“You just can’t stop. Somebody’s got to take care of them. They’re not going to take care of themselves,” said Kim Dailey, Dailey Stable owner.
The stable does exercise the horses with caution. On Thursday, they were the only stable at the Champaign County Fairgrounds to take their horses out on the racetrack, although the staff only took out three horses who are coming up on their race days.
Dailey Stable houses about 45 horses in total.
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Horses like “One Sweet Woman,” — or “Big Momma” as she’s known to Dailey Stable staff — was one of the horses who ran four miles.
Dailey said most of the horses run a four, four-and-a-half or five mile jaunt, which takes about 20-25 minutes.
“Just depending on the horse and what needs to be done,” Dailey said.
When the horses aren’t exercising, most of them are wrapped in blankets that look like jackets.
“We try to keep blankets on them all the time, most of them. The babies don’t have them yet because they’re not used to them,” said Dailey.
The colts don’t have to prepare for races just yet.
The handful of staff at the stable is also tasked with making sure each horse has fresh water and enough hay to eat during a cold snap.
Surprisingly enough, Dailey said the horses don’t seem to mind the cold weather — but when it comes to the riders, it’s all about bundling up.
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“Layers, keep layers on and they’ll come in and warm up,” Dailey said. “They’ve got the hand warmers and they keep their faces covered.”
By the time “Trial By Fire” hits the Miami Valley Raceway track on Saturday, temperatures will have warmed up considerably. Storm Center 7 Meteorologist Dontae Jones said the high on Saturday will be in the lower 30s.
It will be even warmer Sunday, with a high in the mid 50s for area Super Bowl parties.
Best to come — Monday will reach into the upper 50s or low 60s, Jones said, which would make a nearly 65-degree difference in less than a week.
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