Forum Replies Created
- Posts
I just loved The Dikler…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHBCXx0bEcg
Until I started looking – I’d no idea how good his record was……
The 17-hand, blaze-faced The Dikler jumped the Cheltenham Gold Cup in seven consecutive years, placing third twice, second once, in a closely contested race, and winning in 1973. A crowd-pleaser whom no one wanted as a unbroken, ugly three year-old, The Dikler’s Gold Cup win was a thrilling race that proved his courage and staying power.
Tried to find Imperial Call on utube with no success; remember him being incredibly impressive that day.
Try this link to highlights of 1996 – it’s right at the end……
Was watching the racing from Towester yesterday and in particular a fairly mediocre horse called Mr Parson, simply because it is distantly related to my own rescued racehorse, Timucua. I was truly appalled by the number of times it was hit by Mattie Batchelor throughout the entire race – it eventually plodded home a tired 3rd. The vet reported that he caused the horse to have weals – which with the very soft padded whips is pretty hard to do! I was extremely pleased to see on the HRA website that he has been suspended for no less than 7 days for this. This is just the type of behaviour that will eventually lead to a total whip ban.
I quite often watch the replays of all Red Rum’s Nationals. There is one truly awful moment amongst the euphoria – the sight of Grey Sombrero fading into the background in 1973 with his broken leg swinging. As well as being tragic, it is though, a constant reminder of just how remarkable RR was – getting round safely 5 times is a feat in itself, let alone the 3 wins + 2 seconds – and in the days before the safety modifications.
I agree this is a great idea – perhaps "The Silver Cup". To keep the activists at bay, maybe a no whip rule – no one wants to see their old favourites being hit on the run in. Also agree for 11 or even 12 year olds upwards. With advances in veterinary science and general horse care, horses are living longer than before, many remaining fit and sound well into their 20’s. I took my 21 year old showjumper hunter trialling, 2 years after he had survived major colic surgery, with the thought that he can go whatever speed he likes, I won’t be pushing him and if he feels tired, I’ll pull up. He really enjoyed himself, zipping round the 1¼ mile course 20 seconds inside the optimum time and without breaking sweat. You couldn’t even argue that he was caught up in herd mentality as this is strictly one horse at a time. In my view it would be more cruel to subject him to a life of boredom, confined to his stable and field.
I’m actually secretly pleased to see my favourite horse Our Vic taken out. As a 12 year old running in the National for the first time, thought he’d be up against it and I couldn’t bear anything to happen to him. Couldn’t go through the trauma of that day at Cheltenham in 2004 again!
To prefer to see a jockey killed rather than a horse is taking it too far, IMO. However, as a horse owner/rider, I would rather break my leg than one of my horses break theirs.
I was pretty sure too. I actually thought he’d broken his neck. Having held a couple of my old horses when they were PTS (by injection) their legs kept moving in the same way even after they’d had the fatal dose of phenyl barbitone.
The worst thing for me is the way the media almost ignore it – they so often only ever report on the jockeys welfare and it can be so difficult to find out what happened. I don’t think they realise how much people do care.Glad I’m not the only one thinking this. I know I only do showjumping and it’s not exactly the same, but a few years ago my favourite horse, on one occasion sort of experimented not putting his landing gear down (resulting in a spectacular somersault for both of us – luckily he was unhurt) and I definitely had this in my mind the next few times we jumped and was more cautious than usual.
I’m not saying it was anything to do with his riding and Ruby would be one of my favourites, but do you think he could have been affected by the fatal fall of Citizen Vic in the previous race? Would it be in the back of his mind, even subconsciously, that asking the horse for a real long one could turn out to be a fatal error? Especially given his lucky escape at the last in MM previous race……..
Just thinking out loud really.Makes me so angry to hear avoidable outcomes like this. Will be watching his following "Booked ride" very closely:-
Scaramouche at Huntingdon on Weds. Has been PU 4 times in last 6 outings and has had 10 different jockeys in 20 races………do hope this doesn’t have the same ending.
Just a thought – these things make reasonable money on ebay (especially if you’ve got Grand National issues relating to Red Rum from the 70’s, or even Foinavon 60’s) – how about putting them on there and donating some of it to a retired racehorse charity?
I had a similar problem when I moved house about 10 years ago and needed the room. I had every issue back to the early 70s and just put them in the recycling. I wish now I’d sold them instead!Our Vic – I’d retire him from racing and take him show jumping instead! With his clean careful jumping I’m sure he’d be fab and he’d have an easier time.
Actually it’s not quite that simple. Even when applying leg aids to go faster, it’s still necessary to maintain a contact on the reins. The amount of contact needed does vary between individual horses and their degree of sensitivity – some need the confidence they get from a fairly strong rein contact. There is also a big difference between keeping a contact and pulling. However, completely dropping the contact can cause a horse to wander off a true line and some will actually slow down.
