Instructions
Find a veterinarian who specializes in racehorses and is willing to be on call. Make sure your veterinarian will be available whenever you may need him.
Provide your racehorse prospect with a balanced, high-energy diet with easily digestible starch for conditioning and developing lean muscles. Texas A&M University's Equine Science professors state that two-year-old horses beginning training should be fed the following daily: 2.5 pounds of crude protein, 26.5 megacalories of digestible energy, 50 grams lysine, 27 grams phosphorus, 46 grams calcium, 15.5 grams magnesium and 18,000 international units of Vitamin A. Work with your veterinarian to determine if a complete feed pellet or a mix of supplements should be fed.
Check for signs of injury before and after each workout. Run your hands down each leg, feeling for sensitivity, swelling or excessive heat. Call your veterinarian at the first sign of injury.
Note your horse's heart and respiration rates before and after each workout. Keep a log and monitor how long it takes him to cool off after each workout. As conditioning improves, your horse's heart and respiration rates should return to normal, pre-workout rates with shorter cool-down times. Call your vet if your horse's heart and respiration rates are above normal at rest or if it takes longer than usual for those rates to return to normal after a workout.
Use appropriate warm-up techniques before each workout, and use appropriate cool-down techniques after each workout. Start warming up your horse by walking, trotting, then cantering before the workout. Cool down by trotting, then walking your horse until he is cooled off. Check for excessive heat and sweat inside and between his front legs, distended veins in his neck and high heart and respiration rates. Avoid letting your horse stand still until he is completely cool.
Begin the conditioning process when your horse is two years of age. Start the training slowly, building muscle and fitness over time. Spend at least thirty days working at slow speeds. Begin with walking and trotting, slowly working up to cantering and minimal galloping.
Incorporate sprint training twice a week for six weeks. Rest your horse between each sprint. Increase the amount of sprinting in each workout session gradually over time.
Allow your horse two days of rest each week for recovery. Turn your horse out in a pasture to keep him happy and fresh.
How Do I Train a Horse to Be a Racehorse?
Racehorses require training and conditioning, much like any other performance athlete. Every horse is different and must have a well-planned training schedule specifically designed for its needs. Trainers should have plenty of experience with horses and knowledge of signs of injury, nutrition and horse psychology. Individuals who want to start training racehorses should check state licensing requirements, and, once having been licensed, work with experienced professionals before training horses alone.