The benefit of using ‘yearling rollers - Dr. Russell Mackechnie-Guire asks if a roller is a harmless piece of equipment? -scientists discover performance inhibiting spinal pressure under roller
/![[opening image]Photo credit North Lodge Equine[HEADLINE]Scientists discover performance inhibiting spinal pressure under rollers[STANDFIRST]Reducing pressure under the saddle, bridle and girth has been found to significantly improve performance, and now the roller has been scientifically tested[INTRO][Fig 1 – caption: A modified roller that removes pressure will allow the back to function without restriction.]Lost training days, treatment and medication for back problems are time consuming and costly, so optimising equine spinal health from early on is an essential consideration in improving equine health and welfare. When a young horse is started, one of its first experiences is to have tack on its back, initially a lungeing roller. The roller, a seemingly harmless piece of equipment and its effect on the horse, has previously been overlooked. However, it has now come under scientific scrutiny by the same research team that investigated the impact of pressure distribution under the saddle, bridle and girth on equine health and performance.Their recent study used high-tech pressure mapping to examine the pressures exerted on the horse’s back during lungeing (see technology panel). Localised areas of high pressures were consistently recorded under the roller on the midline of the horse’s back directly over the spinous processes in the region of the 10th and 12th thoracic vertebrae (T10-T12, see anatomy panel).High pressure directly in this region, as seen under a conventional roller, is likely to cause the horse to seek a compensatory locomotor strategy and adopt a posture where the back is stiffened and hollowed, resulting in an extended spine. Previous research has shown that back function and gallop kinematics are compromised by a stiffened spine.Studies have demonstrated that pressure-relieving modifications in a saddle result in increased stride length and hip flexion, along with a greater femur-to-vertical angle (indicating that the hindleg is being brought forward more as the horse gallops). Reducing saddle pressures leads to a marked improvement in the horse’s locomotion, allowing it to gallop more efficiently.The roller is positioned over the part of the back where the front half of the saddle sits; by applying these principles, modifying the roller to remove pressure would allow unhindered back function.The equine back is an essential component of the locomotor apparatus, transferring biomechanical forces from the hindlimb. So, a modified roller will not only result in improved locomotion and performance but will also have long-term spinal health benefits.[CROSSHEAD] Strong startIn racing, where lungeing is primarily used prior to backing, what we do to and the equipment we use on the young horses in the preparatory stages are likely to have a significant impact on the development of the horse’s posture, back health and locomotion.If a young horse begins the training process of being lunged with a roller that exerts pressure directly on the spine at T10-T12, it will develop a strategy to compensate for the discomfort. Then, as the horse progresses to a saddle—which similarly exerts high pressure in the same area—it is inevitable that this will have an effect on the locomotor system. The horse’s athletic performance will be significantly compromised before it even gets on the track.Innovative pressure-relieving modifications in tack design have demonstrated improved locomotion when pressure is reduced. Identifying and replacing any equipment that has limiting effects on locomotion or development could have long-term benefits for the longevity and performance of the horse. This applies particularly to the lungeing roller as it is the first piece of tack a youngster has on its back. It is essential that the horse does not develop a locomotor strategy to compensate at this stage.[CROSSHEAD] Under pressure[fig 2 caption: Pressure mapping during lungeingConventional roller - 35kPa pressure directly on the spine at T10Conventional roller & side reins - pressure consistent at T10 but increases at T11 and T12 to 45kPaNew roller design, even with side reins - all pressure is removed from the spine]In a recent study, horses were lunged on a 20-metre circle on both reins in trot and canter wearing a roller fitted with pads. In canter, peak pressures were seen each time the inside forelimb was in stance (on the ground). In trot, pressure peaks occurred each time a forelimb was in stance phase.Given that the horse is experiencing high pressures under the roller directly on the spine in the region of T10-T12 in every repeated motion cycle (stride), it is inevitable that a compensation strategy will develop.When trotting and cantering with no attachments, such as side reins or training aids, peak pressures under the centre of the roller were found to be similar to those seen under the saddle with a rider on board. Studies have shown pressures over 30kPa can cause back discomfort. In this study, researchers measured pressures up to 35kPa directly on the midline of the horse’s spine, in every stride, with just a roller and pad.With side reins attached, the location of the peak pressure was brought further towards the front edge of the roller. Essentially, the pull of the side reins caused a ridge of pressure under the front half of the roller, and the readings increased to 45kPa.