My last few days!!

Hello people, I'm sorry I've been a while updating this! I've finished work at Moody's now!! I've had the best time ever here and I'm gutted to have to go home! I've learnt and seen so much! I'm not sure where the time has gone! The three months have flown by!! It's Monday morning and I'm just at home sorting my stuff out! I'm going out for a meal tonight with a few from work! I flew up to cairns on the weekend for a few days and went swimming on the great barrier reef- it was unreal! Loved it!! I've got lovely pictures! It was very very hot! I burnt on the first day! I was nice going alone and just relax! I stayed in a hostel and met loads af great people! I will right a big report once in back home! Thanx!

Winner winner chicken dinner!

Hello people! It's 4.15 and I'm home after a long day! Got picked up to go to work this morning at 3.05!! Early! But I had a new job this morning- I had to go into every stable and check if the horses had eaten and drunk! Then take their feed bins and water buckets out - I had to then go back to each horse that hadn't eaten up last nights feed and take their temperature !! one of the horses that hadn't eaten up was our winner today!! Della- he's temperature was fine and she went and won easily! Obviously didn't stop here. Soon as I finished doing that I went and mucked out a few and helped the guys on the yard! 6.45 I went home for a shower and change into my racing clothes! We went racing with molonys truck today. They had one in the same race as ours! The first race 11.30! It was good going racinig with another trainer, just to listen to what his opinions were on a few things! He was asking me about what I thought of Australia and what I do back home! We got there at 10.20am- gave us time to unload and take the colours to the weighing room and give her a brush over! By that time Pete was there ready to saddle! In three months today was the first time I've been racing when peters been there. Strange! I spent some time with him, was listening to the instruction he gave Luke! The word around the track was that there was a fancied one in the race but team moody went and won, she won well! Great result! Pete had been to see black caviars full brother before coming racing!! He's only a baby!! Could be intresting in time!! We left the races at around 1.20 after the 4th race! It took an hour and 45 min to come home!! Early night tonight!

16 + 17th of July

Hey guys- Monday 16th I just worked the morning. 3.30-9.30! Nothing exiting happend today. Just the normal routine! The only difference was that we had to move 13 horses out of one over flow yard into a new barn moody now rents! It was finished yesterday- bedding, water buckets ect!! But before I left at 9.30 I had to put all the new bridles together!! 13 new bits, head pieces, rains and chiffney bits! They had 13 new rugs too. they ad to go over to the new barn ready for tomorrow!! Wev now got main barn, a,b,c barn. They all get treated the same. Same feed, work, swim, sand roll but the same staff stay in their selected barns! This afternoon I went to the city and went up the tallest tower in melbourne- eureka tower!! It was a lovely day and I could see for miles! Brilliant views!! No runners today! 17th July! Tuesday morning means work morning and the trials!! 47 horses working and 20 horses in the trails!! Busy busy!! I went up the tower with Pete after mucking out and going from main barn to a b and c to check everything was ok! One horse couldn't go out this morning because he had hit his head on the door or somewhere in his box and cut his pole quite bad!! He was one to put on the vet list at 4am this morning!! I didn't get to talk to moody much this morning because he and Jeff were flat out clocking horses! Horses going everywhere! Some were working on the grass this morning but the reverse way to try and keep the track in better condition for the next meeting, meaning they didn't sprint on the home straight! They only hacked cantered on that part! The trials went well this morning- one or two finished in good times but a few were sacked ( as moody would say). Means they will be in the field by tomorrow morning! No room for bad ones he said!! Out!!! We had a filly that bled this morning out of her right nostril! The stuard came and had a look and told moody to get the vet to it and let him know what the vet said! The stuards come up every trial to check their papers ( passports) and to pass any horse that needs a barrier certificate if they behave at the barriers !! If they play up they won't be able to race! They they play up at the races they have to come back to the trials to get another barrier certificate! Good system! I heard moody on the phone to Tom and Donna a few times telling them to put a few down on the vets list to get injected or to trot up and few to scope!! When I got back I held the horse for the vet that needed scoping that bled after the trial! She hadn't bled from the lungs which was a good result!! Just bled from the nose! Right time to read my book before I go back to swim some horses!!

