Rug over horse in gate?

[Simkie]

I saw this at Canterbury in late August and keep forgetting to ask about it.

Mare/filly race on the grass. One mare was outfitted with a heavy rump rug behind the gate before she loaded. It was like a quarter sheet, but looked heavier and went further down her sides. Covered everything behind the saddle and hung to below the stifle.

An asst starter stood behind the gate and held onto a strap attached to the rug, and when the gate opened, she left and the rug stayed.

I’ve never seen anything like that, and there were no odd equipment notes in the program. What’s the deal?

[Drvmb1ggl3]

They are fairly common in Europe. I believe Monty Roberts was the first to popularise them. In fact they are often referred to as “Monty Roberts Rugs” in some quarters.

[CrowneDragon]

You see them every one in a while. They’re usually used for horses that get upset by touching the insides of the gate.

[Flypony]

They help with horses that want to kick over the backs. And as a security blanket of sorts. The horses that wear them go up first and get the blanket on , before the field starts to load.
I saw one get loose at the gate this year with the blanket on. The horse came backwards past the grandstand, and around to the backside. The outrider did catch it on the first try.

[ellevt]

What Drvmb1ggl3 said.

[CrowneDragon]

I forgot about the Monty Roberts thing. He does have an explanation of the rug on his website. http://www.montyroberts.com/book-excerpts/the-monty-roberts-blanket/

[Simkie]

Interesting–thanks, all!

[findeight]

Those have been around since way before MR took credit for them.

[Laurierace]

I always wondered if tracks had those on hand or if the trainer had to provide it. Luckily never had much gate trouble.

[Angelico]

Most tracks do usually have one on hand at the gates.

[gumtree]

[QUOTE=findeight;7841730]
Those have been around since way before MR took credit for them.[/QUOTE]

Thanks you. I don’t much care for MR he thinks he wrote the book on just about everything horse.

But he is laughing all the way to the bank. His initials should be P-T as in Barnum

[gumtree]

[QUOTE=Laurierace;7842064]
I always wondered if tracks had those on hand or if the trainer had to provide it. Luckily never had much gate trouble.[/QUOTE]

Good question. I do know at one time most if not all tracks didn’t allow their use. I believe it had something to do “special equipment” and was not, could not be listed in the PPs and or not approved by the Stewards. That tracks that do allow them it is by special request and approval by the Stewards. Though every track is different.

The Euros also use what I call “side rolls” like a noseband shadow roll but they are attached to the sides of the bridle. A type of blinkers for lack of a better explanation. I use them training at my farm and they can be used at non race track Steeplechase races. But they are not allowed at flat tracks. Though there maybe exceptions that I don’t know of. For my purposes I find them much more effective then blinkers and I think the horse is a lot more predictable.

The “starting blankets” are pretty much SOP over there at least when I was spending a lot of time racing there. I think it has more to do with the size of their fields. It was not unusual for more than 20+ horses to be loaded in any given race. So the first onws loaded could be standing for quite a long time.