[CROSSHEAD] Compensation costsCompensatory gait strategies lead to asymmetric forces which have a negative effect on limb kinematics (movement). The consideration here is that the horse is experiencing these locomotor compromises before the back has been conditioned to manage the increased forces, and before a jockey has even sat on its back.It remains to be shown whether the compensatory gait and asymmetric forces caused by early roller pressure manifest as lameness or loss of performance later on. There is a coexisting relationship between back problems and limb lameness, but evidence is still being gathered as to which one comes first. Researchers are investigating to what extent loss of performance and lameness issues might be traced back to these ‘training and backing’ experiences. It is therefore essential that young horses are started with correctly fitting equipment to limit any long-term effect.[CROSSHEAD] Lungeing for rehabIn addition to the backing process, lungeing also occurs during other influential periods of a horse’s life, including rehabilitation after surgery. Post-operative recommendations for kissing spines can often include lunge work with training aids to induce spinal flexion and opening up of dorsal spinous processes. In these cases, if horses are being rehabilitated wearing a roller which creates high pressure on the very area it is supposed to be improving, it is likely that the benefits of using any training aid will be diluted.It is also likely that lungeing for rehabilitation using a roller which creates high pressures will have a detrimental effect on any veterinary or physiotherapy programme.[CROSSHEAD] Assess all areasThanks to advances in recent research developments and design, it is now possible to take a more holistic view and examine the whole horse when looking at training tack. Of course, there are benefits from making modifications to individual items, but maximum gains are achieved when the whole locomotor apparatus can function without restriction.For example, girth pressure has been the subject of extensive investigation, and a modified girth design which relieves peak pressures behind the elbow has been proven to significantly improve gallop kinematics. Combining a pressure-relieving lungeing roller with a girth designed to de-restrict the musculature will maximise locomotor benefits.Bridle design has also been shown to have a significant impact on the horse’s locomotor apparatus. When bridle pressure is reduced and stability is improved by using a correctly-fitted noseband, gait analysis shows an increase in forelimb extension and a greater range of hindlimb motion. Using a modified bridle when lungeing will enhance the benefits afforded by the roller and girth. Each modification is a step towards improving comfort, which will improve athletic performance.[BOX OUT] Modified roller design[fig 3 caption A new design of roller, based on a tree similar to that used in a saddle, alleviates pressures directly on the midline of the back by ensuring clearance of the spinal processes is maintained while the horse is moving][fig 4 – each image has a text annotation]High pressure was recorded directly on the spine (T10-T12) under conventional rollers (with pads) used by the majority of yards. Even when used with pads, these rollers still draw down on to the spine when the horse is in motion because they have no integral support to ensure that clearance of the spinous processes is maintained.Reins and ringsUsually, side reins are attached around one or both of the roller’s ‘girth straps’. The lungeing study demonstrated that this pulls the front edge of the roller forward, increasing pressures on the horse’s back. A roller with ring attachments tends to stay parallel to the horse’s back during motion—the ring provides articulation between the roller and the side rein, helping maintain stability.An added benefit of a design with extra rings is that it enables the roller to be used throughout the backing process. For example, stirrups can easily be attached to prepare the horse for the saddle.