Caretakers are the foundation of the horse racing industry. The horses are totally dependent on those who care for them around the clock, 365 days a year, and a caretaker is the first and often the last person the horse sees each day.

Most often they are behind the scenes, yet their work is front and centre for the entire racing community to see when the horses step onto the track, or into a sales ring.

Trot Insider talked to a few industry participants to get their thoughts on the role of caretakers and their importance to the industry.

Owner Brad Grant: “Caretakers are the lifeline of our industry, their horses are their extended family, not a pet or just an animal, and their unwavering devotion to the well being of these animals is something to behold.”

Trainer / Driver Kelly Hoerdt: “They are the backbone to any successful stable, caretakers make the horses, trainers and drivers all look good!

Driver Jody Jamieson: “Thank god for the hardworking caretakers of harness racing. They’ve made my job easy over the years and I appreciate every last person who calls harness racing their lifestyle.”

Driver James MacDonald: “For me the importance of caretakers in the industry is enormous! Without their hard work day in and day out the show wouldn’t go on. They are without a doubt the hardest working people in our industry. Some work all day, then race then ship home and don’t get to bed until very early in the morning. Get up and do it all over again the next day. Thank you to everyone for their hard work I know all the drivers, trainers and owners all really appreciate all you do.”

Trainer Dr. Ian Moore: “Without the caretakers, my stable wouldn’t be what it is today or what it has been. I’m sure very thankful for all they do…it can be a thankless job. And they have to put up with me.”

Owner Adriano Sorella: “Caretakers are part of the heart and soul of the industry. From dust to dawn caretakers are there for the animals. It’s a lifestyle for most, and I respect and appreciate the ones that have given my horses the care they deserve”.

Standardbred Canada’s Rachel Oenema produced this video, 'Being A Caretaker', that shows caretakers hard at work.

How To Become A Caretaker?

The Caretaker is the entry level position in Standardbred racing. If you aspire to be a trainer, you must be a caretaker first for two years. If you want to be a driver, you must be a caretaker first, for two years, then a trainer, for at least one year.

A passion for horses, strong work ethic, superior time management skills, and being reliable are some of the most important traits for being a caretaker, as identified by many of the caretakers featured in this year’s Faces of Racing series. Most of them also pointed out that being a caretaker is a lifelong learning process.

So how does someone become a caretaker? For the majority, it means finding a trainer to work for and having “on the job” training. There are also two educational institutions that have programs / courses specifically for grooms – Equine Guelph and Olds College.

Equine Guelph (EG), based at the University of Guelph in Ontario, offers several diplomas and certificates in equine studies, and many of the courses and programs are geared towards caretakers.

EG has collaborated with the horse racing industry to offer several short online courses, free or at a discount to AGCO or HRA licensees, through the Horse Portal. The courses are intended to bring racehorse owners and caregivers together to learn about optimizing equine health and performance as a community.

Alberta’s Olds College offers a Professional Racetrack Groom Course. The program has a blended approach that allows students to study online and learn from and practice with industry professional instructors while earning a wage working in the industry. The next term for this program starts in January.

The caretakers’ work at the track is only the tip of the iceberg. Racing a horse is generally the culmination of a week, or many weeks of hard work that includes paying attention to every single meticulous detail that goes into ensuring that the equine athlete is healthy and fit to race!

This weekend, September 18 – 20, is National Caretaker Appreciation weekend. Let’s recognize the caretakers and show them how much they mean to us, to the horses and to the industry!