Career Opportunities

1. Career Opportunities Horse Racing Click mouse button for next slide

2. A Visit to Santa Anita Racetrack

3. A Special “Thank You” to Darrell Vienna of Silver Fox Farms

4. Groom • Is responsible for 2 – 4 horses • In the morning (4:00 am): • removes leg wraps • takes horse’s temperature • checks for any problems • tacks up the horse for morning workout • gets the horse back after it is walked • mucks out stall twice a day • feeds horse three times a day according to directions

6. Hot Walker • Walks each horse after a workout until cool • About 45 minutes per horse • Match horse’s personality to walker’s • Provides fresh water in a clean bucket for each horse

7. The best way to walk a horse to cool it

8. The lazy way to walk horses

9. Exercise Rider • checks the workout schedule in the morning • gets horse already tacked up • takes horse through the workout • walk or jog • light gallop (1/8 mile in more than 15 seconds) • gallop (1/8 mile in 14 – 15 seconds) • work (1/8 mile in 13 seconds or less) • hands horse over to Hot Walker and gets another • can ride as many as 16 horses a morning

14. How can I become an exercise rider? • a background in formal show training • English riding (hunter/jumper) preferably • ability to adapt to the trainer’s style • control the horse by technique not force

15. Assistant Trainer • has taken the “Trainer’s Test” thus can legally do anything the trainer does • can use his/her judgment to lower the level of work but not raise it • is accountable for his/her decisions • arranges the workout “sets” • times, riders, grooms, walkers, etc. • enters the horse in the race • contracts the jockeys • keeps veterinary records (esp. medications)

17. Trainer • Is the legally responsible party • stalls at the racetrack are free but trainer must run horses in races • horse owners pay for care & feeding, labor, insurance, etc. (~$120/day at Silver Fox) • sets workout schedule for each horse • determines what races a horse will run in

22. Jockey • starts at a young age • usually has little education • represented by an agent • earns a fixed fee of about $100 per ride • in Stakes races – earns 10% if 1st, 2nd, or 3rd • agent gets 25% usually • weight very important especially in “handicapped” races

24. Other employees of a training stable: • Night/Day Watchman • responsible for watching the horses in the barn • water, health, safety, etc. • Assistants

25. Race Track Employees • Board of Stewards • enforce rules and settle disputes • Horse Identifier • keeps a notebook of all horses running that day • horse name, color markings, lip tattoo, hair swirls • determines that it is the correct horse

26. Track Veterinarian • tracks medications given to horses • pulls pre and post race samples (blood and urine) • checks each horse before the race for soundness • carries a euthanasia kit in case of an accident The veterinarian or the jockey can pull a horse from a race if the horse is not right (lame, crashes into the gate, etc.)

27. The Day of the Race Horse entered in a race is quarantined

28. “Vote” 4 yr. old dark bay gelding by Valid Expectations - Rayofsunshine entered in the 6th race