Page 18 - February 2017 Thoroughbred Highlight

A Checklist for Mare Owners
Your broodmare is about to be busy! Is she ready for foaling, nursing, and rebreeding? If you’re unsure, consider this eight-point checklist.
Visit - “I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.”
As Chaplain it is my
duty to visit those from
the racing community who
have been injured or are ill. Many times people are quite shocked when I stick my head in the door of their hospital room (or the curtain of the emergency room). It is part of my job and quite frankly not every Chaplain or Minister like to do it. One friend of mine who is a Pastor con ded that he doesn’t like going to hospitals- “There’s too many sick people there.” “But that’s what hospitals are for!” I argued. Didn’t matter- I couldn’t change his mind, although he admits that he grits his teeth and does it.
There is nothing like the announcement that the track is closed and the ambulance is summoned to send a shiver down the spine of most race trackers. The same with seeing the EMT’s parked at the end of a barn. Someone is hurt or sick. When this happens at Woodbine, I can nd out where they’ve been taken via our security or from the EMT’s themselves. I’m also fortunate enough to have network of volunteers here who will text or call me when someone’s been hurt or they see the ambulance in action. There is
no hotline (“To the Bat-phone!”) between me and security. Once I nd out who it is, which hospital they’re going to and some of the circumstances,
I make arrangements to visit them as quickly as possible. Emergency rooms are lonely, sometimes scary places and if I can be there to comfort and pray with someone, the sooner, the better. After twelve years here at Woodbine I know how to negotiate our hospitals- I see many of the doctors and nurses again and again and they know I’m pretty harmless. In one
case I was able to show the attending doctor the replay of a race in which a jockey was injured and he understood it was more than just a “riding accident”.
One line I hear over and over in the case of a person who is sick and has been in the hospital for a few days is that they don’t want any visitors. Usually
I try to call them or contact their room and in all but a few cases I’ve never be denied a visit. I bring a card, offer to pray, (in all but one case I’ve never been denied a prayer- even from an atheist!), but don’t over stay my welcome. If they’re injured or sick enough
to warrant a lengthy stay I’ll make a few visits and make sure I can bring magazines, a double-double, or something to make their ordeal a little easier.
As our tag verse says, “I was in prison and you visited me.” This too is another unfortunate part
of reality on the backstretch. People get arrested and if I nd out I’ll make a visit part of my workday. Regardless of the circumstances, most people from the track are there for the rst time and it is a nasty, scary place to be. In one case I was able to be the person’s guarantor and things turned out well. It doesn’t take long in a courtroom or jail to gure out who belongs and who doesn’t- most of the time.
There’s an old saying: “Time only counts in jail”. I’ve modi ed that to: “Time only counts in jail or hospital”. The minutes pass slowly in both and even a short visit is better than no visit at all. If you’ve ever been in hospital or, God forbid, jail, you know how meaningful a visit can be. So treat others as you’d have them treat you and take the time. The impact you have could last a lifetime.
Thoroughbred
Highlight
Classi ed Advertising Listings
Beginning March 2017
Basic Listing start at $25 Advertise your Items For Sale, Job Postings, Professional Services & More!
Email: Stacie Roberts
or call: 416-230-5190
FYI - The Woodbine Backstretch will open for barn setup on February 27, 2017. Horses can begin shipping in on Tuesday, February 28 with the Training Track open beginning March 1: 7:00 - 11:00 am (no harrow break) & (weather permitting) & Sand Ring: 6:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon. (weather permitting)
Thoroughbred Highlight - Page 18 - February 2017