Raja, Story of a Racehorse (34 page)

Michelle gave me a sugar cube from her wheelchair. “You jumped like a stag. You were the best one out there. You could have gone to the Olympics, there's no doubt in my mind. You are the best horse I've ever known.”

Speedy scratched the tickly spot above my eyes and fed me a corn chip. “Raja, you got some speed, I know, like when you saved the girl's life on the farm. I loved watchin' you win. I wish Oakley coulda seen it.”

Beth gave me a big hug. She had tears in her eyes. “I read about your point-to-point win in the Steeplechase Times and I called Paddy. He told me you were headed here and I hunted down Yuri in New York. He just introduced me to Princess Ayesha. She's going to join our board AND give us a big donation to expand our rescue operation. She's donating to Michelle's therapeutic riding program, too. I knew you were a special horse from the moment I laid eyes on you. You've always had the ‘look of eagles.' I can't tell you how happy today makes me. Well done, Raja.”

Yuri walked with a slight limp as he approached me and patted me on the neck. “This is the best day of my life. Sasha, you are amazing, but I always knew that. I tried to find you when I got out of the hospital, but you had disappeared.” He bowed gallantly, looking me in the eyes with his crooked grin. “It has been an honor to have you in my life and I miss you. Now that I know where you are, I'll come and see you. I'll be visiting to help Beth work with her ‘off-the-track' rescue horses and won't be far,” he promised.

Finally, Princess Ayesha came over to me, smiling and tear-stained, her long hair bedraggled from running in the rain. She hugged me tightly, reached into her handbag, found a peppermint, and fed it to me.

“See, Raja, what did I always tell you? You are the most perfect thing in the universe and I will always love you.”

 

Chapter 1: Mark of the Chieftain

Triple Crown:
Winning the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes is the most important racing prize, with only 11 winners and none since Affirmed won it in 1978.

Bay:
A brown coloring with black mane and tail ranging from a light “blood bays” to dark brown.

Chestnut:
A reddish-brown color encompassing a range of red, gold and liver shades. A chestnut never has black points, mane or tail.

Sent to stud:
Racehorses are often sent to stud for breeding when they stop racing. Horses with winning race records can command high stud fees, making them more valuable as studs than as racehorses.

Chapter 2: Youngbloods

Tack:
Equipment used when riding a horse. In simplest terms, this consists of a saddle, a girth to secure the saddle, and a bridle for the horse's head as a means of controlling and steering.

Farrier:
A horseshoer — someone who trims horses' hooves and puts horseshoes on them.

Working or Breezing:
A fast gallop. Racehorses are usually worked once a week.

Two-minute lick:
A galloping pace that covers a mile in two minutes.

Wash stall:
A special stall for washing horses.

Cold-hosed:
Equine leg injuries are often treated by running cold water on the injured area for an extended period of time in order to reduce swelling.

Chapter 3: Road to the Roses

Hall-of-Fame trainer:
Fewer than 100 racehorse trainers have been honored by nomination to the National Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Shipping bandages:
Bandages for protecting horses' legs while shipping or travelling.

Hay net:
A cotton or nylon webbed net used to hold hay.

Backstretch:
The part of a racetrack that is farthest from the grandstand and opposite and parallel to the homestretch. “Backstretch” is also used to describe the barn area adjacent to a racetrack where horses are stabled and cared for.

Poultice:
A thick, clay-like medicinal salve that is put onto horses' legs after hard work, or, when injured, in order to draw heat from the horses' legs.

Stakes race:
A prestigious category of race in which nomination, entry and/or starting fees contribute to the purse. Stakes races are typically graded, with Grade One stakes being the most competitive.

Railbird:
Avid horse racing fans who stand next to the track rail to watch horses train and race.

Suspensory ligament:
A main supportive ligament in a horse's lower leg.

