Raja, Story of a Racehorse (35 page)

Northern Dancer:
One of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history, Northern Dancer has produced multiple champion racehorses and outstanding sires.

Secretariat:
Nicknamed “Big Red,” Secretariat won the Triple Crown in 1973, the first to do so in 25 years. Secretariat set course records in the Kentucky Derby and The Belmont Stakes, winning the latter by 31 lengths.

Hand gallop:
A slow gallop.

Chapter 8: Ten-Foot Cop

Morgan:
An American breed known for their versatility

and toughness. Morgans were used as cavalry horses during the American Civil war. Morgans are used under saddle for multiple disciplines and for driving.

Quarter Horse:
Originally bred for racing short, quarter-mile distances, the American Quarter Horse is used for all Western disciplines (roping, ranching, barrel racing, reining) and most English ones (eventing, hunter/jumper, foxhunting).

Clydesdale:
A Draft breed. See Draft horse. The Budweiser Clydesdales are famous for pulling the Budweiser wagon in parades, shows and Super Bowl commercials.

Shoulder-in:
A movement in which a horse bends around the riders inside leg, resulting in the horse's front legs moving on a more inside track than the hindquarters. A shoulder-in encourages suppleness and engagement of the horse's hind end.

Cossack:
A Slavic people from southern Europe, Russia and Ukraine noted for their horsemanship and military skill; Cossacks formed an elite cavalry corps in Czarist Russia.

Quarter sheet:
A wool or fleece horse blanket used while riding in cold weather to protect the horse's flanks or hindquarters.

Tying-up:
The common term for azoturia, a condition characterized by muscle cramping in a horse's hindquarters — often caused by not properly cooling a horse down in cold weather.

Flying-lead changes:
Changing the leading leg at the canter without breaking the gait. Lead changes require the horse to balance on its hindquarters and rearrange the order of its front legs.

Chapter 9: The Ice Storm

Pony Club:
An international youth organization teaching riding, mounted sports, and the care of horses and ponies. Pony Club organizations exist in over thirty countries worldwide. See www.ponyclub.org.

Racing plates:
Light aluminum horse shoes used for racing.

Chapter 10: The Murphys

Piebald:
A horse with black-and-white coloring.

Maryland Hunt Cup:
An historic and very difficult timber race known for its big fences.

See: www.marylandsteeplechasing.com.

Gone to ground:
A term describing a fox returning to a den or fox hole.

Pick-up hounds:
Signaling to the hounds that it is time to go home after a day's hunting.

Cubbing:
The period of the foxhunting season before the formal season. Cubbing usually takes place early in the morning from August to early November.

Master of Foxhounds (MFH):
Masters are typically appointed or elected by the members of a hunt club to lead the club and make the decisions regarding the proper care and handling of hounds, relations with landowners and hunt members and the hunt staff.

The Meet:
The location from which a hunt is set to convene.

Wool cooler:
A light wool blanket used in cold weather to keep a horse warm as it is cooled out after exercising, or dries after being bathed.

Hurdle race:
A steeplechase race over hurdles — fences comprised of a padded roll-top fence topped with plastic “brush” that allows horses to “brush through” while jumping at speed.

Outrider:
A specially trained, mounted race assistant. Outriders lead horses to the start of a race and catch loose, riderless horses.

Point-to-Point:
An early season steeplechase race, typically without purses and organized by a hunt as a fundraiser and community event.

Judges' stand:
A tower where race officials and judges manage a race meet.

Turn of foot:
An expression describing a sudden burst of speed in a horse.

Win picture:
It is typical to take an official “win picture” after winning a race.

Chapter 11: Timber!

To break (in):
To train a horse for riding or driving. In company: With other horses.

Cross/Double bridge:
Two terms for holding both reins together in a “bridge” with both hands.

Hurdle fence:
A fence used for hurdle races consisting of a steel frame stuffed with plastic “brush” standing about 4 feet, 6 inches high. A foam-rubber roll, covered with green canvas, is placed on the take-off side. Hurdle fences are more forgiving than timber fences.

Wing:
White plastic “breakaway” or wooden panels on either side of a steeplechase fence.

