Freda

Please excuse the lines....I have no idea how they got there, and when I tried to edit out, it didn't work.

That's the way I'd interpret, too, Jess. From a racing/training perspective, I used to vaccinate 3 monthly, the immunity conferred is very short-lived, so my veterinary advice indicated. But I have to admit that in recent years, I haven't been as religious, every horse will have antibodies to EHV [ unlike back in the seventies, when it appeared in a largely naive population - again, as I was told ]. It seems that there is little concern from a practical point of view about EHV infections in racing horses. If there is, I haven't been informed. WRT the strain affecting breeders, I have little experience with that - viruses are of course a very different animal from the bacterial infections, i.e. strangles - but it astounds me that many trainers, when faced with a possible case of that, close ranks, swear everyone to secrecy and keep it all quiet. So, so stupid - and thoughtless, when transport operators and the point of origin of the affected horse should be notified so they can take appropriate measures themselves.

Bollocks to you too. Hell, I'm a style - free zone, Emm has it in spades ; i still think green shoes would have picked up the clutch purse and jewellery nicely and tied it all together. But, she looks lovely regardless.

World have tied in better with shoes the same shade of green....?

Very good post. It is most definitely unfair to place all the blame on to the racing industry when so many of the horses concerned are hacks or ponies, non-T.B. I did state earlier that there are sporthorse people [ mostly girls for some reason ] who take and re-home off-track horses. However, there are also many, who, lacking real skill, take these horses, lunge them over a couple of fences and then advertise as being ' promising novice, ready to go on '. It's not uncommon to see these horses turned over in a very short time, when anyone should realise the time necessary to school and educate for the new job just doesn't happen in a matter of days. The cycle of a confused and poorly-educated horse that turns out to be quite unsuitable being passed on...and on....just adds to the mess. But it is a very poor indictment on the practices generally at many abbatoirs, and also with trucking firms, where cattle and sheep are stuffed into spaces where they may end up underneath a press of bodies, suffocated or injured in some way. Seeing cattle and sheep herded off trucks with no ramps, or parked away from the loading bank so many of them break limbs as they crash to the ground..a huge issue and I don't know if there is even a controlling body for livestock transport companies, or a code of best practice. I did ring Marty Burns [ G.M and Horse Welfare NZTR ] and, in the conversation, suggested that an approach to MPI about welfare concerns over abbatoirs could be a starting point, he thought it was a good idea.

Yep, that was her. I thought she was great.

I'm not getting into your blinkers argument. But the observation about ' horses not run in mobs ' definitely makes sense to me. Some possibly are still in big groups, at least until sale prep. time...but a lot are kept carefully on their own in case they get kicked or hurt in someway. Factor in an owner/ breeder who.may only have one or two mares, perhaps a pony for company once weaned, and then add in the track rules at some public tracks which forbid more than two working upsides . Field shy? The poor buggers shit themselves.

I always liked Jayne, and she's improved with the exposure. I also loved the Sydney lass ( whose name escapes me ) who knelt down by the fence to talk to three lovely little girls who were there to enthusiastically support Samadoubt. It was a great touch, they do it so well, and we just....don't.

Exactly . She's a grand mare and I'm sure any one of us would be proud to have had the opportunity to race her.

Ive tried to be positive but it is near impossible when you take into account the obduracy and lack of vision in the collective mindset. The best opinions I have heard were uttered by Luke Radich. What a shame he isn't driving the bus.

Hmm...local knowledge should gave told trajners that the H10 rating wasnt going to be anywhere near as testing as the same rating at , say, Dunedin or even Riccarton. Soil is very different. No help to punters of course.

Gore has been closed for a while now - but there is another outfit in Timaru, which when I saw it, was worse.

We have several good girls in Canterbury who will reschool and rehome horses, but that is by way of a 'commercial' operation, in on-selling those horses. Again, there is no help or sponsorship given in any official capacity.

We'll see how much of it happens. I have heard of Gina Schick's operation - good on her - but i dont think it is NZTR funded.

No, you're right..no doubt the timing of the release was carefully scripted..but nevertheless, an awful indictment.

My fave of now is Battle Time. He stayed at my stables when contesting the 2000 Guineas...he is the coolest horse. Of yesteryear - probably No Hero.

