The next article in our series of understanding horse racing form, we are going to address gear changes.
What do gear changes mean, what effect do they may have on your horses' performance and where to find the information you need.
Blinkers
Blinkers are small shields that are placed around the horses eyes restricting their vision to basically what's in front of them. They are used to keep a horse focused on to the race at hand. You'll often hear a trainer say they've put the blinkers on a horse to "switch them on" a bit. There are some occasions where a horse will over race or race a 'bit keen' with blinkers on meaning that this gear change isn't always a guaranteed.
Tongue Tie
A piece of nylon that hooks under the lower jaw of a horse normally to prevent a horses tongue getting up and over the bit. It can also be sometimes used to help with horse respiratory issues. If a horse has not performed up to standard and at its next start, a tongue tie has gone on, it may improve.
Nose Roll
Sometimes known as a shadow roll, a sheepskin roll placed across the nose of the horse is in place to encourage the horse to lower it's head during the run. It will rarely have any negative influence on the horse and some horses will race their whole career with a nose roll on.
Bar Plates
Bar plates indicate the horse has had hoof and or foot issues and many punters often see this as a red flag to back them. They are used to stop the hoof shifting during the run as they are a fully enclosed plate around the hoof.
Race Plates
These are a good gear change as it normally means the horse is healthy and these approved race plates are lightweight and the main shoe horses wear on race day.
Ear Muffs
Exactly as you'd think, the ear muffs are designed to shield the horses ears from loud noises like a spring carnival crowd. They'll help settle a horses nerves on race day and are a low risk gear change.
Winkers
Winkers are the diet coke version of blinkers. They are basically a sheepskin lateral shade that keeps a horses eyes forward without being as intrusive and controlling as blinkers can be.
Lugging Bit
A low-key gear change, sometimes known as a ring or lip bit. It gives the rider better control of his mount and helps keeps the horse running straight. Any impact it has on the horse will be minimal without much of a negative influence associated with this gear change.
Gelded
And finally, let's not forget the ultimate gear change... when a Colt or Stallion is Gelded. Horses that struggle to focus during the race and relax in the run can often dramatically improve after being gelded.
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Stay tuned for more great horse racing and betting articles coming up on Before You Bet to help you become a better punter! Also make sure to check out all our horse racing betting tips!
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