5 Reasons Why You Should Get Involved in a Racehorse

I’ve told you how to get involved in a racehorse (if you missed that article you can read it here) and now here are your reasons why. So, for guys (or girls) looking to convince your significant other to let you buy into a racehorse, look no further.

1. It’s inclusive

I don’t think there’s any other sport that is as inclusive as horse racing. Not only in terms of those competing (male jockeys vs female jockeys) but also in terms of ownership.

Anyone of any ability can become an owner. Whether you spend hours studying the form guide and know what to look for in a horse or you have no idea what a bar plate is (it’s a type of shoe horses wear for those who don’t know), it doesn’t matter. Yes, having some knowledge will help you pick a good horse but as long as you get some good advice, you’ll be fine. It’s also inclusive disability wise. While some areas are not accessible in a wheelchair, the whole racing community is very friendly, and I know my disability has certainly not gotten in the way of me owning a horse.

If you think that only rich people can own horses too, you’re wrong. Many stables sell shares as small as 2.5% of a horse and there are also many rags to riches stories in the racing world. Mystic Journey from Tasmania would be the best story at the moment. She was brought for $11,000 and has gone on to win over $3 million, with this figure potentially increasing this spring. Now not all cheap horses go on to win this amount of money, but then neither do some of the expensive horses sometimes. So, anyone with any budget can get involved in ownership.

2. Social aspect

My mum has a saying that in life you have “your tribe” and these are a group of people who you just click with, your second family. For me, this is definitely the horse racing community and for that reason, becoming an owner is a great social opportunity.

Now, you can definitely make friends at the races by just going regularly, but becoming an owner adds that extra element as it gives you something in common to talk about with fellow owners. At the start of my horse racing journey, I probably knew about a maximum of 5 people either involved in the industry or who owned a horse. These days I know more people than I can count, and a love of racing is the thing that brought us together.

So, if you’re looking to make new friends or haven’t found people who share your passion for racing then I would highly suggest becoming an owner.

3. A reason to get out of the house

This reason probably isn’t the main draw-card to getting involved in a racehorse compared to the other four, but it is still important neither the less.

If you’re someone who is feeling a bit down and/or just sit on the couch all day on Saturdays, then get involved in a racehorse. While there are quiet periods when your horse will be spelling (haha I have shares in 7 horses at the moment and I still have quiet times), there is always something to look forward to and a reason to get out of bed. Whether that be waiting for trial results on Monday, nominations on Tuesday, final fields on Wednesday or the actual race on Saturday where you get to cheer your horse on.

The social aspect comes in here too as meeting up with new friends will help boost your morale too. Plus, when becoming an owner, you definitely have a newfound respect for the good horses (because you’ll realise how hard they are to find), so you’ll find yourself heading to the track to watch these champion horses in the flesh.

4. The experience

I say this time and time again, you don’t buy into a racehorse to make money, you do it for the experience, both the social experience but also the emotional one.

Before becoming an owner, the emotional side is something I didn’t even consider, but these days you’ll find me as an emotional wreck when my horses win. Something I also didn’t know about is that adrenaline rush, that starts leading up to the race and climaxes when the horses cross the finish line, especially when you win!

The experience is also a journey as well. It’s that moment when you see a horse for the first time and fall in love, that proud parent moment when they trial for the first time or finally get to the races after you’ve been waiting 12 months. It’s that warm fuzzy feeling of joy you get when your baby (haha yes, I call my racehorses my babies) wins from the first time and you’re there sharing the moment with all of the other owners. To this day this is still something that I fully enjoy (both the highs and lows) and it makes me smile thinking back on so many memories.

So, if you’re looking to experience something different or get that adrenaline rush without doing anything that will risk your life, then buying a share in a racehorse may be for you. Similarly, if you’re a horse racing fan and wanted to experience what life is like on the other side of the fence, no longer being just a spectator but actually living it, then ownership is also for you.

5. You’ll Expand Your Knowledge

This might have been true mainly for me because I was quite young when I became an owner (youngest owner in WA at one stage), but being an owner opened a whole new world to me.

While avid racing fans will already understand about horse’s ideal distances and the importance of breeding (sometimes!), becoming an owner taught me about the process of getting a horse to the races and the many setbacks that can come with it. I learnt about what to look for in winning horses and how each horse performs, all of which I think has made me a better tipper too. For those who are against racing as well, you’ll be surprised at how being an owner can teach you how well looked after and loved these horses are. 

However, being an owner mostly importantly teaches you patience. Racing is a waiting game, waiting for your yearling to get to the track, waiting for your horse to come back from an extended spell, etc. As Bart Cummings once said, “Patience is the cheapest thing in racing, but most people don’t use it”.

So, I hope after reading this I’ve persuaded a few more people to become owners (haha or persuaded those who are preventing you from becoming an owner). This article is only a snapshot of some reasons why and it’s hard to put into words how racing really makes me feel (the benefits for me), plus my story is only one of thousands, however, I think all owners will agree that once you buy a share in a racehorse, you’ll be hooked for life!