[END BOX OUT][BOX OUT – Spinal anatomy][fig 5]The area around the thoracic vertebrae T10-T13 (the base of the withers) is the location of a high concentration of muscle activity related to posture and movement.The Longissimus dorsi (m. longissimus dorsi) is a stabilizing muscle that’s most active at T12, and spinal stability is essential for the galloping thoroughbred. This is because, in gallop, the forelimbs have to support two-and-a-half times the horse’s body weight with every stride. In addition, the cranial thoracic vertebra (where the saddle, roller or jockey is positioned) are responsible for force transfer from the forelimbs, head and neck. It’s the back that has to manage these high forces.The horse has no collarbone, and the forelimbs are attached to the trunk by the thoracic sling musculature. Some of the most influential and important thoracic sling muscles attach to the spine, so it’s easy to appreciate why spinal health is critically important. Any compromises in this area at any stage of the horse’s career will impact on performance.When compromises such as high pressures occur, the horse adopts a compensating strategy. It will still perform but will develop a gait that alleviates discomfort.Anatomical structures or locomotion patterns that have been affected by a compensatory gait will be disadvantaged in terms of performance and, potentially, more susceptible to increased risk of injury.[END BOX OUT][BOX OUT] PRESSURE TESTING[fig 6]Pliance is the industry-standard method of measuring pressure on the horse’s body. It has been utilised extensively in research under saddles, and it can operate in all gaits, including gallop and jumping.A large mat with 128 individual pressure sensor cells on each side of the spine is usually positioned over the back, under the saddle. In this study, the mat was positioned transversely across the back, with sensors able to measure pressure directly on the spine.Initially the results are displayed as a moving colour-coded image, with areas of peak pressure showing as pink and red. Data regarding peak pressures, maximum force and mean force is also available, and is extracted and processed for statistical analysis.[END BOX OUT]Further readingEuropean Trainer Magazine, January-March 2020European Trainer Magazine, April-June 2020European Trainer Magazine, July-September 2020R Mackechnie-Guire, Local back pressure caused by a training roller during lungeing with and without a Pessoa training aid, Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 67 (2018)R Coomer, A controlled study evaluating a novel surgical treatment for kissing spines in standing sedated horses, Veterinary Surgery 41 (2012)K Von Pienen, Relationship between saddle pressure measurements and clinical signs of saddle soreness at the withersF Henson, Equine Neck and Back Pathology, Wiley Blackwell (2009)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/517636f8e4b0cb4f8c8697ba/1603538376744-J61CHNNHPXPO0H3DBRJT/Screenshot+2020-10-24+at+12.19.17.png)
By Dr. Russell Mackechnie-Guire
Reducing pressure under the saddle, bridle and girth has been found to significantly improve performance, and now the roller has been scientifically tested.
Lost training days, treatment and medication for back problems are time consuming and costly, so optimising equine spinal health from early on is an essential consideration in improving equine health and welfare. When a young horse is started, one of its first experiences is to have tack on its back, initially a lungeing roller. The roller, a seemingly harmless piece of equipment and its effect on the horse, has previously been overlooked. However, it has now come under scientific scrutiny by the same research team that investigated the impact of pressure distribution under the saddle, bridle and girth on equine health and performance.
Their recent study used high-tech pressure mapping to examine the pressures exerted on the horse’s back during lungeing (see technology panel). Localised areas of high pressures were consistently recorded under the roller on the midline of the horse’s back directly over the spinous processes in the region of the 10th and 12th thoracic vertebrae (T10-T12, see anatomy panel).
High pressure directly in this region, as seen under a conventional roller, is likely to cause the horse to seek a compensatory locomotor strategy and adopt a posture where the back is stiffened and hollowed, resulting in an extended spine. Previous research has shown that back function and gallop kinematics are compromised by a stiffened spine.
Studies have demonstrated that pressure-relieving modifications in a saddle result in increased stride length and hip flexion, along with a greater femur-to-vertical angle (indicating that the hindleg is being brought forward more as the horse gallops). Reducing saddle pressures leads to a marked improvement in the horse’s locomotion, allowing it to gallop more efficiently.
A modified roller that removes pressure will allow the back to function without restriction.
The roller is positioned over the part of the back where the front half of the saddle sits; by applying these principles, modifying the roller to remove pressure would allow unhindered back function.
