Page 30 - February 2005 The Game

30 The Game, February 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Lina the Horse Whisperer
Horse Whisperer, Lina Razgaitis, is checking out 6-year-old mare, Carolla, a jumper who had just shipped in from Belgium.
By Peter Gross
The instant you meet Lina Razgaitis, you realize that this lady was destined to be a Horse Whisperer, even if you're not quite sure what it is a Horse Whisperer does.
Lina greets you with a beautiful and infectious smile; the communication is instant that she is happy to be with you and it makes you comfortable and interested in what she is about to do.
The term Horse Whisperer became part of the common vernacular several years ago with the release of Nicholas Evans' first novel The Horse Whisperer, which was made into a somewhat forgettable film starring Robert Redford. Around the same time, a book entitled The Man Who Listens to Horses told the story of Monty Roberts who has spent a lifetime preaching non-violent methods of persuading horses.
The term Horse Whisperer itself suggests a gentle and caring way of treating the animal and at the Caco Equestrian Centre at Highway 27 and the King- Vaughan Road, Lina tells me that Horse Whispering is not an exclusive club.
"Anyone can do it," she says, "This is not something just for psychic people. We're looking for body language, we're looking for feelings. What I do is feel their bodies."
To illustrate, she places her hand on my shoulder, then moves it about 6 inches away.
"You don't stop there," she advises, " You stop here." She indicates the area just outside the body, as if reading my 'aura'.
But it's not me that Lina Razgaitis will be exploring (though if she did, I'm sure she would come up with some mind-boggling results).
At the Equestrian Centre we are introduced to Carolla, a gorgeous 6 year-old grey mare owned by Liz and David Currie. Carolla is a jumper who has just been shipped over from Belgium and was only 24 hours away from being trucked down to Florida where she will be performing in a jumper develop- ment class.
Carolla is just a little edgy with all the strangers around her stall, but, much as I did on first encounter, she relaxes when Lina takes charge.
And if Lina Razgaitis is a Horse Whisperer, she is one with 3rd millennium technology. She opens up a large bag and takes out a laptop, some related hardware and a series of straps.
"This is called quantum bio-feedback." She tells me, " It will scan the body for 9000 different things which include vitamins, minerals, allergies, nutritional deficiencies, organ and nerve conditions."
Carolla co-operates fully as Lina winds straps around her ankles and places one gently on top of the
mare's head, under the bridle. Almost instantly, the laptop screen is alive with colours and numbers.
"My job is to synthesize all the data the technology provides into simple suggestions to de-stress the horse," says Razgaitis, nodding at the spectacular amount of information on the screen. And in a few short minutes, she has a veritable biography of Carolla.
"Her hydration is a tad low. For some reason she's not drinking enough or else the enzymes in the body that handle the water are not completely functioning."
"Voltage is adrenal function which is the battery of the body. She's at 79. 80 to 100 is optimum, so that's pretty close."
"She's asking for a remedy. Something for dominating and inflexible and ambition," observes Razgaitis.
"I lived with a woman like that once," I crack, but Lina is too absorbed by Carolla's feedback to admire my humour.
"This is created in Budapest," she says of
the software, "By an American named Bill Wilson. He was a scientists who became a naturopathic and Chinese medicine doctor who merged his knowledge from both fields."
Lina spent much of her early career in marketing for pharmaceutical companies and head hunting for corporations, but made a dramatic switch after meeting a man dying from colon cancer.
"This man was too sore to be touched." Lina recounts, "He had not slept a full night in the months that he had the cancer. He fell asleep during my session and slept for nine hours. This man maximized the last two weeks of his life and was glad to be alive. This told me that I need to keep doing this."
I asked Lina if her work with horses could benefit a thoroughbred and she got very enthusiastic. She says it's important to put positive images in the horse's brain.
"For a thoroughbred, send them images of him being at the finish line, of passing the finish line first," she says.
I think of telling her the thousands of times at the track I have attempted, without success, to send that message to the horses I bet on, but I keep this to myself.
"Horses are affected by their riders," continues Razgaitis, " If the rider is anxious, the horse will pick it up easily." That I buy. It explains the countless times that a jockey, having already won one or two
races on the day continues to win. He carries the
last race's confidence to his next lucky mount. Razgaitis then conducts an interview with the
serenely co-operative Carolla.
"Do you know that you're going to Florida
tomorrow?"
There is little response.
"You're going to be on the road for two days and
nights," Razgaitis speaks in a gentle almost lilting voice and Carolla turns her head towards her for direct eye contact.
"The more calm and relaxed you are, the more fun you'll have with your buddies," Razgaitis says softly, "There's no need to kick and dominate because you're all going to the same place."
To that, Carolla lets out a playful whinny and shakes her head aggressively up and down. Razgaitis is pleased.
"When they start yawning, they're releasing, so the therapy is actually working."
It's time for the horses in the stable to be fed. Razgaitis removes the straps and we say goodbye to Carolla who has many adventures ahead of her.
It has not, in any way been a long enough experience for me to reasonably grasp the science that Lina Razgaitis practises. But as we leave, she lets me know that if people can whisper to horses, the horses can whisper back.
"Spending a half hour with Carolla has made my day," says Lina.
The smile has never left her face.
If you wish to contact Lina Razgaitis: 416-879-4162, LinaRaz@aol.com
Photo Jackie Humber
Michael Burns Photo courtesy of WEG
Woodbine Entertainment Group, sponsor of the Toronto Children’s Breakfast Club, hosted the second annual Christmas Breakfast Party for the children.
On December 22, Woodbine’s Executive Chef, Joseph Lesch, cooked up pancakes, eggs and other breakfast staples for the more than 40 children who were in attendance.
The Christmas breakfast
was held at the Community Centre on Queen’s Plate Drive, across from Woodbine Racetrack.
There was a special appearance from Woodbine
Willie, the racehorse horse mascot, as well as officers from the Metro Toronto Police, who helped serve the breakfast. Woodbine staff were also on hand to help give out a gift for each of the children.
Trend Stables from Hastings Race track has added another horse to it’s stable.
A life size replica of 1996 Washington State two-year-old horse of the year, Name For Norm, is in B.B.’s Sports Lounge in Richmond B.C. Name For Norm raced in Washington State as well as at Hastings and had career winnings of over $270,000. The “real” Name For Norm currently stands Stud in Granite Falls, USA.