I want to get my thoroughbred racing trainers license. I need 2 find free study material online. possible?

Question

The trainers license is for the state of Pennsylvania. Aside from the conditions book and the commissions book is there any material out there for "Free" that is in a Q&A format

Answer 1

In order to become a licensed trainer in any state, you must first hold a license, for 2 consecutive and current years, in that state, as one of the following: groom, pony rider, owner, excersize rider, jockey, or assistant trainer. (the assistant trainer's license test, is basically the same as a trainer's test, and you would still have to be licensed as something else, for 2 years, before getting that license)

Study the state commission rules and regulations, during that 2 years. The stewards will be happy to tell you which sections, are most important to study. Familiarize yourself with the basic anatomy of the horse, it's legs, and feet specifically, and be able to name any bones or parts, in a diagram of the leg/hooves. Learn how to tack a race horse, in race equipment. Learn how to properly wrap legs. Know what a ridgeling is. Know your state's drug rules, and tolerances. Know how to condition and train a race horse. (it'll be part of your essay) Know what to do with a sick or injured horse. (for test purposes, the only thing the stewards want to hear you say about sick or injured horses, is that you would call a Vet) Know the titles of the track official's jobs, and what thier job descriptions are. (such as race secretary, clerk of scales, identifier, placing judges, starter, etc.) Know what race conditions are, and how to enter a horse in a race, under conditions. Hopefully, whoever you spend your 2 years working with, will be teaching you a lot of what you need to know. There is always someone on the backside, who has sample questions and answers from the test, not usually a complete test, but as many questions as some of them could recall, that were on the test.

Once you've met the 2 year licensing requirement, learned as much as you could, and studied your butt off, you go to the stewards, let them know you would like to take the test. They will schedule it. In general, there are 3 different written tests. One is 300 questions, and 4 pages of essay. One is 150 questions, plus 4 pages of essay. The last is the good old boy test, which almost amounts to "what end of the horse eats?" (not really, but it's pretty easy) Depending on how the stewards feel that day, you'll get one of those 3 written tests. There is also the barn test, where one of the stewards will question you at random, you will tack a horse, wrap legs, and apply a tongue tie. You may also be interviewed by the state veterinarian, and/or racing secretary. Once that is all done, the Stewards will probably tell you they'll call you, in a day or maybe even a week, and let you know how you did! If you pass, you will be on probationary status, until you have raced a certain number of races.