Ten Reasons
for Racing Arabian Horses
© 2009 Roxanne Rogers
The main argument I will present to you for racing Arabian horses
is that it is simply and by far the best proving ground
for horses of any breed. Racing tells us how sound the animal
is, both
physically and mentally, and helps us to make the right breeding
decisions. Breeding decisions based on "halter" show
wins have created
a type of Arabian that for me personally, and for many other informed
horse people, is inferior. Let me explain why. Showing is based
on only
one idea of type. This is the "type" that Gladys Brown
Edwards
presented us with in her famous painting of the pretty white horse
on
the desert. This horse represents only one type of Arabian (Seglawi)
of the many as catalogued by Raswan. This type of Arab appeals
to the
masses because it is ethereal and pretty but it lacks substance.
For
instance, a level top line is a defect in other breeds as it makes
it
very hard for the horse to properly engage his hindquarters, and
in
mares it tips the vagina in a way that the animal is constantly
infecting itself with its own feces. The lack of heartgirth is
very
troubling as there is no room for ample sized heart and lungs.
The
dished profile of the head is a defect for a racehorse as it narrows
the passage for air intake. A breeder I correspond with in Germany,
where they have really gone to the extreme in their show horses,
told
me of a breeder/Sheik who came to one of the shows and asked,
"How can
they breath with these noses?" Of course, I am really not
trying to
upset people with my words just inform them that racing automatically
selects for the pinnacle of conformation except in the odd case
where
the heart is so strong that defects can be overcome. Since we
can't
see the heart it is the main mystery of racehorse breeding, but
some of
the larger stables in Kentucky are now looking at this attribute
on
X-Ray before going to the track and scoping the airway for pimples
and
other anomolies is also a common practice, but breeding a racehorse
is
still a matter of luck combined with knowledge. As far as Arabian
sporthorses, reining horses, endurance etc. are concerned ex
racehorses are shoe ins for these disciplines. The crux of the
matter
though is that although racehorses may make good showhorses, with
the
main exception of halter classes, showhorses will likely not do
well
at the track. If more people select for racing it is possible
that
Arabians can go back to their status of being most versatile as
more
of the original types will be represented instead of just the
constant
and common stream of extreme heads, tiny bones, flat toplines
and floaty,
inefficient movement. Therefore my first point is simply that
racing
will improve the overall quality of the breed by maintaining a
type of
Arab that show business has spurned. Racing types, such as Kuhailan
and Muniqi are extremely under represented and this is a shame.
My second point is from a business perspective.
There is a lot of money to be chased at the racetrack. Not so
much the
showring. Racing can be approached as a business whereas showing
will
always be a hobby for owners. Showing can be tainted by politics,
egos, and trends. Racing is cut and dry-first one across the finish
lines wins. It costs about the same if not a somewhat less to
get a
horse to his first race as it does to his first show. The main
difference being that showing has little prize money. To quote
from an
AJC brochure, "Under 1000 horses owned by less than 300
unique
owners, split a total annual purse of almost $4.8 MILLION each
year, and the numbers are growing. You do the math."
Right now I
am lobbying Horse Racing Alberta to officially recognize Arabs
for racing
so that we can expect the same purses as the Thoroughbreds and
Quarter
Horses. When we raced in Alberta before, in the 80's and 90's
things
were not done through the proper channels so it is my sincere
hope to
correct this problem and begin again with a more professional
approach. If we obtain this status we can expect average purses
of
about $3,000.00+and Stakes races of at least $10,000.00. Remember
most
of these races require no entry fees. I have spoken
to quite a few people on the board of directors and a meeting
can be
arranged with Dr. David Reid (the head of HRA) when we have a
solid
proposal. I also have contacts in Europe that are willing to support
us through sponsorship which could make it possible to have two
good
stakes races in the first season. No racing dates can be obtained
by
us until the beginning of next year so I am hoping that by alerting
everyone now we should have the right number of horses to go forward.
The number I am aiming for is forty head and the directors agree
that
this is a good number and they will look very seriously at us.
My third point is that it is absolutely the most
natural thing people do with their horses-period. Horses love
to run,
its in their DNA, fright and flight. Instead of always working
against
their nature racing simply finds a way to easily harness their
innate
speed. The horses have fun and so do their owners. All the artificial
things we put horses through forcing them into "frames",
mastering
their gaits, contorting their bodies until they wring their tails
in
frustration, isn't it nice to think that there is at least one
thing
we do that the horses love? I think so.
My fourth point focuses on the excitement factor.
