Can anyone out there tell me if the only reason for a saddle to slip is that the girth strap wasn't tightened to the correct 'tension', or can there be other causes?

Also, who has the ultimate responsibility for ensuring the horse's gear is fitted correctly, the trainer, the strapper, etc.?

Apart from mentioning the fact in their report, the stewards don't seem to hand out any penalty (fine etc.). Is it just accepted as 'one of those things that happen in racing'?

Given the amount of $$s that go down the gurgler when a horse is a runner but has no realistic chance, plus the danger the jockey faces, it seems to me that everyone is very accepting of the saddle slipping - no fuss made at all & no-one seems to be held accountable.

Would it be feasible to declare horses 'non starters' when the saddle slips, in the same way horses can be non runners if there has been some mishap at the barrier?

(Sorry for this rambling post, but my hip pocket nerve is hurting after a black day yesterday)

bb

Hi BB,

Initially it is the responsability of the strapper to tighten the girth and check the saddle and all accessories.
The trainer is then meant to double check in the mounting yard once the horses have paraded prior to the jockey mounting, but there is no rule stating this as such.

Finally, most professional jockeys will triple check just prior to mounting.
Some have been known to gallop their horses to the barriers, jump off and check it - then jump back on, although this is rarer.

The saddle can slip for a couple of reasons.

1. Naturally some horses "puff up" knowing that the saddle is about to be tightened and give a false sense of what is tight enough to the strapper.
You should be able to snuggly fit three fingers between the girth strap and the horse - but no more.

If the horse has "puffed up" or taken a deep breath, then often the saddle will slip, which is why some jockeys will jump off at the barriers to double check after galloping the horse.

As far as I know there is no rule about this, but there could be somewhere in the rules of racing.

2. General equipment failure. But it is up to the jockey to make sure his saddle and girth straps etc are in good nick - most have professional caretakers which clean and check the equipment these days.

hope this helps.

Thanks Chrome Prince.

That all seems pretty straight forward, but that makes it all the more puzzling to me that there is no fuss made when it happens. Apart from cases of gear failure, why isn't someone hung out to dry for being tardy?

Does anyone out there think it reasonable to declare a horse with a slipped saddle a non runner?

bb

hi bb,

in my last post I may have mislead you.

sometimes the trainer will actually saddle the horse before the horse is paraded, and I think you'll find that say in a Melbourne Cup or similar, a lot of trainers will insist on doing it themselves unless they have a stable foreman.

The nonrunner issue is a tricky one.
If you declare a saddle slipping as a non runner, then what about casting a plate during the run, the jockey losing the irons, in harness racing the horse galloping (or breaking)?

The interesting thing is that you very rarely see a saddle slip on a top jockey or trainer, usually it slips on one with less experience.
The only thing scarier for a jockey than the saddle slipping, is a rein or stirrup breaking. They then have absolutely no control over a rocket propelled beast!

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