European Trainer - Winter 13/14 - issue 44

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European Trainer ISSUE 44 – WINTER 2013/14

European

ISSUE 44 – WINTER 2013/14 £5.95

www.trainermagazine.com

THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE FOR THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE THOROUGHBRED

PETER FAHEY

The trainer with the gentle touch

Understanding how teeth affect performance ARE TRAINERS FEELING THE SQUEEZE WITH VAT? The healing power of water Publishing Ltd

WORK RIDERS UNDER THE RAINBOW

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GILES ANDERSON Hard graft and pursuit of a unified front

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HIS winter, our cover trainer profile is on the up-and-coming Irishman Peter Fahey, who hails from a family of trainers and is fast gaining a reputation as a trainer to watch. His is a story familiar to many about hard graft and waiting for the right horses to progress at the right time. Peter is one of those trainers we’re going to read much more about over the coming months with the big jump racing festivals of the spring.

In this issue, we have quite a varied menu of subjects. Mary Bromiley and Gary Waters offer a fascinating in-depth study highlighting the relationship between the horse’s mouth and its skeletal structure, a relationship that can be so crucial but yet, dare I say it, forgotten when assessing the horse’s performance or reason for lack of performance.

We also examine the perception of training agreements, which are commonplace and accepted in the UK but less so in Ireland and wanted in other countries. Earlier in 2013 I asked a handful of trainers this question: What did you learn from the economic downturn? The general answer was about nonpayment of training fees, with the owners of horses of limited ability most likely to be liable to debt. Whilst the training agreement itself doesn’t solve all problems overnight, its sheer being is designed to give both the owner and trainer an understanding of the obligations for each party. At the recent European Trainers’ Foundation AGM in Stockholm it was clear that all countries should adopt such agreements, if anything to safeguard the interests of all parties involved.

Keeping in the financial groove, we also examine the correlation of VAT across the European Union. It’s very clear from Lissa Oliver’s report that whilst Brussels wants all member countries to have the same headline rate of VAT, there are a number of negotiated tiered discounts in place from country to country which are confusing the whole principal of a unified headline rate.

Lastly, Katherine Ford has spent time in South Africa where she learnt about the series of races for work riders.

Finally, we’ve recently upgraded the Trainer website (www.trainermagazine.com) and with feedback from our readers have started curating an index of all previously published articles together with page-turning magazines – this is well worth looking at next time you are online.

Wherever your racing takes you this winter, good luck! n

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Chairman’s message

CRIQUETTE HEAD

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What a year 2013 has been for the female sex! On the Flat, women trainers have won arguably the three biggest races in the world, with Gai Waterhouse earning long-awaited consecration in the Melbourne Cup with Fiorente, Mucho Macho Man’s fairytale victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and my own success with Treve in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

O this trio, we can add the exploit of Aurore's Encore, trained by Sue Smith to win the world's most famous jumps race, the Aintree Grand National, earlier in the year.

This is a rare achievement and serves as proof that us ladies have truly arrived at the top of the racing game. I have never let my gender prevent me from pursuing a career in racing but I think that even now, after years of progress, it is still more difficult for women to succeed in the sport than men.

There is no sound reason for this as, after all, it is the horse who does the running! We are just as capable of making the entries and training the horse as any man.

When I compare my training methods with those of my father or my brother, I am probably less tough on my horses but, at the end of the day, the final results are the same. Racing is gradually becoming more democratic and I am confident that women will continue to make our presence felt in the sport and win more and more races at all levels.

Females have an ever-increasing role in stables and many fulfill important roles such as that of head lass or travelling head person for top yards, as well as being good exercise riders. I find that girls are generally more patient and gentle with the horses but I certainly wouldn't have a man-free yard, as some horses need a strong male rider.

As the flat campaign draws to a close, I would like to

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“I have never let my gender prevent me from pursuing a career in racing but I think that even now, after years of progress, it is still more difficult for women to succeed in the sport than men. There is no sound reason for this as after all, it is the horse who does the running!” congratulate all the winners of the season, not just the ladies! The jumps are now getting underway and British trainers have already made an impact at Auteuil, which is great for international competition.

Much has been written and discussed about the various Champions days and series that are becoming a feature in racing nations across the globe. While I realise the relevance of creating a narrative to promote our sport, it is important not to lose sight of the existing Pattern. This system was created to ensure the correct spacing between races and a coherent grading structure which itself resembles a championship. Sometimes tradition is not such a bad thing.

I wish you all a happy festive season and a successful new year. n

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CONTENTS ISSUE 44_Jerkins feature.qxd 16/12/2013 10:30 Page 1

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Issue 44

CONTENTS 10

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Peter Fahey: Going the extra mile

Are trainers being financially squeezed?

16

56

The young Irish trainer who successfully balances top-notch horsemanship and keeping his owners happy, by Lissa Oliver.

Succulents and treats

Apples and carrots, or Guinness and eggs?, by Catherine Dunnett.

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Tie-back surgery

The latest developments in the treatment of laryngeal paralysis,

by Timothy Barnett and Celia Marr.

Making sense of new VAT regulations, by Lissa Oliver.

Owner/trainer agreements

Each country has its own rules and suggestions on how to financially protect trainers and owners, by Roisin Shanahan.

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European Trainers’ Federation AGM A review of the annual meeting held in Stockholm this year.

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Giving all a chance to shine

Katherine Ford visits the South African Jockeys Academy.

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European Trainers Federation

The vital role the work rider plays to the overall success of a stable, by Katherine Ford.

Contributors

The winning home team

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The mouth, muscles and performance

TRM Trainer of the Quarter

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Product Focus

Thomas O’Keeffe on one of the oldest therapies in use today.

Stakes Schedules

How the mouth plays an integral role in the structural integrity of the horse, by Gary Waters and Mary Bromiley.

The many healing qualities of water 04 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 44

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EFT REPS issue 44_Jerkins feature.qxd 16/12/2013 11:50 Page 1

EUROPEAN TRAINERS’ FEDERATION AIMS and OBJECTIVES of the ETF: a) To represent the interests of all member trainers’ associations in Europe. b) To liaise with political and administrative bodies on behalf of European trainers. c) To exchange information between members for the benefit of European trainers. d) To provide a network of contacts to assist each member to develop its policy and services to member trainers.

ETF REPRESENTATIVES Chairmanship:

Criquette Head-Maarek Association des Entraineurs de Galop 18 bis Avenue du Général Leclerc 60501 Chantilly FRANCE Tel: + 33 (0)3 44 57 25 39 Fax: + 33(0)3 44 57 58 85 Email: entraineurs.de.galop@wanadoo.fr

Vice Chairmanship:

Max Hennau FEDERATION BELGE DES ENTRAINEURS Rue des Carrieres 35 5032 - Les Isnes BELGIUM Tel: Fax: +32 (0)81 56 68 46 Email: mhennau@gmail.com

GERMANY

Vice Chairmanship:

Christian von der Recke Hovener Hof 53919 Weilerswist Germany Tel: +49 (0 22 54) 84 53 14 Email: recke@t-online.de

SPAIN

Erika Mäder Jentgesallee 19 47799 Krefeld Tel: +49 (0)2151 594911 Fax: +49 (0)2151 590542 Mobile: +49 (0)173 8952675 Email: trainer-und-jockeys@netcologne.de

Mauricio Delcher Sanchez AZAFRAN, 5- 3ºM MAJADAHONDA 28022 Madrid Spain Tel: +34 (0)666 53 51 52 Email: mdelcher@hotmail.com

CZECH REPUBLIC

UNITED KINGDOM

Josef Vana CZECH JOCKEYS AND TRAINERS ASSOCIATION Starochuchelska 192/16 159 00 Praha 5 - Velka Chuchle Contact: Roman Vitek Mobile: +42 (0)606727027 Email: drvitek@email.cz

Rupert Arnold NATIONAL TRAINERS’ FEDERATION 9 High Street - Lambourn - Hungerford Berkshire RG17 8XN Tel: +44 (0)1488 71719 Fax: +44 (0)1488 73005 www.racehorsetrainers.org

SLOVAKIA

ITALY

Jano Cagan SLOVENSKA ASOCIACIA DOSTIHOVYCH TRENEROV MDZ 48 942 01 SURANY Slovakia Tel: +42 19 03 165 609 Email: zuzana.caganova@gmail.com

Ovidio Pessi U.N.A.G. Via Montale, 9 20151 Milano milano@unag.it paolapezzotti@libero.it tel. +39 02 48205006 mobile: +39 348 31 33 828

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Treasureship:

Jim Kavanagh IRISH RACEHORSE TRAINERS ASSOCIATION Curragh House-Dublin Road Kildare-Co.Kildare IRELAND Tel: +353 (0) 45 522981 Fax: + 353 (0) 45 522982 Mobile: + 353(0)87 2588770 Email: irishrta@eircom.net www.irta.ie

NORWAY

Sven-Erik Lilja Eventyrveien 8, 1482 Nittedal Norway Tel: +47 (0) 67 07 14 12 Mobile: +47 (0) 91 12 88 96 Email: svelilja@gmail.com

SWEDEN

Fredrik Reuterskiöld Swedish Trainers Association South Notarp 3228 S-243 92 Hoor Tel: +46 (0)413 55 00 65 Fax: +46 (0)413 55 04 95 Mobile: +46 (0)70 731 26 39 Swedish Trainers Association North Karlaplan 10 115 20 Stockholm Sweden Mail: worldracing@hotmail.com Tel: +46 (0)8 662 46 79 Mobile: +46 (0)708 756 756

CONTRIBUTORS ISSUE 44_Jerkins feature.qxd 16/12/2013 12:32 Page 1

CONTRIBUTORS Publisher & Editorial Director Giles Anderson Editor Frances Karon Circulation/Editorial Executives Suzy Crossman/Louise Crampton Picture Editor/Editorial Executive Harriet Scott Design/Production Neil Randon Advertising Sales Giles Anderson Photo Credits APRH, Equine Auto Trainer Pty Ltd, Equine Health Centre, Katherine Ford, Kraft, Horsephotos.com, Liesl King, Mark Rose, Rossdale & Partners, George Selwyn, Shutterstock, Gary Waters

Cover Photograph Caroline Norris

Trainer Magazine is published by Anderson & Co Publishing Ltd. This magazine is distributed for free to all ETF members. Editorial views expressed are not necessarily those of the ETF. Additional copies can be purchased for £5.95 (ex P+P).

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any format without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Printed in the European Union For all editorial and advertising enquiries please contact Anderson & Co Publishing Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1380 816777 Fax: +44 (0)1380 816778 email: info@trainermagazine.com www.europe.trainermagazine.com

Tim Barnett BSc BVM&S MSc MRCVS qualified from Edinburgh University in 2005. In 2007 he joined Rossdales Equine Hospital and Diagnostic Centre where he gained broad experience over a two-year period. After a further period of general practice, Tim moved to Edinburgh University in January 2010, where he completed a residency in Equine Surgery. Tim has completed a number of research projects in equine upper airway disease, dentistry and orthopaedics.

Professor Celia Marr is an equine clinician at Rossdales, Newmarket. She is a RCVS and European Specialist in Equine Medicine and Honorary Professor at the Glasgow University Veterinary School. She has previously worked at veterinary schools in Glasgow, Pennsylvania, Cambridge and London and in racehorse practice in Lambourn. She is Chairman of the Horserace Betting Levy Board’s Thoroughbred Research & Consultation Group and Editor-in-Chief of Equine Veterinary Journal.

Dr Catherine Dunnett BSc, PhD, R.Nutr. is an independent nutritionist registered with the British Nutrition Society. She has a background in equine research, in the field of nutrition and exercise physiology, with many years spent at The Animal Health Trust in Newmarket. Prior to setting up her own consultancy business, she worked in the equine feed industry on product development and technical marketing.

Thomas O’Keeffe is a graduate of University College Dublin, currently working in Ocala, Florida.

He worked for Rossdales and Partners in Newmarket, UK as a member of their ambulatory racing veterinary team and in their world renowned hospital facility. He was also an associate with Scone Equine Hospital, Australia, as resident veterinary surgeon for Darley’s Kildangan Stud in Ireland and worked in Lexington, Kentucky with Dr Ruel Cowles, DVM.

Katherine Ford was brought up in a hunting and point-topointing environment on a farm in North Yorkshire. Following a year working in a racing yard in Middleham, she studied Modern Languages at Sheffield University, with a semester studying French in Pau. After University, Katherine completed the BHB Graduate Programme in 2000, and in 2001 started work for the International Racing Bureau’s Paris office. Three years later she moved to Equidia, France’s horseracing television channel, travelling to some of the world’s major racetracks.

Katherine currently works part-time for Equidia and as a freelance journalist and translator.

Lissa Oliver lives in Co Kildare, Ireland and is a regular contributor to The Irish Field and the Australian magazine, Racetrack. Lissa is also the author of several collections of short stories and two novels.

Roisin Shanahan is a Masters graduate from the Royal Agricultural University. Having worked on thoroughbred studs across the world she has settled back in Ireland and is the Irish representative for Anderson & Co Publishing. In her spare time she educates her young thoroughbreds by taking them showing.

Issue 44

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Criquette Head-Maarek with her Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Treve

TRM Trainer of the Quarter

CRIQUETTE HEAD-MAAREK The TRM Trainer of the Quarter award has been won by Criquette Head. Criquette and her team will receive a selection of products from the internationally-acclaimed range of TRM supplements worth €2,000, as well as a bottle of select Irish whiskey.

WORDS: GILES ANDERSON PHOTO: APRH

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RIQUETTE Head-Maarek is in a unique position: As well as training her string of horses from her Chantilly base, she also plays an active role in the management of her family farm, Haras du Quesnay, located just outside of Deauville in Normandy.

An April 7, 2010 foal by Motivator ex Trevise was a typical mating for the famed French stud. At the time of the filly’s birth, Vodafone Derby winner Motivator was still based in England and wasn’t to arrive as a stallion at Le Quesnay until 2012. Trevise had already produced a stakes performer in Trois Rois, and with the wonderful Anabaa as Trevise’s sire the 2010 Motivator filly was matching speed

and stamina from this mating.

Fast forward to October 18, 2011, when the filly was brought to sell at Arqana. She went through the ring but at €22,000 she had shown the flicker of potential at home and wasn’t worth selling that cheaply.

As a two-year-old, the filly was named Treve, following a long Quesnay tradition of naming homebred horses with words starting with a “T.” Treve needed time, and it wasn’t until September 22 of her twoyear-old season that she made the first of five racecourse appearances over the next thirteen months, culminating in her trainer’s second Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victory, on October 6, 2013.

The victory was a deserved victory

for Head-Maarek. Over the past few years, her stable numbers had suffered following the death of a key owner (Sheikh Maktoum) and on a personal level she survived the dreadful cancer.

As a person, Head-Maarek is one of the kindest and considerate people in the racing industry. In her role as president of both the French Trainers’ Association and European Trainers’ Federation, she regularly gives her time and experience to help and advise fellow trainers and at home is a proud employer of her beloved “boys” – the loyal team she employs.

