Re:Racing

[Bette Lamore <woa@stormnet.com>]

Dear Katee
My experience was mixed. Most of the race owners are wonderful people
and really are into their horses. In fact we'd bump into each other back
track after a race, kissing our horses and telling them they did a
wonderful job no matter where they placed.
Many of the trainers are also wonderful and kind people. I asked Felix
Payne how he felt about switching to Arabs from Quarter horses and he
replied " You know your Arabs aren't like QH; I point a QH in a
direction, yell "go" and he's off! Now I have to come into my barn each
morning and say" Ladies and Gentlemen, you're looking mighty fine today.
And such a good job yesterday. Do you maybe, if it's not too much to
ask, want to race for me today?" They have do do it for me because they
like me and want to. Totally different training. But do you know, Bette,
I'd never go back." I've remembered his words all these years.
Bev Scott, a top trainer at Los Alamitos and asked to be on the Jockey
Club video for training Arabians is my best friend. Wonderful trainer
and breeder now in Florida.
However, Pico was sent to what his owner thought was a top trainer, a
leading money winner, and then to another leading money winner and now I
know the reasons for their status'. I don't want to get myself in a
position where I could be sued for slander; let's just say that the
track vet told me that it was unbelievable that Pico would even race;
that Pico had an incredible heart. When I got him back for R&R after the
race season, his back was full of scabs where he had thrown himself on
the ground, writhing in pain from leg cramps. He was full of steroids
and lasix. (I guess winning by 71/2 lengths in his maiden race wasn't
enough for the trainer). My vet told me it would take almost a year to
dry him out. That's why I begged Ted to let me sell him to an endurance
person who would actualize his potential and yet he loved to ride trail
around our ranch. Donna Snyder-Smith encouraged Val to come to my ranch
and the rest is history. It took Val 2 years to get him to trust his new
rider and Janice Snook is doing a fabulous job with him.
So the moral of the story: the track is fun (the races in CA are too
short for my Russians, but Delaware has mile races) and a lot of the
people I've met are super. Just be very careful about who you choose as
trainer.
Happy New Year
Bette
Whispering Oaks Arabians


owens wrote:
> 
> Dear Bette;
> Ooh, how exciting to have one of yours go to the Kanavy's and to
> international competition!  I have seen your ads for Halynov and he
> looks spectacular.
> I noted your mention of Pico's bad experience on the track that nearly
> killed him.  I fairly recently purchased a lovely Fadjur mare that had
> been sold as a 4 year old to a man who took her to the track immediatly,
> broke her there and raced her, she didn't finish as well as he liked(so
> the story goes), and she was sold to the gal I bought her from.  She's
> sensitive(Cancerian moon, if you deal with astrology)and has been a real
> challenge for me.  She's incredibly mistrustful of humans, does not like
> to be caught, is nervous and jumpy pretty much whenever she's handled,
> and is more willing to bond to other horses than to me.  I believed that
> this came from her upbringing(herd on 20 acres until the track)and
> mishandling on the track(she is terrified of certain men, I think if she
> ever saw a wetback again she'd probably flip out). Anyway,  as I haven't
> had any dealings with tracks or what they really do to them there, I
> wondered if you might have any input.  She's a lovely mare, Bambi eyes,
> and a potentially incredible athlete.
> Katee
> 
> --
> Lead, follow, or get the *#^@ out of the way!


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