The equine back is an essential component of the locomotor apparatus, transferring biomechanical forces from the hindlimb. So, a modified roller will not only result in improved locomotion and performance but will also have long-term spinal health benefits.
Strong start
In racing, where lungeing is primarily used prior to backing, what we do to and the equipment we use on the young horses in the preparatory stages are likely to have a significant impact on the development of the horse’s posture, back health and locomotion.
If a young horse begins the training process of being lunged with a roller that exerts pressure directly on the spine at T10-T12, it will develop a strategy to compensate for the discomfort. Then, as the horse progresses to a saddle—which similarly exerts high pressure in the same area—it is inevitable that this will have an effect on the locomotor system. The horse’s athletic performance will be significantly compromised before it even gets on the track.
Innovative pressure-relieving modifications in tack design have demonstrated improved locomotion when pressure is reduced. Identifying and replacing any equipment that has limiting effects on locomotion or development could have long-term benefits for the longevity and performance of the horse. This applies particularly to the lungeing roller as it is the first piece of tack a youngster has on its back. It is essential that the horse does not develop a locomotor strategy to compensate at this stage.
Under pressure
Pressure mapping during lungeing
Conventional roller - 35kPa pressure directly on the spine at T10
Conventional roller & side reins - pressure consistent at T10 but increases at T11 and T12 to 45kPa
New roller design, even with side reins - all pressure is removed from the spine
In a recent study, horses were lunged on a 20-metre circle on both reins in trot and canter wearing a roller fitted with pads. In canter, peak pressures were seen each time the inside forelimb was in stance (on the ground). In trot, pressure peaks occurred each time a forelimb was in stance phase.
Given that the horse is experiencing high pressures under the roller directly on the spine in the region of T10-T12 in every repeated motion cycle (stride), it is inevitable that a compensation strategy will develop.
When trotting and cantering with no attachments, such as side reins or training aids, peak pressures under the centre of the roller were found to be similar to those seen under the saddle with a rider on board. Studies have shown pressures over 30kPa can cause back discomfort. In this study, researchers measured pressures up to 35kPa directly on the midline of the horse’s spine, in every stride, with just a roller and pad.
With side reins attached, the location of the peak pressure was brought further towards the front edge of the roller. Essentially, the pull of the side reins caused a ridge of pressure under the front half of the roller, and the readings increased to 45kPa.
Compensation costs
Compensatory gait strategies lead to asymmetric forces which have a negative effect on limb kinematics (movement). The consideration here is that the horse is experiencing these locomotor compromises before the back has been conditioned to manage the increased forces, and before a jockey has even sat on its back.
It remains to be shown whether the compensatory gait and asymmetric forces caused by early roller pressure manifest as lameness or loss of performance later on. There is a coexisting relationship between back problems and limb lameness, but evidence is still being gathered as to which one comes first. Researchers are investigating to what extent loss of performance and lameness issues might be traced back to these ‘training and backing’ experiences. It is therefore essential that young horses are started with correctly fitting equipment to limit any long-term effect.