2014 will be an exciting year for racing for both Criquette Head-Maarek and her stable star Treve. n

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PROFILE

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PETER FAHEY

PETER FAHEY Going the extra mile Balancing the care of owners with their horses could very well be the hardest part of a trainer’s routine, but it says a lot about Peter Fahey from the outset that this interview is conducted very late at night in racing terms, particularly with an earlier-than-usual start beckoning in the morning, as Peter and wife Ber head off to the sales in the UK and to oversee Sunday Serenade’s run at Cheltenham.

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HE late appointment has been thoughtfully planned so that both Peter and Ber can provide their undivided attention, although a quick interruption by the phone assures them that Sunday Serenade has arrived safely ahead of them and eaten up, necessitating a second call, this time to the promising mare’s enthusiastic owner, Michael Moloney.

It’s clear that Peter Fahey has time for everyone except, quite possibly, himself, although sitting relaxed with his young family, even that tricky act of time juggling seems to have been successfully achieved. Ber is only just home from an evening as Scout Leader at the troop attended by six-year-old daughter Kate. Conor, aged two, is currently being tended by Aisling, the nanny who ensures long race day absences and trips to the sales

by Peter and Ber pass almost unnoticed by the children.

It’s a typical lifestyle for most trainers, and Roefield Stables in the heart of the ‘Thoroughbred County’ of Kildare is fairly typical, too. Modern facilities sit alongside a private circular sand and fibre gallop, with two traditional yards home to 50 horses at any one time, many in pre-training. The horses pull out at 7am and start with a little road work, passing by four other racing yards as they loop round back to Fahey’s own gallop.

What isn’t quite so usual, particularly in a ‘one-horse town’ like Cloneygath village, is that the other yards are all home to a Fahey.

Peter’s brothers Paul, Seamus and Jarlath are

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successful trainers in their own right, and nephew Mark has also inherited the family talent. Does this mean there’s a wealth of family expertise to call upon, or does sibling rivalry add an extra spike?

“We all operate very separately,” Peter says.

“We all have different ways of doing things, but there’s definitely no rivalry. We’re always really pleased for the others when one of us does well, and we’ve all been lucky enough to each have some good horses. We all do our own thing and no one begrudges anyone anything.”

“I never really wanted to go training, but pre-training got quiet.

Training was never the intention” The nurturing of young talent is one of the family traits, and Peter’s training career appropriately began with breaking and pretraining young horses, but his history goes back very much further. “The family always had a big involvement with horses, all the way along,” he recalls. “The family had a huge interest in pony racing, with my mother as secretary and my father as chairman (of the Horse and Pony Racing Association) I was always going to compete. I rode in my first pony race when I was only six, recorded my

first winner a year later and went on to be champion pony rider on a few occasions. I rode as an amateur for nine or ten years, from 1996, and I rode almost 100 winners while working for Jessica Harrington.”

Ber, meanwhile, had grown up at Jessica Harrington’s, where her father, Eamonn, is head lad and looked after the great Moscow Flyer. It could be regarded as a match made in heaven and very definitely a perfect partnership, and Ber is involved at every level with the daily running of the yard.

They went to America for a year as work riders, but Peter ended up serving his time as an assistant trainer to Golden Shaheen winner Big Jag’s trainer Tim Pinfield, which provided him with the basics when he returned home.

Given a blank canvas – nothing more than a piece of well-situated land – the couple spent their evenings drawing out plans, “working at the table with a pencil and ruler,” as Ber says, until Roefield Stables emerged. “We had the main yard built before the house. Peter wanted the second yard built, but I thought we should wait, but when I came home from work the foundations were already laid!”

The breaking yard is nearby, a separate entity to the racing yard, and both not only enjoy superb private facilities but also a close proximity to the Curragh training grounds and all they have to offer, as well as the equine swimming pool and additional gallops locally at Monasterevin. “We are very lucky to have the Curragh on our doorstep; its facilities are second to none and I use it to do our last pieces of work before a run,” Peter says.

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PROFILE

Fahey gives out instructions with Frontline and Andrew Leigh leading the string as they trot around the gallop

Nevertheless, as ideal as it all sounds, surprisingly it was never quite the plan. “I never really wanted to go training,” reveals Peter, “but pre-training got quiet. Training was never the intention. Shop Dj twisted my arm to train.” Shop Dj, a mare bred and owned by Arthur Craigie, retired with earnings of £123,222 and was a Grade 3 winner and Grade 1-placed, including a fine second to Sir Des Champs at Punchestown in the Champion Novice Chase in 2012, with seven wins to her name. “We won a point-to-point with her, but I didn’t have a licence so we sent her to Jarlath until I got it. He won two NH Flat races with her and she won her maiden hurdle at her third start for me.”

The mare was a yard favourite but, as Ber reveals, she could also have her moments.

“She was there from the start, as a three-yearold, and she was one of the first horses we brought to Cheltenham, and she gave us our first Grade winner [the Grade 3 ITBA EBF Mares’ Hurdle at Punchestown], so she’ll always be very special. She could be a madam, too, and before Cheltenham she dropped me on the road!”

“Some owners sent us horses for breaking and wanted us to keep them in training,” Peter continues, “and the recession really affected the breaking and pre-training. Up until then we were used as an overflow yard by a lot of trainers. It went a bit quiet, which influenced the decision to go training. It was hard, only having a few horses and seeing them go off to other yards, so it made sense to keep them and take out a licence. All the horses we’ve been lucky with have all been started here.”

The hardest part of the recession was the human cost, particularly in a small rural

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community. “We went from 30-40 horses down to seven or eight,” admits Peter. “It was terrible having to let people go, especially as they were local people. That was very hard.”

Difficult though it must have been, setting up as a trainer in the depth of a recession proved a remarkably wise move. Numbers are back up and beyond, and the owners who had wanted their young horses to remain at Roefield Stables were amply rewarded for their justifiable faith. “Once we started it took off pretty quick and we had a great start,” says Peter. “Hopefully we can keep going at a higher level, and we’re building up better horses.”

Higher profile wins provide Peter and his owners with better opportunities at the sales, but despite recent hard times the bloodstock market is again booming, making it very difficult for the smaller owner and trainer.

“We’ll always be at the sales up and down, but we don’t buy on spec. We’re always looking for a horse for one of our existing, or new, owners,” says Peter. “We’ve got a lot of owners with just one or two horses. Some of them like to buy at the sales, but a good many are

“Once we started it took off pretty quick and we had a great start.

Hopefully we can keep going at a higher level, and we’re building up better horses”

breeders and there are no major clients with a large string. The middle price market is so difficult and we’re all chasing the same type of horse. A lot of the horses we’ve been successful with have been sent to me, bred by their owner, so I’ve not gone by pedigrees.”

Typical of Peter’s owners is Michael Moloney. “I came to Peter on the recommendation of equine osteopath Anthony Coyne. I would definitely be one of Peter’s worst owners!” he laughs, his horses very much a part of his family and doted upon like children. “I’m a worrier; but you have to trust yourself that, in sending your horses to someone you trust, you’ve made the right decision and he’ll look after them. Peter suits me perfectly. I wouldn’t last two minutes with a leading trainer with a large string – my horse would be tied to the gate with a note saying, ‘Come and get it!’”

Other than the individual care and time devoted to the owners, as well as to their horses, there’s little difference between Peter’s establishment and that of a major yard, as Moloney is quick to point out. “Everything about Roefield Stables is professional. The staff are spotless leading up at the races, in a smart suit, turned out as perfectly as the horses. It’s that extra mile that makes all the difference. It doesn’t matter what level your horse is, Peter will always find a race for them, you’ll always have one winner, which reminds you why you do it and why you keep spending all this money!”

While winners can’t be guaranteed – and Peter is the first to state, “I don’t like having bad horses; if they’re no good I tell the owner early on” – careful placing is as much a part of training as the fitness regime, and Peter is not alone in finding the Racing Calendar against

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PETER FAHEY him, perhaps a problem peculiar to Ireland, conversely a country renowned for its racing.

There are frequently to be found blank days throughout the year with no race meetings scheduled. “I’d definitely love more racing, more opportunities,” he insists. “It’s very tough and very competitive during the winter months, I’d love to see more opportunities for the lesser grade horses. They’re the races that are always divided and balloted; it’s hard to get a programme for those horses.”

There are, of course, plusses, too, and the Irish racing community has pulled together to provide fresh opportunities for the former black sheep of the National Hunt world: the filly. “Enough has been done by the ITBA (Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association),” Peter agrees. “That initiative was a very good call by the ITBA, but it will make the fillies and mares’ races very competitive.”

Another factor making races for the fairer sex even more competitive are Peter’s own runners. Having a lot of owner-breeders in the yard means that he’s had a large amount of fillies and has done particularly well with them. Already this season Four Wives (owned

by G. O’Dowd), Sunday Serenade (Moloney) and Queen Alphabet (Mrs Carmel Ennis & Mrs Catherine Burke) have each chalked up a win for the girls, following in the hallowed path of Shop Dj. When asked if there’s a knack to them,

“Fillies are definitely harder. Just trying to plan a programme around their cycles, it’s so important” Peter admits, “Fillies are definitely harder. Just trying to plan a programme around their cycles, it’s so important. Shop DJ was as regular as clockwork and we planned her races accordingly. I think it is just as important to keep their mind right and keep them happy in themselves.”

Being aware of a filly’s cycle is an important part of the daily routine, and it’s a simple routine that is the key element to keeping all of the horses happy and healthy. “We start at seven AM every morning and get everything finished by one PM in the yard here at home,” Peter explains, “then in the afternoon we do the breakers and pre-training, and finish up at 4.45pm, then feed up. We feed four times a day and they’re all on Red Mills Racing Cubes.”

Most of the staff work in both yards and their feedback is invaluable. “I’m lucky to have very good staff. We have a youngish crowd so they’ve learnt as they’ve gone along,” says Peter. Ber adds, “Two of the lads are graduates from RACE (Racing Academy and Centre of Eduacation) and they’re young and

Above: Sunday Serenade (right) enjoys some time off before going on to win the Mares Maiden Hurdle at Tramore. Right: Owega Star, winner of the Grade 2 Tara Hurdle

brave!” Peter, having been such a successful jockey, also rode work up until recently, but he now finds that with such a large string it’s easier to watch the work and listen to the feedback from his riders.

“Tuesdays and Fridays are our work days and on those days we go to the Curragh. We just do routine canters on the other days and we’ll use the swimming pool occasionally, as well,” he explains. “They’ll do three canters around the gallop, then have a walk round to relax, then four canters round. We try not to disappoint any horse – we always work them with a horse of their own level to keep their confidence. That’s what keeps their form for the year. It’s definitely harder to keep them mentally fit than physically fit. Routine is important, more so, and keeping things as simple as we can. They have walks down the road and a change of scenery. Weather permitting, I try to ensure they get a spell in the paddock after their work.”

Peter doesn’t think it makes it easier for either himself or the individual horse that they’re often broken by him as well, but it does help him to bring them on gently in the manner he’d like. “When we’re first breaking the youngsters, we’re always schooling them and loose schooling them at home in the ring.

The problem with young horses is they take so much time. When you’re given a horse and you’re not under any pressure it’s so much easier to get the best out of them, to do right by the horse. So what really helps is an understanding owner, and we’re so lucky, we’re just steeped, even the syndicates are very good. When owners are so enthusiastic the biggest worry is thinking jeez, I hope it works out for them!” One of those owners, equine osteopath Anthony Coyne, is also a vital member of the team, and he owns the promising Alton Bay. Of other promising horses Peter and Ber can

look forward to, Siobhan and Anthony Callan’s Owega Star is currently shining brightly for the stable, his six wins including the Grade 2 Tara Hurdle. Ber describes him as having the kindest temperament, but “a bugger to ride!”

Peter’s picks are: “Definitely Sunday Serenade.

Frontline is one we definitely hope will be top grade and we have a nice Flemensfirth filly coming along, a half-sister to Frontline. Alton Bay is very good, he’s been unlucky so far.” Ill luck can often haunt a yard and periods of drought can be disheartening, but as Peter points out, “There definitely does be bad days, when you have a spell without a winner. But if you keep to the routine, it comes back.” Ber adds, “It’s kind of hard when you get a nice horse in and you’re looking forward to their future and then they’re sold. We were very lucky when Frontline got new owners and allowed him to stay in the yard.”

At the opposite end of the spectrum are the

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PROFILE good days and, for NH racing, Cheltenham represents the pinnacle. As Michael Moloney enthuses, “I’ve been to Cheltenham lots of times but I’d never had a runner there, until Sunday Serenade. She was my first runner, my first winner, and now she’s taken me to Cheltenham. Please God she’ll be going back there in March. The thrill of going to

Cheltenham, win or lose, it’s what it’s all about.

We had A.P. [McCoy] riding for us, and my three young nieces were with me. They’re only small, but they definitely know who he is and even with all the pressure he’s under he shook hands with them and made time for them. It was a wonderful experience; the staff at

Fahey with his wife Ber, who is involved in all aspects of running the yard

Horses at the modern Roefield Stables prepare to be ridden out

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Cheltenham just couldn’t do enough for you.”

Like most other trainers and nearly all owners, Peter contrasts this to Irish racecourses. “I’d like to see more facilities for owners. In most cases there’s nowhere in Owners And Trainers’ for a hot food option, or any food options for that matter. The social side would help owners to enjoy their day more and help trainers to engage with them.

Consistency throughout all racecourses would help.”

It really is quite typical that we began our interview with Peter’s consideration of the people connected to his horses, which is also how we end it. Ber, by her own admission, may not be happy working in the office. “I prefer to be in the yard. Even in the cold and the rain. I’d rather have wellies on and be out there than be in the office!” – but she willingly takes care of the administrative side of the business, which includes keeping all of the owners updated about their pride and joys.

“Ber sent me a photo of Sunday Serenade on the morning of her arrival at Cheltenham,” Moloney tellingly reveals. “I’d promised myself they had enough on their plate and I absolutely wouldn’t pester them, so I didn’t phone to acknowledge it. The next thing Ber was on the phone to me, ‘Did you get that picture alright? We haven’t heard from you!’”

It’s clear that the secret to happy horses and happy owners is, as Moloney rightly says, going that extra mile. In that, Peter Fahey has earned his Marathon Medal. n

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NUTRITION

SUCCULENTS AND TREATS Secret weapon or simply folklore?

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SUCCULENTS AND TREATS

Training racehorses could be described as being the epitome of art and science coming together. Whilst the latest research and recommendations are important, there has always been a strong belief in tradition and folklore in the racing community where feeding is concerned.

WORDS: CatheRine Dunnett BSC, PhD, R.nutR PhOtOS: ShutteRStOCK

H

ORSES in full training can experience reduced appetite or can become increasingly finicky feeders the fitter and the nearer to the racecourse they get. In addition, immune function may be suppressed and psychological stress can become significant. Trainers over the years have often expressed their individualism through nutrition offering those special intangible additions to the normal daily ration.

In this article, I will explore some of the most commonly used and also the more peculiar additions I have experienced in racing diets, and discuss their potential benefits or disadvantages.

Succulents: are they simply a daily treat?

