Ride a Racehorse for a day?

[RumorHasIt16]

Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone knew of a place that lets riders ride a racehorse for a day. I found a place called “Holistic Horses Racehorse Experience,” and basically they have you warm up and practice on an easygoing horse, and then you get to ride a Thoroughbred on a track. Unfortunately, this place is in the UK and I’m in North Carolina, USA. Has anyone ever heard of a place that does something similar? Or of any barns that may let experienced riders hop on a Thoroughbred for a day?
I ask because I have a friend who is dying to ride a true Thoroughbred on a track - she doesn’t want to become a jockey, but it’s definitely on her bucket list. If she/I would need to undergo a training program beforehand, that’s honestly even better (I don’t want her to die).

Thanks!

[Palm_Beach]

I’m not aware of any programs like that. Exercise riders are licensed by the state racing commission and usually have to be very proficient at riding before being licensed. Galloping race horses is very very very different from any other type of riding, and even some very experienced riders struggle when they try to learn to gallop.

There are jockey schools that offer programs for those who want to learn to gallop.

[Texarkana]

I cannot fathom how that type of “experience” could exist in our litigious US trophy society. As Palm Beach said, it’s a skill that even experienced riders may not be able to master.

However, when I am Czar of racing one day, I would totally make learning to gallop more accessible to the average Joe horseperson without racing contacts. Racing has become quite an insular industry in modern times, and as interest wanes, the sport needs to make themselves more accessible if they are going to survive.

Fox hunting and steeplechasing, two other dying horse communities, have adopted the idea of paid clinics to introduce outside riders to their games. I don’t see why a breaking farm couldn’t coordinate something similar in their off season. Keep a few duds who aren’t going to cut it on the track around and charge $500/rider for the weekend to get an introduction to riding and caring for racehorses. You could teach riders to pony, jog the wrong way, maybe a little gallop depending on skill levels… not to mention teach the nuances of racing that are so different from pleasure and show horses. Not bad supplemental income for some of these farms who are struggling in today’s economy.

[Scribbler]

I can’t imagine anyone allowing this on a working race horse!

[saratoga]

Back when I was in grad school 20 years ago, 2 of my friends and I took a groom job at a very small, bottom of the barrel track (it was super fun- we split the duties since it was a 7 day a week gig and none of us could be there all of the time). It was always a fantasy of mine to be a jockey and I figured that maybe I could double as an exercise rider too. Holy Crap! I got on an 'easy horse"- and went out with another exercise rider (who was really worried about me!)- we started out trotting and then started galloping and I just pretty much got totally run off with. It really was an incredible, exhilarating, terrifying experience. It was literally like being on a freight train that I couldn’t stop and afterwards, I was so sore that I could barely walk for a week. Luckily, the horse didnt do anything stupid, and pretty much knew when to pull up on his own. I actually wanted to keep trying, so the following week, I rode in front of a steward, who was not impressed with my skills and told me I had to practice on a farm before I could try again lol I quit while I was ahead! The cool thing was that the horse I rode went on to win for us the following week

[Palm_Beach]

@saratoga you made me spit coffee all over my keyboard. I think that’s how everyone starts out! If you come back for more, you got the job.

[Gestalt]

@Texarkana

I cannot fathom how that type of “experience” could exist in our litigious US trophy society. As Palm Beach said, it’s a skill that even experienced riders may not be able to master.

However, when I am Czar of racing one day, I would totally make learning to gallop more accessible to the average Joe horseperson without racing contacts. Racing has become quite an insular industry in modern times, and as interest wanes, the sport needs to make themselves more accessible if they are going to survive.

Fox hunting and steeplechasing, two other dying horse communities, have adopted the idea of paid clinics to introduce outside riders to their games. I don’t see why a breaking farm couldn’t coordinate something similar in their off season. Keep a few duds who aren’t going to cut it on the track around and charge $500/rider for the weekend to get an introduction to riding and caring for racehorses. You could teach riders to pony, jog the wrong way, maybe a little gallop depending on skill levels… not to mention teach the nuances of racing that are so different from pleasure and show horses. Not bad supplemental income for some of these farms who are struggling in today’s economy.

That’s a great idea, like a working cattle ranch that hosts vacationers. Called a dude ranch I think, yours could be Race Trials

[NancyM]

Insurance rates would be devastating if the farm owned the horses, and the potential riders there did not hold an occupational license from a racetrack. Dude ranches pay huge insurance rates- the cost has put many smaller dude operations out of business in our area. The actual “dude” operation at a guest ranch is almost a “lost leader” these days, the money is made elsewhere, on accommodation. If the riding offered covers it’s own cost (of insurance, wages, feed, horses), that would be considered a “win”.

We started a few people galloping when we had a training farm/ training track. They owned their own horses, and were already licensed with “occupational” licenses from the track. One woman bought a horse to do this, paid $500 for the horse to learn to gallop on it. Others were horse owners who had plans to race their horse, if things went well at the training farm, and insurance was covered with EC until they became racehorses and moved to the track.

IMO, people who want to gallop on a racehorse once and not pursue skill and experience over time in this endevour should change their mind about what they want to do. It isn’t something that would work out well. It’s like someone with experience flying a cessna wanting to take a turn on a fighter jet, just once.

[Palm_Beach]

Loss leader…although “lost leader” probably defines management.

[Laurierace]

Pimlico does a breast cancer research fund raiser where they let people take their own horses around the track. You could probably find someone locally who would let you ride their horse for that.

[Gestalt]

Or if you really want to be brave see about spending a few days at Gate to Great Thoroughbreds in South Dakota.:yes:

[RumorHasIt16]

Thanks for the input! I didn’t expect there to be anything, but thanks for helping me out anyway.

[spotted_draft_x_fill]

Yeah nothing like that would ever happen here in the US. It’s a huge liability. I worked for Keeneland and I asked if I could gallop my tb on the track right after all the trainers were done and they said no because it would be a huge liability if anything was to happen. Now if I moved him to the track even for a day under a trainers name, that would be a different story. But with so many things that could go wrong, they don’t want to be held responsible plus if it was an active racehorse that’s in training/racing, no trainer or owner would want to risk their investment on someone who just wants to see what it’s like. If someone really wants to know what it’s like, take a tb out into an open field and let the horse fly.

[Highflyer]

We do have “Canter for the Cure” at Pimlico here where one day a year you can pay to ride your own horse on the track: https://www.facebook.com/events/608678119213040 I’ve never been but a lot of my friends go every year and love it.