Hello,
It is a bit chilly here…but I am having so much fun just being ME and playing outside with my friends. My coat is growing out perfectly which makes me so comfy in this weather. I really feel I have adjusted beautifully to my life here at Lane’s End Farm. I understand I’m getting some visitors from CA this weekend…before they go on to Florida. I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE THEM!
Earlier a fan asked what ‘throwing the reins’ means and Dottie said she would get a direct quote for you from Mike Smith. She met with him a couple times to get this information for you…and it was cute. Mike did all of the actions….as though he was riding me…but it took a bit of time to get it put into a few descriptive words. She said it was adorable to see him explaining it with his hands and all of the movements. Amazing how you can do something a zillion times….and can show it with actions…but putting it into words is another story!
Earlier, we spoke of the RACING BRIDLE. It has 6 major parts: BROWBAND—which we reviewed earlier and REINS…which we are discussing today…are 2 of them. The REINS attach to the bit rings beneath the cheek pieces of the bridle. They should not be so short that a rider needs to lean too far forward to hold them properly…or too long that can get caught up in a rider’s feet or saddle. They should be just right!
Per John, “REINS are what the RIDER holds onto when guiding the horse. They are very important as the reins are a source of COMMUNICATING with the horse. In some ways, they are like a steering wheel…and/or a gear shift to let the horse know to pick it up or slow down. In racing, when you relax your hold on the reins, the horse relaxes with you. When you pick up the reins and take a tighter hold on them, the horse knows to pick it up and go faster. Moderating the reins indicates the speed you want the horse to go! These are all part of the lessons a race horse needs to learn during his/her career!
In the photo above, you see 3 of John’s riders breezing horses in the morning. Breezing…in this instance means a very relaxed type of workout. Each rider is holding onto the reins in a manner to accomplish exactly what John wants each horse to learn in this drill. Horses are learning lessons…all of the time!
PER MIKE SMITH…when you ‘THROW THE REINS’ you may do this for various reasons. The primary 3 reasons include: “1) to get a better hold of them 2) to allow you the opportunity to pull the whip through to switch sticks and 3) to get the horse to go into a DRIVE. This means to encourage the horse to pick it and ‘get going’. Also, by doing this, it moves the BIT around in the horse’s mouth and tells him/her you are asking for something and to pay attention to you.”
When Dottie asked him how I responded to this…he had some VERY SWEET THINGS to say about me. Per Mikie, “Zenyatta was PUSH BUTTON. All I ever had to do was ASK HER TO RUN…and she would literally respond to whatever I asked her to do. She was BIG and POWERFUL…and she was very happy to respond to whatever my body language asked of her!”
It really makes me feel good when someone I worked with so closely gives me a compliment like this! When you try hard to do your best…it is really NICE when your effort is noticed…and appreciated by your peers! Thanks MIKE…for making my DAY!
With Love,
Hugs to ALL~
Z
The Kennedys in San Diego
@Heidi Kruckenberg — Thank you for the additional information — very interesting and helpful.
Rosanne Glynn
Hello beautiful! Hope you are keeping warm my girl. It is amazing how you understand what Mike wants from you and you listen so well. You & Mike have such a special understanding of what each of your needs are. I want to watch the Eclipse Awards, anyone know what channel it’s on? Talk to you tomorrow, I love you so much and sweet dreams my love! oxoxooxxo
Dani
Thanks for the riding lessons Z. :)
Sarah Powell
Many thanks Dottie for makeing all of us part of “Team Zenyatta” – that’s exactly how you make us feel. We really are addicted to our wonderful Queen Z and all the great posts. We’d love more pictures – can’t get enough of looking at “our girl.”
sue w
Another great post and a lesson in another aspect of racing. We are so lucky to have you and Dottie as our teachers.
I hope you enjoy your visitors from CA this weekend…there will be lots of hugs and smooches for sure!
About this HOY stuff…apparently it is so political with no real standards for the selection process. We all know who the winner should be. Maybe they just don’t realize greatness when they see it…or maybe, just maybe, eyes have really been opened and ZENNY will finally get what is due her. We all saw her greatness…that’s what really counts.
Gerrie P.
When I think of Zenyatta and Mike Smith together racing it just makes my heart swell. What thrills you two gave your fans. How lucky we are to have watched such a winning partnership. All heart, that’s what it was from both Mike and Zenyatta in every single race they ran together.
