What time do horses have breakfast..?

[sberry]

Mergenr
..and other non runner reasons.

Sybarite was declared a NR this morning at 06:46 by NTD, reason given is self cert (not eaten up) so just what time do racehorses have breakfast?

Do horses get fed different on racedays and are racehorses diferent from us in that if they don’t fancy their three shredded wheat when they wake up they can’t go to work?

I’ve not tried this as a self cert reason myself when phoning in to work on an off morning and it’s not like the horse had far to go – only ten miles down the road – couldn’t they have given him another chance to eat up?

Then I looked at other self cert reasons and can go with the runny nose, even the coughing or off colour but a self cert for blood analysis not normal – do they do this themselves at the stable each morning and if so do they do this before or after breakfast?

[cjboy]

Morning feed time varies by trainer but I know head lads that start at 5 to feed. Because horses can’t speak trainers rely on known behaviour to judge health. If a horse would normally be a greedy grubber then not eating is a fair indication all’s not well.
Blood tests might be taken the day before and the results arrive in the morning.

[Hurdygurdyman]

Sybarite ran yesterday and would most likely only have been left in in case of an early fall or a very easy win. Whether he ate up or didn’t, no way would he have been ask to run after yesterdays exertions when he was flat to the boards from along way out

Maybe he did eat up but I’d love to see them try and prove he did. Not that they would even try.

It’s times like this when Stewards will use their discretion and accept the any excuse put forward with no questions asked.

Rubber stamp job really as it’s in the horses best interest if he doesn’t run.

[% MAN]

I think "not eaten up" is a catch-all excuse for a non-runner under the self-certificate rules.

It is most commonly used when a horse has run in the previous few days and has not recovered.

Although impossible to prove I think it is also used as a handy "excuse" when connections change their mind.

[greektown]

Normally a horse would be said to have not eaten up if it has not finished the grub it was given at evening stables the night before.
If the horse is normally a good "doer" then this can be a sign that it is perhaps out of sorts. Sometimes this can be inferred if the horse doesn’t "lick out " , which is pretty self explanatory.
Not eating up can be deemed a good reason for not risking the horses welfare – it could be a precursor to colic.

[harrythehat]

Not eaten up usually means the horse has not eaten its usual amount overnight. This is normally seen as something amiss.
Other ‘excuses’
Cast in the box
Stone bruise
Struck into itself
Knocked its head on stable door
Snotty nose
Lame…covers anything

[Eclipse First]

Possibly where the phrase "lame excuse" originates?

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