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The thoroughbred
Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerly
Turk. These stallions were brought to England from the
Mediterranean Middle East around the turn of the
17th century by their respective owners and were bred
The term “thoroughbred” describes a breed of horse
whose ancestry traces back to three stallions, the
The tack
Nose band
Saddle cloth
Displays the gate number of
the horse (chosen by lottery)
for a particular race. The name
of the horse is also displayed
in a stakes race.
Bridle
Crown piece
Neck piece
Head piece
Blinkers
Lead pad
Saddle
Reins
Made of lambs wool and
worn over nose to restrict
horses forward view.
Stirrup
leather
Made of cloth, it holds tongue
fast to lower jaw, to keep
horse from resisting the bit.
Two-Year-Old — A colt, filly or
gelding in its third calendar year
of life. A horse begins racing at 2.
Walks horses in stable area, normally after workouts.
Bugler
Pictured above, calls the horses to the track.
Wrapping
Three-Year-Old — A colt, filly or
gelding in its fourth calendar year
of life. At 3, a colt or filly may run
in classic races such as the
Kentucky Derby.
A horse’s age is counted as
beginning Jan. 1 of the year
following its birth.
More thoroughbred facts
Average race speed is
35 miles per hour, the
fastest race speed ever
recorded is 43 mph.
Detail
of two
riding
bats
showing
poppers
and
feathers.
The average stride of
horse is 23” to 25”.
Man O’War’s stride
was 28”.
The force on a horse’s
front hoof is at its
greatest as it hits the
track, about 2,500
pounds.
Coming out of the starting gate, a horse will
reach 40 mph in six
strides, 42 mph in 2.5
seconds.
From rest to top speed,
a horse’s heart-rate
increases by a factor of
10; a man’s increases
by only four.
A horse inhales and
exhales once every
stride, or 0.42 seconds. Thus, it completes 2.5 breathing
cycles a second.
Source: The Jockey Club / National Museum of Racing / Times Union photo files
Outrider
The groom or
trainer may
wrap the
lower leg
for support,
protection or
during therapy
Racing plates
Average race-horse
weight: 1,000 lbs.
Groom
Hot walker
with Hall of Fame jockey Steve Cauthen.
Yearling — A colt, filly or gelding
in its second calendar year of life.
Performs professional and personal services for any
number of jockeys on a given day.
Caretaker for horse — walking, bathing, feeding etc.
Aluminum shoes weighing
3 ounces applied by farrier
with “cold shoeing” method.
? 1978 Triple Crown winner
Affirmed pictured here in 1978
Valet
Made of a soft material, it
protects horse from the girth.
Strap that affixes
saddle to horse.
Tongue tie
Makes all decisions on the “tack” and adjusts the
bridle. Changes made by the trainer to the horse’s
normal tack must be listed in program or
announced.
Surcingle
Girth
Foal — A young horse of either
sex in its first year of life.
Jockey
A jockey may ride for a number of different owners
on a given day. The jockey wears the silks of the
owner for whom he or she is racing.
Rides other horses (referred to as ponies) on track,
escorting and policing the
thoroughbreds etc.
to tan to a dark brown. Mane, tail and
lower portion of the legs always black.*
Coloration
Bay — Yellow-tan to a bright auburn.
Mane, tail and lower portion of legs are Gray — Mixture of black and white hair.
Mane, tail and legs are black or gray.*
black.*
Black — Coat is black
Chestnut — Coat varies from a
red-yellow to a golden-yellow.*
Dark Bay/Brown — Varies from brown
Roan — Mixture of red and white hair
or brown and white hair Mane, tail and
legs are black, chestnut or roan.
*unless white markings are present
Jockey facts
Weigh out — weigh in
Average boot size: 5
The jockey is “weighed out” on the scale located
at the “jocks’ room.” “Weighing in” takes place on
the trackside scale just after the race. Horses carry
equal weights in plenty of races, such as the Triple
Crown races where 126 pounds are on all the
animals. This weight includes the jockey, his attire,
saddle and tack. In events such as handicap races,
horses are weighted according to age
and ability.
Average weight: 110 lbs.
Average height: 5’4”
Arm number
and goggles
Jockey Jean-Luc Samyn
on the weigh-in scales.
RICHARD LOVRICH/TIMES UNION
SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2004
Stirrup
iron
Age
Race day personalities
Trainer
Ring style bit
Shadow roll
Bugler Sam Grossman,Saratoga Race Course
ALBANY, NEW YORK
Fitted with cups to limit
Heavy pad sometimes worn
horse’s rear, side vision.
under saddle with pockets on
each side to hold weights “leads”
Braid
used to adjust race weight.
Decorative when top
braid; full braid worn
tied up in “Mud
knot” for foul track
conditions.
TIMES UNION
when in two
parts; crossed
over nose it
is called a
figure 8.
to local mares. The result was an animal that could
carry weight with sustained speed over extended distances. The breed brought a new dimension to horse
racing.