The post parades were almost as exciting watching the easy way Mike just relaxed with Queen Z singing to her in Spanish. I still watch videos of those memories often.
Yes, Zenyatta, you were and I am sure still are the perfection of a push-button racehorse, a champion who loved to run and loved her adoring public.
I wish we could start from the very beginning and watch your amazing career unfold once again.
Horse of the year and any year, Queen Z.
Ann Ferguson
If Zenyatta does not get horse of the year, then it should be Goldikova over Blame. I just have this gut feeling Z will win HOY. The girls have done so much more than Blame. Thank you for the updates, I know we all really appreciate them. Team Z is the greatest.
Roseann
I’m beginning to wonder what we ever did before you, Zenyatta :) ! The joy you bring is priceless. Thank you many times over to your team for keeping us a part of your life!
P.S. Dottie, your writing is award winning!!
Timmy Todd M.A,
Hi Baby Girl…….Big Mare…
How is the world’s favorite Equine….?
I loved the bit about bits and reins and bridles and brownbands….:) You are a smart horse….:) You even know the name of the equipment they are putting on you,( put- past tense),. Zenny, the boy who rode you( not Stevie), but Mikey is to be considered with the likes of Eddie Delahoussaye, Willie Shoemaker, and Angel Cordero…. I know that you knew that was an Angel that John and Dottie put up on your back and that the synchonicity and blending of talents made you run faster and harder than any horse that ever-lived…The full extension that you showed at all 3 BC events and your last two at Hollypark were beyond words…. I wonder if you were having more fun than Angel Mikey was….???? You just seem so “in control,” even on “out of control” BC day at Churchill Downs,( which was a circus and security nightmare—-Not the dignified occurance that you so richly deserved),. All those strangers yelling and screaming and throwing things and trying to spook you… Your grace is also a part of your amazing presentation. Your ability to stay cool, when everyone around you was wound…. I love you Zenyatta! You Big Silly Girl! You are God/Goddess personified…..and your friends are angels and seraphim…. Can’t wait to hear of your friends from Cali coming to see you…. do tell Ladyship~
Love
Professor Todd
Pamela J Hebert
Good day to you Zenny another informative lesson from you. Hope you are staying indoors till the storm passes. Do you think you could show us a picture of you in your winter coat? Have a wonderful visit with your CA family! Take lots of pictures & good luck to you my HOY. Hugs & kisses.
Yvonne and Maurice Kirby
Hi Zenyatta. You make our day!!!!
It is going to be great to have the Zenyatta Team see you before heading to Florida to accept their award. We are wishing and praying you will become Horse of the Year. Remember, you will always be the Horse of the Year in our hearts for ever and ever. Love you so.
LouAnn Cingel of Union, Missouri
What a wonderful explanation to some of the horseracing facts, it is quite interesing. Bet you are looking forward to your visitors from California that are coming in this weekend Zenyatta. It will be nice for you to be able to show them the new coat that you have been growing to accomodate the colder climate in which you live now.
So glad that you are settled and happy in your home at Lane’s End and enjoy just doing horsey things with your horsey friends.
Have to take a moment and thank Dottie for an exceptionally magnificient job she is doing with this diary. It is so nice to be able to come here and keep connected with you Zenyatta, very interesting and pleasant indeed. Take care and have lots of fun sweetie, you are such a very special horse!
Love & Blessings to you Zenyatta and to Dottie too!
Janie
To Robbie and Bobbi about the use of whips: I seem to remember when I read “Seabiscuit” that a good jockey uses the whip as another way to communicate with the horse by tapping this way or that but NOT to hurt them. I sure hope that is the case. It makes sense that it would be used as another tool in addition to the reins and bit – and smooches! – to steer the horse where he/she needs to go during the race or to change the pace. Speaking of smooches, Zenyatta, I’m sure you’ll be getting plenty this weekend from your CA visitors! Looking forward to pictures from your visit, sweet girl.
nDfilly
This is super interesting. I hope MIKE tells us a bit more about being a jockey. Do they just ride the horses for the first time at the race or do they practice with you? What is the weight of the jockey…did Mike ever have too many M and M’s and weighed too much? Does that affect your racing? Also, the crop needs more explanation to me. It just seems like it would sting.