Questioning moody!:-)

Hello people ! It's Friday the 13th and it's been a good day so far. I went in at 3.30 and mucked a few out before going with the boss up the tower! Quiet day really as for working the horse. We had a few going quicker but majority of them only doing slow work. I don't normally go up to the tower on a Friday but I thought its a quiet day to question mr moody:-)! I like asking things! It was nice having time to talk to him. he told me a few things that he though others should of done to try and improve their skills! He said when he was working under someone he use to do lot of different things to try and improve his skills and to learn as much as he can! He said he's always had a passion for training horses, always wanted to be champion. in all the years he's been training he's always done the work sheet- he always knows what every horse is doing. And even when his father died and on his wedding day he work. He also said he's only had one or two days off- and that was last month when I was here! He must of been very ill. He's the first trainer up that tower every morning with out a doubt !! Whilst everyone else is fast asleep probably ! He always looks out for his horses only. He concentrates on his ...not like a lot of others up the tower!! Katie my friend from Adelaide has come over this morning with her horse, she runs here tomorrow! Peter use to train her himself but she wasn't good enough for what he wanted so he gave here to Phillip stokes! I questioned Pete about a horse called 'Ben' a big grey colt. I asked where he'd gone, I noticed he wasn't in his box. He said he wasn't very good so he bought him off the owners and sent him up the bush to be trained by one of his friends!! Pete was originally from that area and he wanted to support them. he said funny you asked about him because he won last weekend. Great result! I told Pete that he should come to England to train...he smiled and said ' only if I trained for an owner!!!' I asked Pete if I could go and see nelly and the grey colt that's come back from England- he said there is no point because I wouldn't be able to go in. That's a shame but hopefully I'll see nelly when she comes back in two weeks! Nearly time for me to go home. There's a few things I'd like to do before I go. I started yesterday, I went into the city and found the museum. Phar lap the great race horse is in there!! It was great seeing him and reading up on him!! In his 4 years on the track phar lap won 37 of the 51 races in which he started! Including 14 in a row in 1930-1931! He's the only horse to have been favourite for the Melbourne cup three years in a row. Since the mounted specimen was donated to the museum of Victoria in 1933, phar lap has been the museums most popular exhibit. Amazing animal!! I then went and booked a few day trips: to the great ocean road! The great ocean road is one of the worlds most beautiful and naturally maintained secrets! Bells beach is one of Australia's famous surfing beaches. World renowned for the rip curl surfing pro! I might go on a helicopter flight over the 12 apostles! I can't wait! I also booked a day trip to the Phillip island penguin parade ! I need to go to the aquarium and to the old Melbourne gaol! I'm very exited! But the time is ticking I need to hurry on!! Right I must go back to work- I'm going to see a water treadmill this afternoon!

11/7/2012

Hey guys, it's 10.30 and I'm just at home eating breakfast! Wet day today, not very nice but at least it's not cold! Tuesday I went up the tower with Jeff and Peter for the trials and 41 horses were working, they all had to be clocked! We also had 9 in the trials . Good morning everything went accordingly to plan!we got gone at 9.30! No runners yesterday nor today! Black caviar is back today! But she has to be in a different yard for two weeks before coming back into caulfield!! This morning I stayed in the yard, took horses walking, swimming ect! Was busy enough, then at 6.30 I went with the chiropractor to treat few horses. He had 40 to do today, he said he might not treat them all today! I find it very intresting! Peter said the chiropractor is my secret to training!! He obviously thinks alot of mick!! Every horse gets treated once a months but if they need more than one treatment they do. They all get treated before they go out for a break and if they got any problems, it needs fixing before going out so they come back in in good order! Mick would give a list to the vet to check over if it's something serious or unless it's a vets job! He was telling me that he treated a few in England whilst he was over with black caviar! He treated the queens horse and another one too that ran in ascot- it also won!! I saw him crack a few this morning and he explained a few things and showed me different things! He told me he likes the idea of putting mud on the horses legs everyday, keeps their legs cold and draws bruising and swellings! Expensive job though!!:-/ He treated a horse that's running tomorrow that's broken his whither! I got a picture of it, it will be on Facebook. I'm not sure when he broke it, long time ago but mick said he's not come across a horse that has a broken whither and it's affected him, he said It doesn't make a difference! Intresting I thought it would! It might over jumps! I spent a few hours with him and then back to the yard to hold a few for the vet! Another intresting half an hour! Learnt a few things this morning!! But I won't say to much....inside information! Ha ha! We finished at 9.30! I might be strapping a horse for Phillip stokes on Saturday, it's coming over and running in caulfield ! Chat soon guys! The clock is ticking- not long infill im coming home!!