Timber fence:
Wooden fences constructed of boards, logs or posts and rails. Timber fences are five- to six-panels wide and 3'6” to 4'6” high (Maryland Hunt Cup fences are 4'11”).

Chapter 12: The Big Sticks

Timber bandages:
Stiff bandages that protect the horse's hind legs from hitting timber fences.

Beacon:
A flag or cone or other marker designating the race course. Failing to “honor” a beacon will result in elimination and fining for going off-course.

Cover up:
Placing a horse directly behind another horse while racing or galloping in order to slow it down.

Clipping heels:
Galloping so close to a horse in front of you that you interfere with the other horse's movement. Clipping heels can be very dangerous in a race.

Sanctioned/Under Rules:
Races that are sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association and run under their regulations.

Chapter 13: Last Saturday in April

Mikey Smithwick:
Hall-of-Fame steeplechase trainer and winner of a dozen National Steeplechase Association championships. Before becoming a trainer, Smithwick was a top amateur steeplechase jockey and won the Maryland Hunt Cup a record six times.

Ride through a wing:
To intentionally swerve in front of another horse or push the horse over in the air so that the horse is forced to go through the wing.

To Quarter or “Put someone down”:
To intentionally adjust your horse's speed so that he jumps with another horse next to his hindquarters, causing the other horse to take off early and fall, or be “put down.”

Colic:
Technically, “colic” is a term for any equine stomach/intestinal disorder and can range from impactions, to gas, to intestinal twists. Colic is the number one natural killer of horses.

Mudder:
A racehorse that performs well in muddy conditions.

Weigh out:
To officially weigh for the assigned weight before the race with tack and the correct lead weights if needed.

Post time:
The official assigned time for a race to begin.

Weigh in:
To officially cross the scales after a race in order to ensure that correct weight was carried in the race.

Steeplechase Times:
The leading newspaper covering Steeplechase Racing in the United States.

See www.st-publishing.com.

Anne Hambleton
Author

Lifelong horsewoman, retired amateur steeplechase jockey and USPC graduate “A,” Anne Hambleton has been active in a number of equestrian disciplines including Eventing, Jumpers, Polo and Foxhunting. A renewable energy and corporate sustainability consultant, Anne graduated from Middlebury College and The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies. She lives on a farm in Vermont with her family and several ex-racehorses she actively trains and competes.
Raja
is her first novel.

Margaret (Peggy) Kauffman
Illustrator

A fine art bronze and pastel sculptor, Peggy Kauffman is internationally known for her portraits of both animals and people. She has completed over seventy-five bronze commissioned portraits. A lifelong horsewoman, Peggy has competed in Eventing at the intermediate level and has spent many years working with Hunter/Jumpers. Peggy has illustrated two published books:
The Fox's Morning
by Anne McIntosh and
Clayton in the Moonlight
by Jessi McQuilkin. Her work has received awards from the American Academy of Equine Art and the Kentucky Derby Museum and has been featured in
Spur
,
Equine Images
and
Country and Abroad
magazines. Peggy studied at Bennett College and at the Maryland Institute in Baltimore. She lives on a farm in Millerton, New York with several ex-racehorses.
peggykauffman.com

Cappy Jackson
Cover Photo

A lifelong horsewoman and USPC graduate “A,” Cappy Jackson has been a professional photographer for more than 40 years. She is best known for award-winning equestrian photography. Her work regularly appears in the pages of
Western Horseman
,
Horse & Rider Magazine
and
Practical Horseman
. Her most recent awards include the 2002 AQHA Photo of the Year and the 2002 Photo of the Year from US Equestrian, Inc. Cappy has a BA from Middlebury College. She lives in Glencoe, MD, where she rides as much as she can.
cappyjacksonphotos.com

Sally Stetson
Book Designer

A graphic designer focusing on print communication and packaging, patterns for fabric and rugs, interior color consulting and print making. Sally is a lifelong animal lover and currently owns three rescue dogs and three event horses in various stages! She and her husband live on a ranch in Stowe, Vermont and spend as much time as possible working from Southern Pines, NC when the snow starts to fly so she can continue training.
sallystetson.com