Lungeing for rehab
In addition to the backing process, lungeing also occurs during other influential periods of a horse’s life, including rehabilitation after surgery. Post-operative recommendations for kissing spines can often include lunge work with training aids to induce spinal flexion and opening up of dorsal spinous processes. …
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![Buying and selling high-end bloodstock at public auction takes preparation, serious due diligence, lots of passion and a dose of luck.Article by Annie LambertBloodstock agents all have a formula, a routine, pedigree preferences and conformation predilections, which must be weighed against current market conditions and trends as they approach every sale.Whether you are purchasing horses for resale, to race or breeding stock, buying (or selling) Thoroughbreds is an intense business. Choosing the right weanling or yearling to pinhook is every bit as precarious as picking the right 2-year-old to run.Adrian Gonzalez, founder of Checkmate Thoroughbreds, is no exception. The 41-year-old horseman was not born into a family with deep equine ties or historic roots. He does, however, have a family story that reads something like a cold war novel.Gonzalez’s grandfather, Roberto, was a Cuban orphan raised in the government system and became an Olympic-caliber gymnast. Roberto was a member of the Cuban National Olympic Gymnastics Team during the Pan American Games in Guatemala City, Guatemala. During the competition he met his future wife (a student at the university where the games were held), defected from Cuba and started a family. When Gonzalez’s father Erick was 12, the family immigrated to the United States.Adrian grew up around backyard horses in a small northern California town. While obtaining a degree in animal science at California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo, he paid his bills by breaking yearlings at Cardiff Stud. Team roping and cowboying on a 23,000-acre cattle ranch may not have prepared the young Gonzalez for his first foyer into Thoroughbred racing.“The first morning I walked into the tack room and there are only flat saddle—English tack,” he recalled with a chuckle, shaking his head. “I honestly didn’t even know how to tack them up, but the guys showed me.”Cardiff was sold to game show host Alex Trebek, who changed the name to Creston Farms and focused solely on breeding. Gonzalez hung up his tack and became a stallion groom and later stallion manager. His wealth of experience in the industry continued to grow.“When the breeding season ended I switched gears and focused on the development and growth of weanlings and yearlings,” Gonzalez explained. “I became enchanted by the Thoroughbred business and put all my focus into figuring out how I could do this for a living.”Pedigrees Are PersonalGonzalez did figure out how to build the Thoroughbred industry into a career. When Creston Farms was sold again and became the short-lived Windfall Farms, he seized on the demise of Windfall, leased a portion of that farm and started his own bloodstock business. Checkmate Thoroughbreds came to light in 2005. In 2013, Checkmate moved to its current 66-acres in nearby Parkfield.During those early years Gonzalez dove into operating a training facility, breaking yearlings, foaling mares and offering sales consignments. When he and his wife Erin (who has an agricultural business degree) analyzed their large cash flow, they found the actual profit margin boiled down to a couple well-sold sale horses.“It happened that we were profiting on one or two horses that we came up with ourselves,” said Gonzalez with a laugh. “We could have had just those few horses instead of the hundreds of others. Slowly we phased down on the breaking and training to focus on the sales—the pinhooking side of it.”Personal preferences in bloodlines as well as following industry trends are not unique. Prior to readily available online statistics, Gonzalez researched and put together spreadsheets to assist his pinhooking selections. Choosing horses for resale is easier these days, but it is easier for everyone.“When the catalog comes out, I do a lot of research,” Gonzalez explained. “Blood-Horse puts out a valuable tool called The Auction Edge. It shows the history for every horse in the family, what they sold for, which are not on the regular auction page. This past November we bought an inexpensive weanling by Overanalyze for $2,500.“There wasn’t much black type on the catalog page, but with a little research in Auction Edge you could see that there was an Uncle Mo 2-year-old half-sibling that had just sold at [Ocala Breeder’s Sale] March for $525,000. Knowing that there was the potential for a big pedigree update will help increase the value of your horse without you having to actually do anything to the horse.