Equine Head to Tail by Billie Morris

09/04/2025

What a lovely retirement for Corach Rambler. Living his best life with people who understand him. If you are going to be negative about this, do me a favour and scroll on past.

08/04/2025

06/04/2025

06/04/2025

Thought this would interest people. And maybe educate a few.

Some racehorses win trophies. Others capture hearts. Red Rum did both.

His story wasn’t just about winning—it was about defying the impossible, overcoming setbacks, and proving that legends aren’t born; they are made.

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An Unlikely Beginning

When Red Rum was born in 1965, no one could have predicted he would become a national icon. He wasn’t bred to be a superstar, and his early racing career was unremarkable. But destiny had bigger plans.

Then, disaster struck.

Red Rum developed a debilitating bone disease in his foot. For most horses, this would have been the end. But Red Rum was sent to trainer Ginger McCain, a man with an unconventional training method.

McCain took Red Rum to the beaches of Southport. Every day, he galloped through the seawater, the salt acting as a natural therapy. Slowly, the pain faded, and the impossible happened—he recovered.

Now, he was ready to run.

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The Grand National Legend

The Grand National at Aintree is the ultimate test of a racehorse—4 miles, 30 brutal fences, and sheer endurance. Many try, few finish, and even fewer win.

In 1973, Red Rum faced off against Crisp, a powerful Australian horse who built an astonishing 30-length lead. The race seemed over.

But Red Rum never stopped believing.

Fence after fence, he clawed back. With the finish line in sight, he surged past Crisp in the final strides, winning by the smallest of margins. It was one of the greatest comebacks in racing history.

A year later, he won again, proving he was no fluke.

In 1975 and 1976, he finished second both times—still incredible, but not enough for Red Rum. He wasn’t done yet.

Then came 1977.

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One Final Moment of Glory

At 12 years old, Red Rum was considered past his prime. But he wasn’t just running—he was running for history.

As the race began, the roar of the crowd swelled. With every jump, every gallop, Red Rum showed he was still the king of Aintree.

He stormed through the final stretch, leaving the competition behind. As he crossed the finish line a champion once more, the crowd erupted in celebration.

Red Rum had won his third Grand National—an achievement no other horse has ever matched.

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A Hero Beyond the Track

After retirement, Red Rum became more than a racehorse—he became a symbol of perseverance. He made public appearances, led parades, and was adored by millions.

When he passed away in 1995, he was buried at the finish line of Aintree Racecourse, the very place where he had made history.

His tombstone reads:

"Respect this place, this hallowed ground, a legend here, his rest has found."

Red Rum wasn’t just a champion.

He was a fighter, a survivor, a legend who refused to lose.

03/04/2025

After reading all the posts that were put on my Grand National post, I thought it might be a good idea to give people who are not in the racing industry, some insights into a racehorses daily regime.

All horses on the yard are fed between 4.30am and 6am. This is so their feed is digested before they have their exercise. They are also checked that no one has got cast during the night and that they have eaten up from the previous evening. Horses going racing will have a slice of hay also.

The horses are mucked out when the stable staff arrive between 5.30am and 7am. It depends on whether the yard is a flat yard or a National hunt yard. Flat yards tend to start earlier. If the weather is very hot, the yard will start earlier, so that they can avoid most of the heat. There are yard people to muck out, hay and water the horses and keep the yards clean. They put horses on and off the walker. Most yards have their full time staff who ride out, muck out the horses that have been delegated to them. They usually have three horses each.

After mucking out, each rider checks out the rider board, which has the name of every single horse on the yard on it. Next to the riders name he/she will have anything up to six horses next to their name who they will ride out that morning.

After riding out each lot (horse), the horse is washed off as he has been cantering on the gallop or wherever they do their work and he is sweaty. He is checked over for any injuries and the rider reports back that the horse is fine. If the horse is injured or the rider has noticed something not right, the head lad will check and if needs be get the vet. The trainer will have been upsides the horses on the gallop in their truck watching every single horse, checking for irregularities in pace, is the horse making a noise besides the normal breathing! Some horses can be quite noisy in their breathing when they are not fit. The trainer is also looking for signs that the horse could be not quite right in themselves.

Work days are usually Tuesday’s and Friday’s. This is when the horse is galloped. He is put through his paces, in some yards they will be put over hurdles and fences depending on what type of race they will be entered in. Although some yards use a different day to jump their horses. This gives the trainer some idea how far away the horse is from running in a race. They are not run whilst they are unfit.

The horses all have lunch around 12.30 after morning exercise. They are left with their hay to rest for the afternoon. Unless they are turned out until evening stables. The head lad will check each horse before going for his lunch.

Evening stables begins about 3.30 or 4pm. Each horse is checked to see they have eaten up, if water is in buckets, to make sure each horse has had a drink. They are brushed, rugged up for the night and given their dinner and hay. Any medications that the horse is on, is usually given in their evening feed.

Around 10pm last night checks are done. Each horse is properly looked at to make sure they are quiet and happy, there are no signs of colic. They are warm enough. How much feed if any that is left in their mangers is noted and checked the next morning. Some horses like to eat their dinners over a period of hours, some wolf it down. If anything is going to get cast, it’s usually between the hours of 6pm and 10pm for some unknown reason.

