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Hi everybody.
You know the sort I’m talking about. The one (usually carrying your money) who cruises up to that knackered 20/1 shot and point blank refuses to pass him. Harchibald was the king of these sorts but there are thousands of others.
Now this type of horse gets a lot of stick and I think it’s unfair. Horses are intelligent pack animals who are well in tune with their natural instincts. Some are natural ‘doms’ (Sea The Stars, Brave Inca, Persian Punch, Giants Causeway etc) and some are blatant ‘subs’ (most of Paul Nicholls’ cast offs).
I think it’s a bit on top that these horses get driven very forcefully to do something they obviously don’t want to do. If it’s about getting the best placing for a horse then either delicately and skillfully get it to the front on the line or settle for whatever position the horse is comfortable with. And for the love of dog, don’t then call said animal names (it wouldn’t understand) and treat it with disdain, because the horse never asks anything of it’s connections.
Not sure if the aforementioned was a rant or a question but there you go.
CheersDon’t think the horse will give a **** what you call him, Simon.
How yer doin’, m’boy.
Colin
Oh dear; I feel really bad now because I’ve just called a horse a dog! Maybe we need to invent some new words to describe certain types of horse [I’m not sure that calling a horse a dog is a disparaging term, though because I tend to think of such horses as being a bit wily and canny and tend to think a bit other than just having a herd mentality. I bet the Germans have suitable words that we could use, my favourite German word at the moment being betrachtungen..they seem to have words that cover things that our language doesn’t.
There’s probably several uses of the term dog to describe something that is common, or not real, or not as good as the original.
One that springs to mind is dog-rose.
I’m doing brilliantly boyo! My life is a constant torrent of ‘win’ ‘win’ ‘win’ ‘fail’ ‘win’.
I’ve just propped you in the lounge mate. Why don’t you go in there and reintroduce yourself? I’d be happy to hear how you’re doing.
All the best
SimonDo you ever wonder if the likes of Harchibald are the honest horses?
Whereas Lough Derg and Wichita Lineman (Lord have mercy on his soul) need serious stoking and a good few belts of the persuader to run, Harchibald is already doing everything he can. Therefore it makes no difference what the jockey does, the horse is trying his best.
I don’t know myself, but it is just a theory that I consider from time to time.
Harchibald is probably the most intelligent horse to ever grace a racetrack, bless him. Win or lose, you can’t help but love him.
Horses are herd animals not pack animals. A pack hunt together in order to eat, and a herd will graze together for mutual protection. Horses are flight animals and will run when faced with danger, then look back to see what was chasing them, very rarely will a horse stand and fight unless its another horse.
Running is one of the most natural things a horse can do, but like us they vary in competitiveness. you usually find that the more intelligent the horse, the less they want to race. I suppose a cheat would be a kinder name. lolIn answer to the original question, yes. Moreso if said horse happens to be by either Hawk WIng or Montjeu.
It’s fair on the horse because, as has been pointed out, calling them a pig or a dog won’t affect them in teh least.
But – it’s not very pleasant for connections and, most importantly of all, you won’t feel any better for doing it.
In answer to the original question, yes. More so if said horse happens to be Hawk WIng.
I used to call my old pony far worse things than pig or dog. She just used to ignore me then stand on my toe when I wasn’t looking.
I can certainly confirm connections don’t like it when their horse gets sqiggled. I’ve dealt with some people who you get the impression they’d be less offended if you squiigled their wife!
I can certainly confirm connections don’t like it when their horse gets sqiggled. I’ve dealt with some people who you get the impression they’d be less offended if you squiigled their wife!
Wasn’t it Noel Meade who said Timeform could shove their squiggle up their ar$e re Harchibald.
I think connections twitchiness is soimething to do with the reason Channel 4 paddock watchers are reluctant to give out paddock negatives.
During my brief stint with old ATR, I was in the sudio covering a Cheltenham meeting with Robert Cooper as presenter. In the run-up to a handicap hurdle as we went through the runners, he posed the standard ‘what about X’ question.
I responded that the horse would only have a chance if the race was transferred from Cheltenham to Walthamstow, which I thought was a bit more subtle than referring to it as a dog in plain terms.
The look on Robert’s face was priceless and viewers were gifted ten seconds of very welcome silence. Off air, I was sternly informed that I should never risk offending connections by such a comment.
Oddly enough, the owners approached me at Stratford the following week and told me they entirely agreed wth me and were about to retire the horse.
But I was left in no doubt that so far as broadcasting is concerned, bland is best.
AP
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