Reversing a horse into the stalls

[Tuffers]

Carter is becoming increasingly difficult to load, not because he is frightened by the stalls or gets upset by them but just because he likes being difficult. After making the stalls handlers break sweat at Warwick he was required to take a stalls test which he duly passed this evening at Wolverhapton.

Bearing in mind that it’s my opinion that he just likes to make the stalls handlers work hard to get him in, I wondered whether it might be worth taking advantage of the rule set out below:

3.5 The Starter may order that a horse be loaded with the front gate open or be reversed into the stalls provided that

3.5.1 the horse has been reported by the Starter under Rule 41.2 on two occasions within the previous twelve months, or
3.5.2 the horse has failed an initial stalls test and has not run since,

and in either set of circumstances

3.5.3 a certificate has been obtained from a Starter in respect of the horse stating that the horse has been loaded satisfactorily with the front gate open or reversed into the stalls.

3.6 If the Starter has ordered the horse be loaded as set out in Paragraph 3.5 the horse

3.6.1 will be loaded first,
3.6.2 with its Rider mounted, and
3.6.3 it must be loaded by the Trainer or his representative.

Do any of the ‘horsey’ people on here have a view as to whether this might do the trick?

[steveh31]

Isn’t the problem in UK that horses sit outside the stalls for ages winding them up knowing they are going in there whereas in America the horses go straight down straight in no faffing about no parading behind the stalls.

[Tuffers]

Isn’t the problem in UK that horses sit outside the stalls for ages winding them up knowing they are going in there whereas in America the horses go straight down straight in no faffing about no parading behind the stalls.

That might certainly be an issue for some horses and I wouldn’t like the idea of trying to back a nervous or upset horse into the stalls. Our lad doesn’t get upset at all, though – he just plants his feet and refuses to move. Once he’s in the race, he’s as enthusiastic as ever.

I’ve never actually seen a horse backed into the stalls so I wondered what benefit there was if it is so little used.

[% MAN]

I’ve never actually seen a horse backed into the stalls so I wondered what benefit there was if it is so little used.

It doesn’t happen often – I can only recall seeing it happen once and I think that was in Ireland, although I could be mistaken about where I saw it.

I do recall being bemused when seeing it happen but it worked.

[Tuffers]

It doesn’t happen often – I can only recall seeing it happen once and I think that was in Ireland, although I could be mistaken about where I saw it.

I do recall being bemused when seeing it happen but it worked.

In fairness, the rule has only been in place for just over a year and only horses which have been the subject of 2 starter’s reports in the last 12 months qualify for this form of loading. In addition, a horse has to obtain a certificate from a starter stating it has loaded satisfactorily in this way which requires the horse to take a stalls test involving it being loaded in that way.

The problem with stalls tests is that horses as a rule go into the stalls fine for the test and it’s only in an actual race where they tend to cause trouble.

I shall investigate whether it’s worth Carter taking another stalls test to get him certified for ‘reverse entry’ as he won’t be able to run for six months if he refuses to go in next time.

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