When a horse is castrated, it is said to be “gelded.” If a horse is listed as a “first time gelding” in the program, then it is making its first start as a gelding. Because castrating a horse makes it kinder and easier to handle, is can really help horses that were previously aggressive during races. Gelding a horse is considered a positive equipment change.
Lasix, also known as Salix, is a diuretic medication administered to a horse before a race to prevent bleeding in its lungs. Some 98% of horses in the United States run on Lasix, although its use is prohibited in other countries. Without Lasix, if a horse is exerting too much pressure on itself during a race, blood vessels in the lungs will pop, causing the lungs to “bleed” and the horse will not be able to get enough oxygen. A common indication that a horse is “bleeding” is when a horse suddenly stops running fast and lets the rest of the field pass it. “First Time Lasix” is noted in the racing program can cause a horse to finish much better than in its previous race.
Horses have preferences for the type of track on which they like to run. A wet track can help some horses run much better than they normally would run. The difference is especially important if one of the favorite horses hates wet tracks and runs poorly.
Blinkers, fabric hoods placed on the horse’s head with cups limiting the horse’s vision, are the most common type of equipment trainers use to change a horse’s performance. Blinkers make it so that a horse can only see directly ahead and will be less likely to be startled or upset during a race. Blinkers improve a horse’s focus during a race and get the horse interested in the race earlier. By removing blinkers, trainers can cause a horse to run further back from the early speed horses and to relax. These changes must be noted in the program.
Horses can only wear certain kinds of horseshoes on race days. Many horses wear toe grab shoes, which are horseshoes with small cleats in the front. The design is intended to help propel horses over the course faster. Toe grab shoes are not allowed on turf courses because they ruin the course. Special shoes called mud caulks may be worn in the mud. Some horses with fragile feet wear bar shoes. Bar shoes that take pressure off the back part of the foot, allowing horses to run more comfortably. Shoe changes are listed on the “shoe board” which is usually located near the paddock, or on the TV monitors before the race.
