Horse that hates men
Woe betide you if you try to ride this feisty filly, chaps
LIKE all horses, Actinpieces has a personality all of her own – though hers is a little unusual.
The racehorse refuses to be ridden by men – and bites or bucks if one goes near her.
The male-averse mare is fine with female jockeys, however – winning in the Novice Chase at Wetherby in Yorkshire with Gina Andrews, on her back.
Her younger sister, Bridget, is the only other person who rides the ‘lethal’ steed at present.
And when their brother, Jack, 18, gave the five-year-old horse a go he had to brave her gnashing teeth before she almost threw him off.
Actinpieces’ trainer, Peterborough-based Pamela Sly, said after this week’s win: ‘She’s not too keen on men. I’ve never had a horse who’s been like this before.
‘She tried to buck my brother off as soon as he got on. When he went to get on her she tried to bite him.
‘ It’s quite funny because she doesn’t normally do it when I get on. She’s only had women riders.’
Male jockeys were asked to try out Actinpieces when she made her debut over hurdles last season – but she quickly developed a reputation. The boys didn’t want to ride her. They said she was lethal,’ added Miss Sly.
And she doesn’t just take a dislike to male jockeys, but any man at all – including the stable hands.
‘If a man went up to her in the yard she’ll pull her ears back,’ the trainer added.
Racehorses have to adapt to different jockeys on a regular basis, as the riders switch mounts up to ten times a day for meetings.
Her positive discrimination doesn‘t seem have stopped Actinpieces though – as she won three times over hurdles last season, followed by her success in the chase earlier this week at odds of 3-1.
And her quirk also means she has built up an unusually close relationship with Miss Andrews, 24. ‘I’ve got to know her and it tends to work better,’ the jockey said. ‘She is temperamental, she only gives you one chance.
You have to get it right the first time or that’s it. You could say she’s a bit of a woman – she likes things her way.’