Do you want to buy a horse? The good news is that it costs less than a thousand euros. But the bad news is that the monthly maintenance could reach your mortgage payment.
And that’s not all. In addition to the monthly payment of about 450 euros for housing and basic care, there are one-time expenses for a blacksmith, a veterinarian, an animal dentist, and a chiropractor, above-standard supplementary nutrition and regeneration treatments, registration, enrollment fees, and transportation. It’s about 7,000 euros a year.
Will I end up in the black?
Your motivation may be prestige, adrenaline, fun, curiosity, or love for the noble animals, but certainly not the prospect of profit. The Slovak record prize money is 311,931 euros, which got Miroslav Piskla with his horse Ryan for MPL Racing. He bought his horse in an auction for approximately 500 euros. Horse of the Year 2020-2022 in the Slovak Republic from the Bormann René Borovský’s stable, Opasan, cost about 6,400 euros and earned 153,205 euros in bonuses during three “coronation” seasons. Think of it as the tip of the iceberg. Last year, seven Slovak horses, about 3% of the contingent, got above the mentioned limit and earned 7,000 euros per season.
Where will my horse gallop?
Mostly in Bratislava. However, our race map does not stay only in the metropolis. There are racing tracks in Senica, Topoľčianky, and Šurany. So, owning a racehorse barely makes sense if you are from eastern Slovakia. At the central hippodrome in Starý Háj in Petržalka, 15 events are held from the beginning of April to the end of October, about every two weeks (of course, you also pay for the idle time between seasons). The highlights are the Turf-gala meeting in June and the Slovak Derby in July. Relatively common are trips to Prague and Budapest; races abroad are just for the top racers; otherwise, there is no steep pricing. Opasan made seven of his last eight appearances in France.
How many race starts can a horse handle?
The four-legged bearer of the action, Van Damme from the Mihalik family stable from Radošovce under Marcel Mihalik’s lead, participated in 11 seasons and 104 tournaments (13 triumphs, total profit of 31 365 euros). The horse is still active, but such durability is unique. It is realistic to expect about 3-4 seasons and skillful 25-30 attempts if your acquisition avoids health problems. The phenomena of the Great Pardubice Steeplechase caused a distorted perception among the public in this region. About 95% of starts occur in non-jumping level competitions, where the risk of a serious to fatal horse injury is significantly lower than in the obstacle sector. It is you who decides about the starting position.
Will I ride alone?
You’d better forget about it right away if, on a scale of 1 to 10, starting with beginners and ending with experts, you won’t have the proficiency of at least seven despite hundreds of hours of practice. The English Thoroughbred (A1/1) racing horses have been bred since the 18th century for their speed and strength development. Exercise and energy-dense food only enhance the natural temperament. In addition, the racehorse has a strict regime of the top athlete, and the laypeople in the saddle would disrupt it. Of course, you can bring apples or carrots to the horse over the weekend and pet the horse in the stable. After its career, it is possible that you will turn a dashing horse racer into a chill-out pensioner enjoying the yard behind the house. Horses also require a firm hand and at least elementary experience.
Who’s going to take care of my horse?
You can choose from about twenty professional Slovak coaches. Most of them reside nearby the capital, some even in it. In everyday preparation, the coach pays a working rider on the horse’s back; at the races, it is a jockey who receives a hiring fee. The tax is automatically deducted from your special account from the horse racing authority (štátny podnik Závodisko Bratislava), plus 5% of each extra money you earn (another 10% goes to the coach). The jockey is hired by the coach, who should always consult the choice and the horse management with you.
Who will name my horse?
In most cases, it is you if you acquire a horse before the beginning of its career and your proposal does not interfere with the international horse name database, or it will not be in conflict with personality rights, trademarks, or good morals. Similarly, you need to follow the rules for the stable choice and the color combination of the jockey silks. Since only a few private enthusiasts are breeding A1/1 in Slovakia, auctions in the UK, Ireland, France, and Germany are the usual platform for purchase. Dozens of them are held every year, and there are hundreds of animals to choose from each of them. Fortunately, you do not have to know anything about it: even in the former Czechoslovak federation, there are “bloodstock” agents with an international reputation, knowledge of the local context, and excellent references.
Is there a cheaper alternative?
In April, they won the famous Great National Steeplechase at Liverpool Corach Rambler, representing the Ramblers Racing Syndicate. The seven co-owners did not know each other at all before the “project,” responding in unison to an advertisement from coach Lucinda Russell. Opasan’s coach from Borské, Mikuláš Jozef Chodúr, created the association Gray Touch Racing Syndicate in winter to support a gelding called Gray Touch. For example, colleagues from an open space in a corporate or a golf friends can also create a team.
Text: Miki Kočan ml., photo: Václav Volf (2), Zenon Kisza, Peter Lukáč and Christophe Morlat
