My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings
We’ve seen some pretty exciting rides from event riders who have lost a stirrup on course, but this ride by steeplechase jockey Hugh Morgan, is pretty incredible. After his stirrup leather broke after the first fence, he dropped the second stirrup, then continued on for three miles and 16 more fences. Watch the video below […]
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Unlike the virtual Kentucky Derby, which was a run-off between past champions, the 2020 Virtual Aintree Grand National featured the 40 horses who were already entered. Tiger Roll, who won the last two Grand Nationals, had been due to seek an unprecedented third consecutive win until the race was canceled because of the coronavirus. I […]
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Since horses see colors differently than humans, so it’s important to consider jump colors as they can influence horse and rider safety. Horses have dichromatic vision, which means they have two receptor types (light-sensitive cells in the retina of the eye) used in color vision. This gives them limited color vision, with the ability to […]
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Horse racing is one of the only sports where men and women compete against each other, although women still represent only a small fraction of professional jockeys. In the US, women comprise only 14% of working jockeys and ride in only 10% of race starts. Only 2% ride at the elite level of the Triple […]
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You have to watch this truly unbelievable ride by Aaron Kuru on Des De Jeu. After the horse “landed a bit steep” after the first fence and went down on his belly, the jockey was able to swing a leg over the saddle and get back on as Des De Jeu stood up. Make sure […]
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Just as well for Tiger Roll that the finish line came when it did. The 8-year old Irish gelding ridden by Davy Russell won the 2018 Aintree Grand National in a photo finish, holding off a late run by Pleasant Colony. A few more strides and the outcome might have been different! One of the […]
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As we head into the Aintree Grand National Weekend, this jockey cam video gives you a great feeling for what those fences are like without the chaos of the race. Ride along with jockey AP McCoy on Hello Bud, an 18-year old chaser. Pretty impressive to be jumping that course at age 18, don’t you […]
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Right now I have a special interest in studying equestrians recovering from broken bones. How long before they rode again? How injured were they? Did it make them more cautious. For example, champion UK jockey Ruby Walsh fractured his tibia at Punchestown in November, but he set his sights on the Cheltenham Festival, which starts […]
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