By Dr Tony M Monda
May 11 is Castle Tankard Day. All roads lead to Borrowdale race course north of Harare. The Castle Tankard Race was launched in April 1960 and has since been enjoyed by millions of Zimbabweans for the last 64 years.
For vets and professional punters, different names are given, according to age, sex and breed of horses. In global equestrian circles, horses at different periods of their lives are designated with names and descriptions of their state.
In basic equestrian terms, punters and horse racing enthusiasts need to understand the terminology of the horse racing industry to meaningfully participate in the excitement of the horse racing.
For centuries, horse racing has been known to turn paupers to millionaires over night by Lady Luck’s intervention – but is that really so?
Over the years punters have taken chances based on probability, consistency, odds and draws offered by book makers. However how much do we know about horses?
A foal is a young horse from birth to a year old. A male is known as a colt and a female is known as a filly or mare foal.
A gelding is a castrated male, primarily used for racing, carting and draught purposes.
A yearling is a year-old horse of either sex; being either a yearling filly or a yearling colt.
A stallion is an uncastrated adult male horse over four years old, also known as an Entire.
A mare is an adult female horse over four years old.
These terms are standard names for horses referred to on punters cards for horse racing.
As far as breeds are concerned, saddle and harness horses are used at fast paces and this class of horse includes the fastest breeds of race horses, where the whole conformation of the animal is such as will ensure the absolute maximum of speed with just enough stamina to allow the carrying of a light jockey.
Given Zimbabwe’s colonial past, several horse breeds were imported into the country for the purpose of the sport – known as the sport of kings.
Amongst the saddle and harness Class of horses are the Thoroughbred, Hunter, African, Arab and Hackney Breeds of Horses. Hunter breeds are the most robust performers in horse racing and jumping. They have the ability to carry a rider weighing from 63kg minimum to a recommended maximum of 76 kg man for a whole day without becoming too tired.
Arabs and Polo ponies are also included in this class, but there is no recognised distinct breed of Arab horses in former British colonies, however, due to selective breeding in the former colonies following the introduction of exotic breeds into the commercial sector in Southern Africa, such horses have been bred for their market value and the exclusivity of the sport.
In Zimbabwe, besides the Castle Tankard Day, the July Handicap and the Ok Grand Challenge and South African-based toting also attracts all social classes on race day, from the rich to the poor, who naturally enjoy the adrenalin of punting – not forgetting the beer and celebrations!
However, I must caution that this time of year is also a high-risk period for livestock diseases, including horses that can contract various ailments.
Global environmental issues such as climate change have brought to the fore long controlled diseases such as perreziekte or paardenziekte, more commonly known as African Horse Sickness, which is normally transmitted by mosquitoes.
Formerly, horse sickness, in terms of its epidemiological distribution, was considered to be a disease more or less localised to the southern part of Africa as early as 1928, according to William C. Miller, Director of the Equine Research Station of the Animal Health Trust, in Newmarket, England. Another authority on the disease is McFadyean who conducted research on African Horse sickness in 1900.
The disease is due to a virus transmitted by blood-sucking insects, mainly mosquitoes. One of its peculiarities is that it is prevalent in summer and autumn in the northern hemisphere, whilst in Southern Africa it occurs mainly during the months of February, March and April, and at the height of summer in December and January.
Symptoms include high temperature, fever, breathlessness, laboured breathing, head, neck and nostrils extended, patchy sweating, and a high rate of respiration that could be as much as 60-80 beats/minute. A harsh dry, painful cough appears as well accompanied by some slight discharge.
The disease can be quite fatal if no clinical intervention has taken place.
Zimbabwe and other southern African countries need to be aware of the possible recurrence of previously controlled animal disease such as African Horse sickness due to climate change.
Dr.Tony M. Monda BSc, DVM, DPVM, is conducting Veterinary epidemiology, disease control, agro-climatology and agro-economic research in Zimbabwe for Gemnation news. E-mail:
tonym.MONDA@gmail.com
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