Hello,
Happy Thursday!
On Monday, I mentioned there are a number of different jobs at the race track. With these various occupations, one sees so many different personalities.
Rafael Mendoza is a gentleman who wears a few different HATS at the track! (No pun intended!) He tries to make work FUN! Rafael is an exercise rider for another barn. This means he has a job like STEVE did with ME. Each morning, he gets on horses for the trainer who employs him. Depending upon where the horses are in their training programs, he is aboard them for their required exercise each day.
What Rafael loves to do…is also have FUN while he works. For all of the different holidays and ‘special occasions’, he has a different festive hat he wears over his safety helmet. John happened to get this photo of him a few days after the 4th of July. From what I’ve heard, and seen while I was in California training, Rafael has very creative taste in HATS.
All riders (exercise riders and jockeys) must wear a safety helmet and a safety vest every time they get on a horse. This is mandatory in the quest to protect each person as much as possible.
The ‘other hat’ that Rafael wears is that of a VALET for a JOCKEY. Since exercising horses only takes place in the morning, many of these riders have a second job in the afternoon. Rafael works in the Jockey’s Room as a valet for different riders.
The job of valet is to take care of the jockey he is working for and his equipment. He is to keep all of his tack in good condition, make sure the rider has the proper silks in his cubicle for the horses he is riding that day, and then go out before each race and help the trainer saddle the horse. When the valet leaves the Jock’s Room to go to the paddock, he is carrying the jockey’s saddle and the pad that will be used on the horse…which holds any additional weight if needed.
For instance, when I ran carrying 129 pounds, Mike and his equipment accounted for the majority of this weight. The rest of it was added in the form of small lead weights which tuck inside the pad.
Weight is a big thing! That is why you see the jockeys weigh out after each race. The weighing process is done in the Jockeys’ Room before each race and then after at the scales in front of the grandstand. Everything is always monitored very closely.
The jobs of an exercise rider and a valet are extremely important in racing. It is great to see people like Rafael truly enjoying their work!
Have you ever thought about how many HATS you wear each day?
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
msnap12
Love you Zenny! and R’s hat too!
msnap12
WOOT WOOT! I WAS FIRST!! :)
Tressia in Phoenix
Awsome photo, how fun!
Thanks for the messages, keep them comming!
JAG from California :-)
GOOD THURSDAY MORNING BIG MAMMA ZENNY!
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I love that Rafael likes to have FUN while he works!! Why shouldn’t your place of employment be enjoyable!! Great minds think alike LOL :-D
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Wearing many hats (more ways than one) is what keeps us going ~ right, Zenny?!
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All Z DUMPLINGS: Enjoy your day! Make the most of it! Find joy and smiles :-) in something today! Life is way too short, as we all know!!
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Hugs & Kisses, My Queen and Baby z XOXOXOXOXO
Linda
How about Shadow Dancer for Zenyatta’s offspring?
Johnnie Lingron
Nice story the fact you shared this makes you fun too.
Kathy
Love hearing from you Zenyatta!!!
Lori K
I LOVE YOU ZENNY & BABY Z :) HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!!! LOVE THE HAT TOO CUTE…..
Sharon Call
@Linda. I really like that name. It would work for either a colt or a filly. Wonder if it’s already taken.
Sue MacGray
Love the picture of Rafael and his hat, and also learning about the people that work on the backside and how some have two jobs! I don’t have too many hats at my day job (I’m an editor), but I wear many hats after work (wife, stepmom, cook, workout aficionado, dressage student :)
AdmiringFan
Zenyatta, can you share with us a list of all the people who work behind the scenes at the track and at the farms?
Interesting about valets. Are they contracted to specific jockeys or freelance? Is there a license required to do this job, or is it part of another license to be on site? Thanks!
Christine in VA
I love to learn from you Zen. Every post is new and interesting. Question…So for the rest of your life will you ever have a rider on you back? Even for a fun ride? I know now is not the time but after the baby is here do you or your friends ever take someone for a SLOW ride ??.
