Caring for a Racehorse
Racehorses are not your regular animals. They usually cost much upon purchase and as such are considered investments. They also rake in a fortune for their owners, trainers and jockeys whenever they do well in a race that this increases their market value. As such, they need to be cared for to ensure that they perform well on race days. Of course, the fact that they are living, breathing creatures should also be reason enough to care for them. The trainer, the groom and the stablehands are the key people who care for a racehorse.
The trainer can be likened to the coach of a human sports athlete. He creates a workout schedule for the horse and formulates a training regimen for it. In the event that a horse feels ill or isn't up for a particular task, he modifies it accordingly. He works with the intended rider of the horse so that, together, they can figure out the best method for racing it on track. A good trainer will almost always enable the horse to win a race by preparing it well beforehand.
The groom is involved in the daily care of the horse and the stable. He must ensure that the horse is groomed and ready to be trained everyday. He also looks after tack and see to it that the stable is sanitary so the animal is disease-free and in the pink of health during training and the day of the race. Because the groom is the one who is constantly in contact with the horse, he is the first one to notice if something is wrong with it. He reports what he sees to the trainer and will usually recommend if a vet needs to be brought in to check the horse's condition. A groom is usually qualified in equine care.
The stablehands work under the groom, doing menial but important tasks in the care of the racehorse. Many of them are working to become grooms and do their jobs out of sheer love for the horse and horse racing.
Caring for a racehorse is no easy task. Preparing it for competition is even harder. It takes the concerted effort of these people to keep an equine in top form and ready on the day of the races.
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