The addition of succulents to the diet are often simply viewed as a daily treat, a way of adding some variety to the ration but are not relied upon for any specific nutritional benefit.

Carrots and apples are perhaps the best illustration of a widely used succulent in a racing context. Horses generally love them and they can certainly help to maintain interest in feed. As long as they are cut up appropriately and don’t present a choking hazard, they are a great addition to the diet. Both carrots and apples tend to be very high in sugars when examined on a dry matter basis, but they also offer digestible fibre including pectin, as well as natural antioxidants and vitamins. Their nutritional contribution is fairly limited, however, given the amount fed and their very high water content. In short, carrots or apples are a benign addition to the racing ration, with the main benefit largely being to improve feed intake, as well as psychological wellbeing.

Other succulents of note include fresh forages such as alfalfa, or indeed the revered ‘pick of grass.’ Alfalfa cut freshly in the morning was a time-honoured tradition for many years in Newmarket, delivered by my neighbour and friend, ex-trainer Gerry Blum. Many horses were offered an armful of this fresh forage each

morning. Generally it was well received, although I remember hearing a few reports of hives or ‘protein bumps,’ which were attributed rightly or wrongly to this fresh material. Alfalfa is a true king of forages, having a superior digestibility compared to hay or haylage. It is also a good source of bioavailable calcium, but does not have a high sugar content. When fresh alfalfa is offered, it is essential that it is fed soon after cutting, because it will eventually start to deteriorate and could contribute to digestive problems.

Fresh grass and alfalfa both have a very high water content and so the level of nutrition provided per day when fed as a succulent is likely to be quite low. However, the intangible psychological benefit of ‘Dr Green’ is huge, although fresh alfalfa is very difficult to source in Europe unless you grow and harvest it yourself.

Some succulents such as hydroponic grass offer a more significant nutritional addition to the diet and are way beyond simply being a treat. Hydroponic grass has not taken off significantly in Europe or the US but is popular for many equestrian disciplines in Australia.

Those trainers that have tried it really value it as part of their racing ration, as it offers an alternative and significant source of ‘Dr Green.’

Hydroponic grass is delivered via a mat of sprouted grains (usually barley) and the horses eat both the green shoots and the mat of roots.

A single mat per day makes a significant nutritional contribution to the diet and can replace about 2-3kg of concentrate feed, therefore reducing the starch load of a traditional racing diet.

These mats of ‘grass’ are very good for horses psychologically, as they prolong eating time and so encourage a more natural grazing behaviour. In addition, the sprouting process itself mobilises natural starch digesting enzymes from the grain, which may also help improve the digestion of starch from the remainder of the racing diet.

Hydroponic grass offers a real tangible benefit for horses in training, but the units required to produce it are relatively expensive and have to be kept scrupulously clean to

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NUTRITION avoid microbiological spoilage. Hordenine, a prohibited substance, can also be produced during the sprouting process and so the risk and consequences of its presence from feed in post-race sample needs to be urgently clarified by the BHA.

Health benefits Moving away from succulents, trainers have always been interested in additions to the diet that may help to keep horses healthy and strong or support their recovery following injury during training. Comfrey is a herb or plant that was cultivated and used in at least one successful training yard historically. The colloquial name for comfrey is knitbone, which perhaps provides a clue to its reputed benefits. A scan of the literature however suggests that any positive effects on bone may have been limited to its topical use. Feeding comfrey may actually be hazardous due to the level of liver toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids present, which are similar to those found in ragwort.

A very traditional but perhaps rather bizarre addition to the diet of hunters and horses in training is Guinness. Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout made from water, barley, roast malt extract, hops, and brewer’s yeast.

Guinness, I suspect, may have been given to horses in the belief that it is a rich source of iron to diminish anaemia, and it used to be advised for pregnant mothers and blood donors alike. However this practice has been ceased and the ‘iron effect’ is a bit of an urban myth, with many other feeds being a much more relevant source of iron. Equally it is very unusual for iron deficiency to be the root cause of an anaemic blood profile in horses.

The brewers of Guinness have never made any overt health claims, but scientists have independently supported moderate consumption in humans. Antioxidant compounds, similar to those found in certain fruits and vegetables, in Guinness may be responsible for its reputed health benefits, which include reduced blood clotting. Beers in general have also been cited as being a good source of bioavailable silicon shown to be beneficial for bone density.

High-sugar containing syrups have also been added to in-training feeds for many years, and honey is probably one of the most popular additions. Largely honey is fed for its positive effect on palatability and is used to tempt fussy horses. The benefit of standard honey probably doesn’t go beyond this, but manuka honey has reputed health benefits and so is regarded as a type of ‘super honey.’Manuka honey, which has a premium price, is derived from Australia and New Zealand and is produced by bees collecting pollen from the manuka tree. It reputedly has antibacterial

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effects and has been used in wound healing, although the scientific evidence for this is rather sparse.

Finally, there are some additions that trainers believe provide nutrition beyond that found within the basal racing diet. Muscle building protein is a huge commercial opportunity within the human sports sector.

Human power athletes routinely consume protein shakes, which combine high quality protein sources such as whey.

There is no doubt that the addition of quality protein is beneficial, as it provides many key amino acids needed to drive muscle protein synthesis, support immune function, and even to stimulate

“Alfalfa is a true king of forages, having a superior digestibility compared to hay or haylage. It is also a good source of bioavailable calcium, but does not have a high sugar content”

better glycogen synthesis in conjunction with appropriate carbohydrate.

In my travels, I have come across eggs being used as a high-quality protein source for horses. Eggs are routinely added to the training diet of horses in India, although this practice is no longer popular in Europe or the US. Whilst eggs are indeed a very high quality source of protein, their addition to a racing diet is risky. Horses are naturally herbivores and so the addition of ‘animal protein’ is rather an alien concept. In addition, there is always the risk of salmonella infection with raw eggs, which is usually how they are fed. A more appropriate source of of high quality protein for horses perhaps would be full fat soya, whey, or spirulina, which is an algae that has recently emerged onto the equine market.

I am always conscious when writing articles on new and perhaps unproven aspects of nutrition that trainers enthusiastic to gain an edge may embrace these ideas.

Beetroot has been the subject of a previous article in European Trainer, ‘To beet or not to beet’ (Issue 39 – Autumn 2012), and has achieved some well-deserved notoriety in the human health and sports nutrition sector. Beetroot juice, cooked beetroot, and even uncooked beetroot have been offered to horses in training.

The benefit of beetroot in humans is fairly well established but much more clarity is required in horses. The flesh of the beetroot is no doubt a useful source of digestible fibre; however, the attraction in human nutrition is in harnessing the vasodilating effects of its high nitrate content. The major difference with horses is that as herbivores, the nitrate intake from other components in the diet is likely to be much higher than that of a human athlete and the addition of beetroot to the diet may be inconsequential in this respect. Some speciesspecific research in horses would be welcome to establish any benefits beyond its normal nutritional content.

In summary, I am in no doubt that succulents and some high sugar-containing syrups have a worthwhile role within the daily racing ration to help maintain feed intake. In addition when given by hand, succulents such as carrots and apples help to maintain social contact and psychological wellbeing.

Hydroponic grass could have real tangible benefits to nutrition and racehorse welfare, but the value of many of the other daily additions mentioned is steeped in tradition or hearsay rather than robust science. n

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VETERINARY

TIE-BACK SURGERY

New research on the upper airway procedure

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TIE-BACK SURGERY

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T

HE aim of this procedure is to reverse the effects of larynx weakness that occurs due to a degenerative condition of the nerve that controls the muscles on the left side. A synthetic implant is placed along that side of the larynx to hold it open where the muscle is too weak.

It has long been suspected that the procedure has other effects on the airway, other than simply tying the collapsed part of the larynx back and out of the way. Recent research from the University of Edinburgh published in Equine Veterinary Journal has helped to shed some light on this, and it emphasises the importance of accurate diagnosis of upper airway disorders both prior to and after the surgery if the horse is still failing to meet expectations.

Tie-back surgery has been very successful in many racehorses with the potential for significant improvements in postoperative performance, and it has also significantly reduced abnormal noise production.

However, in some cases, clinical signs persist postoperatively and the procedure may be assumed to have failed. Horses may then simply be retired from race training without further investigation, causing considerable cost to all parties involved.

Laryngeal paralysis and the tie-back procedure The larynx has a number of functions, one of which is to help prevent food material from entering the airway of the horse when it is swallowing feed. Two symmetrical cartilages of the larynx, known as the arytenoids, act as

VETERINARY

Every trainer is familiar with a horse that makes a noise, and if performance is poor, a trip to a surgical facility is the usual next step. The tie-back procedure (or laryngoplasty) has been the mainstay in the treatment of laryngeal paralysis for over 40 years.

WORDS: TimOThy P BaRneTT, ROSSDale anD PaRTneRS, neWmaRkeT, SuffOlk, Celia m maRR, equine VeTeRinaRy JOuRnal, neWmaRkeT, SuffOlk. PhOTOS: GeORGe SelWyn, ROSSDale anD PaRTneRS

“doors” that close when the horse swallows.

The same “doors” open fully when the horse is exercising. This allows as much air as possible into the lungs and the horse to perform to its full potential.

In some horses, and commonly the thoroughbred, the muscles controlling the left arytenoid can become paralysed due to a degeneration of the nerve that controls its movements. At present we do not fully understand the exact mechanism of this disease process. But, as the nerve fails and the muscle weakens in turn, the left arytenoid will then fall into the airway and it cannot be pulled out of the way when the horses starts to exercise.

The volume of air reaching the lungs is reduced, resulting in suboptimal performance; and the production of

The closed larynx – preventing food particles from entering the wind pipe

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abnormal noise exists due to the partly collapsed larynx vibrating when the horse breathes in.

Tie-back surgery aims to replicate the action of the fully contracted muscle, and thus ties the left arytenoid back and out of the airway, so that airflow at maximal effort is uncompromised. Unfortunately this also means that the airway is permanently open on the left, even when the horse is swallowing.

This can allow food into the windpipe and lungs, which may cause coughing for a period of time afterwards. This is why surgeons advise feeding horses postoperatively from the floor, as they are less likely to inhale food particles.

Surgical success, potential complications, and side effects Depending on the measurement criteria and on the discipline of the horse, the success of the tie-back procedure ranges from 38-92%.

Some horses do not improve at all. They may continue to make a noise or, more importantly in the case of the racehorse, they may not

Fully opened larynx – allowing maximal airflow into the windpipe and the lungs.

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TIE-BACK SURGERY

Left laryngeal paralysis – the left arytenoid and vocal fold are seen to collapse into the airway

perform as well as expected after surgery.

Well-known side effects include coughing, as discussed earlier, and a reduced ability to swallow food, both of which often improve with time.

The Edinburgh study Postoperatively, most surgeons advise that horses be re-examined with an endoscope prior to leaving the hospital and again around six weeks later, before a decision is made to re-enter light training. This allows the veterinary surgeon not only to assess how successful the procedure has been in tying back the paralysed part of the larynx, but also to see if any other problems have come to light.

Normally the surgeon will only view the airway with the horse at rest; however, the persistent problems associated with surgical failure often occur at strenuous exercise.

Endoscopic examination whilst the horse is exercising has been possible for many years using a video-endoscope and a high-speed treadmill.

Recently, over-ground endoscopic equipment has become available, which has made the examination much more convenient to everyone involved. The examination is performed while the horse is ridden, avoiding the need to train it to work on a treadmill.

And, of course, the equipment is fairly portable so it can be used at the training yard without the need to transport the horse to a specialist facility.

The Edinburgh study aimed to follow up on 41 horses that had tie-back surgery for laryngeal paralysis, using endoscopy both at rest and whilst exercising at their maximal ability. Horses involved in a wide range of equestrian disciplines were included in this study, including a number of horses in race training. Owners’ and trainers’ satisfaction with performance, respiratory noise, and respiratory-

The left arytenoid tied back out of the airway following surgery.

“Depending on the measurement criteria and on the discipline of the horse, the success of the tie-back procedure ranges from 38-92%.

Some horses do not improve at all.”

related complications were also assessed by means of a questionnaire.

Multiple abnormalities In this group of horses, 78% had a form of upper airway collapse at exercise, with 41% having complex forms, despite 93% of owners reporting the surgery to have been beneficial.

This was surprising given that most owners and trainers reported satisfaction with the surgery postoperatively. It is not clear if these abnormalities occurred as a result of the procedure or were present but undiagnosed before the surgery. Many horses

The over-ground exercising endoscopy equipment in use on a thoroughbred racehorse

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VETERINARY

Aryepiglottic fold collapse seen following tie-back

Edinburgh study was that when the laryngeal ventricles were not removed at the time of surgery, the horses were nearly five times more likely to make respiratory noise when exercising.

An increased amount of respiratory noise was also reported in horses with the arytenoid cartilage not tied back as much as possible.

Both of these findings are useful lessons for throat surgeons but it is also possible for the arytenoid to fall into the airway due to increased stresses placed on the horse in the immediate postoperative period. Careful attention to postoperative management and an adequate rest period is, therefore, imperative to ensure a successful outcome to the tie-back.

One disadvantage of the tie-back procedure is that creates a turbulent airflow in other areas of the airway, including the structures on the right side of the larynx and the aryepiglottic fold, a sheet of tissue that attaches the arytenoids to the epiglottis.

Collapse of the aryepiglottic fold or the right vocal fold are common findings following tieback surgery.

“The Edinburgh study highlights that a complete diagnosis of laryngeal collapse prior to tie-back surgery is the best way of ensuring optimal results postoperatively”

Dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) seen after tie-back

had the tie-back surgery solely based on resting examination and conditions only occurring during exercise may have been overlooked.

What was very evident was that most of the abnormalities were not associated with clear-cut surgical failure, i.e. the ‘tied-back’ arytenoid was stable. Had additional abnormalities been identified before the tie-back surgery, some could have been treated at the same time as the tie-back surgery, thus ensuring maximal benefit from the time withheld from training and racing.

In some horses, this problem could have been avoided had exercising endoscopy been performed before surgery. While trainers may be tempted to skip straight to the knife when they are dealing with a horse making a

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noise, throat problems are complex and far from identical in each individual. This study shows that a complete and detailed assessment including over-ground exercising endoscopy may maximise chances that the correct procedure is performed to benefit each horse.

Respiratory noise As long as the horse is performing well, most trainers would agree that increased noise when working is of little concern, and this view is supported by research showing that many racehorses will still perform well despite aberrant noise production. Problems may arise, however, if the horse is being transferred or sold, as the noise may be noticed at pre-purchase examination. One particularly significant finding from the

The left vocal fold is usually removed at the same time as the tie-back surgery. Removal of both vocal folds together is a risky procedure; scar tissue can form between them and create a ‘web’ that may significantly obstruct the airway, so the right vocal fold is not usually removed unless there is good evidence it is causing a problem, and if so, it is usually done at a later date.

Palatal dysfunction Palatal dysfunction encompasses instability of the soft palate and the more severe and detrimental condition of dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP). In the Edinburgh study, 56% of horses had some form of palatal dysfunction and 31% had DDSP. This was an important finding, as DDSP and laryngeal collapse have rarely been diagnosed together in previous studies.

