On the 25th of March, we will celebrate the running of the Dubai World Cup, a horse race that hosts some of the best horses in the world running in a country with a great heritage tradition in this sport. Many people love to attend and follow this race, but many also want to know more, simple things that would make their day at the races more exciting and informed. Often there are questions that may seem too basic to ask, and the books and accounts on horse racing are too specific and purist based to explain to a newcomer what this incredible sport is all about. In a countdown of articles that will run the week up to the Dubai World Cup I hope that my words will help share the sport with a greater audience.
The seasoned racehorse knows exactly what race-day entails.
Their excitement is obvious. They seem to instinctively know the essence of racing and most Thoroughbreds love to have their nose in front.
The sleek, glistening horses that we see cantering to the start before each race may have spent months in preparation, especially so for the bigger races.
The best trainers seem to have an instinct for what each horse needs to perform at its peak on race day. It is both a science and an art.
Each trainer will put in place a training programme for each horse. The key is to build fitness carefully.
Horses may be large and powerful, but nurturing their supreme athleticism requires trainers to walk a proverbial tightrope.
Overtraining is an ever-present risk and trainers must use their experience to set a consistent regime that brings improvement.
The consequences of overtraining are the same for horses as human athletes. Injuries and strains can result, and performances will likely plateau as the horse does not recover well enough between exercise sessions.
A horse that peaks too early will be unlikely to maintain its form until raceday.
Specially formulated diets will reflect their workload and the need to reach peak fitness for their targeted race. Some feed manufacturers market competition feeds, mixed to meet the considerable energy demands of racehorses.
Trainers may use such feeds, but almost certainly they will have their own nutritional supplements to add.
Preparations will not always run to plan. Racehorses, like human athletes, will have off days, as well as little niggles and injuries that require attention.
That attention could range from extensive veterinary care to a half-hour massage to relax tight muscles. Some of the care given to horses will be entirely proactive, designed to keep the horse supple and performing well.
The best trainers have careful systems in place to ensure horses do not receive substances banned under the rules of racing. Horses can have blood and urine samples taken by authorities for testing at any time.
The bigger operators come to rely on quality staff - horsemen and women with the knowledge to spot matters that may be of concern and report them. But whether a small or a big operator, a racehorse normally employs between 3-5 people to attend to it. Making racehorses the largest animal employer of people in history and to date.
Major events such as the Dubai World Cup Carnival will require horses to relocate. This is no easy task. Horses like routine in their lives and travelling to strange new surroundings can cause stress.
Trainers and their staff will often go to extraordinary lengths to ensure their horses remain happy, healthy and fit when travelling internationally. Familiar faces will travel with the animal, sometimes weeks or months before the race and often with a supply of the horse’s familiar feed. Routines will be kept as normal as possible.
As race day nears, the workload will tend to taper off to ensure the horse is well rested for its big day at the track.
Horse pursuits and racing have their own terminology, which could easily confuse those not tied with the industry.
The sport has its own specialist equipment, too. Racing saddles, for example, are much smaller and lighter than conventional saddles. The shoes are typically made of lightweight metals to reduce weight. Indeed, much of the gear is designed or chosen with weight in mind.
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