Throughout the morning horses will be put on the walker for a leg stretch before they are ridden. The horses not being ridden will go on a treadmill, some go swimming. The horses at my last yard had access to a salt room, a spa and an infrared light room.

If you have read this far, hopefully you will have learned about a racehorses life and his routine. Horses thrive on routine.

The care and work that goes into these horses that is belittled by so-called experts is beggars belief. In fact I don’t think any of the experts who slag off racing, could even put in a days work in a race yard.

30/03/2025

The 2025 Grand National is just around the corner.

There will be a lot of people shaking their heads and saying it is cruel.

Let me ask you this……

Have you actually ridden a horse who has been entered in this race?

I have been privileged to ride and yes that is the right word to use, privileged, three horses who were entered in the National.

Thoroughbreds are athletes. They love to run, there is always the exception, but on the whole they love their jobs.

I was a work rider for Richard Barber at Little Windsor, just outside Crewkerne in Somerset. We were the satellite yard for Paul Nichols. In 2003 we had five horses entered in that years Grand National.

Two of these horses were trained by Richard Barber but ran under the Paul Nichols banner. Those two were Montifault who finished fifth with Joe Tizzard onboard and Torduff Express who unseated Timmy Murphy at the 27th fence. The other three were Fadalko - Seamus Durack who was unseated at the 6th, Ad Hoc - Paul Carberry who was unseated at the 19th and Shotgun W***y - Ruby Walsh who was pulled up at the 21st.

There was nothing that really stood out with Montifault and Torduff Express to look at them, until, you rode them. Then you realised that these horses really loved their jobs. They were running, jumping machines. Real tough horses. Proper equine athletes.

I rode a horse called Exit to Wave quite a lot, but he wasn’t in the same league as Montifault and Torduff. He was entered in 2004 Grand National. He was hampered at the 6th and had his confidence knocked. He was pulled up just before the 9th by his jockey RP McNally. He was a lovely kind horse but not a ‘National’ horse.

Just goes to prove ‘horses for courses’. Not every National Hunt horse is capable of running over four miles whilst jumping fences no matter how fit they are. I can assure you all these horses are as fit as their trainers can get them. In Lambourn there are Grand National fences for trainers to use, so that their horses can see the kind of fences they will see on the day of their race.

The horses well-being is the priority despite the negative views that go around.

There are a lot of racehorses who are abused and neglected after they are retired from racing, they are often re-homed by so-called experts who have no idea what makes these horses tick. Their ignorance and their inability to learn about and adapt to their ex racehorse is quite frankly frightening. They don’t get that you, adapt to the horse, not the other way round.

If you have an ex racehorse, be proud of them. They have achieved so much in their lives, even if they haven’t made it to the race track.

22/03/2025

This is the original post from what I shared earlier.

Don’t throw away your old horses like they are old useless pieces of junk. This needs to be said as too many people think it is ok to pass on an old horse. Do the right thing have them put down at home, I know it is expensive but surely they deserve some respect and care after giving you years of their lives. And don’t say that you can’t bear to do it. That quite frankly is pathetic. I had my old mare from the age of three, she was thirty three when she died. It never for one moment crossed my mind to not be there at the end for her. She owed me nothing.

*** PLEASE DO NOT GIVE AWAY/SELL YOUR OLD and/or UNRIDEABLE HORSES ***

This is MY post from a few years ago. It’s just been brought to my attention that another page has chosen to copy and paste my post, rather than share it. They’ve put “credit to” me, but not even bothered with a direct link to my page. Please make your own content, and if you like a post, share it rather than copy my words.

Today I did one of the saddest euthanasias I have done in a long time. This wasn’t a client of mine, and to be fair, it actually wasn’t this person’s fault. I don’t normally go out to non-clients, but I wasn’t going to say no when I was told the horse had collapsed and couldn’t get up.

I arrived to find an emaciated 20+ year old, riddled with lice. The client had been sold the mare 7 weeks ago, and told she was a 7 year old. The old mare was gobbling away at feed, so she genuinely was just too weak and emaciated to stand. With some really good, strong help, we tried twice to get her up, but she just didn’t want to. So I made the quick decision to let her go.

No horse should end his or her life like that. She was scared, and whickered at me when I came back with the catheter and Somulose. She went with no dignity, in a place she had been for just a couple of months.

I want to cry when I see these awful posts on social media, offering a 20 year old horse for sale “as a companion”, for £50, or “free to good home”. I want to cry even more when I see posts on social media, with people in complete and utter shock and disbelief that the “beloved/much loved etc” horse, that they gave away just two months ago, was now being sold as a ridden horse.

I’m sorry, but wake up. Not many people really want to take on an old horse and the associated vet bills. I do appreciate there are exceptions, but if you are going to give your old or unrideable horse away, do NOT expect to then be able to take the moral high ground when he’s advertised two weeks later. He’s not your property at that point, and, unless your circumstances drastically changed, you didn’t care enough about him to now be “devastated” and “appalled” that he’s being moved on again. I do understand that circumstances can change, but the kindest thing in most (not all) cases at this point, is to let your horse be put to sleep with you, at the home he has known for many years.

