Monday, December 29, 2008

Fat ones, fast ones, slow ones and boxers

I know, I know, I haven't posted in ... oh, forever. Got kind of busy with work and it's been beyond cold outside. By the time I get home, it takes me forever to thaw out.

Or I could also use the fact that I haven't really had much stamina to put together another post so far.

Lady has raced twice more since the last race post.

Turfway Park. Did pretty well the first time I took her- awful break from the gate- looking around in there like- oooooh, look at THAT horse over here!- and- Oooooooooh, look at the crowd over there!. Gates open and she is looking around.
"Oh shit, the gate is open!" Sits down like a bunny rabbit and jumps out, climbs for a little while before she finds her stride and settles in. Is about 20 lengths in back of the pack.
I'm going "Crap!" Her owner is glaring at me sideways.

Coming up on the turn, she starts running up on the field. She passes horses like they are standing still! She's going, going faster, runs up to fifth position and THE FRIGGIN RACE IS OVER ARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH. 6F. Too short for her. I knew this of course. But owner is convinced she can run short. Well, if she had broken better, she may have. Had that race been a mile, she would have won it BIG TIME.

Just took her back on Saturday. REALLY short race 5 1/2F.
Beat one horse. Still doesn't come out of that gate as fast as she possibly could and doesn't like being hustled. A good friend of mine has been riding her for these last two races and he told me everything I already saw watching the race.
She doesn't want to hustle to the front. She doesn't like the kickback from the track surface and backs up.
"I can win with this girl but you gotta send her long".

Entering tomorrow for Friday for a mile. This will be the 4th time I am trying to get her into a mile race, so far, either the race overfills or it doesn't go at all.

She's doing great today, went to the track and jogged 2.5 miles, all the while wanting to run off with Cowboy.

Lady has now also earned herself a World Heavy Weight Boxing Title. Before this last race, at the receiving barn, she gets herself hung up in her hay rack. Right in front of my eyes. I'm still baffled by how she did this. In any case, her foot is wrapped in the rack, she is going boinkers, beating herself up trying to get out of it before I can shake off the three helpful guys who are holding me back to keep me from running into her stall and freeing her. How gallant! Their idea of helping her is to yell "Whoaaaaa girl, Whoooooaaaa, calm down!"
Yea right! THAT worked really well!

I ran in and grabbed her, she immediately stopped fighting and waited for me to free her.

But she freaked herself out so bad, he adrenalin must have really thrown her for a loop. After this incident, her energy level ebbed and never came back up. After the race, she was actually walking quietly and was obviously tired.
She skinned her L shoulder at the point, her RR fetlock and a small place above her L eye.

The next morning, her leg was puffed up, her bump on the shoulder had gone down and she has a huge shiner- her eye is *pooooooof* big like a boxer's.
I sweated her leg that night and doctored the minor other scrapes.

Today, she is, feeling great, rested well, on her feed, with attitude. No swelling in the leg.
So off to the track I sent her.

Her and everyone else.

I have come to a conclusion: My horses are all nuts!

Every one of them tried to dump Cowboy. I wish I had had the camera with me to video it!

Especially Cindirelli. She has gained back the 500 lbs she lacked when she arrived and I can actually now see two round butt cheeks from her topline view! She actually looks FAT. Well, fat for a racehorse.

Which reminds me, I haven't told Cindirelli's story. Hmmm.
I think in the next few days, I'm going to have to put together a post just about this girl.

I'm going to have to bring the camera with me tomorrow. A post about Cindirelli warrants lots of video and photos.

In any case, everyone is doing great.

I'm entering Lady tomorrow for Friday. Did I already mention that?