Wire-to-wire:
A horse usually crosses under the finish line, an overhead wire, several times during a race, with the final pass being the finish to the race. A horse that wins wire-to-wire leads for the entire race.

Parrot-mouth:
A parrot-mouthed horse's top incisor teeth are farther forward that that of the lower teeth.

Call to the Post:
A special call played on a bugle used to signal the horses to the starting gate.

Girth:
A leather, cotton or nylon strap that holds the saddle on a horse's back.

Overgirth:
A stretchy, elastic girth that goes over the saddle and under the horse's belly, ensuring that the saddle doesn't move if the regular girth breaks.

Quarter Pole:
A striped pole on a racetrack used for marking the quarters of the track.

Under the Wire:
Crossing the finish line, designated by an overhead wire.

Grade One Stakes Race:
The most competitive of all races, offering very large purses. Grade One Stakes horses are the best racehorses in the world.

Laminitis:
Commonly called “founder,” laminitis is a painful inflammation of the soft tissue surrounding the coffin bone in the hoof, resulting in severe lameness and, in severe cases, rotation of the bone through the sole of the hoof.

Gelded:
Castrated. Male riding horses are generally gelded.

Chapter 4: Jumpers

Warmblood
: Over the last hundred years, thoroughbreds have been crossed with draft horses to breed warmbloods, horses suited for pulling carriages, show jumping and dressage.

Short stirrup:
A horse show division for junior riders beginning to jump courses.

Pony hunter:
Classes for ponies judged on their movement, jumping style and overall performance. Classes are both over fences and “on the flat.”

Equitation:
Classes judged on the rider's position, smoothness and effectiveness. The horse is not judged outright, but the horse's performance reflects the rider's capabilities.

Selle Français:
A French sport horse known for its abilities in show jumping, racing and eventing.

Dandy brush
: A soft-bristled brush used for grooming horses.

Scope:
When riders speak of a horse's scope, they are referring to the animal's ability to jump fences easily. A good, athletic jumper is said to be “scopey.”

Oxer:
A jump that, with two sets of standards, is wide as well as tall.

Gymnastic:
A series of jumps set in a line, usually at one- or two-stride increments, used to teach a horse how to jump, and for honing jumping skills.

On the Flat:
A horse's work at the walk, trot and canter.

Dressage:
An equestrian discipline that develops, through progressive training, a horse's natural athletic ability. Dressage horses compete by performing a series of movements in an arena, and are judged on the quality of the horse's movement, precision and harmony with the rider. See www.usdf.org.

Aids:
The means by which a rider communicates with the horse. Natural aids include hands, seat, legs and voice; artificial aids include spurs and crops.

In-and-Out:
Two or more fences that are placed one, two or more strides apart from one another. Also called a “combination.”

Jumping faults:
Penalty points that are accrued in competition when a horse knocks down a rail or refuses to jump a fence.

Braiding:
Horses' manes and tails are braided for hunter and equitation classes or other formal events, such as three-phase events, dressage shows or foxhunting.

Vertical:
A jump consisting of one set of standards and a pole or poles.

On deck:
Next to go.

Half-Halt:
A barely visible, almost simultaneous coordinated action of the seat, legs and hand of the rider in order to increase the attention and balance of the horse.

Jump-off:
In jumper classes, when two or more horses do not incur jumping or time faults, they then complete a timed jump-off of a shorter course to determine the winner of the class.

Chicken Coop:
A triangular-shaped obstacle that is built on an A-frame. It is a common obstacle in the hunt field and is usually an inviting, natural jump.

Figure-eight noseband:
A type of noseband that prevents the horse from opening his mouth. The noseband crosses over the nose and attaches in two places, resembling a figure eight.

Timothy:
A type of hay commonly fed to horses.

Withers:
The ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height.

Timber:
Steeplechase races over solid wood fences, usually post-and-rail. The Maryland Hunt Cup and the Virginia Gold Cup are famous timber races.

Grand Prix:
The highest level of show jumping and dressage, typically drawing international-caliber horses and riders.

