winter | Horse Racing Free Tips

Oaklawn Adds Races and Days

After losing eight days of racing due to record-breaking winter weather, Oaklawn has added both races and extra race days to make up for canceled days last week and this coming weekend. In addition, the Hot Springs oval previously announced the further postponement of their President's Day weekend stakes to the weekend of Feb. 27-28.

A total of 27 races have been added to the schedule as well as two additional race days Wednesday, Mar. 31 and Wednesday, Apr. 28. The track is also increasing purses for all overnight races by as much as $4,000 per race. These increases will go into effect when racing resumes Thursday, Feb. 25.

The purse increases will average 5% per overnight race, meaning maiden special weights will be increased from $82,000 to $86,000 and top allowance races will increase from $88,000 to as much as $92,000.

The GIII Southwest S., GIII Razorback H. and the Spring Fever S. will now take place Saturday, Feb. 27. The GIII Bayakoa S., Dixie Belle S. and Downthedustyroad S. will be held Sunday, Feb. 28. Nominations for all stakes were reopened and will close Friday, Feb. 19.

“There's no fighting Mother Nature, especially when our priority is safety,” Oaklawn President Louis Cella said. “However, we feel these changes will greatly benefit our horsemen and our fans by creating a huge weekend of racing to kick off the rest of the season.”

Due to Arkansas restrictions on crowd size, attendance at Oaklawn for live racing is limited to box holders, Oaklawn Jockey Club members, and patrons with dining/simulcast reservations. However, Oaklawn General Manager Wayne Smith anticipates being able to open the Oaklawn infield and other outdoor areas to fans in the coming weeks. Reservations can be made by calling 501-363-4660, Mon-Sat, for that week's races only.

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Study: Hungry Ponies May Want To Hibernate

If you've ever jokingly referenced having “the urge to hibernate” when the weather turns cold, you're not alone! Interestingly, ponies may feel the same way—especially if they don't have enough to eat.

Animals that hibernate experience a decrease in both their heart rate and their body temperature when winter weather hits; their metabolism also slows. Drs. Lea Brinkmann, Martina Gerken, Catherine Hambly, John Speakman and Alexander Riek created a study to se if ponies had similar physiological adaptations.

The research team used 10 Shetland ponies and studied them through the year, measuring each pony's vital signs and using blood tests to check metabolic rates. During winter months, they fed all 10 ponies a diet that met 100 percent of their maintenance needs. They then divided the ponies into two groups: one group received meals that met tall their metabolic needs and the second group was put on a diet that provided only 60 percent of the pony's energy requirements.

The team discovered that the ponies on the restricted winter diet had lower metabolic rates and their body temperature dropped. The scientists say that these changes, which are similar to changes hibernating animals experience, compensated for a decreased energy supply during the time of year when energy is needed to maintain warmth.

The pony's behavior didn't change, but the reduction in metabolic rate and temperature enabled them to minimize the effect of limited energy stores.

Why Do Horses Chew More Wood In Winter?

Even horses that don't typically chew wood may start nibbling wooden surfaces in winter, when temperatures drop. Studies have shown that some horses may chew on trees and fences in cold wet weather, perhaps because of an instinctive urge to ingest more roughage as temperatures dip.

Horses that pick up this habit should be evaluated by a veterinarian to rule out any nutritional deficiencies. If nothing is found to be wrong, wood chewing is considered a behavioral issue and these steps can be considered to correct it:

Eliminate access to wood sources. Though replacing fences and cutting down trees usually isn't an option, stringing an electrified wire inside the top board of fencing can prevent horses from chewing on fence boards.
Offer more hay. Providing more forage is the most effective option to stop wood chewing. Using a slow feeder can make hay last longer.
Make wood taste bad. Coating wood surfaces with a product that makes it taste bad discourages horses from chewing.
Increase exercise. Encouraging horses to move more, whether in a planned exercise regimen or on more-casual rides, can burn up extra energy that may go toward chewing.

Horse Owners: Input Needed On Blanketing Preferences

To blanket or not to blanket – that is the never-ending question facing may horse owners. Wright State University is looking for responses to a blanketing survey to help researchers better understand horse owner's blanketing and management practices during winter months. If you:

Are over 18
Own one or more horses (if you own more than one, please respond with the majority of the horse's care in mind)
Live in the United States or Canada

Please click here to take the brief survey. Wright State asks that horse owners respond only once. The survey will be open until January 5, 2021. Results will be summarized and shared at a later date.

The post Horse Owners: Input Needed On Blanketing Preferences appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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