200 winners for mr moody and his team!

Good day in the office for the moody camp! 200 winners this season! We had one winner in Adelaide for moody and the other one was third! Phillips horses ran ok but didn't finish in the first 5! On Saturday I strapped for Peter, I was being picked up from the stables at 10.30. So I got her ready, groomed her and off we went. 5 min trip up to the course where I took smack for a walk and a pee and then I tied her up till Phillip brought the saddle! I sat with her for that time! This was her first ever race, she was very well behaved to be fair to her. All of mr Moody's are well behaved at the races! She finished third. Ran ok but I think everyone thought she would win!! Soon after she had cooled down the truck driver took me back to the yard!i went into the house and watched the racing from all over the country! Late Sunday night I flew back into Melbourne! Had to get a bus.....but the bus broke down then we got onto another bus into the city! Had to wait a good while to get a train and then I had to change...then I got into caulfield and got a taxi back to the house!! Needed my bed by then! Relaxing day today before going back to Moody's tomorrow!

strapping for mr moody!

morning, its 7.20 and im in the office after a mornings work.  4am start this morning.  my job this morning was to take care of peter moodys two runners.  they came over yesterday by transport.  it took them 9 hours to get here.  they run here today! i had to change theyr rugs and walk them up the the tie ups and tack them up.  phill rode one and a jokey rode the other. they only trotted today just to stretch their legs. i took them for a roll and gave them a bath.  dried them off, woolen back on and took them home for their breakfast! i took the same horse to the water walker and swam a few and tacked a few up! the same system.
im strapping one horse for peter today, a 2 year old thats not raced! smack we call him at home! im not sure of his racing name!
i didnt make it to work yesterday, i wasnt well.  i was in bed for 24 hours.  not like me! i felt bad for not working but i couldnt! katie took me to get some dinner last night. i felt lot better this morning!
im flying home tomorow night back to melbourne.  ive really enjoyed my time over with phillip, hes a great person and a hard worker and i wish him well. might never see him again, but im sure ill keep my eye on his runners. 
peter has 8/9 runners at flemington today and 2 here in morphettville and im not sure if hes got anymore.  busy busy busy!
if i can ill report back tomorow before i leave to let you know the results from today, phillip has 2 runners here today, both in the same race.

thursday 5th of july!