But concurrent studies from university hospitals of Pennsylvania in the US and Bristol in the UK have also confirmed palatal dysfunction in horses that have undergone tie-back surgery.

Interestingly, the DDSP observed in the

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TIE-BACK SURGERY post-tie-back horses was unusual: DDSP usually occurs during fast work. Following tie-back surgery, DDSP occurred just as readily at slower gaits, and even when walking.

It is unclear at present why some horses that undergo tie-back surgery are experiencing these forms of palatal dysfunction. But it is important to stress that this group of horses are from a large variety of disciplines and are not just fit racehorses.

The owners and trainers of this group of horses were largely satisfied with the level of performance and noise reduction achieved from a tie-back surgery, and the postoperative

abnormalities do not appear to be causing clinical problems.

In conclusion The Edinburgh study highlights that a complete diagnosis of laryngeal collapse prior to tie-back surgery, including exercising endoscopic examination, is the best way of ensuring optimal results postoperatively. Over-ground endoscopy equipment is now widely available, so a detailed preoperative assessment is more prudent and cost effective. Not only can complex abnormalities be identified but horses with mild laryngeal collapse at

rest that is completely abolished when working can also be pinpointed, and so surgery is not necessarily beneficial for these individuals.

The Edinburgh study also highlights that exercise endoscopy may help explain why some horses return to training with little improvement in performance. These abnormalities can be corrected, depending on the condition, with further surgical or medical interventions. Exercising endoscopy should certainly be considered before the tie-back surgery is repeated or the decision to retire the horse is made. n

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RACING

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SOUTH AFRICAN JOCKEYS ACADEMY

GIVING ALL A CHANCE TO SHINE

The South African Jockeys Academy

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I

N winning the Vodacom Durban July, the 28-year-old Zulu became the first black jockey in history to win South Africa’s most famous race.

The timing could not have been better. As the 20 runners headed down towards the ten-furlong start, the minds of the 55,000-strong Greyville crowd were far from a last-minute flutter on this prestigious Group 1 contest. When the horses disappeared out of sight, the stands were called to join together in a 67-second silence in tribute to the former President.

However, the silence did not last for long, as spontaneous cheers and applause rang out to acknowledge a series of photos of Mandela, the father of the nation, displayed on the giant screens. Just minutes later, the spirit of Mandela was still felt on the track. Cheering

RACING

“I dedicate this win to Madiba. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here.” Almost 20 years after the end of apartheid and as an ailing Nelson Mandela – or “Madiba,” as he is respectfully known – lay gravely ill in a Pretoria hospital, jockey S’Manga Khumalo marked the beginning of a new era for South African racing.

WORDS: KATHERINE FORD PHOTOS: LIESL KING, KATHERINE FORD

redoubled as S’Manga Khumalo stormed to victory in the Durban July Handicap aboard the Sean Tarry-trained Heavy Metal. This was the second top-level success of the day for Khumalo in the colours of owner Chris Van Niekerk, who could be seen wiping away tears as he waited to welcome his winner.

S’Manga Khumalo celebrates victory in the Durban July Handicap on Heavy Metal

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“Two wins in a row, on a day that we think of Madiba. And young S’Manga Khumalo, a young Zulu man… there’s something in the story that makes me emotional,” admitted Van Niekerk. Van Niekerk is no stranger to big wins in South Africa, and he had lifted the Durban July twelve months earlier with another Sean Tarry trainee, Pomodoro. But it was evident that this moment meant more than an ordinary Group 1 success for both the owner and the sport as a whole. “The demographics of South African racing are still not what they should be. To have guys like him coming through helps the cause immensely.”

Sean Tarry agreed. “It’s wonderful, while Madiba is still here, that a first black jockey has won the Durban July. I’m sure that the huge reaction from the crowd had a lot to do with it being S’Manga riding him. This could have a massive impact.”

Just days later, S’Manga Khumalo was on his way to becoming a household name.

Instead of jetting off to the beach to relax and celebrate during what could be considered a well-timed suspension just after his major career win, the rider’s diary was chock-full of media engagements. He says, “It’s been great, I’ve had a lot of interviews with newspapers, magazines, and also the TV. I still can’t believe it.”

Nicknamed “Bling” for his penchant for flashy jewellery and dyed-blond hair (perhaps as a nod to Tarry’s first-string jockey Piere Strydom), S’Manga Khumalo is living the dream. “My idols are Frankie Dettori and Christophe Soumillon,” he says, “but I’ve already been punished here for copying Soumillon’s style and being too flamboyant after a win!” The Khumalo version of Dettori’s flying dismount poses no problem to the authorities, and as with his Italian counterpart, just adds to the appeal of the popular rider.

After posing for yet another photo in the Turffontein training stables, Khumalo reflects, “I never thought that all this would be for me, looking back to where I grew up.” He is reluctant to dwell on the exact circumstances of his background, but it is clear that he was raised closer to the townships than the rich

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SOUTH AFRICAN JOCKEYS ACADEMY

The crowd at Greyville joined together for a 67-second silence in tribute to former South African President ‘Madiba’ Nelson Mandela

suburbs. His life was turned around by a chance visit during his schooldays. “A gentleman was sent by the South African Jockeys Academy to go to black schools and look for guys that wanted to be jockeys and have the physique to be a jockey. He approached me and I decided to give it a go. I had never seen horses before and I was very nervous. At that time I was very tiny and I just kept myself as far away from the horses as I could…”

Based in the Summervelt training centre just outside Durban, the South African Jockeys Academy is renowned as one of the world’s most successful producers of jockeys.

Khumalo soon found his feet, and an affinity with the thoroughbreds, although he remembers that it was not easy to make his mark. “During my apprenticeship, there were others with a horse background; their fathers or uncles who were trainers, or jockeys. They didn’t get it as hard as we did. They were already riding races while we were still learning.” He shrugs, “Looking at it now, I think I’ve achieved more than them by being a hard worker. They knew more, but I wanted to learn more. It was hard because they had big, well-known surnames, but hard work and dedication has paid off.”

Now that S’Manga Khumalo has achieved his first ambition, his next goal is to become the first black champion jockey in South Africa. He may well receive support from across the industry in realising this objective, as all sectors are conscious of the boost a high-profile black jockey could give the sport. Indeed, top trainer Mike de Kock has dedicated his July blog to the rider, titling it “S’Manga’s Time Has Come” and pledging support in Khumalo’s bid to lift

“My idols are Frankie Dettori and Christophe Soumillon, but I’ve already been punished here for copying Soumillon’s style and being too flamboyant after a win!”

S’Manga Khumalo

next season’s National Jockeys’ Title.

No part of the racing community will be keener to see S’Manga Khumalo succeed than the stable staff. It is extremely rare to see a white stable worker in South Africa and those who ensure the day-to-day care and exercise of the equine athletes regard Khumalo as an inspiration. Even though the South African Jockeys Academy makes a conscious effort to recruit as many black and coloured youngsters as possible, it has taken until 2013 for a member of the underprivileged black community to hit the racing headlines.

In the background, one man has been fighting with quiet determination for the empowerment of stable staff since the late 1990s.

James Maree’s Thoroughbred Racing Development Centre is a unique establishment in the racing world. Launched in August 1999, its purpose is to improve the skills of stable workers, with the ultimate goal of participating in reserved work riders’ races and maybe even becoming professional jockeys.

Maree, a professional trainer in the Highveld region just outside Johannesburg, shouts out instructions to his riders. “Relax!

You’re there to help him!” The cry applies

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RACING

James Maree with students at his Thoroughbred Racing Development Centre

perfectly to the mission of Maree, who explains the background of his initiative: “Horses were becoming very expensive and it was sad to see some of the grooms riding the way they were, sitting in the wrong place, etc.

I felt that if we were paying huge sums for a horse, we needed to improve their skills in general.”

Initially Maree did not meet with overwhelming enthusiasm from the establishment. “It was a battle in the beginning. I had a lot of reluctance from a lot of people… I was told by quite a prominent bloke, ‘A black can’t ride a horse!’ but anyhow that’s been proved wrong and it just shows if you really want to do something and you’re passionate about it, you can get there.”

Passion and resolve won the day and James Maree’s private training centre now doubles as a racing school for the underprivileged, fully supported by Phumelela (racing operator and tote betting organisation), the Racing Trust, Racing Association, and National Horseracing Authority.

The course exists in two parts: the first is a three-month “Work Rider Course,” consisting of basic horsemanship plus basic and advanced work riding. Completion of all three stages allows riders to don their silks and line up on the racecourse proper, but only to race on a straight track. Maree is a great advocate of a quiet and relaxed riding style and gives practical advice unlikely to be heard in riding schools elsewhere in the world. “It’s so important to put your weight in the right

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RACING

The South African Jockeys Academy visit schools in search of potential jockeys of the future

place. It’s the same as when you put a bucket of water on your head – put it in the middle, then you can carry it!”

The “Advanced Race Riding Course” involves technical race tactics, and riders are monitored by representatives of the Jockey Club of South Africa and Maree himself before being judged competent to race around a turn. To date 43 riders have qualified from this more demanding second course.

Sessions take place twice a week, and upon the suggestion and agreement of their employers, stable staff are shipped in on minibuses from the training centres of Turffontein and the Vaal once they have finished their morning duties. Behind the relaxed atmosphere, a quiet determination reigns as the 30 or so riders listen intently to Maree and his assistant, jockey Marthinius Mienie.

They are aware that completing the two courses can be a life-changing achievement, as in South Africa future jockeys must pass through the stringent five-year apprentice

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“One successful work rider might support 50 other people. The spin-off to the rest of their community, family, and friends is just great” James Maree course proposed by the South African Jockeys Academy in order to obtain a licence. The Thoroughbred Racing Development Centre offers a second chance for these workers to show their prowess on the track with a schedule of four reserved races per month, plus three entire race days for work riders.

Patrick Davis, racing executive for Phumelela, explains, “They compete as fullyfledged jockeys in these races, earning on the

same basis as apprentice jockeys (riding fee of approx €35, plus 6% of winning stakes). In the ten years plus that these races have been happening, we have had very few accidents and the stipendary stewards comment that their race riding has improved beyond recognition in recent years. But it’s not just about riding; the programme also includes a life skills course to try and give these guys a lift up in life.”

The top earner in the 2012/2013 work riders standings is Francis Semela, who with 13 successes from 57 rides during the season will have pocketed 52,000 Rand (€4,000) plus the equivalent of a further €2,000 in riding fees.

This figure exceeds the average annual income for a black household (2012 figures), whose earnings are still six times less than whites, 19 years after the end of apartheid.

As Maree points out, “One successful work rider might support 50 other people. The spinoff to the rest of their community, family, and friends is just great.” One of the handful of work riders to make the transition to the professional ranks is Louis Nhlapo. The winner of over 200 races, Nhlapo remembers with gratitude the chance that was offered to him. “I was a farrier and Mr Maree got me an opportunity as a work rider through his school.

As long as you listen, and respect people, that is when you have a chance to become a professional jockey. He taught me from scratch to be something.”

The next generation are hard at work at the Eikenhof stable. Each one rides a retired racehorse in a fast piece of work up the sand track, under the watchful eye of Maree and

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Mienie and their video camera. At the end of the morning, a detailed debrief is given in an improvised classroom adorned with photos of Maree’s career as a champion jockey and training successes of the stable.

“Mr James” – as some of the students call Maree – “is an expert,” says Siyabonga Duma, who still attends the training school after about a dozen rides in public. “He was one of the best back in the day, and every day here you learn something new. Riding in work riders’ races helps to earn some pocket money but I’m actually on a mission to become a top jockey.

It gives us enthusiasm to see that if S’Manga Khumalo can do it, we can succeed too.”

Another aspiring jockey, Sandiso Jelwana, is working in James Maree’s yard while completing the Basic riding course. “When I was still very young it was my dream to become a jockey one day. I didn’t know anything about horses, or where to go. They told me to go to Mr Maree, that he is the one who is going to give me Siyabonga Duma information and an opportunity to be successful in life. He is very strict. When he says you must do something, you must do it each and every time, but he’s a good trainer. I haven’t passed the course yet but I can see where I am going now for the future.”

Times have changed in the Rainbow Nation since the Mandela era. As ever, horseracing has not been at the forefront of change, but with S’Manga Khumalo leading the way and a host of dedicated workers behind, the sport could finally be on its way to becoming a rainbow sport. n

“Riding in work riders’ races helps to earn some pocket money but I’m actually on a mission to become a top jockey. It gives us enthusiasm to see that if S’Manga Khumalo can do it, we can succeed too”

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WORK RIDERS

WORK RIDERS

The winning home team

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RACING

More than 50 per cent of Freddy Head’s work riders are female as he believes they are gentler and become more attached to the horses

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S South Africa’s James Maree from the Work Riders Development Programme puts it, “I know and all trainers know that if you get to the track in the morning and you haven’t got a decent work rider, you may as well go home. Without that, you just can’t do anything.”

Trainers need to be able to rely on their morning pilots to follow instructions, as weeks of preparation can be wasted if a strategic gallop does not go to plan. This applies both in the short term before a race engagement or in the long term, notably for a difficult horse whose career can be made or broken depending upon the skills of his morning partner.

French handler Freddy Head is well-placed to analyse the situation. As a former top jockey, he rode plenty of champions on the gallops before hanging up his boots to become a leading trainer, famously of 14-time Group 1 winner Goldikova and recently of another high-class filly in Moonlight Cloud, who completed a record-breaking double at Deauville this summer.

For Head, a sensitive rider is a must, “They must have good hands to be kind to the horse’s mouth. The opposite, a brutal rider, can destroy a horse and his racing career. Most of my team have been with me for a long time, although there are always some changeovers and more and more girls. My team is now around 50% feminine and in general I notice that the girls are more gentle riders and are more attached to the horses. They ride very well and I am sure that one day soon we will see a champion lady jockey.”

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Trainers around the world have widely varying ideas on training methods, feeding regimes, and riding tactics, and these opinions can even differ between neighbouring professionals using the same facilities. But one thing that handlers will unanimously agree upon is the vital importance of a competent team of work riders.

WORDS: KATHERINE FORD PHOTOS: CAROLINE NORRIS, APRH, HORSEPHOTOS, MARK ROSE

Head explains that he rarely calls on jockeys to gallop his horses in training, preferring to rely upon his regular team who are familiar with his working methods. However, many of the staff have racing experience. “A lot of my work riders are former jockeys, who have retired from race riding or after a short career. They are light weight and experienced and ride most of the fast work for me.”

A second career as a work rider is a logical one for many former jockeys as it allows them to remain connected with the racing game and maintain that all-important contact with thoroughbreds without the demands of setting up as a trainer. Former top-level jump jockey Dean Gallagher retired from the saddle aged 40 in 2009 and is now an important member of the Ballydoyle team. The Irishman was seen putting future Breeders’ Cup Classic third Declaration of War through his paces at Santa Anita recently, and Gallagher relishes his hands-on role.

Ex-jockeys have the advantage of race-riding experience, and once they adapt to the requirements of training rather than a win-atall-costs approach, their value is evident for trainers.