Barb France
Zenny, enjoy your “vistors” and I hope and pray that they are able to bring back YOUR Award, that you so justly deserve! I just love these posts that give us “non-horse” owners lessons on what goes into and behind the horse training and racing scene. Love the picture of the workouts…I can close my eyes and hear the sound of horse, rider and pounding of hoofs hitting the dirt. We took a tour on the backside of Churchill and loved seeing the workouts in the early morning chill! And thanks Mike for the information, too!
Jan
Glad to see you are doing well in KY ! I hope to visir you sometime this summer as I am not that far away,,,,and can not wait to hear who you will be bred to !~!~!
I luvvvv all these posts ”Z” , please keep them coming ! Hoping you can handle the cold weather and snow ,,,,,you are a Queen Z !~! LUVVV YOU ZENNNNNNNNNNNY !~!~!
Jan Mitchell
Award or no….Z is a living legend! She will be adored and admired for many many years.
Sharon in Ohio
Oh Z, how wonderful that you and having friends visit. The Team is going to visit on the way to Fla. ! Congratulations to the wonderful Z Team on the Eclipse Award.
Z, they love you so much !! Life just keeps getting better and better. Have lots of fun, who am I to say but…I would bet on lots of treats for you!!Have a wonderful time Zenny !xoxoxo
Wendy Bratten
Beautiful Zenyatta- I am so glad you will soon be visiting with your wonderful family. I hope that, one day, I will be able to visit you too.
Darlene
For those of you interested in what jockeys are saying, click on the ESPN logo on Z’s facebook page and go to Horse of the Year. It lists the nominees then says you can comment. Go there and check out the comments. Calvin Borel and others giving their opinions on HOY. Very interesting debates going on. Crossed hooves!!!
Dona
The picture on this blog shows Mike purse his lips, I think it clearly shows he is making kissing noises to you. I love this photo, and I love you.
Kimberly
NIGHTY NITE QUEEN Z!!!! MISS YOU!
Kim S
What a great weekend you have ahead of you, Zenny, with your California “visitors” coming!!!. Have a wonderful time together and a safe trip to all, with the snowy weather. Florida has been quite chilly this year, too. I live in Tampa but Miami should be warmer still. I have always loved horses and stil can’t learn enough about them. Thanks Dottie and Zen for the virtual lessons. Take care and keep warm everyone.
Celeste
Thanks for another wonderful, informative post! This diary is just the best idea to keep us in touch with our Queen and I appreciate all the effort that goes into it. It gives me such joy to still have this little connection to the mare I love so dearly. Thank you!
Enjoy the happy visit this weekend!!
Anita in CA
@Boo: your post was adorable and made me smile :). Hi Warrior Princess. You and Mike are such a great team!! So happy you will see your California family this week. I’m hoping for new pictures of you with them. I’m hopeful about HOY. I have a feeling that you will win. It seems that more of the writers and others are recognizing your accomplishments this year and great contributions to Racing. I’m also interested in hearing more from you, Dottie and your team about the use of the whip and its purpose. Love you and Good Luck (although I don’t think ‘luck’ has much to do with it — it’s something you’ve earned & deserve — but it’s just an expression) . Goodnight Pretty Girl.
Lori Stein
I love you Big Z. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of you atleast one time. I’m so happy you’re happy at Lanes End. Can’t wait to hear who your first beau is going to be. Racing will never be quite as exciting without you, atleast until your first baby hits the track. Love Ya Big Girl!!! Lori
Sunny Boyd
Dear Zetty,
ha ha throwing in the reins I thought it meant throwing in the sponge, ahem towel.
You, horses, are pretty sharp, and onery. Just like the riders, huh. Your folks are coming to see you, before Miami, I know they’ll bring the biggest carrots for your munchies. I know you’ll love seeing them again:) Sby mentioned some horses being hit during a race, I noticed that Mike never did. At least I never observed it, I probably missed it. I wonder about that myself, it looks rough, does it cause discomfort, pain? Mike came across as pretty sensitive guy in the 60 Minutes piece, I bet he used it rarely?
GO ZETTY GO ZETTY GO ZETTY
yeeeehaaaaaaaaa
kristen
Zenyatta, Can you tell us more about how you worked with Mike on training workouts and then how two worked together during a race? Thank you!
Sunny Boyd
Oops
sleep tight, and sweet dreams of all your fav things & people!!
Maryann
I look forward to your posts every day. Thank you to Dottie for helping you keep us informed. I’m glad that Mike explained the terminology to us. Makes the races more interesting when we know why a jockey is doing a certain thing.
Stay warm Z and enjoy your company. HOpe they bring you lots of treats.