Hear Sally, an equine vet, and Ben, a racing groom, discuss equestrian careers within horse care and training with this episode of the ‘Race to your Career’ podcast with BHA.
Watch the video below to find out more about careers in racing, where you can work with horses on a daily basis
What does an equine vet do?
Sally’s role as an equine vet is to attend race days to ensure the rules of racing are upheld in terms of the welfare and safety of the race horses. She helps to take care of injured horses, but she also tracks the circumstances of injuries, which are analysed to ensure the sport is safer in future. She’s an expert on horse health and rehabilitation and you can hear her talk about some of the ways horses are cared for on the race track.
What does a racing groom do?
Ben’s role as a racing groom is to take care of horses on a daily basis, including exercise, grooming, cleaning out their living spaces, and feeding. A racing groom can take care of 3-4 horses in their role and there are always senior staff who are willing to give advice if you need it. Ben builds a connection with his horses and has to build respect between them so that he can train them to behave safely.
Ben’s career allowed him to work in both British and French racing schools, and even worked as an apprentice jockey. He also worked in Australia and the USA – working in horse racing can take you anywhere!
Do racing grooms and equine vets ever work together?
On racing days, a set of criteria or statistics are used to make sure that a horse is ‘fit to race’. Racing grooms and equine vets like Ben and Sally would work together to check the horse is healthy and is not likely to be injured during the race.
What do race days look like?
Equine vets will check horses as they arrive, ensure they look healthy, and also look for infectious diseases like influenza. They watch the races and intervene if needed, and check horses after the races too. The British Horseracing Authority ensures a vet is also on hand to look after the horses.
A racing groom will groom the horses and get them ready for comfortable travel, like putting their travel boots on.
What are the rules of racing and why do they matter?
The rules of racing are clear about the expectation of how horses should be looked after and how we should treat them properly. E.g. Medication use is very strict, and this covers the use of doping during races. It’s taken very seriously and there can be investigations into the horse and owner if rules are broken.
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Careers In Racing
