Barney McGuigan 
     
    
   
   
    
     ance and horsemen became proficient in 
     
     the weekly project. Today this ritual has 
     
     become obsolete and only a memory 
     
     because of the emergence of the lighter 
     
     plastic hobbles and harness. Barney 
     
     explained. "All you need now is a water— 
     
     hose because everything is plastic. The 
     
     new plastic harness with the sensible 
     
     qttick hitch is also much safer. The new 
     
     bikes with the wheel disc are also much 
     
     lighter and fit the horse much better." 
     
    
   
   
    
     I asked Barney what he thought was the 
     
     most positive change in standardbred rac— 
     
     ing since his involvement over i() years 
     
     ago. He answered this question without 
     
     hesitation. "Without a doubt. it would 
     
     have to be the removal of the hub rail 
     
     and replacing it with the pylons. It 
     
     makes you wonder why we didn't do it 
     
     much sooner. It could have eliminated so 
     
     many seriotts accidents. Now. if a horse 
     
     jumps in front of you or falls down dur— 
     
     ing a race. you might have a chance to 
     
     take your horse to the center—field if nec— 
     
     essary." This horseman believed that 
     
     other changes like racing different dis— 
     
     tances other than a mile from time to time 
     
     can be positive. In fact. the Meadow— 
     
     lands experimented with this practice. 
     
     Barney also believed that it was fine to 
     
     experiment with the passing lane bttt that 
     
     experiment has not worked. How many 
     
     racetracks still use the passing lane? 
     
    
   
   
    
     Like all athletes. this horseman with the 
     
     checkered blue and white driving colors 
     
     loved the competition involved in a race. 
     
     lie explained, “You think about it qttite a 
     
    
   
   
    
     82 
     
    
   
   
    
         
     
    
   
   
    
     Behind the Gate 
     
    
   
   
    
     bit on race days. It's jtrst on your mind. 
     
     I enjoy training. especially colts. but it 
     
     doesnt compare to a big race." 
     
     Competition was what he enjoyed most 
     
     about horse racing. \\"hat he liked least 
     
     about the game was racing in the mud. 
     
     lie was emphatic. "I hate racing in the 
     
     mttd. I cant stand it. The mttd aprons 
     
     help a little bttt I don‘t like it and the 
     
     horses don‘t like it either. On a sloppy or 
     
     muddy track. drivers often change their 
     
     strategy. In the mud. most drivers and 
     
     horses like to be on the front. You and 
     
     your horse don't get the mttd from the 
     
     horses” feet kicked up on your face." If 
     
     you have ever examined closely a horse 
     
     and driver leaving the track after having 
     
     raced in the mud. you will understand 
     
     and appreciate Barney‘s sentiment. 
     
    
   
   
    
     You don‘t have to speak to Barney 
     
     McGttigan very long to realiZe that he 
     
     loved horses. I asked him to explain 
     
     why he loved horses. lie thought for a 
     
     moment and responded. “I have been 
     
     around horses since I was a kid and it 
     
     just got in my blood. I love the animal 
     
     and I believe that we don‘t give them 
     
     enough credit for their intelligence. For 
     
     example. somehow they know that a 
     
     race night for them is different. They 
     
     seem to know they are going to compete, 
     
     and like humans. some like to compete 
     
     more than others. I believe they some— 
     
     how know when they begin a race and 
     
     visit the \Vinners' (Iircle. It may sound 
     
     strange bttt I believe this." 
     
    
   
   
    
     Barney also felt strongly about things we