Behind the Scenes - Arlington International Race Track

Behind the Scenes – Arlington International Race Track

By Nicole Janiga

Alexis Kuhn breezes a horse on the main track.

At noon on Sunday morning, the gates to Arlington International Race Track open for a day filled with bright floral sun dresses, lunch and conversations on the terrace, and fingers being crossed for the favorite thoroughbreds to be the first ones to cross the finish line as the crowd cheers from the grandstand.

Before the races begin, crowds gather around the paddocks to see the muscular horses, highlighted by the sun, being brought out and exhibited with grooms and colorful silk attired jockeys preparing for the day’s races. With the announcer’s voice echoing throughout the park, talk of the horses, their odds, and their performance fill the open air. The eight horses in each race come out toward the grandstand and enter their starting gates on the track, ready to be released to gallop towards the finish line. After the few short minutes of excitement and anticipation, the volume of the crowd’s cheering increases until the winner enters the Winner’s Circle with owners, trainers, family and friends, scurrying to get in for a ceremonial photo and victory hugs before the next group of horses are brought out.

Unlike most hunter/jumper shows, horse racing attracts a wider variety of spectators. Guests don’t see, and often don’t realize, what happens behind the scenes at Arlington and all of the people that make it possible. Alexis Kuhn, assistant trainer at Rodriguez Stables, spent the day with Chicago Equestrian to show us what goes into making the well-known and well-loved tradition of horse racing happen every weekend.

With an alarm clock set for 3:30 am every morning, Alexis beats the sunrise and begins her day at the track by 4:15 am to exercise and train horses until 10:00 am. At the young age of 22, Alexis already helps manage 30 horses and owns two of her own. With memories from her hunter/jumper background, Alexis took a 180 spin and didn’t just dip her toes, but rather dove into the waters of horse racing.

 Alexis Kuhn after a morning of breezing horses.

Often times, many horses will train together.

Alexis and the exercise riders bring the training horses out to the dirt track, overlooked by Illinois Rt. 53, before taking them to the main racetrack. One horse after another, they trot, canter and gallop around the polytrack. With four feet floating above the ground for milliseconds at a time as the horse extends and contracts its body to cover more ground, the riders hover above their saddles with the wind gliding over their backs. As horses with flaring nostrils and glowing bodies covered in sweat complete their day’s work, their prideful strut carries them and their riders back to their barns after a successful session.

Alexis on the practice track.

After the horses are exercised and have concluded their journey back to the barn, they are hosed off with water while they dance around anxious to get back to their stalls. Each horse is then hand walked by hot walkers for a few laps around the barn, eyeing its own stall each time as it passes by and nickering to the other horses. Alexis ensures that each of the horses at Rodriguez Stables is properly cared for, seeing that they are getting their legs wrapped and poultice applied as needed, by venturing to the barn whiteboard to double check that the jobs are being completed.

Enjoying time off between work and lunch.

From the grooms carrying totes of brushes and curry combs from stall to stall and the hot walkers leading drying horses around the barn, each job requires a test of candidates’ abilities to ensure the horses’, riders’ and staff’s safety. Some tasks, like tacking a racehorse, have more rigorous requirements and are left to assistant trainers and trainers. With horse’s hooves carrying their bodies and jockeys at speeds of 45 miles per hour, having the saddle tightly secured in its rightful place is crucial to ensuring that no jockeys slip off and land on the ground among other horses running at similar speeds.

As the horses are saddled and brought out to the track, each racehorse’s “pony,” outfitted in a western saddle, makes the flat, black racing saddle on its companion seem nearly invisible by comparison. They aid the racehorse by jogging their prideful companion, eyes filled with anxious eagerness, out to their mark in the starting gate. By keeping the young thoroughbreds at bay, the “pony” horses serve yet another vital part in both the training and safety at Arlington and other racetracks around the world.

 Racehorse being led by its “pony.”

With all of the roles that it takes to make a day at the track possible, it is important to take a moment between races to sit back and remember the dedication and persistence that backs this sport.

Alexis believes that “the day you stop learning and stop evolving is the day that you’re done in this business… The key is you have to find your motivation to keep evolving and find something that motivates you to keep pushing forward … Mine is having a stake horse.”

On behalf of Chicago Equestrian, we would like to thank Alexis for taking the time to show us behind the scenes at Arlington Race Track, and we wish her the best of luck in following her dreams and finding her very own stake horse.

Alexis’s racing saddle.

Arlington Race Track: A Day With Alexis Kuhn

by Maddie Muuss

Alexis breezing on the warm-up track.