Wellington:
A major winter showing center for hunter/jumpers (and dressage and polo) in Florida. Wellington hosts a number of Grand Prix jumper events.

Pull a rail:
To knock down a rail.

Chapter 5: The “A” Circuit

“A” Circuit:
A series of hunter/jumper shows that are rated “A” and sanctioned by the United States Equestrian Federation (see www.usef.org). Shows recognized by the USEF are rated C, B, or A, with A shows most competitive.

Dropping a horse:
To suddenly release rein contact with a horse's mouth right in front of a fence, thereby throwing the horse off balance.

Getting left behind:
A rider failing to follow the horse in the air as he jumps, throwing the horse off balance and jerking him in the mouth with the reins.

Hoof dressing:
An oil-based liquid that is brushed onto horses' hooves both to promote hoof health and improve appearance.

Thrush:
A bacteria infection characterized by a foul odor, thrush, or hoof rot, is a condition that develops when the hooves are not cleaned out.

Medal/Maclay:
The USEF Medal and ASPCA Maclay Championships are two prestigious and highly

competitive national equitation awards for junior riders.

Big Eq:
Slang for horse show equitation classes in which riders show to qualify for national championships, especially USEF Medal and ASPCA Maclay Championships.

Bowed tendon:
An equine leg injury that tears the fibers that make up a horse's tendon. When the tendon is damaged, it thickens, giving it a bowed appearance.

Chapter 6: Change of Fortune

Belgian:
A Draft breed. See Draft horse.

Fetlock:
Technically, the term for joints on a horse's lower leg, often referred to as the “ankle.” The tuft of hair growing near the joint is also called the fetlock.

Draft horse:
Large, strong, heavy-boned horses bred for pulling wagons or farming equipment or logging. Typically characterized as “coldbloods,” draft breeds have been cross-bred to produce sport horses. Draft breeds include Percherons, Belgians, Clydesdales and Shires.

Chapter 7: The Man in the Cowboy Hat

Palomino:
Palominos have golden coats and light manes and tails.

Percheron:
A Draft breed. See Draft horse.

Registered Paint:
The American Paint Horse is a breed that combines both the conformational characteristics of a stock horse with a spotted Pinto coat pattern of white and dark colors.

Run for a tag:
To enter a horse in a claiming race.

Claiming race:
A type of race in which the horses entered are subject to being purchased, or “claimed,” for a specified price determined in advance of the race.

Bran mash:
An easily digested mixture of bran and other feed, moistened with hot water, often given to horses after a long work or travel day.

Rolex:
Ranked Four stars in difficulty (the most difficult) and held in Kentucky every April, Rolex is the most prestigious three-day event in the United States, typically drawing top international competitors. See Eventing.

Cross ties:
Two ties used to secure a horse for grooming while standing in a stable aisle.

Steeplechase:
A race for Thoroughbred horses requiring them to jump over fences. Steeplechase races are run over hurdles, brush obstacles, or wooden timber fence. See www.nationalsteeplechase.com.

Grand National:
A famous steeplechase race held at Aintree in England each March. The most difficult steeplechase in the world, the race was featured in the 1944 film “National Velvet” starring 12-year-old Elizabeth Taylor.

Yoke:
A neck strap often used while riding racehorses.

Leg yield:
A movement in which a rider uses their leg to move the horse in lateral direction while maintaining forward motion.

Cross rail:
A small X-shaped jump.

Rain rot:
A skin condition caused by bacteria often as a result of improper grooming, or damp conditions.

Scratches:
Also called “mud fever,” scratches is a condition caused by bacteria often as a result of standing in mud. Horses' lower legs become scabby and inflamed.

Eventing:
A three-phase competition that consists of dressage, stadium jumping (a course over fences in an arena) and cross-country (a course over natural obstacles outside of a ring, including water, ditches and banks). See www.useventing.com