# Race Track Hot Walker



## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Interesting.

I finished my last couple years of high school travelling with race horses. TBs and STBs. I went on to manage a small farm (TBs) until they wanted to go to the east coast with an eye on ending up in New York. I left to explore the West.

Race horses were a good option for me. I was quite energetic. Being with horses was better than running the streets of one of the five largest US cities. Saved my life, I believe.

Oh, I met several teachers that worked the tracks in the summer. We all had fun.

Thanks for sharing your story


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## turnouteveryday (Mar 3, 2021)

I'm so glad that I encountered this post & really appreciate that you posted this. This is my first time on this website & came across it by searching 'hot walker' on google. I had to make an account to reply. What you described in your journal at that time in your life is exactly what I'm going through right now. I'm 24 years old and currently in graduate school.

Before the pandemic, the thought of working at a racetrack was nonexistent in my mind. My father was a jockey and he introduced me to the sport since when I was three years old and would always take me to the racetrack. My desire to be a jockey continued to grow and as a teenager I spend a summer in a jockey school in my country. My dad even manufactured a horse for me that was very reminiscent of an Equicizer for me to practice on. However, as I got older, the desire of being a jockey diminished and I also grew too tall.

By the time I was 17, my love for the sport was gone. I got through school, went to college and did really well as a student athlete. Once the pandemic hit, sitting around at home brought back this desire to find a way to be involved with horses and horse racing. It was something that I would have never seen happen because I stopped thinking about horse racing once I graduated high school. All this free time rejuvenated this desire to be involved with races horses, and as I read the first few sentences of your post I got a sense of relief that I could relate to your 31 year old self.

My current situation is the same as the beginning of your journal entry. I revealed to the close people around me that I wanted to work at the racetrack last summer and have gotten the same reactions that you did. Just the act of telling my parents was dreadful because they just don't see me working at a racetrack since I'm already building a different career path through school. I just can't help but follow this desire even if I'm already in graduate school. I'm ready for this journey that I plan on taking this summer.

I also have many fears about it. I fear that I may not be good as a hot walker, or that I may get into a dangerous situation due to my inexperience. I don't have much experience other than the summer that I spent at the jockey school. I also have the fear of feeling empty and lost after I try the job out like you did when your summer was over. Nonetheless, this is something that I want to do and I've gotten so many signs telling me that I should do it. I don't want to have regrets years later. I'm aware of the dreadful tasks that come with working at a racetrack. The early mornings and sacrifices that are required for the care of the horses. I can't complete a simple task without thinking about this and just want to do it, but there are also so many fears and concerns that I have which you also had at the time. Nonetheless, I'm ready to see what it'll be like. My apologies for the long response, I resonated with your entry so much that I just couldn't help but reply. Not sure what guided me into finding this forum and your post but I'm so glad that I did. Thank you for sharing.


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

Oh wow, your response means so much to me! After I put it up, I thought, "That was stupid and dumb. I was so young at that time--it was all so melodramatic to me back then." Now, I am glad I did. My neighbor, who was a third generation race tracker, was the one who told me it was a fever, called "race track fever", always the hope that YOU could be the one to discover a diamond in the rough and bring him/her into the winner's circle. It can be sort of an addiction.

Your reply is so well written and understandable. It makes me glad I put that thing up. I wish you the best in your endeavor. As I wrote in the journal, even a non-horsey scardy cat can be successful as a hot walker and not get fired. (that was the neighbor across the street from the third generation race tracker). If she can do it, we all can do it. What I would really like is if you would keep a journal about your adventures. Folks on the Horse Forum are quite non-judgmental in the journal section. I know many of us would love to read about your experiences!


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## turnouteveryday (Mar 3, 2021)

Your neighbor was right about that, I’m certainly living with a “race track fever”. Your post was very relatable & has definitely given me a reason to create a journal for myself to share. Thanks again for sharing, I got a burst of excitement & joy in reading your entry, especially knowing that someone has experienced the same things that I am living through now. Very excited & interested in what this journey will be like!


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

If you like it, you never quite get over it. 

I'm in my 60s now, and still have an exercise saddle that I use for the occasional gallop. Last night I brought three 4yr olds in from winter pasture to start back to work. We only walked in hand. They were each fractious and had me doing some fancy footwork to keep up or stay out of the way. Sure reminded me of walking hots.


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