Why I do what I do.

 © Racing Victoria

It’s not the money; there are easier ways to earn a living.

It’s certainly not the up-at-the-crack-of-dawn starts.

I love horses. It’s a simple as that. And when you truly believe in something, you do what you’ve got to, no matter how much manure you have to shovel.

That’s why I picked the best place on Earth to do it.

Here in Victoria, we’ve got over 9,000 active thoroughbred racehorses and in my opinion; they’re the most cared for horses in the land.

From private vets, farriers and dentists to chiropractors and nutritionists, I work hard to give my horses nothing but the best.

And I’m not alone. I’m just one of more than 70,000 passionate people who care the way I do. So it wouldn’t surprise you to know that on average we spend upwards of $35,000 per horse per year to make sure they’re well looked after.

But it’s not just the individuals. The industry as a whole goes above and beyond to make sure they’re taken care of. On race days there’s about 60 vets on duty whose primary focus is to ensure the health, wellbeing and safety of horses remains paramount.

And when the day finally comes for them to retire, we go to great lengths to re-home them to equestrian riders, where they’ll continue to make people happy… like my wife and daughters, who are equestrian riders and love horses too. I’m proud they’ve grown up riding thoroughbreds that were once racehorses.

At the end of the day, I’m the first to let others entering the sport, both new and old, know – don’t underestimate the horse. Understand it’s their life that is supporting your own. And always make sure they come first.

But don’t just take my word for it, find out the facts at rv.racing.com

Peter Moody ­­– Trainer

This article first appeared on the Racing Victoria website and is reproduced here wit h their kind permission. For more on Off the Track visit: http://rv.racing.com