hello.
its 8am and in the office the last two horses are out now then we are done for the day. katie and i are off this afternoon which is great.  we are going to make a day of it and go somewhere!
sorry i had to go yesterday without finishing my blog but we had to go home and get ready to go to the races. we took one horse to murry bridge.  its only an hour or so away, which was good.  the horse didnt run as well as she was expected, but she pulled up sore so we took her to the farm on the way home so she could have a break.  we picked a yearing up from the farm and brought it back to phillips stable.
we came home around 6.30pm.. when we got back we had to unload the truck with all the racing gear, wash the boots ,bridle (not leather) and the blinkers and take the colours to the guy that lives near the yard to wash and then we could go home. i was very tired so i went to my room to read my book and fell asleep early.
murry bridge was an ok track, nothing special. i think ive been spoilt over in england and all these city tracks ive been going to over in melbourne.
this morning i went in at 3.30 and mucked a few out and then i changed 5/6 rugs from their night rugs into their woolen ones ready to go on the walker and then down to the track. they all go the walker for 10 min before going down the track!
i didnt ride today again because i havent got any gear and im not going to ride in gear thats too big or too small for me, i just wouldnt feel happy.  so instead i swam few horses, i took a horse to the water walker for 15 min. i find it intresting. our horse was on there for 15 min.  its 1m30 deep and its 44meters round it can take up to 6 horses. it has 3/4 different filters which the water goes through every 3 hours to keep it clean.
it can go as fast as 12kmph.  but our lad was only going slow because he hasnt long come back in from an op. he walked 1320 meters in the water this morning.
i think phillip has a great team of people working for him even though its only a small team, all the guys knows what to do and they all just get on with it.  phillip himself works really hard.
first thing in the morning all the horses has a scoop of oats in their feed bowls and then they have their full breakfast when they come back from the tack after being on the walker for 15 min.
i like the idea of the putting the saddles back on top of their woolen rugs to walk back to the yard. it saves us carrying them! lazy i know!
i also went and stood in the tower, its nothing like the tower over in caulfield. no one uses it much i dont think. they do have two tvs and all the paper work they need like thr runners on sat/sun and the trials were also up for tomorow!
phillip did have one tie up this morning, she was sore! this will explain it:
Exertional Rhabdomyolysis, Tying-up, Azoturia, Monday Morning Sickness and Poly Saccharide Storage Myopathy are all names of common muscle metabolism problems. The scientific name for Tying up is rhabdomyolysis, which simply translated means muscle (rhabdo) breakdown (lysis). The causes are several but the result is the same, muscle cramping. In this condition there is massive contraction of the muscle groups along the back and rump of the horse. The muscles contract and do not relax. The horse will appear to be nailed to the floor in the back end while seemingly being able to move the front end without any problems. They will appear to be in significant pain. When you press your hands along the muscles on either side of the spine, they feel rock hard. The horse's temperature may elevate up to 40 or 40.5 degrees. If the cramping is severe enough then the myoglobin released from the damaged muscle goes from blood to kidneys and into the urine, turning the urine a dark red colour. Eventually this can cause severe problems with the kidneys. Most cases of Tying up are not that severe and usually present in a horse that has been off for several days and is then exercised aggressively. In the middle of the ride (or sometimes right at the end) the horse's stride shortens and he cramps up.
Muscle disorders are a frequent cause of poor performance in horses and 'Tying up' is the most common syndrome. It is often mistakenly assumed that any horse with muscle pain or cramping after exercise has 'tied-up', and because of this there is a lot of confusion and controversy around the diagnosis, causes and management of affected horses. However, although a number of different muscle conditions produce the same signs, there are basically two types of true 'Tying-up': Acute and Chronic.

Signs of Tying up
The signs of tying up vary with the severity of the condition and the speed of onset. In mild cases, the horse's gait gradually stiffens and he becomes reluctant to move. The muscles are actually cramping and feel very much to the horse like muscle cramps do to human athletes. The large, heavy muscles of the hind legs are most often affected, but the triceps muscles above the elbow of the front legs may also appear stiff and painful.
The horse often begins sweating profusely, his heart and respiratory rate may also increase dramatically. The affected horse may appear to be colicing, but the major difference is that in horses that are tying up, the large muscle of the hind legs will be firm or very hard and the horse will paw the ground or attempt to lie down.
In extreme cases of tying up, the large muscles of the hind legs may actually appear to bulge. If there is enough muscle damage, the horse's urine will turn a dark, reddish-brown colour as the damaged muscle fibres release myoglobin, which then passes in the urine.
Horses that tie up usually have a recurring problem, associated with a specific set of circumstances. When horses worked for a living, a common problem was "Monday morning's disease." This problem occurred when horses, which were working all week, did not have their grain cut back while resting over the weekend. Some horses tie up when they become excited, at a show, breeding, or travelling. Other horses develop the problem when exercised. Occasionally you run into the horse that ties up for no reason you can detect.
Moderate to severe cases are not hard to diagnose. The stiffness in the rear limbs and hard painful muscles are easily seen. But mild cases may present as decreased performance or a vague lameness originating in the back or hind end. In cases of possible tying up the diagnosis can be confirmed with blood tests for increase levels of muscle enzymes.
oviously a few things will change now for that mare, feed, swim first and they wasy shes trained.
the vet comes in everyday here the same as moodys, to see a few trot up or check a few like the mare that tied up this morning.
monday,tuesdays and thursdays are busy. tuesday and friday are galloping days, with trials on friday too. wednesday are quiet because most of the ones that galloped would go off the pony just like moodys. thursdays are busy too because everything gets riden again.  but i didn notice that there were two jockeys in this morning helping riding a few.
right i best go and help katie do a few things around the yard before we go out for the day!
hope your enjoying my blogs.  pics will b on facebook as soon as i can
cat