Horrific. I recall a good post, quite a few years ago, from Berri on Channel X. It didn't get much traction - many readers preferred to bring up Race-O and failed sectional timing as a reason to rubbish the content [ typical of many who can't separate the person from the concept ] but it was very well thought out IMO. He made the point that re-homing is not always possible, euthanasia - death - was the inevitable end for some horses [ as well as other stock ] so accept the fact, and do the job bloody properly. Cleanly, and with humanity and dignity. I can't see our leaders doing a goddamn thing. Even the beleaguered greyhound industry has a sponsored rehoming programme - GAP - which seems to work well. I had an ex-racing dog recently join my canine family, and was quite impressed with the job the girls do, and the feedback and processes undertaken. I fully understand that horses are considerably more expensive to have as pleasure animals, and the costs involved in managing rehoming properties would be considerable....but, in a recent conversation with the amiable and very approachable Marty Burns, he said there is much he would like to see done, but - no money. Another sad indictment on the priorities of this industry, and how out of touch it is with modern concepts.

Meantime....sad business. I've just added a rehomed grey to my own canine family, he's such a lovely kind dog....I hadn't really taken much notice of the greyhound world until now, and I'm appalled at the apparent goings-on in the industry. Having said that, the GAP programme seems to work well and is ( apparently) funded by GRNZ...which is more than the galloping lot can manage.

What reserves? Have some savings been discovered under a mattress somewhere? I am guessing that the loan has been rolled over for another year [ don't loans have interest to be paid as well.....? ] until the BIUC and POC windfalls come rolling in to save us. And they can't 'live within their means' because Winston has instructed RITA to maintain stakes at their current levels. I'm told - gleefully - that stakes will definitely go up next season. I should have thought that debt servicing would take care of a fair chunk of any realised extra income.

Yes, agree - and better brains than mine have suggested same. Successive Ministers from either persuasion have indicated ' racing, get your house in order ' first, before approaching with the begging bowl. That said, a Minister does have the prerogative to intercede with the R.B on certain matters. Not the codes, which - IMO - are as big a problem as the runaway R.B.....but the last few R.B appointments have been dire, as was the last Minister. I was told , by a very experienced administrator, that he once had a conversation with the then Racing Minister Annette King. She said ' how do you deal with these people? I would gladly help - if I could - but there are so many factions, all wanting this and that and no-one can agree. It's like herding cats . '

What's happened in this sorry saga ?

To get back to the Weir biso - I was trying to work out how to put my thoughts, but Thommo had it in a nutshell. The ' torture' aspect is all to do with the horse's confinement. Many legends of the training ranks have used 'jiggers' or 'prodders' to get a specific response. You would be surprised at the great names in the list...my former boss used jiggers on the odd occasion ...there's an amusing story connected to one incident but I won't digress just yet..! How does a human train an animal to modify its behaviour ? a horse should ALWAYS be confident, relaxed and happy to be with you, he should understand [ if handled sensibly ] that a rub around his head and ears is what he can expect if he brings his head to you. He should NEVER be handled roughly around the head. But how does one explain to a horse what is wanted outside of that? write him a letter? put him in the naughty corner ? The best operators present the horse with options. The preferred option should always result in a pleasant experience for the horse, the not -wanted option should be less pleasant. Whether that is a firm tug on the headcollar / chifney if ignoring the leader, hand pressure becoming a dig in the ribs if moving over is required; or a stronger leg aid, or a reinforcement of the leg aid with a whip or spur - the horse has the OPTION . He can remove the stimulus he doesn't care for by responding - in this case, go forward - or ignore the request and receive a stronger command. His reward is the cessation of the stimulus. The hammering of horses with whips raceday is an extension of that principle. The whip is applied to [ supposedly ] galvanise greater effort by the animal. But, if the horse is already doing its best, and the whip continues to be applied, what message does that give? it can't remove the annoyance by going faster, and eventually, it has to slow down...at which point the encumbrance on top sits up. That horse has now been taught to give up when hit. To think that a professional horseman could confine a horse and repeatedly apply a stimulus that it cannot answer is torture indeed. Nothing to do with electric fences. Any smart horse won't touch one after the first lesson, and I've seen clever ponies carefully listening for the pulse of the current and diving through to greener pastures at the right moment. No fear there, just [ again ] a conditioned response.

That's pretty much what I meant, but obviously didn't express it very well. If a club hands its licence in, surely, in that case, it's assets would be unable to be touched? ...and sadly, yes, I'm aware of the Plunket scenario described above..

Many of the rural areas are National-held electorates, I have spoken with Andrew Falloon for one, I can't see how Winston will ever get the support for this. And another thought just occurred to me; if a racing club de-registered itself [ or whatever is the appropriate action ] and then ceases to become a racing club, NZTR /NZRB can whistle Dixie, they will have no authority over the land even IF the unthinkable legislative change occurs.

Yes, of course it is..most of us concur there...but, again, as I pointed out to Reefton, you'd be staggered if you knew who and how many think that course is perfectly reasonable. A must-do, in fact.