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Old 03-01-2022, 12:00 PM   #1
Tim Y
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video aids

In the 80's there were a lot good, and a few not so good videotapes helping the player better this/her game.

At the top of the list were several by Lawlor Producions about how to best watch a race to better understand "trips." THis one isolated races where horses were steadeid, checked or taken up, bumped, rider lost an iron, saddle slipped etc. by using dozens of videos edited from NYRA races. The commentary was great as well. I learned, for the first time about "run thoughs." I NEVER ONCE saw this happend on the West coast or midwest for that matter. After a trainer got permission form the stewards, the rider of that barn's animal would get a "workout within a race," by being allowed to run the lenght of the stretch without the standard of the rider standing in the irons right after the finish line. A sneaky workout within a race: supposedly in preparation for tyring harder in the NEXT outing.

A lady named Ledbetter made several videos about how to best discriminate between a horse that has a "grass stride," to one that had a stride best suited for the main track. She also went to great lengths in comparing inefficient strides (high stepping with curled front legs) versus the smooth lower swing of a more efffective FORWARD motion lower stride. She outlined what to look for in the post parade with dull/dappled coats, dull action and/or listless walking horses. Very informative.

Joe Tackach made several videos about paddock inspection as to better understand which animals were well meant today. His best observation was ain animals he called "walking sort," where normally the back hoof prints shoud just about over-ride the front ones in a horse that is not sore. If they DO NOT OVERLAP, the animal is telling you that full extension in its stride is not comfortable. He also pointed out how UNEQUAL head bobs indicated unilater soreness.. Quadrapeds have a very strong nuchal ligament that connects the body to the neck and allows for the horse to sleep stanidng up. WIth each stride it pulls the head back ad by inference, if the head bobs are not symmetical, the animal is telling you that it is sore on one side......The nuchal ligament helps support the head and neck in the horse. During locomotion, the caudal funicular and cranial lamellar regions make the largest contribution to elastic strain energy storage.

For the most part these ideas were very effective, EXCEPT for the fact that we as observers are seeing these animal (in the paddock) right after they come out of their stalls where they have been standing for long periods of time. (I know that when I get up each morning, it takes about 20 mins for the limbs to warm up).

I kept meticulous records of observations of these minor suggestions of unsoundness, AND they did not jive to the performances of the horses. Confused, I consulted the vet at the gate and he told me that many of the minor soreness problems discovered in the paddock warm themselves out by the time the animals get to the gate. To parpahrase him:"If they came to load with that much going against them, they would most likely be a gate scratch.

Moral of the story: Don't put too much emphasis in paddock inspections.
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Old 03-01-2022, 12:08 PM   #2
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Stringhalt, or equine reflex hypertonia, is a neuromuscular condition that causes a gait abnormality characterized by involuntary, exaggerated upward movement of one or both of the hindlimbs. It looks like a jerk or hop, with the affected hindlimb(s) snapped up towards the abdomen. This generally occurs with every stride at the walk, but can lessen at the trot and is usually absent at the canter. The degree of hyperflexion varies from mild to severe and is most obvious when the horse is turning sharply, backing, going down a slope, in the first few walking steps after standing still, or during gait transitions. A hopping gait may be exhibited in severe cases.

There are two major categories of stringhalt: acquired (Australian, plant-associated, pasture-associated, or sporadic) and idiopathic (true, classic or atypical). The acquired form results from plant (often flatweed/false dandelion, Hypochaeris radicata) toxicity, often occurs as an outbreak in horses on pasture in late summer or fall, and is usually temporary. Although it is known as Australian stringhalt, it can occur worldwide and cases have been reported in California. The idiopathic form can be caused by injury or trauma, specifically to the back, neck, or leg, and can improve once the injury is healed
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Old 03-01-2022, 02:42 PM   #3
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Moral of the story: Don't put too much emphasis in paddock inspections.
I completely disagree.

I never saw any expert videos that focused solely on soreness. There's plenty to be discerned in the paddock.

There's muscle development and overall focus.

Then there's big negatives. I've seen horses drop loose poop in the paddock, an absolute disqualifier for me. I saw one horse with a scratch that I figured was probably from a gate accident and I later confirmed that hunch was right and that horse had no interest in racing.

I also don't care for odd equipment. When horses come in with hoof boots or leg bands and such, I have to wonder.

The tail and eyes tell a very important story.

Notes on tongue ties and bits can be helpful.

Paddock inspection or even overall physicality evaluation are not the total picture. But, if one is looking to make a max wager (whether that's $2 or $20,000), then it is best to know what the horse is telling you.
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Old 03-01-2022, 03:16 PM   #4
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Unless you are at the track everyday and see these horses each time they run, and know what you are looking at, paddock inspections can be very misleading. There was a champion horse several yrs ago[Shackaford[spelling wrong] who was always a total mess in the paddock. He was always totally washed out every time he came to the paddock and acting very nervous. Those who didn't know this was normal for him would have wagered against every time. Same with trip capping. Unless a horse has a major problem which everyone sees it becomes totally subjective. What you think is an excuse I may not. Some horses are always causing their own problems. I'll leave this stuff to the experts and go with what I see in the pps and my records.
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Old 03-01-2022, 04:04 PM   #5
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There are always exceptions, but just like the paper facts, the physical facts generally have a lot of adherence to guidelines. But it certainly does help to see the horse multiple times.

I don't play a whole lot of supers, but the two biggest I have hit were both based about 90+% on physicality. Both were maidens, one had only one prior start in the field. Both were at Lone Star, where I get to see the horses going to the paddock, in the paddock and in the post parade. By the time they warm up, it is usually too late for me to get down a wager.

And, it is important to know the difference between ready on the toes and too nervous. Sometimes that's a fine line.

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Old 03-01-2022, 09:20 PM   #6
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Unless you are at the track everyday and see these horses each time they run, and know what you are looking at, paddock inspections can be very misleading. There was a champion horse several yrs ago[Shackaford[spelling wrong] who was always a total mess in the paddock. He was always totally washed out every time he came to the paddock and acting very nervous. Those who didn't know this was normal for him would have wagered against every time. Same with trip capping. Unless a horse has a major problem which everyone sees it becomes totally subjective. What you think is an excuse I may not. Some horses are always causing their own problems. I'll leave this stuff to the experts and go with what I see in the pps and my records.
Tim
You have clearly mastered the PP's and records. I can see where you wouldn't want to split your focus.
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Old 03-02-2022, 12:26 PM   #7
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Great case of Confusion by inclusion: more factors without knowing their relevace to the whole will seriously DILUTE one's powers of decision, but there is not a lot of that around.

Correlation versus CUASE and EFECT are as diferent as butter to butterfiles
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Old 03-02-2022, 12:59 PM   #8
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Great case of Confusion by inclusion: more factors without knowing their relevace to the whole will seriously DILUTE one's powers of decision, but there is not a lot of that around.

Correlation versus CUASE and EFECT are as diferent as butter to butterfiles
Very eloquent.

And empty.
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Old 03-02-2022, 06:35 PM   #9
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Bonnie Ledbetter: 1) Spotting the Sore and Unfit horse, 2) The Body Languarge of Horses
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Old 03-02-2022, 07:01 PM   #10
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Bonnie Ledbetter: 1) Spotting the Sore and Unfit horse, 2) The Body Languarge of Horses
Uh, those sources have topics other than sore horses. If you evaluate solely on what you perceive to be soreness, you've omitted all of the other topics for evaluation. Sore horses do win races, though they should often be considered a pass. Just as with other handicapping methods, it is very tough to try to pick a winner in every race... some (many) have to be passed.
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