Quality Road

[phystech]

I have the utmost respect for gate crews - it's a tough, tough job.

But what I think I saw today - and please note, I said "I think I saw" - was about the most awful job of loading a problem horse I have ever seen.

It quickly became clear Quality Road didn't want to be touched, or whipped, or even whip cracked on or near his hind end. He seemed to start bucking as soon as the first touch on his ass occurred.

I thought they had the situation under control when the backed him out and blindfolded him. It seemed he went straight back in with the blindfold and they closed the gate behind - and I figured he was in. But then it seemed the asst. starter cracked the whip at his feet twice after the door closed behind him and that's when he went off.

Assuming the asst. starter cracked the whip after the door was closed, why in the world did would he do that when the horse was in the gate and the door was closed?

Had to be one of the scarier things I've seen. And if my sequence of events is accurate, it had to be one of the most pathetic performances by an asst I've EVER seen.