Seabiscuit's Influence On Race Horse

The definition of “racehorse” never fit Seabiscuit other than his breed, Thoroughbred, which classified him as one. He was a smaller horse and, at first, was not able to keep up with the larger ones. He developed a reckless, untamed nature around people. Seabiscuit’s first owner treated him with a lack of proper care because he was disgusted with the horses lack of potential to win. Ironically, Seabiscuit was used to train other horses how to ride and win their races. He was their leader and motivator, but little did his first owner know that is just exactly what Seabiscuit needed. After disappointment and mistreatment, Seabiscuit still wanted to follow his instinct and race. Seabiscuit’s second owner, George Howard; his trainer,Tom Smith; and his jockey, Red, gave him his opportunity to overcome his past, and together, they became one of the greatest stories in race horse history.
Before horse racing, George Howard had owned a mechanical garage for bicycles that turned into fixing automobiles. Howard
became one of the most successful car salesmen and automobile inventors of the time. His life took a tragic turn when his only son was killed in a car accident. Howard’s wife was unable to deal with the pain and they divorced. Shortly after that, his friends took him to a horse race. It was a turning point for Howard’s life. It was not only where he met his second wife, but also where he developed a new passion -- horse racing. Tom Smith was a man that traveled the country saving horses that were given up on by their owners.
He trained horses with a close and personal relationship, which developed into a strong bond. Smith often slept outside, next to his horses. He did not live a glamorous life. But one day he was approached by Mr. Howard to come train and help him start his new dream to race. Smith was then hired and put in charge of finding a horse. After locating SeaBiscuit, Howard had to trust that Smith would be able to get this horse to race, and most importantly, to win. Tom Smith, saw Seabiscuit warming up another horse on the track at the stables. Smith recognized his ability to fight the odds and his determination to win. Seabiscuit just needed extra training and the right encouragement. Tom said that it was just a horse that needed to be “fixed” to reach his full potential. Seabiscuit eventually overcame his odds to become one of the most successful racehorses of all
times.
When the depression hit America, it was a challenge for everyone. Families had a hard time providing for their children and maintaining their livelihood. Johnny Pollard was a young boy when the crisis hit the country. He had only just begun to discover his passion for horseback riding. By jockeying, he was able to help earn money for his family. A man noticed Johnny’s natural ability and offered for Johnny to go live with him to learn how to race horses professionally. Johnny Pollard’s parents were sad, but they let him go for a better chance in life. Johnny Pollard had a hard time leaving home at such a young age. He became known as “Red” and developed a drinking habit and a negative temperament. This caused Red to be out of work a lot, but he never lost his passion for riding horses. Tom Smith saw Red getting in a fight and struggling in his life. Smith knew he was the perfect jockey to ride Seabiscuit. Red was going through a rough time. He was somebody that needed to be “fixed” as well. Red and Seabiscuit had to learn to trust each other in order to be a good team. This took Red and Seabiscuit overcoming their past traumas together. Both Red and Seabiscuit worked hard to achieve their dream- a dream that they were both born to accomplish.
One of Seabiscuit’s most challenging races was against The Admiral. The Admiral was a huge success in the racing world. He had won many races on the East Coast. However, his owners did not want to race Seabiscuit because they thought he was was not an equal competitor. Finally, George Howard struck deal: they would race at The Admiral’s home track and without a starting stall, but with a starting bell only. The odds were not in Seabiscuit’s favor. Much to everyone’s surprise, Seabiscuit won the race!
With his fame, Red decided to help an old friend gain recognition for his horse. Unfortunately, the horse got spooked and Red fell off. He was badly injured and was told he could never ride again. Seabiscuit had also suffered an injury to his leg and it was recommended that he not race either. Unwilling to accept this, Red overcame the pain in his leg and trained with Seabiscuit. They rode in one last race and won. It was a perfect ending for two not-so-perfect careers. All of these characters, Howard, Smith, Red and Seabiscuit, overcame great odds and difficulties on their way to success. Perhaps alone, none of them would have amounted to much, but in teaming up, they were able to achieve great things. It was the American dream lived out.