All the people that I know who race horses get completely hooked
on
the adrenaline. I know it sounds a little naughty but why not
add some
thrills into your life? Many people I know say that racing is
the biggest
thrill ever and I agree with this consensus. Look at Sheik Maktoum
who
has spent billions chasing the Kentucky Derby. Who won this year?
A
Canadian-bred $9500.00 special that paid $103 for a $2 ticket
making
him the second biggest upset in 135 years of Derby history. Which
brings up another self explanatory fact: history. Watching your
horse run will put you right out there in the stratosphere so
don't
watch if you have a bad heart-seriously.
My fifth point for racing is the comradeship. We are
all fighting on the same battleground at the track so its a charged
atmosphere but it makes for good friends. There are a lot of strict,
unspoken rules at the track so the first thing to do if you consider
joining in the fray is to get a rulebook and read it. That's the
bible
at the track. Then find a trainer who will let you "shadow"
them for a
couple of days so you can get a feel for the environment.
My sixth point which I already touched upon in the
opening paragraph is that you can't just go from the showring
to the
racetrack with your stock. A racehorse possesses a different kind
of
beauty. One or two showhorses might make it but in general you
waste your money trying to race a showhorse. You may have noticed
the
stallion, Korsarz in the Canadian Arab stallion issue. Looks a
little different
doesn't he? All you have to do is crack open a "Finish Line"
and even
an untrained eye can see the difference-beauty pageant contender
vs.
serious athlete. "Vive la differerance", I say. In my
eyes and many
others there is nothing more beautiful, no matter the breed
than a shiny,
fit racehorse on post parade unless, of course, its your shiny
racehorse
and you're standing in the winner's circle knowing, that you are
at the very
least, breaking even and having a blast at that particular moment
in time.
The seventh reason to race is that there is a ready
market for slowpokes: endurance, jumping, dressage, western
etc.
Retired and not so fast racehorses have the potential to enjoy
a very
fulfilling second career and need not be tossed to the wolves
as so
many people think might be the case. Racehorses are in demand
because
they have been exposed to so many environments and stressors such
as
roaring crowds, confined spaces in the starting gates and trailers,
having their feet done regularly, being crowded by other horses
etc.
all before the age of four as Arabians start racing at age three
typically which is a year later than other breeds as they develop
slower. They spend a lot of time just resting and being pampered
though, so they are usually very people oriented and affectionate.
Number eight: the racetrack is not a scary place
full of gangsters and drug dealers. Before any license is handed
out
background checks are carried out with the police. Any whiff of
a
criminal past gets you kicked out immediately. There are always
going
to be people who try to beat the system with drugs or even "imposters"
(horses posing as purebred Arabians but they have QH or TB blood)
however they are the extreme minority. I trained for years without
drugging my horses and most of the trainers I worked with "ran
out of
the feed tub" too. The bad guys usually get caught anyway.
There is
also a myth of fixed races. This happens very, very rarely as
each
race is viewed and reviewed by a posse of stewards and they know
what
a fixed race looks like and they won't put up with it.
Nine: "The racetrack is the world brought down to size",
quote from the movie "Factotum". You will meet people
from every walk
of life and some you may not even have heard of yet. The showring
consists of mainly middle class to a small percentage of upper
class.
At the track you will find everyone from otherwise unemployable
street
types to Kings and Queens and everything that falls between. The
track
will humble you, amaze you and raise you to unimaginable heights.
You
find humility when your "bred to the eyeballs", blue
blood gets beaten
by a non-descript competitor but you find ecstacy when one of
your
other blue-bloods does just what his genetics told you they would
do.
You find resources and qualities in yourself you didn't know you
had
before, at the track and no matter whether you try and don't like
it
or try it and love it you will meet people and horses there that
will
be tattooed on your brain forever.
The number ten reason, to flagrantly plagerize Nike
is simple: "Just do it". You won't regret it
and we will be making
history and creating a new venue for our horses in Alberta. If
you think your
endurance or sporthorses might translate into speed, profit and
fun
give it a try. I would bet you that there are a lot of undiscovered
bloodlines in the breed lounging in someone's pasture because
they
were just too athletic looking for the showring so history is
in the
making here and I will be happy to help in any way I can to promote
the worthy Sport of Kings. Please feel free to contact with any
questions you may have.
Tanglewood
Breeders of Polish and French Arabian Horses and Thoroughbred
Racehorses
RR1
New Noway, Alberta
Canada T0B 3L0
Tel (780) 352-6413
roxannerogers13@gmail.com
This document © 2009 Roxanne
Rogers, all rights reserved.