A horse is as expensive to keep as a companion as it is a riding horse, so not many people want to take on old or unrideable horses. Or if they do, they don’t have the money to be able to look after the horse properly.

It is obviously completely different if you have known that person for many years, and know the home the horse will be going to, and I know several old horses who have been successfully rehomed to friends, or at least acquaintances.

You could also try a reputable rescue centre, if your financial circumstances changed, but many of these are full to bursting. Rescue centres normally ensure that if the home doesn’t work out, the horse is returned to them again, and therefore won’t be passed around.

If you can’t look after your old and/or unrideable horse, then do the responsible thing, and if you can’t rehome to a person you know extremely well, have them put to sleep at home, with you by their side. Don’t let someone you don’t know, have the horse for free, and sell him two weeks later as a lot younger, or ‘buted up as a ridden horse. Your horse deserves better.

One of my five field ornaments ❤️

22/03/2025

TAP Clinic this weekend, Saturday 22nd March in the EAST!

At the Cambridge & Newmarket Polo Club with the brilliant Michael Paveley, don’t miss out on the opportunity for a flat, poles or jump training with your thoroughbred in the sun!

To book onto the training this weekend please head to our website https://thehowdenway.com/tap/find-training

18/03/2025

Fizzy horses.

Is it them, or you who are the problem, or is it how our horses are expected to live?

Think about what you feed. Modern feeds aren’t always the best for our horses. Back in the day, horses were fed a simple traditional diet consisting of oats, bran mash, pony nuts and hay. Today they are often fed a complete mix, along with various supplements piled on top and very often haylage is used instead of hay.

Horses are herbivores and herd animals, we seem to be getting further away from that fact.

Then think about how we keep our horses. They aren’t allowed out in decent sized fields with friends for company. They might get injured or chew the field up or both. They aren’t allowed to forage for food. They are often surrounded by electric tape, with no access to picking out what they want in hedges. Their freedom to just be horses is limited in most cases. Their grass intake is certainly limited, maybe that is why so many react badly when they have access to grass. Their digestive system has adapted to not having grass readily available.

The bridleways around where I live have been mostly destroyed. The surfaces are mainly rocks and stones. I expect that is the case for a lot of riders. You end up riding on the roads hoping, that you don’t come across someone driving too fast in the lanes and there is nowhere to get out of the way of them. In Lambourn we were so lucky to have open areas to ride safely off the roads. Our horses had the opportunity to let off steam with their riders. They weren’t confined to walking with some trotting on roads. Nor were we trapped in a school so that we could ride safely.

Why put feed into a horse who isn’t going to be going any faster than an occasional trot or canter when he is ridden. We can’t all say we are in training for the Olympics or the nearest endurance ride. Stick with good quality hay if you are allowed to use it on your yard, yes, there are some yards that don’t allow hay, only haylage.

Save yourselves some money and your horses sanity, and possibly your own. Don’t over feed.

In racing, Monday mornings were sometimes approached with dread, when the riders saw the board which told them which horses they were going to be riding. The horses were often too fresh after their rest over the weekend. Their feed was cut down accordingly but it was often like trying to ride a bucking bronco in a race saddle!

Please send a like if you like this post, it doesn’t cost anything 😊

11/03/2025

Fitting a bit correctly and making sure that it is the right bit, for the right mouth, for the right horse, is rather important. Especially for the horse who has to the wear the bit, not to mention the bridle and the saddle. Everything has to fit properly, not only for comfort, but to get the best from your partnership with your horse.

Yet time, and time again, the horses comfort is shoved to the back of the list. Then the horse is accused of being awkward.

Well wouldn’t you be? If you were expected to wear restrictive, uncomfortable tack and to add insult to injury, carry someone who has no idea what they are doing. Catching you in the mouth and or slamming their weight down in the middle of your back.

It doesn’t take much to learn how to do things properly and not follow the latest trend.

Being a bit fitter and a massage therapist, I see how badly fitting tack results in a knock on effect for the horse, in a never ending spiral of pain.

Remember, everything is connected. From the teeth to the feet, and even the tail.

If you like my posts, please can you give it a like, it doesn’t cost anything. Many thanks 😊

09/03/2025

With Cheltenham beginning this Tuesday, I thought this might be apt to share. Things often go wrong for these horses when they leave the care of their racing stables.

The Life Of A Racehorse in stats 📊

Stradivarius raced for almost 2 hours total across his 35 races, just 0.0024% of his life to date! 🏇

08/03/2025

This article is well worth the read.

https://paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/grimm-when-it-comes-to-kissing-spines-ride-the-horse-properly-not-the-x-rays?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR21v8-q3mMvhtzcdnmk79sr5aUf0bPYQG2MjsVd0DKSEUUDpCZGyoO3C7s_aem_AF8zuijFX4loFDYy6qwz2Q

Don't let the radiographs run you off from a good equine partner