“Coincidentally, a few months after we bought that baby the Uncle Mo filly won her first two starts in Japan by a combined 20-length margin. After that the phone was ringing off the hook, and we sold it privately for a whole lot of money.”Gonzalez pointed out that is one reason he spends more time digging through the sales results of the families than looking at the black type on the catalog pages. The pre-sale diligence can also expose a negative. For example, you may find a half-sibling to a bunch of horses by top sires that all sold “terribly cheap.” That tells you the mare produces terrible sales horses.“Since I’m not doing this to find a race horse,” the agent reminded, “those sales numbers are super important for me to have.”The Conformation CoupOnce at the sale, Gonzalez follows his prospect list to search for bargains. He doesn’t want to pay retail for a pinhook.“I want to find something with all the parts, but not necessarily put together yet,” he said. “I want to see good length of bone, meaning the horse is going to grow to have substantial size. I’m not too concerned with how heavily muscled a weanling is at this point; I’ve made the mistake of buying heavy muscled weanlings and get them home to realize they were slowing down in their growth height, and that’s why they were filling in.”Because Gonzalez shoes and trims his own horses, he usually begins appraising an individual’s conformation at their feet, especially on a weanling. (Shoeing photo)“If a weanling doesn’t have a very good walk, it’s not carrying itself well, or is stiff behind, generally that’s starting at the feet,” he pointed out. “I try to evaluate the growth stage they’re in. I’m not trying to find the perfect horse; I’m trying to find something I can improve.”For example, Gonzalez prefers a weanling that toes out some over one that stands perfectly correct, citing that as those colts mature and their chests widen, they will be inclined to toe in.“If you were to see the front end of some weanlings the day I buy them, you’d probably deem those horses a little too crooked,” he said. “If they grow the way we hope they do, they will be just right when we go to sell them as yearlings. We’ll help that along with how we trim those feet and how we feed the horse.”Gonzalez puts an emphasis on the gaskin when scrutinizing the hind leg, calling it the “speed and power muscle.” He doesn’t agree that speed comes from the hip and jokes about there being a “lot of big hips out there, but not a lot of talent.”“If you have a big hip and just kind of a scrawny leg coming down below that, it’s just fool’s gold,” he opined. “You’re going to get a heavy muscled horse with no speed and no power. So the gaskin and the forearm are muscle types that develop really early, and I can identify that the horse is going to have some speed.”The shoulder should be at a 45-degree angle, which should have a matching angle at the pastern. Gonzalez may attribute a “funky” pastern angle to feet that are not properly trimmed or the stage of growth.“Looking at a long, sloping 45-degree shoulder angle, I’m hoping I can tell how this horse is going to move just by seeing it stand there,” said Gonzalez. “If all the parts are balanced and at the correct angle we’re looking for, then when they walk off, they should have that stride we’re looking for. Generally you can see it there in a picture before you need to see it in motion, which is our reassurance.”“I don’t have the budget to buy the perfect horse—the show stopper—at the sale.” “I want to resell the perfect horse,” Gonzalez concluded.Walk the WalkWeanlings and yearlings get walked and viewed at sales because it is the only test that may predict their athleticism down the road. The walk is probably the single most critiqued evaluation a horse goes through at a sale.“That’s because we can’t just turn them loose and watch them run. The best we can do is have them walk up and back 50 feet and attempt to determine how this horse can run at a mile and a quarter,” quipped Gonzalez.In addition to overall athleticism, buyers are looking for a walk to show stride efficiency and stride length. In theory, a longer stride length at a walk should equal a longer stride at full speed.Gonzalez noted that he sold his Eurociser when he observed his horses shortened their stride to back off the gates. They also kept their heads elevated, which hollowed out their backs and disengaged their hindquarters, also shortening the stride.“Pretty much we hand walk our horses,” Gonzalez explained. “It is incredibly labor intensive because we are walking each horse two miles a day. But they are learning so much about manners—learning to respect a handler, and they go on to show so much better at the sale.”Horses that engage their hindquarters, lengthening their stride, exhibit their drive power behind with a larger overstride. The overstride being the hind foot reaching and planting beyond the hoof print left by the front foot.