Rain can be trouble or blessing for horses

Most horses don't mind the mud in the ring too much, but the pavement gets slick and dangerous. (T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

By the time the Celebration started Tuesday evening, the day-long rain had dwindled to the occasional sprinkle, but the storm's evidence was everywhere-- especially on the gray track. Even after being scraped with a road grader, ribbons of water collected around the center ring. Would it make a difference in the horses' performances?

"Some horses like it," said Danny Arnold of Florence, Ala.

He's been coming to the Celebration for 41 years now and has seen the horses work in all kinds of weather.

"A lot of horses do well in the mud," he said. "All these horses are well trained, they won't give up. Some horses even do better."

Arnold laughed.

"I knew a fellow, back in 1969. He said to a friend of mine, 'Come out and see this horse work.'

"The horse went OK, but my friend said it didn't look like any world grand champion."

Arnold said the trainer then wet the training ring down with a hose and told his friend, "Now watch this ..."

The horse moved out into the mud, much better than he had before, Arnold said.

"The trainer told my friend, 'We're praying for rain.'

"Back then, they had the qualifying class on Wednesday night and that horse got fourth. Come Saturday and sure enough, it comes a flood and that horse won the world grand championship. Ebony's Senator."

Dr. Mike Harry, the Celebration veterinarian, said the mud doesn't put any unusual stress on the horses.

"They're more likely to slip on the pavement," he said.

At the Callaway barn, trainer Sam McLaughlin agreed, but added that the cool rain after a hot workout can pose the same problems for a horse they do for a human.

"It can lower their defenses and make it easier to get infections, like colds," he said. Extra care is taken in cooling the horses down and making sure they don't get too chilled too fast.

"It can affect their health," McLaughlin said, "and sometimes a slip will affect a square-going horse."

But like Arnold, McLaughlin has seen some horses enjoy their work more in the mud. One of the stables' horses, Ozone's Cut Above All, took reserve in his 4-year-old stallion class Sunday in the wet.

"He seemed to like it," said McLaughlin. "He's got a good chance Friday."

Goodlettsville trainer Buist Carr of C Stables said the extensive training the horses get helps them deal with the rain and wet conditions.

"These horses have such good dispositions and they have to deal with so much, from grooming and bathing and clipping. This is just one more thing," he said. "It helps some horses, and some horses might do worse."

The rainy weather has kept many visitors away, or huddled under the grandstands, but according to the National Weather Service, the end is in sight -- for a while. The weather should clear up late Wednesday and be sunny Thursday, although there is a 30 percent chance of showers forecast for Friday and a 20 percent chance Saturday.

Carr said he knows of at least one group that's happy to see the rain and the mud.

"The dry cleaners like it," he laughed. "We have to have those outfits cleaned every night."