Newcomers to racing in Europe have often graduated from the racing schools such as the AFASEC (Association de Formation et d'Action Sociale des Ecuries de Courses) in France, the British Racing School (BRS) or Northern Racing College in the UK, and RACE (Racing Academy and Centre of Education) in Ireland. Many youngsters will have enrolled at such schools with the dream of becoming a jockey but didn’t make the grade following their training and apprenticeship; but at least they have a grounding in horsemanship and riding, which stands them in good stead as exercise riders.

Since 2007, Newmarket’s British Racing School has even offered two specific “Riding Work Courses” with the aim of improving work riding skills. The objective of the first course is to introduce stable staff to the particularities of riding fast work, and the second gives advanced coaching to more experienced riders and advises them on giving all-important feedback to trainers.

The BRS also proposes a made-to-measure service, sending their coach to a trainer’s yard.

James Given is full of praise for this initiative, saying, “I've always felt that if you took your best

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WORK RIDERS member of staff and cloned them, your horses would be prepared better and you would therefore train more winners, attract more owners, and be able to earn more through training fees. Thats the reason why Sir Michael Stoute employs some of the best riders in Newmarket. However if you can't get involved in 'buying' you have to do something else – you have to train your staff.”

It is no coincidence that many of Freddy Head’s remarks are shared by American Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, who says, “It’s very important for my stable to have good work riders, and above all, riders I am familiar with.

The rider I have here [preparing Point of Entry for the Breeders’ Cup Turf] has been with me

“I’ve always felt that if you took your best member of staff and cloned them, your horses would be prepared better and you would therefore train more winners” James Given since 1983, and none of my riders has worked for me for less than five years. We think the same way and I know their riding styles.

Horsemanship is imperative for McGaughey’s staff and he explains, “A lot of the girls who work for me know horses as they have come through the showing or equestrian circuits, while most of the boys wanted to be jockeys and haven’t made it for various reasons.”

A recurrent problem throughout the racing world is a shortage of competent stable personnel, and notably work riders. In Europe trainers employ more and more staff from Eastern Europe and Asia, with all the immigration regulations and difficulties this entails, while in the USA, Central and Latin America provide a huge source of stable workers and indeed a good proportion of the continent’s jockeys.

Alan Balch of the California Horseracing Board says, “We don’t have a problem with finding stable staff in California as there are so many Central and South Americans looking for work. But each role is defined and you’re unlikely to find an exercise rider taking a turn at hotwalking or vice versa.”

Young expat Frenchman Leonard Powell, who has enjoyed a successful season from Hollywood Park in 2013, concurs. “I have three categories of staff: grooms who take care of the horses and their stables, hotwalkers, and finally exercise riders. I’ve adapted to the American system and all my riders carry walkie-talkies so I can tell them the time of the first part of a gallop and they can adapt their speed if necessary.”

Across the USA, exercise riders are required to hold a licence issued by the horseracing board of whichever state they’re working in, and a recent welcome development in California is the introduction of an annual physical examination, as requested by the Jockey and Driver Welfare Committee, for all work riders.

There are no such regulations in South America. At the 2012 Breeders’ Cup, future Marathon hero Calidoscopio was the focus of much amused attention during the build-up to the race as he was ridden bareback in all but his serious gallops. This is the norm in his native Argentina, as leading trainer Juan Carlos Etchechoury says. “This is our traditional way of training and a matter of organisation and also of relaxation for the horse. When they have a saddle on their back, they know that it is for a gallop or a race and they become nervous.

Without saddles, they remain calm.”

South America, and notably Argentina and Uruguay, are known for their gaucho culture, and there is little formal training of any kind for jockeys or stable staff except for a makeshift jockeys’ school at San Isidro, where apprentices are coached during the afternoons.

Alfredo Gaitán Dassié, who scored a rare hattrick at the Group 1 “Estrellas” meeting – similar to the Breeders’ Cup – in San Isidro in July, says, “Most of my work riders were jockeys in the past. Others work in my yard but they need a lot of experience to be good. The job of jockey and work rider is very different, and a good jockey is not always a good rider for the morning.”

It appears that trainers around the world are faced with the same difficulties and rewards concerning exercise riders. A team of reliable and talented riders can make the difference between success and failure for a stable and they deserve all the recognition they receive, and often more. n

Breeders’ Cup Marathon winner, Calidoscopio (left), is ridden bareback during exercise

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VETERINARY

How eating aids the skeletal structure

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QUINE dentistry has been practised since 600 BC and is recorded in varied medical treatises by many of the early masters of equitation, including Xenophon (350 BC), Pliny the Elder (77 AD), and Vegetius (420 AD), who in his Digesta Artis Mulomedicinae appeared to link incorrect chewing methods with poor health. Thus, the art of dentistry is not new although requirement is often ignored as, due to lack of information, the secondary effects of mouth pain are generally underestimated. In order to appreciate this, the basic anatomy of the complexity of the mouth requires consideration.

The mouth consists of an upper jaw, or maxilla, an integral unit of the skull; and a lower jaw, or mandible. Muscles and ligaments attach the jaws to the temporal bone or forehead, an integral part of the skull. The

It has been said that ‘equine conformation evaluates the degree of correctness of a horse’s bone structure, musculature, and its body proportions in relation to each other.’ This is undeniable, but there is remarkably little information in published literature regarding the importance of the position of the head, despite the fact that this has a direct effect on balance, posture, and subsequent performance.

WORDS: GaRy WateRS, equine Dental technician, MaRy BROMiley, equine PhySiOtheRaPiSt PhOtOS: GaRy WateRS illuStRatiOn: caROle VinceR

connection of the lower jaw necessitates two joints, one on either side, known as the temporomandibular joints (TMJ). These joints function not only to enable movement of the lower jaw but, through sensors, are involved with balance, and they are also in

Caps shed at the same time of year in a large stable

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communication with the bones and joints comprising the poll, which is another important area involved in balance perception/regulation.

The mobile tongue is shaped to comfortably cover the upper surface of the lower jaw, its sides in contact with the cheek teeth, the premolars, and molars, which pulverize or grind food. Some of the highly specialist nerves controlling the components of the mouth, unlike most motor nerves, stem directly from the brain and lie, as they track toward the mouth, within the soft tissues of the cheeks.

The horse has between 36 and 44 teeth, arranged in equal numbers between the upper and lower jaws. All the incisors and premolars two, three, and four are deciduous (baby teeth), replaced by adult teeth by the age of five. Eruption can be painful and often the shells of the primary teeth are not expelled, remaining jammed and thus a source of pain.

A horse is hypsodont, meaning that while having a known growth period, its teeth continue in a state of prolonged eruption throughout life – nature’s way of ensuring wear does not remove the ability to chew, an essential requirement. It follows that the older

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the horse, the longer the teeth. Unfortunately without natural wear an incorrect balance results, hence one of the requirements for regular dental inspection. Another problem apparently arising from the use of concentrated feeds in the stabled horse and evident only to the dentist is the increasing prevalence of peripheral caries, caused by bacterial fermentation and acid production within adherent dental plaque. Gingival (gum) recession has also been observed, occurring if there are spaces between teeth that cause an impaction of food resulting in bacterial fermentation with consequent local gum damage.

The reason for lack of natural tooth wear apparent in the feral animal stems largely from inappropriate food, which includes woody

stems and twigs in conjunction with softer herbage. This mix necessitates considerable activity within the mouth to ensure digestible matter reaches the stomach. For internal progress and digestion, food matter requires saliva, which ensures easy passage from mouth to oesophagus and onward down into the stomach; three pairs of oral salivary ducts – the parotid (largest), mandibular and sublingual – provide the necessary saliva but only if stimulation for production is provided by adequate chewing.

The horse uses its lips to examine food material, then utilises the lower jaw incisors to grasp and cut the selected plant matter. Once in the mouth, aided by the action of the tongue, the bolus of matter is propelled to the cheek teeth, which are arranged in rows or

arcades angled in a manner to enable complete pulverisation of the food bolus when the lower jaw is activated by the muscles of mastication.

These are sited on the lateral aspect of the face – the cheek – lying below the ear and connected with muscles controlling the ear.

Activity within the muscles of mastication is not confined to influencing movement of the TMJs alone but also affects the often ignored interaction between the TMJ and the second joint of the vertebral column, the atlanto-axial joint. These joints, while enabling movement between their adjacent skeletal components, are involved in postural balance, richly endowed with neural sensors and as a result of the combination of messages from them, body balance – head position in particular – is continually assessed.

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VETERINARY Little is known about equine pain thresholds but horses certainly change their way of going to avoid pain. This is often imperceptible but unfortunately, due to rapid inscription of incorrect movement patterns in the movement control centres of the brain, even when the pain source is removed, the original, economic, balanced movement interactions will not automatically re-establish. Uneconomic movement will affect performance and the subsequent biomechanical stresses may, long term, result in injury.

Mouth pain, even subclinical, will result in evasive action by the horse, who will attempt to avoid aggravating discomfort by changing its head position. Adverse change of head position affects the nuchal ligament, a doublesided elastic structure running under the mane from poll to withers and continuing as the supraspinous ligament along the top of the back to the dock. When there is balanced

“Mouth pain, even subclinical, will result in evasive action by the horse, who will attempt to avoid aggravating discomfort by changing its head position” flexion at the poll, tension occurs throughout the nuchal and supraspinous ligament, transmitted along the entire back and effectively lifting and stabilising the central rod of the body frame, the vertebral column.

The horse relies on a stable frame; when unstable, the horse reorganises movement sequences to remain upright, shortening the time each individual limb is weight-bearing by reducing stride length, and thus discomfort in the mouth can have far-reaching effects on performance. Flight for survival is programmed into the horse, so not only is frame stability required but so is a balanced posture; deviation from the acceptable normal head position upsets balance and results in alterations to body posture.

Pain also reduces normal movement with subsequent loss of muscle bulk. As the bulk, created by muscle masses, protects blood vessels and nerves, its reduction can affect local circulatory vessels and neural pathways.

Within and adjacent to the muscles of the cheeks are a number of vital vessels and Top left and centre: Illustrating the point of contact between the bit and first cheek teeth caused by bit pressure Left: a ‘cap’ deciduous

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Lower deciduous central incisors (701 & 801) and permanent incisors (101 & 201)

nerves, some of which, as previously mentioned, stem directly from the brain; of these, the hyperglossal (twelfth cranial nerve) and the vagus (tenth cranial nerve) provide sensory and motor innervation to the tongue, larynx, and pharynx. Thus, if pain in the mouth results in an inability to chew correctly it can lead to muscle loss in the cheeks.

The nerves controlling the tongue, larynx, and pharynx are in the cheeks, with efficient function vital during eating, swallowing, and breathing, so it is essential that they remain undisturbed. It is also worth noting that there is an intimate inter-connection between the nerves supplying the teeth and correct position of TMJs and poll, which are vital centres for postural control and balance.

Muscles require fuel and the digestibility of varied foods, including fibre and moisture content, has a significant effect on health, particularly as the degree of processing required varies with each, influencing chewing time. Concentrates require remarkably little chewing and consequently remarkably little saliva is produced; if a horse is given a known weight of concentrate and a similar weight of hay it will produce roughly double the amount of saliva when chewing the hay as it will when chewing the concentrate.

The increased movement required when pulverising roughage as opposed to pellets ensures full contact between the upper and lower teeth arcades. This correct chewing retains the naturally designed angles and opposition between the cheek teeth. Under natural conditions a horse would graze (chew) for 13 to 16 hours a day as opposed to the stabled animal, whose average chewing time is limited to approximately four hours a day. This difference in chewing time and the silicate content of different feed also affects the wear of

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the grinding surface of the teeth, with incorrect chewing resulting in deformity of tooth shape, often manifesting in the development of sharp lateral areas or points. If ignored, the sharp edges may cut the inner side of the cheeks or lateral aspect of the tongue with consequent extreme discomfort.

Horses on a high diet of concentrated feed require more frequent dental examination and treatment to avoid development of the dental irregularities associated with a smaller mandibular excursion during mastication.

“With the mouth of the horse forming an important line of communication between horse and rider, a painful link usually results in a horse fighting for its head or fixing the lower jaw” Mouth trouble manifests in varied forms but signs are often so subtle they are not noticed. Of the more obvious, quidding (dropping food) and/or halitosis are usually recognised, whereas mild single nasal discharge, general unwillingness to perform, refusing to correct an unacceptable head position, poll discomfort, back pain, rearing, hanging, fixing the jaw against bit pressure, running very keenly, muscle atrophy of the cheeks, and loss of condition should be but are rarely associated with mouth discomfort.

Pain, as suggested, causes incorrect chewing, leading to reduction in saliva production. Saliva not only assists the passage of chewed food but is designed to interact with digestive enzymes in the stomach to ensure when food material is moved to the intestines the resident bacteria can interact and create absorbable, nutritional molecules. Therefore it follows if food, on reaching the stomach to undergo the first of the digestive processes, is inadequately prepared, the efficient processes essential for nutrient absorption and general health cannot occur.

Lack of muscle fuel leads to inefficient muscle ability so no matter the quality of feed provided or the exercise regime adopted, muscles cannot be prepared and conditioned for competition without efficient digestion to deliver the required nutrients. While there are exceptions to every rule regarding performance, each horse subconsciously appreciates its physical limits and will resort to adopting a way of going appropriate for personal survival.

With the mouth of the horse forming an important line of communication between horse and rider, a painful link usually results in a horse fighting for its head, adopting an inefficient head position, or fixing the lower jaw. When riding a horse that seems to be losing balance over a fence or on a corner, those brave enough to slip their reins usually survive, as they have given the horse freedom to reposition its lower jaw, enabling it to utilise inbuilt mechanisms to rebalance the body mass.

Another saying is that ‘diagnosis is secondary only to the number of opinions given!!’ Of the multiple reasons suggested for ‘bad behaviour’ and the extensive number of varied therapies proffered, unfortunately dental examination is rarely considered. It is important to appreciate that even where dental treatment has proved necessary, if the horse has moved incorrectly for a period of time, the incorrect way of going will have become the accepted normal, and for this reason a team approach is beneficial: the dentist takes away the mouth discomfort, and the physiotherapist reinstates an effective, economic, muscle interaction.

While regular dental examination by a veterinarian or dental technician can contribute to improving a horse’s way of going, it also enhances the animal’s general health – and it is not just horses in training who benefit, but young stock and broodmares as well! n

Bibliography Anatomical source: Anatomy of the Horse, Klaus-Dieter Budras, W.O. Sack, Sabine Rock.

5th revised edition.

TMJ information: Dr Karen Gellman. DVM graduate Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine. Information source, Articles various on, Equine Posture. Centred Riding Inc.

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VETERINARY

HYDROTHERAPY The many healing qualities of water

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Using water as a therapeutic agent is one of the oldest, most widely practiced medical techniques used through the ages. In 500 BC Hippocrates was the first to write about the healing of disease with water, describing the pain relieving effects of snow and ice.

