Several factors are required for a racer to emerge victorious in horse racing. One of these crucial factors is preparation. Proper preparation is key to success, both in life and in any sports community you may wish to belong to.
Aside from racers needing to prepare themselves, they must also prepare their horses ahead of the race. Horses are essentially what makes a horse race, and preparing them effectively for sports is always the best option.
Without proper preparation, racers risk experiencing poor performance and outcomes. With adequate preparation, however, they have a better chance of performing greatly during the race.
This article highlights seven tips for preparing your racehorse for race day.
- Practice Daily Grooming
While it’s good to intensify horse preparation as the race day draws closer, you should understand as a racer that your horse needs to be groomed daily. Grooming should not begin a few days before the race. Make it a habit to groom your racehorse whether or not there is a race at hand. This act of daily grooming makes the horse’s coat look neat and shiny.
Grooming also improves the connection between you and your horse. In grooming your horse, pay attention to its hoofs and eyes. Cleaning the hoofs makes the horse comfortable while cleaning the eyes improves its sight and vision.
- Bathe The Horse A Few Days Before The Race
Bathing the racehorse a few days before the race is an excellent way to prepare it. Bathing improves its overall appearance. Endeavour to brush various parts that must be cleaned well enough. Check parts that need to be trimmed as well. This will help remove any impediment that may prevent the horse from running well.
- Wrap The Horse’s Legs To Avoid Injury
You can wrap the legs with a polo wrap or bandage. Doing this may prevent scrapes and unwanted injuries on the horse’s legs. Having an injured horse a few days before the race will diminish its chances of performing effectively. A good wrap around its legs will prevent such occurrences. You can purchase one from Horse Rugs UK or any available horse supply store near you.
- Feed The Horse Properly
A good nutrition will help a horse to be more fit to race. It should get a balanced diet that contains the proper nutrients in the right amount. You may seek the guidance of a veterinary doctor to know more about the best food to feed racehorses. Improper feeding may lead to the horses being underweight or overweight, which may affect their performance during the race. It may also lead to severe illnesses or conditions. In addition to meals, the horse should also receive nutritional supplements and medications to help boost its health. These will ensure that your racehorse will be in its best form during race day.
- Find A Larger Space
Look for a paddock large enough for your horse, so it can move around freely. This change of space will expose the horse to a larger area where it can gallop more freely. This way, the horse will adjust quickly to a large area and get to understand how a racetrack works. While transitioning your horse from a smaller to larger space, you should maintain a slow speed. Keep guiding the horse until it adapts well to a larger area.
- Train With Other Racers To Help Your Horse Adjust To A Crowded Environment
Join other racers on the racetrack. Allow your horse to race with other horses so that it can get used to a racetrack filled with people and noise. If you don’t familiarise your horse with an environment similar to what it will experience on the racetrack, it might get overwhelmed when it hits the racetrack for the first time.
- Allow The Horse To Run With Tack While You Saddle On Its Back
It’s advisable to let your horse run around the paddock in a circular motion. Once you observed that the horse is comfortable with the training regimen, change it and try something different. Get some new equipment on its back and let it run. This will help the horse adjust and develop the necessary flexibility. Try not to ride the horse yet when you do this.
Final Thoughts
Like athletes, racehorses must be trained and well prepared ahead of races to develop competitive fitness and a winning edge. This preparation process requires a careful and well-planned approach. With the tips mentioned in this article, you can structure your preparation process and successfully put your racehorse in fair competition for the race and achieve positive outcomes.
