Have a love for the racing industry and think that you’d be the sort of person to keep rules enforced and everyone playing fair?

Ensuring that the Rules of Racing are adhered to, stewards are responsible for the conducting of race meetings.  Duties surround those that help to control and regulate racing.

Within Australia, employment happens through the Principle Racing Authority of each State and all stewards start as a Cadet Steward.

In the US, whether it be for harness racing, the gallops or greyhound racing, to be a steward or racing official, you need to be accredited.  Both the University of Lousiville and Arizona have accreditation schools.  Alternatively, you can look at the Racing Officials Accreditation Program website.

Where to start?  Perhaps at one of the top racecourses:
– Flemington Racecourse, Australia.  Home of ‘the race that stops the nation’, the Melbourne Cup.
– Caulfield Racecourse, Australia.  Home of the Caulfield Cup.
Both found through Racing Victoria Limited.
– Longchamps, France.  Home of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.  Found through France Galop; French and English versions available.
– Tokyo Racecourse, Japan.  Home of the Japan Cup.  Found through Japan Racing; Japanese, French and English versions available.
– Aintree Racecourse, United Kingdom.  Home of the Grand National.  Found through http://www.aintree.co.uk/
– Churchill Downs, USA.  Home of the Kentucky Derby.
– Pimlico Racecourse, USA.  Home of the Preakness Stakes.
– Belmont Park, USA.  Home of the Belmont Stakes.
– The Curragh, Ireland.  Home of the Irish Triple Crown, the Irish 2000 Guineas, the Irish Derby and the Irish St. Leger. http://www.curragh.ie/

Of interest:
Article, Female Steward Will Make History.
Article, Experienced NSW Steward Joins NZ Racing.

“Ascot is so exclusive that it is the only racecourse in the world where the horses own the people.” – Art Buchwald

tag: horse racing, racing course, racing marshall, racing steward, cadet steward, racing official

I’m rather becoming fond of working part time as a clerk in a hospital and seem to be finding out more about horse related careers than I do when on the stud!  The latest is Hippotherapy which combines horse riding (generally with the help of the ingenious setup that is Riding for the Disabled) and the likes of a trained therapist (occupation, physical and speech).

The particular fact sheet provided to me was put together in conjunction with Pegasus, Riding for the Disabled of ACT.  Hippotherapy works to improve the client’s balance, function, posture and mobility through the use of a horse’s movement.  The movement of the horse is used to influence the client rather than the other way around.

“In the beginning we were woefully ignorant of the implications of the rider’s disabilities – we just had to ‘suck it and see’”.

However, on the first afternoon at Forrest Park, she recalls that a young girl who was usually wheelchair bound, rode under a tree and reached up to touch the leaves.

Suddenly the girl shouted “I can touch them! They are so soft!”

As joy and tears transformed the girl’s face, Bid was hooked forever and riding for the disabled was born in Canberra.

Want to know more?  Take a look at Pegasus’ Hippotherapy Fact Sheet.

A high proportion of clients have Cerebral Palsy while others have Multiple Sclerosis, a traumatic brain injury, cerebral vascular accident or functional spinal curvature such as scoliosis, kyphosis or lordosis.

For those interested in pursuing this rewarding work, take a look at the American Hippotherapy Association’s education page and related curriculum.

Links of interest:
Hippotherapy at Wikipedia.
Hippotherapy in Western Australia.
http://www.americanhippotherapyassociation.org/ – the American Hippotherapy Association.
Volunteer at Pegasus ACT – minimum age 14 years.
Hippotherapy at YouTube.

“Riding Develops Abilities.”

tag: hippotherapy, physical therapy, equine therapy, riding for the disabled, volunteer with horses

The Living Horse Museum in Chantilly was an eye opener to some of the important roles that horses have played in history as well as personal roles in peoples’ lives.  Some horse related collections I hadn’t considered, included a room full of carousel horses as well as some wooden rocking horses on display outside.

Despite not growing up with a rocking horse somewhere in the household, the idea of horses was no doubt instilled at a young age.
I do however believe it is these gorgeous works of craftsmanship that help many a young person to realise their love of horses.

Libby Bailey has turned her love of horses into the art of restoring old rocking horses and selling these recreations.  You can view her site at http://www.rockinghorserestorations.com.au/.  “Libby restores Australian and English wooden rocking horses to the traditional dapple grey finish of the English horses of the past.”

Located in Melbourne, Australia, Thomas Earle Rocking Horses “are recreations of the rocking horses of Georgian and Victorian England. Each horse is created individually, to traditional patterns, using traditional and modern techniques.”  Interested in the history of rocking horses?  Thomas Earle Rocking Horses provides that too.

Other links of interest:
– Perhaps you’d like to take part in a short course where you can make your own rocking horse.  Maybe it’s just the start you need to pursue a passion that could lead to paid work.
– http://www.rockinghorsestables.co.uk is a family run business in Whitley Bay that buys, sells and restores vintage rocking horses.

“Horses are the dolphins of the plains, the spirits of the wind; yet we sit astride them for the sake of being well-groomed, whereas they could have all the desire in the world to bolt, but instead, they adjust their speed and grace, only to please us, never to displease.” – Lauren Salerno

tag: rocking horse restoration, roebuck rocking horses, bartletts horses, ayres rocking horses, horse toys, vintage wooden horses