Cross Breeds

Why do thoroughbred horses have pre-race escort horses?

Public Comments

1. It helps them stay calm and in control with companionship.
2. Some don't.. Very few need/want 'em.. Companion..Stay calm.. DO NOT Break out because of crowd noise.. Do NOT want to be scratched on parade to post..
3. @mrlongshot..... You must be talking about horse racing in Japan and Europe! :- ) ***And BTW James, they are known as pony horses or outriders in horse racing lingo. ** @salamander..... that's what I said. but they probably need to.. I have seen how them horses in the UK and Australia load into the gates.. they have to force and shove everyone of them into the shoot physically, many without the rider on board and it takes about 10 min to load a full 12 horse field...lol. It's the weirdest thing I have ever seen. Do they not have gate training in the UK? If those antics happened here in the US the horse would be scratched by the stewards pronto. If they would utilize a pony horse, maybe the racers would be a little more in control and mellowed out and not hyped up so much that they would go into the gate willingly..lol. In order to keep things running smoothly, you have to be smarter than the horse!...... ....Billy Ray "Meikyo"
4. They don't in the British Isles & continental Europe, I've never understood the need for them.
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6. They have them here because it helps the racehorses to stay calm and in control while warming up, and it prevents horses from over exerting themselves in the warmup and either getting injured or not being able to perform well because they are too tired. Escort riders also help jockeys to manage horses that are rank or mean, or horses which have serious behavior problems the way Quality Road did. Escort riders are lifesavers for a lot of jockeys, not to mention many horses. I know that things are different in Europe, the UK, and in Australia and Japan. Horses there race in both directions and only rarely need escorts to the track. That's because when they gallop and work out, they do so by themselves, and so learn to function without the need for an escort.