NH “Training Decisions/Questions” book recommendations

[FiftyP]

I’m wondering if anyone has any book recommendations that go into how horses get trained up for jumps racing. I presume it’ll be something from a notable trainer or a decent journalist, but something that explains from the start of the process of when the horse arrives (or maybe even deciding on the horse to buy) to when it’s running out a winner (or loser.) There’s so much received wisdom in horse racing, almost all picked up off some chancer in the pub, and then passed via whispers, whatsapp and message boards, that it’s hard to get a solid foundation on what trainers do, and even more why they do it.

I know no-one’s going to share all their secrets, but short of winning the lottery and getting a free pass into a stables from owning enough horses books are where I’ll have to go to for this.

To give an example of the type of thing I’m wondering this is something I noticed, and questioned, from Carlisle today. And the kind of “wisdom” I’d be looking for…

Watching the 1.50 there’s a four year old after tearing out ahead, El Jefe. The jockey’s only let him out eight lengths at most, but he was left run a head a fair bit. The horse was very eager before the race, you could really see it in him. And overall his jumping has been poor. (That’s the summation of his race, other than to say he was flogged by the end and really tailed off with two fences to go.)

I know if you don’t think you can stay some would say to set the pace and see if you can bludgeon the other horses, but this horse is a four year old, going on its longest ever trip. Surely there’s something to be said for building up experience, letting it run in the pack, and show the horse if it wants to run (and the trainer wants to win) it has to go with the other horses. I can see the logic of an experienced horse, without the staying power, and maybe a little edge based on the going, leading out (at least based on what people have told me.) But this horse is 4. What’s there to be gained from letting it run ahead, fall back to the group after a mile and a few furlongs, running with the other horses for maybe one hurdle as it struggles to keep up, then letting it drop way back off. You’re not finding anything out, and you’re not teaching the horse anything? It just seems brainless, so I have to be missing something.

The first part is the “wisdom” of having a horse that might not have the staying power lead out, which is something I’ve been told. The second is the question I raised above. The thing is I can annoy half the racing world by asking questions, but surely there must be a few well written books that deal with this type of stuff, even if it’s only entertainment to me.

[robert99]

Martin Pipe: The Champion Trainer’s Story

The best book on training, ever.

[apracing]

The Jumping Game: How Trainers Work and What Makes Them Tick:

By Hen Knight. And she can write, having been a teacher before being a trainer.

[rollotommasi]

The Henrietta Knight book is very good and well worth a read. Short snapshot chapters visiting each of the trainers yards, have passed it around to a few friends who enjoyed it also.

[FiftyP]

Thanks!

I’ll pick up the Henrietta Knight book in a few days. I’ll hold off on the Martin Pipe one as it’s a bit more expensive and it’ll take longer to get here.

[Colin Phillips]

If you can cope with used goods, the Martin Pipe book is available from ABE BOOKS at very affordable prices.

[Author]

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