WORDS: thOmaS O’KEEffE PhOtOS: EquinE autO tRainER Pty LtD, KRaft, EquinE hEaLth CEntRE

F

AST forward to the late 1960s, when the immortal Ginger McCain surveyed the scene as Red Rum walked lame out of his stable in Stockport shortly after he arrived at his new home. As a child, McCain was reported to have noticed the beneficial effects of seawater on horses that the shrimpers used and with no conventional gallops available to him he worked his horses on the vast expanse of Southport beach.

McCain’s subsequent treatment in the salt water of the Irish Sea of a horse almost crippled by pedal osteitis marked him as a trainer of exceptional ability, and Red Rum’s success has become the stuff of legend with three victories over the fearsome English Grand National fences. From there we move to 2013 where a recent study published in the veterinary scientific literature highlights the positive influence of ice and the beneficial role it can play in limiting sepsis-associated laminitis. So what have we learned through the ages and how can the modern trainer put to use the most fundamental natural resource available to man?

The science behind hydrotherapy From a state-of-the-art barn hosting the winter Derby favourite to the part-time trainer of one racehorse, water, in its many forms and uses, is the most common therapeutic agent used in training yards worldwide. Most commonly it is used directly on an injured limb, where the majority of its beneficial affects arise from the temperature drop created within the horse’s An Equine Auto Trainer in action in Australia (top), a Kraft aquasizer (centre) and a Seawalker (left)

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tissues. The physiological effects of cold application include immediate local vasoconstriction helping to reduce edema and hemorrhage and decreased local metabolism, enzymatic activity, and oxygen demand. Cold decreases muscle spindle fiber activity, preserves the elastic properties of collagen in soft tissue injuries and it has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.

Anti-inflammatory effects of cold therapy are thought to include a reduction in histamine production, collagenase activity, and white blood cell activation in both soft tissues and within joints. These will all contribute to pain relief that is further enhanced by decreased nerve conduction velocity and endorphin release within the central nervous system. The cold sensation also appears to act as a counterirritant producing a shower of nerve impulses that make receptors momentarily refractory to pain impulses.

Accordingly, how does all this help the trainer in the 21st century and for what conditions can cold therapy be beneficial?

There are a multitude of products available that facilitate the application of cold therapy to the equine limb and this article will look at some of these and assess their use in the various training centres worldwide.

Cryotherapy and water Many old-time horsemen can recount stories

of standing a horse in a creek to treat a bowed tendon or of turning a horse out in a paddock three-foot deep in snow to treat a lower leg problem. The most basic and probably the most widely used cold water therapy is the old-fashioned hose treatment. Using a garden hose to provide a continuous flow of water onto an affected area is a simple, inexpensive way of applying this therapy. There are the obvious limitations of the horse moving, the inability to immerse the relevant area

“The most basic and probably the most widely used cold water therapy is the old-fashioned hose treatment” completely in cold water for the required time, and time consumption for the person involved but it still remains a mainstay of cold water treatment and is the first line of attack for most racehorse injuries.

Ice is another cheap form of cryotherapy, and it can be applied to the equine limb in a variety of forms. From ice packs bandaged to the horse’s limb to the vast array of inflatable, compression, and even vibrating ice products

available on the market the options are endless. It may at first glance appear to be a very elementary form of therapy but a scientific study by Michigan State University’s Annie Kullmann et al published in a 2013 issue of Equine Veterinary Journal showed that ice can be an effective prophylactic strategy for the prevention of laminitis in severely toxic animals. Laminitis is a common consequence in horses that are clinically compromised, and in this study horses whose limbs were iced prophylactically were ten times less likely to develop laminitis than those whose limbs were not iced. On a similar theme in 2009 a study came from the Australian Equine Laminitis Research unit that involved standing laminitisinduced horses with their distal limbs immersed in cold circulating water (0.5-2 degrees Celsius) for 72 hours. This study demonstrated that laminitis histopathology and clinical lameness were significantly reduced in the horses that underwent 72 hours of cryotherapy in comparison to the untreated controls. While these studies refer to severely sick animals in a hospital environment, it highlights the positive clinical effects that distal limb cryotherapy can have and why it should not be overlooked in a training environment.

Other less conventional cryotherapy tools such as cold laser therapy find favour in certain parts of the world. The cold laser is a

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Spa units are a popular form of hydrotherapy using sea water as a therapeutic agent

light or photon energy that does not produce heat, and it is proposed that it aids in the stimulation of cellular healing without causing tissue damage. Whilst the scientific rationale of the cold laser therapy is difficult to quantify, it has been reported to have therapeutic effects on a wide range of injuries that the racehorse suffers from.

A form of hydrotherapy emerging over the last few years with increasing popularity is the cold saltwater hydrotherapy spa unit that can be installed and used within the training facility itself or at a designated rehabilitation centre. This tool allows the age-old use of sea water as a therapeutic agent to be combined with the modern training environment. The horse stands with his lower limb’s immersed in water, which is maintained between two and four degrees Celsius with high salt and increased oxygen content. From personal experience, horses acclimatise to the spa unit quite quickly and often enjoy the cooling sensation it has on their limbs. An objective follow-up study is required to see whether the long-term outcome following serious locomotor injuries is improved by the intense use of such a hydrotherapy tool but its effectiveness as an aggressive cold therapy aid

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in the acute phase of an injury cannot be denied.

Hydrotherapy as physiotherapy Equine swimming pools have been in use for many years as a management aid for horses with a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, primarily by trainers as a method of building or maintaining cardiovascular fitness while reducing the load on the horse’s limbs. This is the closest treatment we can use in the horse that approximates non-weight-bearing motion as practised in human sports medicine.

Studies have shown that swim training programmes provide improvements in cardiovascular function, reductions in locomotor disease, and increases in the development of fast-twitch, high-oxidative muscle fibres, which reflect improved aerobic capacity.

A well-reported side effect of swimming horses is the occurrence of colic following the exercise. A study by Liz Walmsley BCSc, MAVSc, MRCVS, of University of Melbourne appeared in Australian Veterinary Journal in 2011 and examined records of racehorses that were seen for colic at a large racetrack hospital in a two-year period and the authors

calculated that one out every 1200 swims resulted in a colic that required referral to the hospital; however, of those admitted for a swimming-related colic, all survived. The swimming pool has proven to be invaluable to trainers throughout the years and is often seen by them as them as the ideal facility to manage horses with chronic injuries that might not otherwise withstand the rigours of conventional training.

Following on from the equine swimming pool, the idea of exercising horses in water has been developed further with the development of underwater treadmills and underwater European-style horse walkers, which are now being used by racehorse trainers across the globe. In a similar way to the swimming pool they offer a concussion-free, low-impact, highresistance workout but also allow the horse to be trained with the ultimate aim of the racetrack in closer sight.

Horses can walk and jog in shoulder deep cold water (about 10-13C), pushing the water and creating a current as they move. The underwater treadmill was first developed in Australia and is now gaining in popularity worldwide, combining the benefits of both treadmill exercise and hydrotherapy. A recent equine study from Equine Veterinary Education in April, 2013, (M.R. King et al, Colorado State University) assessed the changes in a horse’s stride while walking in various depths of water. This showed that horses walking in water at the level of the ulna produced increased stride lengths and reduced stride frequencies, compared to horses walking in water at the level of the pastern joint.

Objective studies are required to assess the relevance of these stride differences and their clinical significance in common racehorse conditions such as osteoarthritis but the potential for therapeutic benefit is very encouraging.

My summary focuses on the techniques and applications that I have seen used most frequently in the racing centres of the world.

As is invariably the case in the equine industry, there are many other variations on the hydrotherapy theme available to today’s trainer.

Discussion The multitude of therapeutic options available that recruit water in various forms provokes much debate into their merits, safety, costeffectiveness, practicality, and, for many products, scientific credibility. However, it is without question that hydrotherapy is a valuable and essential treatment at a trainer’s disposal.

The uses and applications of the various modes of hydrotherapy range from the acute anti-inflammatory treatment of a wound or knock to the daily management of a horse with chronic degenerative joint disease. The development of hydrotherapy tools and exercise units over the last twenty years has led

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to a change in the use of this therapeutic tool.

From where it was solely used in the acute phase of an injury – for example, the bowed tendon, the hematoma, the trauma on the gallops – now hydrotherapy is often a mainstay in a trainer’s arsenal in his or her bid to get a troublesome horse to the track.

Following the increasing popularity of the use of MRI as a diagnostic imaging modality – particularly in Newmarket – our understanding of joint issues in the racehorse has improved immeasurably, which in turn should help in training horses with issues such as subchondral bone pain, osteoarthritis of high motion joints, or with chronic soft tissue injuries.

The current human and veterinary literature suggests that the beneficial effects of hydrotherapy include pain reduction and promotion of increased range of motion in the distal limb joints. A symbiotic relationship between trainer and veterinarian on a daily basis will allow tailored training regimes to be devised in which many of the hydrotherapy tools mentioned above could play a major role.

The use of hydrotherapy in rehabilitation of the racehorse has been well documented and its use is now considered routine on return to exercise following soft tissue injuries,

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arthroscopic surgery of troublesome joints, fracture repair, or even common conditions of the two-year-old such as bucked shins. The ability to build cardiovascular fitness whilst keeping loading forces off the affected limb and potentially preventing fibrosis of the joint capsule is a great advantage to the trainer, and the more modern tools have the added bonus of being able to increase the speed and quality of the exercise undertaken.

“It is without question that hydrotherapy is a valuable and essential treatment at a trainer’s disposal” The contrasting approach to the use of hydrotherapy tools across the globe is fascinating. The Australian racing fraternity has led the way in their development and use and now they are being installed in training establishments throughout the world. Due to the nature of racehorse training and racing in the USA these hydrotherapy units are often based at designated rehabilitation centres

remote from the primary training center. In recent years there have been some trainers, predominately Florida-based, who previously had focused primarily on the two-year-old sales industry that are finding a successful niche in pre-training, managing layoffs, and rehabilitating horses injured at the racetrack.

This is due primarily to the good horsemanship and management of these individuals but also in no small part to the installation of hydrotherapy training units in these facilities. Multiple Grade One winners are being produced in this manner, combining American training techniques with the technology and methods of Australia and Europe.

The modern approach of using hydrotherapy units not only as a treatment option but also as a training tool should be embraced rather than the “out of sight, out of mind approach” often taken by trainers when it comes to injured horses. In the current climate, with media scrutiny on horseracing at an all-time high, any steps that can help us to produce our racehorses in the best possible way, enabling them to perform at their peak on race day, should be embraced and hydrotherapy and the latest advances in this field are a huge asset to modern trainers in their quest for that goal. n

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VALUE ADDED TAX

Are trainers being financially squeezed?

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T is more likely the survival instinct, coupled largely with a lack of interest in the business end of things, that causes most trainers to say they have no problems that they are aware of with VAT. However, the European Trainers’ Federation (ETF) did recently raise concerns about the situation in Europe, with particular regard to France, when stating, “The yearling sales increase, but the situation of trainers is getting worse. In France, the VAT was 7% until the end of 2012 and since January 1st has been 19.6%. The VAT will become 20% as of 1st January. There is enough money at France Galop to keep the same racing allowances for the moment.

“A big change for trainers happened in April in France: trainers receive 14% of the prize money (10% for the trainer and 4% for the yard). Before April the VAT was included in the 14%, so the trainers had to remove the VAT from the amount received. From 1st January 2014 trainers will receive 14% plus the VAT.” In Ireland, VAT on training fees remains unaltered at 2.3% since it is calculated at 10% of the Standard Rate, and an increase in VAT on purchase price is hardly likely to deter potential owners. However, in France the VAT rate increase on training fees is definitely posing a serious threat. In all cases VAT on prize money earned is set at the Standard Rate and applicable to VAT-registered owners.

The rise of the VAT rate in Ireland for the horse industry from 4.8% to 9%, with effect from 1st May 2014, will effectively double the VAT bills of dealers. Up until now horses have been horses, an agricultural commodity, but the Department of Finance has now recognised that racehorses are a breed apart.

Whilst the 4.8% will still apply to those horses intended for use in the preparation of foodstuffs or in agricultural production, 9% will be applicable to horses not intended for use in the preparation of foodstuffs or in agricultural production, and will also apply to the hire of horses.

As all countries provide agricultural services with a Reduced Rate of VAT, which is significantly lower than the Standard Rate, it is of great importance to the industry that it retains its agricultural status. An increase to 9% in Ireland is still better than a sharp rise to the Standard Rate of 23%, as exemplified in France. In Britain the Reduced Rate is 0%; in Germany 7%; and in France 5.5%. While racing could, and often should, be viewed as a business, 90% of training fees are recognised as non-profit and on the coalface any change of VAT status could be potentially disastrous.

The EU provides a bookshop of free to

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BUSINESS

The first day of November saw some changes announced in Irish VAT regulations, and how they will impact the thoroughbred industry is a major talking point in Ireland.

However, similar changes have already been implemented elsewhere in Europe with no real notable effect other than initial alarm. Perhaps we are guilty of complacency within the racing industry. Or perhaps we are simply survivors, who see an obstacle, complain briefly, then up and over, to continue the race.

WORDS: LISSA OLIVER PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK, CAROLINE NORRIS

download books and leaflets, which includes EU VAT Rates, listed in the table below. These can be found at https://bookshop.europa.eu/ en/home/.

At one time, a large number of rates below the Standard VAT rate were applied in various Member States, but the Single Market legislation reduced the number of lower rates allowable to a maximum of two. There remains, however, considerable variation in the transactions to which these reduced rates apply, and Member States can pick and choose their own goods and services. Good news for

“There was a lot of confusion about the rules, but France Galop issued statements to confirm the rules. Most of the administrative bodies such as the BHB provide clear statements and booklets on the subject” Matthew Ayton, TMF the racing industry is that under legislation adopted in 1999, Member States are able to apply reduced rates to certain labour-intensive services, for which racing can be included. In addition, Belgium and Ireland have special arrangements allowing them to charge a “parking” rate at a minimum of 12% to certain transactions, applied in particular to jockeys in Ireland.

While the application of these rates is not

compulsory and is left open to negotiation, any opportunity to find a loophole in the proposed increase in the Irish rate has been denied by the Department of Finance, which announced, “Following the introduction of the new legislation, the Revenue Commissioners will produce a leaflet which will provide clarification on how the new arrangements will apply particularly in respect of horses…” It has to be wondered why this leaflet cannot be produced prior to legislation. Despite the fact that thoroughbred horse breeders sell their stock at varying ages and as mares carrying foals, there are no plans to differentiate VAT rates for any of these distinct markets, and the Revenue Commissioners insist the 9% rate will apply, with the proviso, “If necessary, [we] will address this point in [our] leaflet.”

The thoroughbred industry, particularly the representative bodies of breeders, has always been very good at drawing up battle plans, but cannot do so without a clear sight of the enemy. It may be initially obvious that racehorses are neither foodstuff nor agricultural, but not every thoroughbred foal produced will make it to a racecourse and broodmares are nothing if not agricultural, surely? Such blurred lines are there to be pounced on and fought over, and it is likely that those same blurred lines are currently causing the Revenue Commissioners a severe headache as they attempt to iron them out – after the legislation is enforced.

