turns during start/race towards the barn. Barred from NY as a result. Went to big M and raked the cash however, racing many years against Rambling Willie and the likes. Last I saw of him he was in for OC, tag of 60k and still tough-never claimed-to rank.

[LottaKash]

Originally Posted by Hanover1

Reminds me of Seatrain up in NY.....u-turns during start/race towards the barn. Barred from NY as a result. Went to big M and raked the cash however, racing many years against Rambling Willie and the likes. Last I saw of him he was in for OC, tag of 60k and still tough-never claimed-to rank.

Oh yeah Hanover !....Seatrain and Willie, had probably, two of the biggest hearts in the history of Harness...They were "pacing-machines"....

best,

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by Actor

I think most horses know that when they get to the finish line the jockey will stop beating them.

I think a lot of horses know when they see the gate that they are about to be beaten. That's why they don't want to get into the gate.

I think you are turning into a very unusual contributor and I think I'm going to keep my eye on you from now on.

[CryingForTheHorses]

Originally Posted by Crush

I has a simple question.

Do horses know where the finish line is and what is expected of them on a race?

The reason I ask is becasue I hear a LOT of commentary on the podcast like "the horse can make his move late" and statements like that.

Do they really mean that the *IF* jockey treats the horse right and utilizes his reserve power correctly, the horse may have the energy reserves to move ahead late?

Or does the horse know where the finish line is and does the horse know by himself that he needs to move ahead of the pack?

Just curious.

I have to say some do,I have a horse that not only knows just how to nip them at the wire,When he gallops back to get his pic taken he will not turn left into the winners circle but rather turn right to watch himself on the big telethon in the infield,Now that funny

[westny]

Originally Posted by McSchell_Racing

I have to say some do,I have a horse that not only knows just how to nip them at the wire,When he gallops back to get his pic taken he will not turn left into the winners circle but rather turn right to watch himself on the big telethon in the infield,Now that funny

What a hoot!

Jerry Bailey said, "experienced horses know where the finish line is"...and JV's agent Angel Codero was a guest on an NYRA chat and someone asked him that same question and he said they do.

I have seen several races where the jock was thrown/fell from the mount out of the gate and the horse goes ahead and runs his race sans jockey. NYbred
Gander threw or Mike Smith (fell )at Saratoga when the gate opened. Gander tucked in behind the leaders, stalked the pace and moved out on the turn to win in a stretch drive. It was a stakes race.
Gander galloped out an 1/8th and turned himself in to the outrider. The problem was he wanted to go to the winners circle. Gander thought he won the race and didn't understand why he wasn't getting his picture taken. The trainer, Terranova reported this the next day in the trades.

So, I think some race horses know where the wire is and more than a few can run "their race " without a jockey and not get into trouble.

[Foolish Pleasure]

There was a DRF picture of I think Precisionist maybe some other horse-decades ago-

dumped the jockey at the gate, ran around the track-

and leaped right at the finish line with the peak of his jump nailing the wire.

I am sure it was a coincidence but it would make one think he knew exactly where the wire was.

[speed]

Originally Posted by Foolish Pleasure

There was a DRF picture of I think Precisionist maybe some other horse-decades ago-

dumped the jockey at the gate, ran around the track-

and leaped right at the finish line with the peak of his jump nailing the wire.

I am sure it was a coincidence but it would make one think he knew exactly where the wire was.

I haven't called a photo right in 2 months yet there r horses who know where the wire is. I gotta get my eyes checked.