Our day at the Arlington International Race Track began with a behind-the-scenes tour of Rodriguez Stables, with 22-year-old Alexis Kuhn. Alexis is currently an assistant trainer for Rodriguez Stables, veering slightly from her initial path, where she studied Marketing for three and a half years at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. . By the age of eight, Alexis had already sat on her first horse but her riding career really began at the age of twelve. During her initial riding days, Alexis successfully competed in hunters, jumpers, and equitation. Although she competed for years, she still had to gain more upper-body strength to ride the race horses, since they pull more than she was used to. This gave her little option other than to be in the best shape possible.

Alexis’ fifteen years of horse experience also helped her transition to racing. Being familiar with horses gave her quite the advantage against any competition or anyone who doubts her abilities. Only six months after starting at the track, Alexis was ready to get her Assistant trainers license.

         Alexis and one of her horses.

“In Chicago, to get your trainer’s and assistant trainer’s license, you have to have three letters of recommendation and you have to pass a written test and a barn test. The written test is sixty pages and you have to be on the racetrack for two years,” said Alexis.

Since Alexis didn’t have the minimum time at the track, she had to search for a state that didn’t require the two years. That’s when she discovered that Indiana only requires six months. Alexis drove seven hours to take the test. She recalls thinking that if this test does not go well, the drive back will be the longest seven hours of her life. Luckily for her, she passed with flying colors in September 2014.

One of the most important pieces of advice Alexis gives to aspiring riders is, “Never give up is my next piece of advice. You always have to keep evolving and never take no for an answer. If someone tells me no, that’s my biggest motivation to say, ‘I can do it.’ I’m going to prove them wrong. I’m going to do it.”

One of the aisles in the Rodriguez Stables barn.

Alexis’ dedication makes her stand head and shoulders above the competition. She wakes up at 3:00 A.M. every morning so that she can get to the barn early. Even though she wakes up when most people are sound asleep, she never complains. This shows her passion for horses and making sure that everything is done the right way.

When asked what her goals are, Alexis says that she hopes to start getting horses in her name as both the owner and the trainer. She would also like to get more owners in the barn. The stable has a 20% win record, which is above average for the industry. She still enjoys being an assistant trainer but hopes to one day become a trainer. It seems that Alexis can only go up from here, and has big things planned for her future endeavors.

Alexis on the track.

I have no doubt that she will reach all her goals with ease, and maybe even surpass them. Her dedication is shown when she arrives to the barn before others, or when she makes sure that each horse has the best care possible. With her passion, dedication and love for horses, Alexis will have no issues becoming a successful race horse trainer.

Isabella Baxter

by Founder Emma Mabry This blog courtesy of Ponies and Perlantis, a website by young riders for young riders. Visit them at poniesandperlantis.weebly.com Isabella Baxter is a fifteen year old rider from St. Louis, Missouri. She lives on a farm with about ten horses and trains with Shannon Hicks. Most of them are young and not showing, but she has a mare named "Whenever" that shows in the 3'3 Junior Hunters and National Derbies. Unfortunately, she will not be competing on her this upcoming year. She has also currently begun a year long lease on an equitation horse who's name is Chief and he will do the Big Equitation classes. She is also currently trying a horse named Jahil that she will show in the Junior Jumpers.  "This year I am focusing on the Maclays, Medal, and WIHS Equitation, as well as moving up through the Junior Jumpers. In the next two years I hope to be a contender at NAJYRC and Prix des States." Said Baxter. Isabella's biggest riding accomplishments would be: being the 2015 USHJA Children's and Adult Jumper Championship Individual Champion for the central region. "Not just because I won, but also because I was riding a horse that before I started leasing it 7 months prior, she had been to three shows and had no flatwork. Seeing my trainer and I's hard work pay off was indescribable." Isabella also said she got circuit champion in the Green Pony Hunters at Queenie Productions and that she was 9th overall at Pony Finals in the Large Pony Hunters. She also claimed the 12-14 Equitation Championship in Zone 7. "I love spending time with my horses and getting to know them better every round. Not only riding, but also taking care of them after showing, and also getting them ready to show. I also like challenging myself and having something to strive towards," mentioned Baxter. Isabella's favorite horse show is either Tryon or Colorado Horse Park. "The show grounds are beautiful and the weather was great when I went! I also love how there are a lot of things to do around the Colorado horse park, and how beautiful the scenery at Tryon is." Isabella's advice to other riders is simply to practice flatwork. "Flatwork! Actually though, flatwork has really helped me to focus on specific areas of my riding that help to make the whole look better. Set goals for yourself and be determined to achieve them. Believe not just in your abilities, but also your horses' abilities." Photo by @vgc.photo

Florida Vacations - Equestrian Style

by Brenda Mueller

It's that time of year when the temperatures drop and equestrians seek some fun in the sun.

Equestrians can never really seem to get away from horses, even when they're on vacation. When those cold, dark, snowy days get you feeling the need for sun and fun, head to Florida on one of the many flight deals and get ready for some equestrian fun. There's something for every horse lover from jumping and polo to dressage and racing, so get ready to plan your getaway.