“With a short walking horse, the hind foot will step in the same spot its front foot just came out of or less,” said Gonzalez. “A big walking horse will overstride a foot or 18 inches. At the run, that translates into power from the back end.”An interesting perception by Gonzalez on watching 2-year-olds in training is that buyers seem to value the faster works over the longer walk.“These fast horses at the training sales...if they are fast and have a big stride, great,” he observed. “They should bring a lot of money, but there are so many that are fast at an eighth of a mile and still very short strided. I think people overlook the walk at the 2-year-old sales because they are focused on the flashy breeze times.”Buy, Sell, PassGonzalez likes to find a horse that has all the parts in all the right places but doesn’t have a great walk. Often, he feels, these individuals can be improved by the time he sells them.“You can find horses that don’t have a good walk, but you can help develop their muscles and develop their behavior to have a good walk. That’s part of our pinhooking strategy.”There are some conformation issues, however, that he cannot gamble on. Clubfeet are most likely a pass. Small horses don’t get much attention from Gonzalez either. The smaller horses can be purchased for a discount but are usually discounted when resold as well.Those that are too upright, too straight in the pasterns and even through the knees, and those over in the knees are also avoided by Gonzalez. Some of his best pinhooks were individuals that were “beat up” price wise for being too long and too low in the pasterns.“That type of horse can have a really, really big walk on them,” he noted. “I’ve seen horses whose pasterns are deemed low that eventually grow up into them and appear normal. The ones that are really upright and straight just get worse. I’ve been stung before thinking they’ll improve, but they’ve always gotten worse.”Like every other agent, Gonzalez has his personal preferences on pedigrees and conformation, but he always works on keeping an open mind toward expanding his knowledge.“I don’t try to convince myself that I can’t afford a certain family,” he explained. “I’ll still look at something by the top sire; I also don’t want to rule out something that would be by what some consider a cold sire.”Gonzalez is also open-minded about the vetting process. He is not looking for horses that will not pass the veterinary exam, but he does look for those that might suffer a significant discount on their sale price due to issues in their vet reports.“The vetting is hard,” he conceded. “I guess if I like the horse, I buy it. I don’t let the vets talk me out of a horse anymore. I used to have my Top-10 list of horses, I’d vet them and none would pass. Then I’d go back through my list and I’d buy what would be my eleventh favorite horse, or the one who passed the vet exam.“Looking back, the majority of those 10 I liked went on to be successful, and I ended up with a perfectly clean horse with no talent. I would have done better buying something with a little vet issue that was just a better horse. That’s what has worked for us.”According to Gonzalez, it isn’t just finding the right horse to pinhook; it is also having the foresight to know where the best resale market is to maximize the profit. “We have to evaluate the market in advance,” he said. “I’ll sometimes like a horse, but it just doesn’t fit any sale I could take it to. It’s going to cost a little too much for X sale, and it’s not quite enough horse for Y sale. It wasn’t that we didn’t like the horse; it just didn’t fit our markets.”Checkmate Thoroughbreds has had many well-sold horses. For example, the first year they decided to pinhook weanlings, the three they flipped were wise choices worth the effort.“We bought three at Keeneland November,” Gonzalez confirmed. “We spent $26,500 and sold them for $145,000 and got a sale topper out of it. Those were the very first weanlings we did, so it was very reassuring that we could do this.”The best horse sold by Checkmate to date was not the best pinhooking story for Gonzalez. Spiced Perfection (2015 B M, Smiling Tiger x Perfect Feat, by Pleasantly Perfect) was purchased as a $6,500 yearling at the Barrett’s October sale. She did not reach her reserve of $50,000 at the Del Mar training sale the following summer. She was sold privately the night of the sale. Spiced Perfection did become a multiple-graded stakes winner of $1,224,705 and was twice crowned California Horse of the Year.“We have to sell runners, and people need to hear the story that they can get a Gr1 winner for $50,000,” concluded the agent. “Agents have different formulas. We all like a little bit different horse, and that’s why we can all play this game.”