ENGLISH TEXTS dried , they become more abrasive . With the friction from the saddle pad , it rubs off the hair . A saddle lasts 10 to 15 years . But not all horses are built the same . Ideally , a saddle should suit both a yearling and a six-yearold horse that has finished growing .
G . What are the worst injuries ?
H . G . Cruciate ligament injuries and Achilles tendon ruptures for football players . Tendonitis for horses , aside from fractures . Cruciate ligament injuries require 9 months to a year of rehabilitation . Muscle injuries are very complicated .
G . Ideally , how often should a horse be massaged ?
H . G . At the beginning of each week , I get my list of horses . I like to see the horse five days before its race . If something does not seem right , I have time to intervene .
G . Have you ever had to veto a horse ’ s participation ?
H . G . From my very first experiences . That is why I am still here . A trainer once told me : “ He will be the favorite in the Quinté +.” I replied , “ Yes , but in five months .” I detected a muscle injury and an ultrasound revealed a tear in the thigh . On the other hand , veterinarians could not figure out what was wrong with a mare owned by a major owner . I said , “ She will race .” I came to massage her twice a day , we doubled the training to catch up . She won her
Group race fifteen days later .
G . Between football and horse racing , are any methods transferable ?
H . G . I bring clay from the stables to football players . Like the one found at the seaside , it is better than any commercial product . To treat bruises , I use compresses soaked in modified alcohol , just like for horses . There are even more connections with rugby . One day , I found in a Top 14 team ’ s medical trunk an anti-inflammatory product used for horses . There are also similarities with cycling , where cyclists are treated with layers of care and each has a personal masseur on the Tour de France . However , some things cannot be transferred . Taping does not hold on a horse . Water is the best masseur . But beware : immersing a horse up to its shoulders in the sea is equivalent to a second canter .
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By Olivier Villepreux
HORSE RACING AND RACE- COURSES
159
HAVE ( PARTLY ) SHAPED THE SPORTING IMAGI- NATION
An overview of the interactions and spheres of influence between horse racing and modern sports with historian Philippe Tétart , senior lecturer in contemporary history at the University of Le Mans .
Which came first , the chicken or the egg ? If we trace the origins of thoroughbred racing to the first Epsom Derby in 1780 - the foundational event of what would later be called the “ turf ” in France - can we assume that galloping races predate foot races in Europe ? And consequently , could human sports , as we know them today , find their roots in equestrian culture ? Moreover , since the British continue to consider and refer to horse racing as the sport , should we believe that all other sports or “ sportlike ” activities are merely adaptations of the rules and customs established by horse racing ? According to Philippe Tétart , a historian of sports , while connections can be drawn ,