Stop in at the Winter Equestrian Festival to see the top horses and riders in the world compete. Photo Chicago Equestrian.

First stop, Wellington and the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.  From January through the first of April, you can catch  Grand Prix Show Jumping at one of the Saturday Night Lights events and treat yourself to live entertainment, food, shopping and children's activities while watching Olympian after Olympian in the ring with some of the top show jumpers in the world. You can also catch hunter derbies, ponies, clinics and more. Over 5,000 horses compete with riders from over 33 countries for over $9 million dollars in prize money over the 12 weeks. For a complete schedule of events, visit their website at http://pbiec.coth.com.

See the world's best showjumping and dressage in Wellington, FL. Photo Chicago Equestrian. 

Need a dose of dressage? Don't miss the Adequan Global Dressage Festival until May 1st. Make plans to attend Friday Night Stars, a Grand Prix Dressage Freestyle event featuring food, fun, and the highest level of dressage competition at the Stadium on select Friday evenings throughout the winter and spring seasons. Some of the best dressage combinations in the world will ride their own test to music. Fantastic dressage competition takes place weekly so don't miss your chance to see the world's top rider's in action.  See more at http://gdf.coth.com

Catch fast action polo at the International Polo Club. Photo Chicago Equestrian.

Polo anyone?  Head over to the International Polo Club for Sunday brunch and polo. There are plenty of events and games to choose from to get your equestrian fix while soaking up the sun during the champagne divot stomp.  Watch some of the world's top polo players compete for coveted championships. After the post-match Trophy Presentation, guests are invited to meet the players for autographs and pictures. Visit http://internationalpoloclub.com/polo/sunday-polo/ or http://www.wellingtonpolo.net for schedules and more information.

Pinetree Stables offers a great ride on the beach in the Bahamas.

Venturing a little further? You can cruise from West Palm Beach or Miami to the Bahamas and catch a fabulous trail ride on the beach from Pinetree Stables. Guides Linda and Chris keep it small and personal, allowing small parties of guests to ride their prized stock, most of which were bred and raised on the island. Their two hour trail ride gives you some history of the island and plenty of personal horse stories to share as you take the horses for a relaxing adventure. Even avid horse people will enjoy this ride - it's not your ordinary trail ride! Schedule early because spots are hard to get. They even take pictures during the ride and email them to you!!  Great fun for all levels of riders. Visit http://www.grandbahamavacations.com/horseback-riding/ and tell them Chicago sent you! 

Just north of Miami is Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino. Catch live horse racing Wednesday through Sunday. Schedule a VIP Fan Tour which includes the Winner's Circle Presentation, Jockey Room Tour, Announcer's Booth, Backstretch Tour and buffet. Visit http://www.gulfstreampark.com for details and post times. Hialeah Park offers Quarter Horse racing Friday through Monday until the end of February. Check hialeahparkcasino.com/racing for race details.

If you're on the west coast, check out Tampa Bay Downs in Tampa for racing action and Fox Lea Farm in Venice, for more of Florida's equestrian competition including quarter horses, hunter jumpers and ponies. Attend "Showjumping Under the Stars" every Friday from Jan 29th - March 3rd with food, music, family activities and a $25,000 Grand Prix. Visit www.facebook.com, Foxleafarm.com and http://www.tampabaydowns.com for more information.

Watch the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix at Post Time Farm in Ocala. Photo Rebecca Walton/Phelpssports.

Taking the kids to Disney? Just an hour and ½ drive north will bring to Ocala, another equestrian mecca. Stop at Horse Shows in the Sun at the Post Time Farm through the end of March, to take in high level hunter jumper competition including the $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix and the  Nations Cup. Visit http://www.hitsshows.com/ocala/hits-ocala-winter-circuit for the schedule.

Check out the best of driving and show jumping at Live Oak International near Ocala. This five star event is held in March and fun to attend. Visit https://liveoakinternational.com for the schedule.

In 2007, Ocala/Marion County was officially named the “Horse Capital of the World™,” a testament to the County’s unique involvement in all things equestrian and its record of producing some of the finest champions in the sport. Take an Ocala farm tour to get a behind the scenes glimpse of some of the area's top farms. There's a self guided tour also if you want to go at your own pace. For more information on the tours, click to www.visitflorida.com/   and  http://www.ocalamarion.com/equestrian/horse-shows.

Take a tour The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation Center for a therapy education. See the latest treatments for rehabilitation such as the hyperbaric chamber, swimming pools, saltwater spas and more. www.sanctuaryequinerehab.com.

You'll find more to do simply by browsing the web for equestrian events in the area you're visiting. Get out of the cold and head to one or more of these great equestrian destinations to soak up some sun and four-legged fun!