J Smith
Great hat, love the matching sun glasses too. Good for Raphael for having fun & making everyone smile. Glad I don’t have to make a hat for all the different ‘jobs’ I do in a day. I’d never have time for the jobs, I’d be too busy making the hats! I think Dottie may be the winner of ‘how many hats do u wear in a day’. Now there is one busy lady. Off to make people smile (though you are the winner of that).
harold moore
It’s nice to hear about different jobs at the track and what their functions are to make it happen.
Gloria
Great picture, Big Mama Z! Fun to be out at the track when you get to see something like that. Thanks for the update. Take care! XOXO
JAG from California :-)
Speaking of wearing many hats ~ how appropriate that this video was shared today!
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http://www.petcentric.com/Videos/PetCentricTVEpisodeDetail.aspx?pctvsid=76e0781b-2f76-47ee-9786-0eeebe5f3033
Maty the Tripawed Dog ~ TOO CUTE!! :-D
J Smith
Volunteer Opportunity, a horse rescue in Morriston FL is understaffed & could use some volunteers. See post from Cara near bottom of yesterdays diary.
suew
Zenny, I love this picture! It shows the playful side of the “job” and no doubt brings lots of smiles to anyone who sees these hats. When you mentioned carrying 129 pounds I am again amazed at how professionally you did everything during a race. You always kept a keen eye on the target and did your best to get there.
How many others have carried that weight? Not many. You were and are splendid in every way. I watched a few of your videos again this morning and keep telling myself I will never see another like you again.
Shannon From Cool
Wish I were one of those people on the backside again, use to work there and loved it. Now I miss it a lot.
Laurie
See he has a nice pair of gloves too. I’m sure that’s a necessity too. What a cutie, what a great job.
Beth Alexander
Thanks for keeping us in the loop and teaching us new things. I wear so many different hats in my job that sometimes I forget who I am supposed to be!!!! Have a great day! Love you always!
Maryyette
Always cheerful and good thoughts, and appreciation for people- what lovely qualities in you, Zenyatta, and also Dottie.
Horses love happy voices and happy faces, and they sense the goodness in people.
Thanks for sharing with us –
Love and good thoughts always, Sweet Zennyfer! Love to you and Baby Z – many kisses and hugs, you are a blessing in our lives!!!
Zenyen
@Christine in VA,
I know that in the past sometimes the stallions would be ridden for exercise though I think that is a case by case basis and not a standard practice.
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A broodmare cycle is such that she will foal then within a couple of months be bred back so in a perfect world by the time she weans the foal at her side, she will be safely in foal for the next season. So I’ve never heard of the creme to la creme broodmares at the big farms being ridden as the farms usually want to keep them relaxed and focused on procreation.
Andrea from Germany
Have to admit that weight is a great thing to me too. Hope you`re gaining more and more foaly weight? Stay healthy. Love you Zenny.
The Kennedys in San Diego
More on the 2012 BC site.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/64326/santa-anita-park-looms-as-2012-bc-host-site
Sharon Call
@Cara Ezelle, DJ. Cara, I was going to suggest that you repost your comments from yesterday so that everyone has a chance to see them.
The Kennedys in San Diego
What we have observed on all backsides we have visited is happy, smiling, friendly people. And who would not be — working with these beautiful creatures.
Barbara Wood
Dearest Z– thank you for sharing this great shot of Rafael. I know Dottie is too modest to tell us everything her job involves, but I have no idea what a racing manager does. Could you clue us in without telling her, so she won’t be embarrassed? Thanks.
Trina Nagele
To all re: Judy Maass Gadwood’s post yesterday suggesting birthday cards be sent to Tony Leonard, the famed equine photographer, on the occasion of his 89th birthday, c/o Homestead Nursing Center, 1608 Versailles Road, Lexington, KY 40504-2402—here’s a link giving insight into Tony at work back in the 1980s—it shows his talent and his loving heart. ”Focusing on Horses” http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1068273/index.htm
@Judy Maass Gadwood—My card is going out this afternoon.
Lorri
Raphael does look like he likes to have fun! I would love to work with someone like him. Thanks for the update on exerciser’s and valet’s. You touched on weights Momma Z, but could you sometime expand on why some horses wear the weights and some don’t. Thanks! xoxo