Lead Ponies at the Races

[Plainandtall]

I’ve got a racetrack pony story I’d like to share. My husband worked with a man who got into racehorses in an investment sort of way but really took to the horse world and amazingly, as an adult- learned to ride. When I’d see him he would tell me how I had to come to the track someday and go riding with him. I thought this was pretty odd- for one- I didn’t think that was possible, and two- it’s not like we were close buddies. If there had been any chance that he was making a move on me- It might have made a little sense- but that really wasn’t the case- so I just didn’t know what to make of the constant string of invites. maybe he just wanted someone from his off-track world to see and appreciate his accomplishment as a new adult rider.

So one winter day I took him up on it and arrived at the track early. Immediately there was a lot of confusion about my ride and he brushed me off and connected me up with an excercise rider I didn’t know and put me on a big red quarterhorse type pony horse and vanished. I was briefed on the track rules for the morning workouts and off we went. When we got out on the huge track we let the horses run and it was simply amazing! I was blinded by tears from the cold air and I couldn’t believe it was really happening. When I was a kid I had dreamed of being a jockey- but I was 5 foot ten by the time I was about twelve… topping off at six feet. I couldn’t believe that I actually got to ride a lap on that track- even if I had no idea WHY I got to ride a lap on that track.

I still didn’t know as I drove home- buzzing from the exhilaration. About a week later I found out what the deal was- the “date” wasn’t between me and the man- it was between me and that pony horse! Preparing to move to Florida for the next meet, apparently there was a trainer didn’t need the pony horse down there and was hoping to find a person who would keep him for the off season and I was pegged as the perfect softie. I guess plans changed before I was put on the spot about taking him- but the whole confusing deal did provide me with one of my most memorable times of my life.

[crosscreeksh]

[QUOTE=Equibrit;7329433]
Why do they have them ? Can jockeys not ride ?[/QUOTE]

Would you want your top jockey using all of his energy in the ten minute post parade trying to handle an energetic race horse…then have no energy left for the race?? Or your “sure winner” getting away from the jockey in the post parade and running off, thereby blowing the chance to win??? It is not a matter of the jock’s riding ability, but plain common sense!!

[Equibrit]

European jockeys don’t seem to have a problem ? Is it the horse’s training ? Jockey fitness ? I also noticed at the Breeders Cup races the European entries would not use them.

[Angelico]

[QUOTE=Equibrit;7336494]
European jockeys don’t seem to have a problem ? Is it the horse’s training ? Jockey fitness ? I also noticed at the Breeders Cup races the European entries would not use them.[/QUOTE]

Like we have stated before, going to the gates here is much different than going to the gates in Europe. There is a lot more equipment and people whizzing around the track as the horses are warming up, we have a different post parade/warmup system, and here in America, our trainers don’t mind paying for a little extra safety net. How many races do these European riders ride per day? It’s nothing for American jockeys to work seven or more in the morning, then ride ten races that afternoon. I wouldn’t dare question their fitness. When a foreign horse and rider come over here for a big race, that rider is not riding the card, just a race or two.

If you look closely though, in the Breeder’s Cup, the Euro jockeys, like many guys here, will warm up independently, but will hook on to a pony or an outrider will grab a hold when it is time to go behind the gates.

[Beaver_Breeze]

[QUOTE=Equibrit;7336494]
European jockeys don’t seem to have a problem ? Is it the horse’s training ? Jockey fitness ? I also noticed at the Breeders Cup races the European entries would not use them.[/QUOTE]

If they had, Announce (GB) might have been able to make the gate in 2011 instead of running into the ambulance.

I know someone who had a BC horse that year, and she heard a lot of jokes from Euro connections about ponies. She said they didn’t say a word after the filly had to be scratched.

[TracyBrent]

I’d like to follow lead pony Trajan’s career.
Here’s a three-part series about him:
https://www.paulickreport.com/features/lead-pony-101/

[Mukluk]

This may be a dumb question but are lead ponies always geldings? I would think they probably would be due to all of the colts/stallions that are race horses.

[Palm_Beach]

Yes, they are always geldings.

[crosscreeksh]

@Palm Beach

Yes, they are always geldings.

“Almost”, but not always!! I knew a pony boy in Maryland many years ago who used a mare. Probably not when ponying a stallion, but his mare was a terrific pony horse!!

[Palm_Beach]

@crosscreeksh

“Almost”, but not always!! I knew a pony boy in Maryland many years ago who used a mare. Probably not when ponying a stallion, but his mare was a terrific pony horse!!

Who was it? That was my stomping ground for a while.

[crosscreeksh]

40 years ago…I can’t remember his name…but he used a B/W mare and a C/W stallion for his ponies!!

[BLBSTBLS]

I cannot contribute to the TB tracks, but the pony horses at Standardbred tracks to contracted by the race track and paid by the race track. Although there is usually only one to three ponies to work the entire race card.

[JohannaStk]

I would love to have an outrider overhere, when horses get loose it can take a long time before they are caught. It is so much safer for horses and people if they were caught fast and wouldn’t delay the races. Trainers can bring their own ponies if the horse need it.