Neither has a distinction been made between those buying a horse to trade and end-users, even though racehorse owners are usually private individuals and not registered for VAT. VAT-registered farmers will incur the 9% rate when selling horses not intended for use in food or in agricultural production. The Revenue Commissioners add that, “If the supply is made by a flat-rate farmer, he/she will charge the bloodstock agent (if registered for VAT) the flat-rate addition, which will be

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5% with effect from 1st January 2014. A supply by a flat-rate farmer to a private individual or to another flat-rate farmer is not subject to VAT.” The VAT rate increase should not impact sales of Irish thoroughbred horses to the UK or other EU States as they are generally registered for VAT, and intra-Community supplies of goods to taxable persons are zero-rated and accounted for by the registered person in the other Member States.

If the rules on VAT in Ireland are changing, how do they compare to those elsewhere?

There is a free-to-use one-stop shop for VAT and tax queries for all European countries and worldwide, in the form of TMF VAT Services, and enquiries are welcomed at www.tmf-vat.com. Matthew Ayton of TMF admits that the racing industry is a funny one, being on the cusp of agricultural but quite clearly a business. “There was a lot of confusion about the rules,” he says, “particularly in France, but France Galop issued statements to confirm the rules. Most of the administrative bodies such as the BHB provide clear statements and booklets on the subject.” One of the most frequent questions answered by TMF regards VAT on prize money. “In France it is settled by the offerer, i.e. the sponsor, and not the winner.”

In Britain, the Owners VAT Scheme is in place to allow owners to claim back their racing-related VAT, provided they have a sponsorship agreement in place to the minimum value of £300 per horse; or £750 per horse if running in Class 1 races; or £100 per horse per year where the agreement is for a group of ten or more horses.

Individual trainers and the Racehorse Owners Association (ROA) may be able to assist in obtaining sponsorship. For those in a racing partnership or joint ownership, a joint VAT number can be registered with partners.

With sponsorship in place, VAT can be claimed back on such things as the original purchase price of the horse, training fees, veterinary fees, blacksmith’s fees, telephone bills, and travel and accommodation costs incurred by watching the horse race or train, as well as many other incidentals. Weatherbys VAT Services can advise on specific details.

Non-UK residents are also eligible under the Scheme if they use an agent based in the UK or register directly with HM Revenue & Customs in Aberdeen, Scotland, which specialises with VAT registered traders based overseas. The registration process takes just over a month and subsequent repayments are normally issued within two weeks from the submission of a VAT return, depending on the size of the claim.

Once registered for VAT in Britain, any sale of a horse will be liable for VAT, whether

RATES OF VAT ACROSS EUROPE (%) Member State

Standard

Reduced

Belgium

21

6

0

Britain

20

5

0

Denmark

25

France

20

5.5

Germany

19

7

Greece

23

8

4

Ireland

23

10

4

Italy

22

10

4

Netherlands

21

6

Spain

21

7

Sweden

25

12/6

at auction or privately. The sale invoice must detail the VAT charged, and all VAT on sales must be declared to HM Revenue & Customs accordingly. Be warned that this also applies to horses given away, and the VAT value is calculated on their open market value at the time of their disposal. It is possible that the VAT will even be calculated on the last known value of the horse, which could well be the price originally paid for it.

Finally, while death and taxes are the two unavoidable factors of life, a great many other problems could easily be avoided with a Training Agreement. The European Trainers Federation does provide a template, but as Michael Grassick, Chief Executive of the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association, points out, the signing of a Training Agreement is not compulsory and therefore renders it next to worthless at present. “We have been asking for

Michael Grassick, Chief Executive of the IRTA

Super Reduced

Zero

0 2.1

0

4 0

years for it to be made compulsory,” says Grassick, but only a small handful of trainers have managed to gain an equally small handful of owners’ signatures providing their trainer with the authority to act on their behalf. An owner will not bother to sign an Agreement when he or she can take their horses to another nearby trainer with no such Agreement in place.

This seems remarkable when a Training Agreement is as much in the interests of an owner as it is the trainer. As Linda Corn of Weatherbys explains, “When taking on a new owner in a yard every trainer should have an Agreement Form, and it is recommended they include within that agreement an item on how the trainer and yard percentages are to be paid.”

With or without an Agreement, those percentages must be paid, and an Agreement simply spares an owner from embarrassing financial surprises and spares the trainer an unnecessary battle in retrieving those payments.

A Weatherbys account also provides a Foreign Trainer and Stable Mandate for clients, giving Weatherbys authorisation to pay the trainer and yard direct from prize money. “We have a Withholding Tax Exempt Form, which can be filled in beforehand,” says Linda Corn.

“We would recommend all owners to fill in this form prior to running their horse abroad.

In Italy there is a 4% tax, which is nonreturnable. In Germany it is up to 26% in some cases.”

Clearly this is not a subject for the nonexpert and it is strongly advisable to sign up for any assistance the likes of Weatherbys, the BHB, and France Galop can offer, which is readily accessible. n

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Owner Trainer agreements across Europe

EVERAL trainers interviewed in Britain and Ireland had their stable numbers reduced when owners started feeling the pinch financially and left the racing industry. New owners have entered the industry filling the void in some yards but generally these new owners have migrated to the bigger yards.

When owners disappeared, some left behind months of training bills or even horse(s), which had to be looked after by the trainers who had a duty of care. This puts the spotlight on how trainers can be protected from a lot of the problems they had to deal with and whether the trainers themselves or the racing authorities are responsible for putting protective measures in place.

UNITED KINGDOM Trainers in the UK have the most protections.

The Racehorse Owners Association (ROA) and National Trainers Federation (NTF) jointly approved a training agreement has been in place for many years but was revised in March 2013 due to several issues, including unrecoverable debts caused by the effects of the 2008 financial crisis, according to Rupert Arnold, chief executive of the NTF. The written contract, which can be viewed on both the ROA and NTF websites, assists in recovering debts in court and sets out terms at the start of the owner/trainer relationship. It is a rule of racing (BHA Rules of Racing Manual C Schedule 4 and Manual E Schedule 4) that an agreement must be in place before a horse can be entered in a race. The agreement does not have to be in the form of the ROA/NTF paperwork but disciplinary action may be taken against any owner or trainer who fails to have a document.

According to Arnold, the agreement is seen to be a fair balance between the interests of all

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There are several parts of the racing industry worldwide that have been standardised in the last few years. However, one aspect that differs among nations is the relationship between owners of racehorses and their trainers. It is true to say that some owner/trainer relationships have taken a battering since the worldwide economic crisis hit in 2008.

WORDS: ROISIN SHANAHAN

parties. The main points of the contract include the weekly/monthly basic training fee with a list of additional expenses that may occur such as horse, trainer, and staff transport to the races as well as variables such as veterinary and farrier care and schooling and gallops fees (if applicable).

Once a trainer has sent the contract to the owner, the trainer is entitled to rely on the terms even if the owner has not signed and returned it, as long as he or she has had opportunity to read it and hasn’t raised any objections. Owners need to have one contract per trainer.

Unless a different arrangement has been agreed upon, the trainer invoices monthly and the owner will pay all amounts owed by monthly direct debit or by monthly payment from a Weatherbys account. Either way, an owner is expected to pay within a month of delivery of all invoices for fees due. If payment does not fully clear a debt or if invoices remain unpaid after a month, daily interest may be calculated, under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.

Alternatively, if an owner does not accept the charges on the invoice, he or she has 21 days to notify the trainer.

The most important feature of the agreement is a contractual lien allowing the trainer to sell a horse to repay a debt. Once an invoice goes

unpaid for over a month, a trainer can, after sending a recorded letter to the owner’s last known address, dispose of one or more of the owners’ horses after 21 days. Trainers who sell horses outside of public auction under these circumstances must obtain two qualifying valuations, with sale price and higher valuation ultimately consistent with one another. Sale proceeds can be applied to all unpaid invoices, the keep of the owner’s horse(s) during the period of retention under the lien, and other reasonable expenses. The trainer will account to the owner for any surplus and is not permitted to take a commission from such a sale.

If an owner disputes a debt then his horse may not be sold by the trainer, provided the owner has paid the amount in question to a joint account of the ROA and NTF while a dispute resolution process is worked through.

Both the ROA and NTF can provide the parties with a list of mediators experienced in bloodstock matters.

IRELAND There has been a recommended agreement in Ireland but it is not compulsory before horses can race. Michael Grassick at the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association (IRTA) confirmed that they have been asking Horse

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OWNER/TRAINER AGREEMENTS Racing Ireland (HRI) for several years to make the agreement a condition of a trainer’s licence.

Grassick does know of a few trainers who have asked new owners to sign an agreement, but the general feeling among them is that an owner can refuse and go down the road to another trainer who does not ask for a signed document. Many trainers are not comfortable with the idea of sending an agreement to existing owners.

HRI offer an optional agreement to be signed by both parties that is implemented for account payments, according to its chief executive Brian Kavanagh. The document in HRI’s new owner booklet covers the terms and conditions of the training agreement, which it states should include details of basic training fees per horse; additional expenses, such as transport to/from the races or schooling grounds, veterinary expenses, clipping fees and additional supplements; retaining fee for yard jockey or Curragh training fees (if applicable); commission on sale or purchase of a horse; method of invoicing; and most importantly, the policy regarding non-payment of accounts.

Previously a trainer tried to recoup money owed to him but was advised to get a court judgment against the owner before the Turf Club would look at getting involved in the dispute. This is a lengthy and costly process that may not have the desired outcome.

Owners can also be put on the HRI forfeit list and there are several on this list, some of whom even owe money to HRI. Grassick would like to see agreement across all sectors of the Irish racing industry on a contract, but this is difficult because the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners (AIRO) does not represent the vast majority of owners within Ireland, and neither are all trainers members of the IRTA. According to Aiden Burns, AIRO manager, there has been no desire from his members to change from the informal trust-based agreements, and he does not believe owners would favour a compulsory agreement.

Future Policy HRI are currently working on a new “Horsecard” – similar in size to a credit card – which will afford some protection to trainers.

The Horsecard accompanies the horse to the races with its Weatherbys passport. If an owner has an unpaid training bill, the trainer can hold onto the Horsecard when horses go home, with their passports, for a break. According to Kavanagh, HRI have advanced this idea considerably and are currently engaging with the BHA, as the introduction of such a scheme would have to cover both Britain and Ireland due to the single studbook and free movement of horses between the jurisdictions.

Owners have previously been able to get a duplicate passport to get around trainers who hold onto a horse’s passport for security, and owners have also been known to send their stock to another trainer after a spell, despite

still owing money to the original trainer. The Horsecard is hoped to remedy this problem, as horses will not be permitted to run without it.

FRANCE There is no official agreement in France provided by France Galop, although the Association des Entraineurs de Galop (ADEG) provides examples of contracts and advises members to have a training agreement with their owners. From there it is up to the individual trainers then to decide whether or not to follow through.

Becoming a racehorse owner in France is a more difficult process than in England or Ireland. Prospective owners undergo a thorough approval process by France Galop, which ensures an owner’s financial capacity to maintain a racehorse with stabling and training costs, as published annually by ADEG.

“Becoming a racehorse owner in France is a more difficult process than in England or Ireland. Prospective owners undergo a thorough approval process by France Galop” Owners provide extensive financial details on a form available from France Galop and that is forwarded first to the Ministry of the Interior and then the commissioners of France Galop, with investigations carried out under the central direction of judicial police. Each member of partnerships and syndicates must be approved by France Galop. Proof must be given of all net earned income from the previous year, sent with a cheque to cover filing fees and registration, which costs different amounts for residents and non-residents of France. A prospective owner is required to show a net income of anywhere from €18,000 to €75,000, depending on if they’re seeking sole or syndicate ownership and where the horse is to be trained, whether in Paris or another training centre. If a person is unsuccessful in his or her bid to become an owner, part of the fees are refunded.

France Galop have a dedicated department specifically for owners, but it is the trainer with whom owners will have the most dealings.

Therefore the association recommends that both parties define beforehand their responsibilities as well as set out basic – which includes stabling, feed, and daily training – and additional training fees. Trainers should advise

owners whether additional costs such as vet and farrier are separate or included in the weekly or monthly price.

Late or non-payment of bills by an owner will incur penalties of 1.5% – the statutory interest rate per month of delay – from due date until date of actual payment. This comes under Article 1153 and follows the Civil Code.

A trainer can also apply to have an owner put on the defaulters list (liste des oppositions) under Article 82 of the Rules of Racing, and France Galop will withdraw authorisation for an owner’s horses to run. However, according to several trainers, this is a complicated process and does not always work in the trainer’s favour.

The pre-checks of owners does nothing to protect trainers from non-payment of fees.

According to the French Trainers’ Association, this system wasn’t designed as a protection for trainers. In fact, some trainers believe it may actually be a deterrent to those who might be perfectly acceptable owners but prefer not to share their personal finances with France Galop.

Also, these pre-checks that are meant to preserve the integrity of French racing have not prevented owners from defaulting on their training fees. Anecdotally, there are plenty of trainers who have not been paid, and it is a huge problem within the sport. Some owners also withhold payment until a horse wins money on the track.

The situation is getting worse due to an increase in VAT rate, from 7% prior to December 2012 and rising to 20% in January 2014. This coupled with the world economic crisis has meant that many trainers have ended up taking ownership of horses, a situation that has been replicated in Britain and Ireland.

GERMANY Unlike France, Germany does not have rigorous checks for owners entering the industry.

The only stipulation is that they provide the Direktorium für Vollblutzucht und Rennen (German Racing Authority) with a copy of their passport.

There are no official owner/trainer agreements in place although according to Rüdiger Schmanns (pictured), director of racing at the Direktorium, they do have recommended but non-compulsory owner/trainer agreements. Mario Höfer has admitted that only a few trainers have written agreements with their owners.

Similar to other parts of Europe, there has been a decrease in ownership in Germany, especially in small- and medium-sized yards, due to the recession. Some but not all owners pay their trainers through their Direktorium accounts. Schmanns has admitted the Direktorium currently has no measures to protect trainers from debts they may be left with, nor are there any plans to review the situation. n

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ETF visit Sweden for AGM and to see site of new racecourse

Main: The new training ground.

Below: Studying plans of the new racecourse and training grounds Below right: The new racecourse site

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HE 2013 ETF AGM was held in Stockholm from the 22nd to 24th November, with representatives from all major European countries in attendance.

On arrival, guests were taken for a private tour of Benny Andersson’s ABBA museum, followed by dinner at the Hotel Riva.

The following morning, they were taken to see the site of the new racecourse outside Stockholm, where building is due to commence in spring 2014. The site is currently grassland and will act as both a racecourse and training centre. Two racing surfaces will be laid – one sand track and one grass course. On paper, the track looks similar to the old Nad Al Sheba course in Dubai.

The AGM was held during the afternoon and subjects discussed included training agreements across Europe and VAT regulations and how they are affecting trainers. Both subjects are covered in detail within this issue of European Trainer.

An updated schedule of differing rules from country to country was presented to delegates. It remains a goal for the ETF to see more Europe-wide agreement between governing bodies to simplify the bureaucratic process for trainers. One such area that needs addressing is the way trainers are paid prize money from foreign countries.

