The Lindsay Park Racing team demystify the confusing language of horse racing.
Blinkers
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What are blinkers and why do horses need them?
David and JD Hayes discuss how blinkers improve the focus of a horse and ensure they are free from distraction during the race.
Ear Muffs
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Ear muffs on a racehorse? And why black or red?
JD explains that the basic use of ear muffs is to keep a horse calm and cancel out any noise. If the ear muffs are red, this means a horse will canter around to the barriers and have them removed when they are ready to load. If the ear muffs are black a horse will keep them on and race in them.
Nominations, Weights, Acceptances
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How is a horse entered for a race?
Rayan explains that there are three stages of the race entering process: nominations, weights and acceptances. The first step is a nomination, which is about three to four days out from a race. 24 hours later you will receive a weight for your horse. 48 hours before the race meeting, acceptances come out with a full field and barrier draw.
Roarer
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What is a roarer?
A roarer is a condition in the horse’s throat where one side of the larynx doesn’t completely open. The obstruction of the airway limits oxygen intake capacity and thus inhibits performance.
Syndication
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Would you like to have a share in a horse, but not sure where to start? Syndication might be the way to go for you.
Jason explains syndication is where a number of people come together to co-own a horse by taking smaller shares. These horses are usually managed by syndication companies who purchase the horse and syndicate and manage it . It can be a great way to meet new people and race a horse.
Scoping
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Ever heard the term scoping at a yearling sale?
Jason explains every horse is scoped post-purchase at a yearling sale. The endoscopic examination performed by a vet will examine the function of the airways and ensure that there are no obstructions.
Windsucker
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Have you heard a horse called a windsucker?
Jason explains what windsucking is and how it effects the horse. The habit generally doesn’t effect the horse’s racing career, however, it is a condition of sale to be disclosed if the horse is known to be a windsucker.
X-rays
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Why do healthy horses need x-rays?
Jason explains how and why x-rays are performed on yearlings pre-sale and what they can tell us before we purchase the horse. Our racing veterinarian, Dr David McKellar then examines these x-rays which can help us to determine the horses suitability to racing and the price of the horse.
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