The glitz and glamour of the races shadow the sweat and strain that goes into daily care of thoroughbreds. Every job in this industry is different, but each has the same goal: winning races.
My first few days at Christopher Head’s stables were a whirlwind. My schedule is summarized in the below photo.
A few hours after arriving in Chantilly on August 1st, we were loading Blue Rose Cen into a travel van for her trip to Goodwood Racecourse in the UK for the Nassau Stakes. As I had just arrived in my new home, I didn’t think I would be traveling to the race as well - but surprise! London was calling. Once again, we were off to the races, and this road warrior was ready. But first, there was the test to see if I could survive a day in the stables.
My first official day was August 2nd, where I was given a “warm welcome” by my new home - aka freezing weather (for this Miami girl) and pouring rain.
My first moments were as you would expect for a Communications Director: shoveling horse poop. I was told that the first thing I needed to learn was how to prepare a box, so that one day when someone talks about it or shows me, I’ll be able to say I know how it’s done. It’s also the first connection that you make with a horse; they know you’re taking care of them.
I thought I would watch one or two boxes and then prepare one or two myself. 15 boxes later… let’s just say I have a whole new level of appreciation for the yardsmen (and women). Fresh off two shoulder surgeries, I know I won’t be changing career paths anytime soon. But I can now proudly say that I survived the first test - and put a whole new meaning to the phrase, “Learning from the ground up.”
Some other things I learned: how to put a bridle on a horse, how to properly groom a horse (an artform, in my opinion), and my favorite - how to open and close a stall door. (I locked myself in three stalls the first day… not my finest moment, but we all had a good laugh).
On August 3rd, I was in my element as Yeguada Centurion’s “owners representative” at Goodwood - representing in my native language (albeit with a different accent). It was a quick day trip with Christopher and our jockey Aurelian; by 11am we were in the UK and at 9pm I was watching the sunset on our plane ride home.
Races in the UK have a unique atmosphere, including lunch with the Duke and Duchess of Richmond. While it wasn’t our best race, it was a great opportunity to learn and to build new connections. And in the wise words of our trainer, “There’s always another race.”
The next day, it was right back to the stables. Luckily, no more shoveling horse poop - but lots of learning about race strategy, medical policies, how to feel a horse’s legs and important things to look out for in the physique.
I don’t think I’ve ever been further outside my comfort zone. I like to say that I’m learning two languages at the same time: horses and French. (But as an added bonus, my Spanish is improving!)
Luckily, the head lad had the brilliant idea to use Google Translate to explain things to me. Maybe not the quickest tool, but more efficient than my blank American stares.
I have to admit that as a communications professional, not being able to communicate is one of the worst feelings ever. I thrive off building relationships with others and getting to have meaningful conversations. Thankfully, my Head Racing team has been patient with me - and teaching me some French expressions along the way (some that I should not repeat in this blog). And thankfully, I’m quickly learning how to communicate with the horses.
Next step - find a French tutor 😅
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