s

working for phillip stokes!

hey guys, its wednesday 4th july and im just in phillips office!
tuesay morning i got up at 6 am to get ready to catch my flight from perth to adelaide.  the flight was good.  i got to adelaide around 1.30 their time.  its really strange how the clock seems to change all the time!! my body clock is all over the place.  perth is two hours behind melbourne and adelaide is an hour and half infront of perth! ill get there in the end! 
katie my friend from ireland picked me up from the airport and took me back to the stable to meet the team.  i hadnt planned this very well because i was already on my way to perth when peter moody rang to say i should go to phillips for a few days so i didnt have any of my work gear with me.  i only hand hand luggage!! not ideal!
so i came back to the yard in my boots, skirt and a jumper!! not the best look in the world to be working with horses!
katie ran next door to get some trianers from her friend so i could swim horses. ha ha! so there i was in some old trainers and a skirt with a high vis jacket! looking the part i must say!
its only a small team here compared to moodys yard.  25 in training and handfull of staff.  phillip and his wife would work on the yard full time, mucking out and riding ect.  katie would be full time. theres two lads that work mornings only with another girl thats in uni but comes in weekends and holidays.
katie and phillip would ride maybe 10 horses each morning.
its similar system to moodys really, where they swim everything after work and they have a sand roll, they go off the pony day before they race and the day after and the day after they gallop!  they dont get tied up in the stable to get mucked out.
3.30 wednesday morning i started work, im staying in a house on the yard which is great! i went in and mucked out.  they dont have bins nor wheel barrows but they do have buckets which they empty in the skip! i mucked out 5/6 whilst phillip put few horses on the walker.  they change their rugs from their night rugs into their woolen rugs and head collars on. the car is loaded with saddles bridles pads scrapers ect and taken up to the track. 
phillip does a works list every night, much the same as peter moodys. that is taken up to the track and one is left on the yard so everyone knows whats happening.  phillip walkes two horses up the the track and ties them up and tacks them up.  katie takes two and i take one.
i took a horse that came back yesterday from japan. he went for a roll in the sand and then went for a swim and then back into the tie ups, scraped off and dried with a towel with his woolen rug back on.  he stayed there in till something else could go home with him to keep him company!
the track is similar to melbourne but probably not in the same condition.  it looks more professional over there! i might be wrong!
once theyve been riden they get rolled, swam and rugged up and taken home, two per person and then they swap over and bring another two back up!
when they get back to the stable they go on the walker for a while before they get put away in their boxes with their hay and feed.  they get groomed in their stables!
they all go on the walker in the afternoon and they also swim.  the pool is a different shape and size to moodys.  its got two straight bits.  they have to walk a good bit up to the track where the pool is.  down a street and up the road. 
theyve also got a horse water walker here! i used it this morning a horse thats had a knee op went on it for ten min.  ( i need to hurry on now as im off racing with katie)
ill update soon!
ill update pictures when i get back to my house!