“We all get lucky now and then,” he added with a grin. Side Bar 1 of 1The COVID EffectPhoto #Image0,(HELMET/MASK) (Annie Lambert)The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how the world operates; the business of equine auctions is one of many industries enduring those changes to survive.Adrian Gonzalez, proprietor of Checkmate Thoroughbreds in Central California, foresees results from the upcoming 2020-2021 sales as undetermined—“a moving target.” Gonzalez, 41, frequents many auctions across the United States and deems his challenges slightly different for his roles as a buyer or seller.“As a buyer, I need to see the horses with my own eyes,” Gonzalez stated. “If the sales have restrictions where you can’t go see these horses, or they make it limited as to how you can inspect the horses, it’s going to be really hard for me to participate. So much of what I do is visual; I have to see it, and even the photos or videos don’t cut it.”The sales companies have not yet provided consignors or purchasers with a defined protocol as to how city, county and state regulations could/will dictate their restrictions. If other buyers need Gonzalez’s eyes on examinations of horses, it may cut into gross sales amounts through limited participation.At the other end of the spectrum, Gonzalez feels the sales companies have done a tremendous job of opening up the channels for buyers to purchase through online bidding. As a seller, he imagines, there could be increased action from buyers who are not able to physically attend the sale.“I’m hopeful now—as a seller—that people not having to be there in person to bid could provide more [bidding] action,” opined Gonzalez. “You don’t know how many times someone will come by my sale barn and ask to see a horse that had already sold. They had missed the sale because they were eating lunch or something. Now, if they could sit at the lunch table with their phone on the sale feed and just push ‘bid,’ it could help us bring in more money.”“I’m just not sure on the buying end,” he reiterated, “if people can’t travel to the sale, we don’t know how much that’s going to hurt.” CAPTIONS:#3001 (GONZALEZ FAMILY) Courtesy Checkmate Thoroughbreds>Adrian Gonzalez and his wife, Erin, operate their 66-acre Checkmate Thoroughbreds in Parkfield, Calif.#6285 (SPICED PERFECTION) Courtesy Checkmate Thoroughbreds>Spiced Perfection was smaller “in a plain brown wrapper” when she did not reach her reserve as a 2-year-old; the multiple-graded stakes winner ultimately earned $1,224,705.#3726 (ADRIAN SHOEING) Courtesy Checkmate Thoroughbreds>Gonzalez has honed his farrier skills to help pinhook prospects grow correctly and become improved individuals before reselling.#3072 (TOES OUT) Courtesy Checkmate Thoroughbreds > Foals that toe out will often self-correct through the legs as the narrow chests widen; proper trimming also helps Mother Nature.#8723 (GOOD CONFORMATION) Courtesy Checkmate Thoroughbreds>This filly possesses overall good conformation, according to Gonzalez’s experienced eye.#4271 (PRE SALE WALKING) Courtesy Checkmate Thoroughbreds>Checkmate sale preparations include two miles of hand walking daily, according to Gonzalez. Horses show better at the sale with the extra handling prior.#3003 (VET EXAM FAIL) Courtesy Checkmate Thoroughbreds>This short yearling failed a veterinary exam causing Gonzalez to pass on her. She was a good one that got away. “I don’t let vets talk me out of a horse anymore,” he reflected.#4622 (MALIBU MOON YEARLING) L & BARRETT’S HIP 51 R(MALIBU MOON 2YO GALLOP) Courtesy Checkmate Thoroughbreds>This pretty Malibu Moon filly was an $85,000 yearling purchased at Fasig-Tipton July and parlayed into a $240,000 resale at the Del Mar Select training sale.#OVERSTRIDE> WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET AN IMAGE OR DRAWING OF AN OVERSTRIDE…POSSIBLY ART DEPARTMENT COULD DO???A strong sales walk lends insight into a prospect’s future prowess as a racehorse and is the single most critiqued evaluation of sale horses.#2561 & 2459 L to R (SMILING TIGER FILLY) Courtesy Checkmate Thoroughbreds>This well-balanced Smiling Tiger filly was well flipped by Checkmate, which purchased her at the CTBA January 2019 sale for $10,000. She resold for $72,000 during Fasig-Tipton September just eight months later. POSSIBLE PULL QUOTES:“I became enchanted by the Thoroughbred business and put all my focus into figuring out how I could do this for a living.”“If you have a big hip and just kind of a scrawny leg coming down below that, it’s just fool’s gold.”“So the gaskin and the forearm are muscle types that develop really early, and I can identify that the horse is going to have some speed.”“I don’t try to convince myself that I can’t afford a certain family.”“We all like a little bit different horse, and that’s why we can all play this game.”](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/517636f8e4b0cb4f8c8697ba/1596711311821-D9WXF9G3H47326PEE0OD/IMG_6285.JPG)
