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5 Signs You Want to Look for In a Winning Horse

Of course, we want to bet on the right horse in horse racing betting. But let’s face it; sometimes, we get losing streaks because we keep betting on the wrong horse. We’re not seers that can see the immediate future, but it would be great if we were. But we’re not, so we rely on different information when betting, especially on the horse. 

That said, if you’re constantly looking closely at the horses because you can do so, you already have a mile advantage over other betters. Seeing the horses up close and personal, they have specific attributes that could signify that they will win. These signs aren’t found in a news outlet or the racing form itself but with your own eyes. What attributes should you look for? Here are some of them.

Leg Gap Advantage

If you’re in the paddock area and you have the opportunity to look at the horses to the front, then one thing that you should note is the gap between their legs. Many old-timers are firm believers that the bigger the gap is, the more inches the horse has an advantage of the last stretch. 

You can usually see this gap as they are saddled because that’s when they’re standing still. But how does this make sense? Usually, in a very close race, the horse with the bigger gap between the knees wins since they are an inch away from the other horse. It’s entirely possible when you think about it. And by the way, this is the reasoning behind the saying, “Bigger horse, bigger stride.”

Heavy Breather

The horse can only inhale when galloping while striding with their front legs forward. Horses have an enormous mass of abdominal content, and if they try to inhale when they land on their feet, their abdominal mass and the content of their stomach will shift forward, which can restrict their lungs from expanding further. Like humans, the key to speed is your breathing; if a horse can’t fully expand their lungs, their speed will be significantly reduced.

This is the reason why one of the things that you should look for in a horse is a heavy pause with a long stride. The longer a horse’s stride is, the more oxygen it takes in, which can positively impact its speed. This may sound like science shenanigans, but the famous Secretariat is an excellent example of this exact science. And we know how successful the Secretariat is. So if you’re looking to win big on horse betting TVG, then you can look for this sign. 

Ear Movement

This little nugget sorely depends on the context behind it. You see, a horse with its ears up pays full attention to its surroundings. This could be equated to them being focused on the race, but it only applies to a young horse. The older a horse gets, the less frequently they move its ears about. 

However, if you know a horse is old and their ears are moving, especially in all directions (horses move their ears to where their eyes are directed), it’s a sign that it’s in distress or agitated. Usually, the reason for this is the crowd or simply needing to prepare for the race. No matter the reason, an older horse that moves its ears a lot usually means it’s not going to win.

Head Down

When you see a horse galloping, walking, or cantering during the score down, you should take note of its head. If you see that its head is down during those activities, it’s body language that usually means “I’m tired.” Of course, a horse too tired to race will not win the upcoming race. Sometimes, it’s usually their way of saying they are hurting somewhere.

For example, if a horse is running with its head down and pointing to the left, you could safely assume that most of its weight is on the right side of the body. This means they are sore on the left side of the body, so they avoid putting weight on that side. Of course, this isn’t 100% accurate all the time, but usually, it’s true.

Head Bobbing Up and Down

On the other hand, if you see a horse bobbing its head up and down during the score down, it usually means that the horse is saying, “I want to win.” In short, it’s a sign of eagerness and enthusiasm and is usually a good sign that they will perform well in the race. This is a minor phenomenon, but you’d be surprised how accurate this sign is most of the time. Sure, it might not mean the horse won’t win, but you can rest assured that the horse will put on a show.

Final Words

There are plenty of factors that you should take into consideration when picking a winning horse. Yes, they might not be accurate, but these signs are usually a good factor in a horse’s victory. Not only that, but if you do your research, most famous horses usually have at least one of these characteristics during their score down. With that said, good luck.