Emma Heise

This blog courtesy of Ponies and Perlantis, a website by young riders for young riders.

Visit them at www.poniesandperlantis.weebly.com.

Sixteen year old Emma Heise from Northfield, Illinois is a competitive rider whom shows in the Junior Jumpers. She trains with Olympian Laura Kraut and currently owns nine horses. She shows them in the Junior Jumpers and the 1* and 2* classes, along with a few 3* classes in Europe.

When asked what it felt like for her to qualify, show, and even ribbon at some of the top national shows, Heise responded that "Qualifying for any national shows makes me feel that all the work that my horses and I have put in throughout the year has finally paid off."

Her favorite thing about riding and showing is that "you can be at the top one day and at the bottom the next. It is the most humbling sport there is."

Heise said that she would love to say in the horse world for as long as she can and make a career out of it. She would also love to buy, train, and sell young horses. At WEF this year, she would like to compete in the U25 classes. In the future, Heise has hopes of attending the Olympics.

She looks up to Laura Kraut and Marcus Ehning. Heise's advice to anyone who has hopes of riding and showing as much as her is to keep riding and working hard and one day it will all pay off!

Heise has been riding for about eight years, and got into the sport because her friend rode and always talked about how much she loved it so she decided she wanted to start too.

An Auditor's Experience of the George H. Morris Horsemastership Training Session

by Elizabeth Stein

Most of us are never going to get to ride with George Morris. It’s the inconvenient truth of our sport that there are only five spots on the Olympic Show-Jumping Team and one is an alternate. Even though you might not ever get to ride with any of the greats, that doesn’t mean that there are not still plenty of opportunities to audit and learn from them. Youtube, usef.org, and eqsports.net (just to name a few) are the places to go for most of us, and maybe some top riders come to stables near you for the live experience.

This year though, one of my closest friends got the chance to go down to Wellington, Florida and audit a bit of the George H. Morris Horsemastership Training Session, and I get to live vicariously through her and tell all of you about it.  First though a brief interlude into how we met just so no one’s confused on why I’m telling this story.

Cristina Wiersma, Beezie Madden and Julia Wiersma.

I met Julia Wiersma when I transferred to Northern Illinois University last year. She was on the equestrian team and I had my heart set on joining. We bonded over our love of horses (I know its totally a cliché but it’s the truth) and now we’re roommates and I count her as one of my closest friends. So when she told me she was going down to Florida over winter break, I was insanely jealous not only because Chicago is cold and desolate, but also because she was going to visit Wellington, or to be more specific WEF, and get to see the George H. Morris Horsemastership Training Session.  

As we all know, this year’s Training Session was different than the past because there was no George Morris. Luckily, Julia and I were able to audit one of last clinics George taught last year at Annali-Brookwood Farm. However, even though the master wasn’t present, nothing was lacking with Christine Traurig, Beezie Madden, Lauren Hough, Anne Kursinski, and Laura Kraut at the helm.

Julia was able to relay her time at WEF back to me first hand so I can share it with you and I’m not surprised by the positive experience she had.

STAR STRUCK

“Being at Wellington was such an amazing experience,” said Julia.  “Just walking onto the property was so exciting. I was just there on vacation with my family and we were able to go visit on Friday and Saturday. Seeing Beezie Madden and Laura Kraut was like seeing a movie star! It was such an amazing opportunity watching Beezie ride and to listen to her teach. I’ve watched many of George Morris’ clinics, and Beezie and Laura did a great job as the clinicians for his Horsemanship Training Session. I thought it was a great opportunity for anyone and everyone to go watch the clinic, especially since it was free. Even though it was live streamed online, being there in person gave it a more realistic feel. After each day at the clinic, I was able to get a picture with both Beezie and Laura. I was definitely star struck by them and was nervous to ask but they were so nice! They are my role models and I hope one day I will be able to ride with them!”

Julia also shared with me another important part of the clinic and that’s the sportsmanship and camaraderie it teaches outside of riding. You always hear about it but its nice to see it in action. For IHSA, we ride borrowed horses not only to practice on but at shows as well and to see others in the sport participate in the same way and loan their horses to other riders who might not have been able to participate otherwise, is always nice to hear about. 

As Julia stated, “Being on the NIU Equestrian Team, it was great to see that people offered up their horses for some of the riders to use. It means a lot to us when people so generously offer their horses."

Our sport giving back in such a unique way with clinics from our top stars, really sets us apart from other sports, especially with the fact this clinic in particular was free to audit and can still be seen for free online. It’s opportunities like these from our top riders coming back to teach up and coming riders and auditors that help to advance our sport in a real way. Even if we won’t all get to ride with George Morris, its through clinics and experiences like these that we can all benefit from his teachings.

To view the clinic online visit www.usefnetwork.com.