Delegates also discussed the differing pieces of headgear that trainers can declare

and felt that it was wrong to use headgear that can be altered by a jockey during a race. Clarification was also sought on the different tongue ties at the trainer’s disposal.

Jim Kavanagh showed delegates plans for the ETF website which will provide trainers with a portal of information about racing regulations across Europe.

Criquette Head-Maarek was re-elected to serve as Chairman, with Christian von der Recke and Max Hennau each re-elected as Vice Chairman and Jim Kavanagh as Treasurer for a further three-year term. n

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ADVERTORIAL

Kraft Horse WalKers Now you too can have your horses working daily in water thanks to the new innovative water walker from Kraft, makers of the famed oval walkers.

Horses can work in water as low as one inch (30cms) up to a height of 3’3” (100cms). Once up to maximum height the water supports the horse which is invaluable in the case of injury taking up to 60% weight off their legs while giving a good cardio-vascular work-out. Sea

60 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 44

water or tap water can be used.

Kraft Horse Walkers use the best of German technology both in the moving parts, the filtration and the attractive wooden fencing.

The oval walker is now much sought after, now that research shows that giving a horse time both on the straight and on the bend is best for joints. Horses are not designed to be continually on the curve.

The whole of the oval water walker is

designed to make it as enjoyable for the horse as possible; the entry ramp is coated with slip-resistant rubber, there is good space for the horse to walk in around the oval, each slot is 7’2” (2.2m wide) giving the horse room to splash if it wishes.

The oval walker is perfect for rehabilitation, training, muscle toning and conditioning as well as for their general well-being.

Brian Ellison, trainer of Top Notch Tonto second in the group 1 QEII at Champion’s Day at Ascot is the latest to be installing an oval water walker. He will be putting in an 8m x 16m oval walker.

Shane Fouhy M.V.B., M.R.C.V.S., team vet to several international teams, installed an oval (8m x 16m) walker this summer, at the Hampshire Equine Clinic, in England.

There are many combinations possible with the Kraft oval walker: the water level can be adjusted, the speed precisely set, the water temperature

selected and either salt of tap water may be used. The whole system is programmable making it very userfriendly.

Kraft offer the complete product so all you have to do is lay the concrete foundations with the moulds provided and Kraft do the rest.

Tel: +44 (0) 1939 220667 Mobile: +44 (0) 7774 783247 Fax: +44 (0) 1939 220667 Email: william@horseweigh.com www.horseweigh.com

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ADVERTORIAL

Comfyride – the high quality riding surface Eco ComfyRide is an environmentally friendly riding surface, produced to the highest quality.

ComfyRide is made up of a variety of different sized wood fibre particles which are designed to lock together giving minimal kick back and movement with use and is virtually dust free.

It’s an easy to install, low maintenance and long lasting surface, offering consistent footing and great ride whatever the weather: it is free draining and does not freeze or blow away easily, so it is the ideal choice for all seasons. It is an all-round, versatile riding surface!

By using seasoned wood our product lasts

much longer than other natural wood based surfaces. Compared to fresh woodchips, seasoned wood has a far lower moisture and sap content which have a significant impact on the speed of degradation. Therefore by using ComfyRide your surface will last up to 50% longer before you have to top up – ComfyRide has been produced to last!

With over 10 years experience in producing riding surfaces, we have worked

with and supplied a number of high profile customers, including the world renowned Gallops at Lambourn.

We are continually listening to our customers and improving our product to better suit their requirements. By doing this we have identified the ideal blend, size and type of wood to ensure the perfect balance between performance and longevity.

ComfyRide is delivered in bulk and offers a great cost effective alternative to expensive manmade surfaces.

For more information: Tel: 01202 593601 Email: office@thisiseco.co.uk www.ecocomfybed.co.uk

The award-winning Harmony Equine Feeder According to research “up to 93% of horses in training have ulcers which develop within a week of the horse going into training – brought on by a number of factors including the nutritional management of the horse in training”.

A 28-day course of treatment for ulcers can cost over €1,000 but ulcers can be managed more naturally.

Horses are designed to trickle-feed, grazing for up to 18 hours per day when at grass. When they are put into training, their routine changes to one of intermittent feeding and reduced forage.

There is an abundance of research to show that hay is a key component in the successful management of ulcers and recent research has shown that a small amount of hay given before exercise is also beneficial to the horse as a means of helping to reduce ulcers as it helps to buffer the acid in the stomach.

The Equus Live 2013 Innovation award winner

Harmony Equine Feeder, the brainchild of veterinary physiotherapist Michelle O’Connor, is a truly revolutionary way of feeding hay that minimises waste, and mimics natural grazing patterns providing constant access to hay.

With testimonials from leading trainers and also the Army equitation school, the feeder was in trials in a number of yards in the lead up to the launch at Equus Live. The result today is a feeder that allows the horse to eat naturally at ground level, that controls how much the horse can eat (by a variable size rubber mesh) thereby mimicking the natural grazing pattern of ‘little and often’, that only needs to be filled once daily and that can be removed easily from the stable for cleaning and filling.

Dust/fines fall through a hole in the bottom plate thus preventing inhalation of dust into the nostrils.

For more information contact or visit www.harmonyfeeder.com

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STAKES SCHEDULES

STAKES SCHEDULES RACES

COPYRIGHT

Races are divided by distance and the relevant surface is indicated as follows: AWT - All Weather Track D - Dirt T - Turf European counties covered in this issue are: France, Italy and United Kingdom. The indexes also include Grade 1 races from North America as well as major races from Japan, Australia and the United Arab Emirates. Races highlighted in purple indicate the race is a Breeders’ Cup win and you’re in race.

Under Copyright law, no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means. This includes but not limited to; photocopying for commercial redistribution and or facsimile recording without the prior permission of the copyright holder, application for which should be addressed to the publisher.

CLOSING DATES

Whilst every effort has been made to publish correct information, the publishers will not be held liable for any omission, mistake or change to the races listed in all published indexes.

Closing dates for all Irish races are set for domestic entry dates.

Please check International entry dates with the relevant issue of The Racing Calendar. The Italian authority (UNIRE) do not publish closing dates for Listed races but we have been advised to set race closing dates ten days in advance of the race.

DISCLAIMER

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STAKES SCHEDULES Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 Country UAE UAE UAE

Track Jebel Ali Meydan Meydan

Race Name & (Sponsor) Jebel Ali Sprint Meydan Sprint Al Quoz Sprint

Breeders Cup

UAE UAE GB UAE AUS

Meydan Meydan Doncaster Meydan Randwick

Al Shindagha Sprint Mahab Al Shimaal Cammidge Trophy (williamhill.com) Dubai Golden Shaheen Darley TJ Stakes

JPN UAE UAE UAE GB GB

Hanshin Meydan Abu Dhabi Meydan Wolverhampton Lingfield Park

Hanshin Cup Al Fahidi Fort HH The President Cup Meydan Classic Lady Wulfruna Cleves St

FR

Deauville

Miss Satamixa

Class Race Date 07/03/2014 L 08/03/2014 Gr 1 29/03/2014

5f (1000m)

Value AED 500,000 $175,000 $1,000,000

Age 3+ NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+

Surface Metres Furlongs Closing D 1000 5 03/03/2014 T 1000 5 03/03/2014 T 1000 5 17-Jan-14

$200,000 $200,000 £37,000 $2,000,000 AUS$2,500,000

NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+ 3+ NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+ 3

AWT AWT T AWT T

1200 1200 1200 1200 1200

3+ NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+ 4+ 4+

T T T T AWT AWT

1400 1400 1400 1400 1400 1400

Visit www.trainermagazine.com Gr 3 Gr 3 L Gr 1 Gp 1

13/02/2014 08/03/2014 29/03/2014 29/03/2014 12/04/2014

6f (1200m)

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore Gr 2 Gr 2 L L L L

23/12/2013 23/01/2014 16/02/2014 27/02/2014 08/03/2014 22/03/2014

$1,687,000 $250,000 AED 185,000 $125,000 £45,000 £37,000

29/12/2013

€52,000

Nakayama Meydan Jebel Ali Meydan Meydan Meydan Meydan Meydan Meydan Doncaster Meydan Randwick

Asahi Hai Futurity St Al Maktoum Challenge Rd 1 Jebel Ali Mile Cape Verdi UAE 1000 Guineas Firebreak St UAE 2000 Guineas Zabeel Mile Burj Nahaar Doncaster Mile Godolphin Mile Doncaster Hcp

USA USA USA

Gulfstream Park Oaklawn Park Arlington Park

Donn H Apple Blossom H Hatoof

UAE USA UAE UAE UAE USA USA

Meydan Gulfstream Park Meydan Meydan Meydan Gulfstream Park Oaklawn Park

Al Rashidiya Gulfstream Park Turf H Balanchine Jebel Hatta Dubai Duty Free Florida Derby Arkansas Derby

Gr 1 Gr 2 Gr 3 Gr 2 L Gr 3 Gr 3 Gr 2 Gr 3 L Gr 2 Gp 1

15/12/2013 09/01/2014 24/01/2014 30/01/2014 06/02/2014 13/02/2014 13/02/2014 27/02/2014 08/03/2014 29/03/2014 29/03/2014 12/04/2014

1500

08/02/2014 11/04/2014 16/08/2014

$1,832,000 2 No G $250,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ AED 575000 SH 3 + NH 4+ $200,000 NH F&M 4yo+ SH F&M 3yo+ $250,000 NH 3F SH 3F $200,000 SH-bred 3+ & NH-bred 4+ $250,000 NH 3yo SH 3yo $250,000 NH 3yo+ SH 3yo+ $200,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ £37,000 4+ $1,000,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ AUS$3,000,000 3+

T AWT D T AWT AWT AWT T AWT T AWT T

1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600 1600

$500,000 $500,000 $75,000

30/01/2014 08/02/2014 20/02/2014 08/03/2014 29/03/2014 29/03/2014 12/04/2014

D D T

1700 1700 1700

Meydan Meydan Meydan Meydan Arlington Park

Al Maktoum Challenge Rd 2 UAE Oaks Al Bastakiya UAE Derby Beverly D. St

F&M Turf

Gr 2 Gr 3 L Gr 2 Gr 1

06/02/2014 27/02/2014 08/03/2014 29/03/2014 16/08/2014

T T T T T D D

1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800

Jebel Ali

Jebel Ali Stakes

10/01/2014

$250,000 $250,000 $250,000 $2,000,000 $750,000

NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ NH 3F SH 3F NH 3yo SH 3yo NH 3 SH 3 3+ FM

AWT AWT AWT AWT T

1900 1900 1900 1900 1900

AED 500,000

SH 3 + NH 4+

D

1950

Lingfield Park Hanshin Meydan Meydan Lingfield Park Meydan Randwick Arlington Park Arlington Park Arlington Park

Quebec St Radio Nikkei Hai Nisai St Dubai Millennium Stakes Al Maktoum Challenge Rd 3 Winter Derby Trial Dubai World Cup Queen Elizabeth Stakes Arlington Million XXXI Armerican St Leger St Secretariat Stakes

UAE

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Championship

ITY

Naples

Unire

Turf

L Gr 3 L Gr 1 L Gr 1 Gp 1 Gr 1 L Gr 1

21/12/2013 21/12/2013 20/02/2014 08/03/2014 22/03/2014 29/03/2014 19/04/2014 16/08/2014 16/08/2014 16/08/2014

16/03/2014

£37,000 $834,000 $200,000 $400,000 £37,000 $10,000,000 AUS$4,000,000 $1,000,000 $400,000 $500,000

3+ 2 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ 4+ NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 3yo

AWT T T AWT AWT AWT T T T T

2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000

AED 370,000

NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+

T

2200

22/12/2013

3+

T

2250

€41,800

Meydan Meydan Randwick Randwick

Dubai City of Gold Dubai Sheema Classic AJC Australian Derby Austalian Oaks

JPN

Nakayama

Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix)

Gr 2 Gr 1 Gp 1 Gp 1

08/03/2014 29/03/2014 12/04/2014 19/04/2014

22/12/2013

$250,000 $5,000,000 AUS$2,000,000 AUS$1,000,000

NH 4yo+ SH 4yo+ NH 4yo+ SH 4yo+ 3 3F

T T T T

2400 2400 2400 2400

$5,200,000

3+

T

2500

Woodbine Meydan

Valedictory S Nad Al Sheba Trophy

UAE

Meydan

DRC Gold Cup

Gr 3 Gr 3

15/12/2013 01/03/2014

64 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com ISSUE 44

29/03/2014

17-Feb-14 03/03/2014 17-Jan-14 29-Mar-14

9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5

03/02/2014 24-Feb-14 03/03/2014 17-Jan-14 25-Apr-14

9.75

10-Jan-14

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

16-Dec-13 05/11/2013 17-Feb-14 03/03/2014 17-Jan-14 17/02/2014 25-Apr-14 25-Apr-14 25-Apr-14

11

10-Mar-14

11.25

12 12 12 12

03/03/2014 17-Jan-14 17/02/2014 17/02/2014

12.5 05/11/2013

14f (2800m) CAN150,000+ 3+ $200,000 SH-bred 3+ & NH-bred 4+

AWT T

2800 2800

T

3200

Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 Gr 2

27-Jan-14

12.5f (2500m)

Visit www.trainermagazine.com CAN UAE

9 9 9 9 9 9 9

12f (2400m)

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore Gr 1

29-Mar-14 25-Apr-14

11.25f (2250m)

Visit www.trainermagazine.com UAE UAE AUS AUS

8.5 8.5 8.5

11f (2200m)

Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 L

17-Jan-14 17/02/2014

10f (2000m)

Visit www.trainermagazine.com Gr 3

05/11/2013 06/01/2014 20-Jan-14 27-Jan-14 03/02/2014 10-Feb-14 10-Feb-14 24-Feb-14 03/03/2014

9.75f (1950m)

Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 GB JPN UAE UAE GB UAE AUS USA USA USA

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

9.5f (1900m)

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore UAE

7.5

9f (1800m)

$200,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ $300,000 4+ $200,000 NH F&M 4yo+ SH F&M 3yo+ $300,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ $5,000,000 NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+ $1,000,000 3 $1,000,000 3

Visit www.trainermagazine.com UAE UAE UAE UAE USA

05/11/2013 20-Jan-14 10-Feb-14 24-Feb-14

8.5f (1700m) 4+ 4+ F&M 3F

Call us on +44 (0)1380 816 777 to subscribe from £13 Gr 2 Gr 1 Gr 2 Gr 1 Gr 1 Gr 1 Gr 1

7 7 7 7 7 7

8f (1600m)

Now available for iPhone/iPad via Appstore Gr 1 Gr 1

17-Jan-14 17/02/2014

7.5f (1500m) 3+

Visit www.trainermagazine.com JPN UAE UAE UAE UAE UAE UAE UAE UAE GB UAE AUS

10-Feb-14 03/03/2014

7f (1400m)

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6 6 6 6 6

$1,000,000

14 14

27-Nov-13 24-Feb-14

16f (3200m) NH 4yo+ SH 3yo+

16

17-Jan-14

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