Harry's Race Day Routine

Hi folks,
Here is a glimpse of what Harry's day/ night will look like tomorrow and the gear that he wears. Thank you to Bobbi Jo Matheson for putting this together for all of us.  Stay tuned tomorrow for information on watching Harry tomorrow night, live and live-stream!
Harry's gear:

• Knee boots - these protect his knees as some horses will hit their knees
• Tendon boots - these are a lightweight protective boot that protect their tendons in the event the horses hits themselves
• 59 inch hopple - these are the long loops that they wear around their legs that keep them pacing
• Martingale - this is what you will see that goes between his chin and his chest - it keeps him from being able to throw his head
• Tongue tie - small piece of material that simply ties his tongue down so that he doesn't get it over the bit or get distracted playing with it all the time
• Closed bridle - this means he wears a bridle that blocks him seeing anything on either side of him
• Head pole - he wears this on the inside (meaning when he is going the right way it faces the center of the track) and it is used to keep him going straight

 
Harry's race day routine:

• doesn't jog on race days
• gets his normal breakfast and hay in the morning
• doesn't get any hay in the afternoon and just a very small portion for supper so as not to fill his belly too much
• depending on how many are in to race kinda determines what time he will get ready to go - this Saturday he will be mostly ready to go by 5:30 since we have so many in to go (he will just stand in his stall on the guidelines until it's time to go to the paddock)
• I will get him ready to go
• either Jackie, Ronnie or Kyle Gillis will warm him up
• since he is in Race 11 that means he will warm up after the 8th race
• the paddock is whats called a "2 race paddock" so only the horses in two races at a time can be down there - Harry warms up after the 8th race finishes because once the 9th race parades on the track it makes room for the horses in the 11th race to come in
• Harry does not warm up with his hopples on as he gets too keyed up
• once Harry gets to the paddock he goes into the "pee stall" to use the washroom
• after that he comes back in the paddock and we get his hopples on
• Harry is not "studdy" at all in the paddock - he doesn't squeal or kick at anyone or any other horse - he is very well behaved for a stud - but there is always someone with him (it's almost always myself)
• Harry will post parade with the rest of the horses in the 11th race 7 minutes before post time
• after the race the winning horse, and possibly one other horse, will be called to the test barn which is back in the paddock (testing involves either a blood test or a urine test and its the judges call as to which test is done on which horse and it is used to ensure that the horse was not given any performance enhancing substances)
• after the race if Harry doesn't have to go to test he will go back to the barn to have his gear stripped off and to get a bath - John Power or Jackie will usually be the one to bath
• after he is bathed he goes in his stall and usually has a big drink
• he can have some hay approx 10-15 mins after that - you just want to make sure he isn't still breathing heavy so he doesn't choke on the hay
• after he is dry he gets put away - this involves brushing him off, grooming his mane and tail, he gets his feet packed with cool mud and then his hooves are painted with oil - this helps to keep them soft and from breaking away, and he also gets some cream put in his heels to keep them from drying out too
• once he is done being put away we clean up his stall a bit, get him a fresh bucket of water and then finally he is able to go back to his stall and have his supper and some treats (carrots and bananas)
• Harry will get two days off from jogging after he races

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