When the results show the horse was scratched by the vet, does that always mean a lameness issue? Or could there be other reasons? Thanks!
[QUOTE=caryledee;4471088]
When the results show the horse was scratched by the vet, does that always mean a lameness issue? Or could there be other reasons? Thanks![/QUOTE]
Could be anything from lameness, to colic, to a cough, to a temp.
But it would definitely be a health issue, right? A trainer that I know drove 2 horses to the track to race tonight and both of them were scratched by the vet. It doesn’t surprise me that one was scratched, but both? I just find that strange.
Not unusual if a ship-in is vet scratched sick for the whole load to be scratched if there is fever or snots involved.
That makes sense; I hope it is something that simple and both are okay.
Thanks!
[QUOTE=caryledee;4471130]
But it would definitely be a health issue, right? A trainer that I know drove 2 horses to the track to race tonight and both of them were scratched by the vet. It doesn’t surprise me that one was scratched, but both? I just find that strange.[/QUOTE]
Not to throw unfounded speculation to that situation, but a possibility in those circumstances is that maybe the horses encounted problems while shipping and were banged around a little. I was getting one ready to race a few months ago and when applying ice boots, I saw that the mare had a new scrape down her side from a popped out nailhead in her stall. The track vet came between races, was not so bothered by the scratch, but thought that enough muscle spasm existed around the wound that she ordered a scratch.
Which state are you speaking of?
They were going to race at Mountaineer…are they pretty strict there?
could they have gotten there too late for vet check?
I don’t know…considering it was an evening race, I would think they would have gotten there on time. Another strange thing was that the first horse was scratched, then there appeared to be a jockey change for the second horse, then the veterinarian scratch happened a few minutes later. Does the jockey have any say on if the horse should run or not?
I’m not sure about the 2nd horse that was scratched, but there was a ship in scratched in the 2nd race —horse hadn’t run in 2 yrs. – rider took the horse to the vet to jog & vet scratched the horse. Good-looking horse. I took a night out there last night for just the first 4 races…
When a rider takes a horse that doesn’t feel ‘right’ to them to the vet…the vet will watch the horse jog. If he doesn’t see anything, there will be a rider change as obviously the rider on the horse doesn’t fee comfortable. If he sees the lameness, then the horse is out.
Thank you horselover61; I’ve PMed you.
Ah… my other half was telling me about the scratch in the 2nd last night. Big, gorgeous horse that had been a show horse for a couple years, hadn’t run since 2005 or something? He told me that the horse was sound, but when he jogged, his action was very high - he was bringing his knees way way up. I imagine the jockey felt uncomfortable with the way the horse was going. Our track was resurfaced this week and it is very, very deep - so it could have been that the horse was fine, but affected by the deepness of the track. Shame the guy traveled all the way from KY to have both his horses scratched in the post parade. My other half could not comment on the horse in the 3rd race that was scratched, but he told me the one in the 2nd was a beautiful, beautiful animal.
My other half just told me that while he didn’t see the one in the 3rd jog on the track, the filly/mare in the 3rd race had ankles like softballs, and he wasn’t surprised at all that that particular horse was scratched. The trainer’s choice in riders didn’t help him any - the rider that he used (whose name I won’t post here) wants every horse to feel PERFECT underneath him from the moment he gets on. Some horses need a quarter mile or so to get warmed up and “get the kinks out.” And with the way DH was describing the first horse’s action - he was probably scared spitless. Certain jockeys have a reputation for being extremely particular about what they will ride and what they will scratch. If the rider feels something is amiss he goes to the vet, who makes the call on 1) return for a different rider or 2) scratch the horse. With that very high action of the horse in the 2nd race, the vet no doubt chose discretion over valor (as sometimes one must).
Well, its a shame for the trainer. I don’t think he is actually the trainer of the horse in the 3rd race; I think he was just doing someone a favor.
I was the one showing the gorgeous one last year; he is every bit as nice on the inside as he is on the outside! 
The horse does have some issues but he has been training well from what I’ve heard. I could definitely see why he wouldn’t like a deep track though; it just wouldn’t match his natural movement.
I’m just glad everyone came home okay.
Ahh, someone forgot to tell the horse, that this wasn’t dressage, LOL.
I would have given anything to see that…this horse normally has the most daisy cutter action I’ve ever seen. To watch him move like a Saddlebred would have been quite amusing…
