tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post7142612953075373590..comments2024-02-27T17:43:37.207-05:00Comments on View From the Racetrack Grandstand: Siding with the JockeysThat Blog Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15487597769210721585noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-61936475518277871112011-10-17T19:20:47.412-04:002011-10-17T19:20:47.412-04:00Good post Pacing Guy. It comes back to the BHA no...Good post Pacing Guy. It comes back to the BHA not wanting to determine what was right and what wasn't during the race.<br /><br />Now I can understand jockeys being unable to keep a count or the stewards unable to determine when and where the horse was struck - through watching via binoculars/camera/video replays. <br /><br />But the key point you nailed was here...<br /><i>..when you hit the horse too hard; where you hit it; how you wind up before letting the horse feel the whip which matters.</i>.<br /><br />This of course is a grey area and that's difficult for both stewards and the public to gauge accurately. <br /><br />As an inveterate replay watcher (t-breds) I'm certain nearly 4 times out of 5 the an errant horse in the stretch is the result of a whip striking and/or the jockey having but one hand on the reins. TWO HANDS please - ride them out. <br /><br />Until thoroughbred racing actually runs these races in that manner we'll never know how beneficial "no-whip" races are.<br /><br />As for Harness racing, I'm pretty certain the drivers have far better steering than 114 lb. jockeys do. But I do think stinging a trotter had a direct relationship between incessant whipping and gait. Thanks to both of you for calling this to our attention. I'm sure this will be discussed many times in the near future.The_Knight_Skyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13497100877439699363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-21170388217701758132011-10-17T13:13:50.717-04:002011-10-17T13:13:50.717-04:00Well said!
As for the BHA rule, well, it is my gu...Well said!<br /><br />As for the BHA rule, well, it is my guess that jockeys could learn to add up their whip hits; it's just another skill, in the end, like calculating time and distance, and with time it would be as natural as anything else they do.<br /><br />You ARE conscious, very conscious, after all, when you're galloping, and the jockeys seem to give some sort of impression that they're in a red haze of thirst to win, and they can't help themselves if they just keep hitting and hitting, and that is a bit suspect to me. You really can't tell that you've hit the horse five times? Really? Then maybe you go overboard with the whip.<br /><br />Five times is a lot, honestly, as a horsewoman AND as an exercise rider, I believe five whips is a lot. Five whips in any other sport is a sound beating. Five whips in the jumping arena will get you rang out of competition. <br /><br />I think the BHA can handle the situation differently, giving the riders time to develop the skill to count and time their strokes, but in the end, I like the rule.Natalie Keller Reinerthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12171624494588937877noreply@blogger.com