KZN trainers don’t make a lot of use of the beach as a conditioning tool. So when veteran Louis Goosen arrived with four of his charges at Laguna Beach last Friday morning, heads turned and public interest was pricked.
And our energetic photographer Candiese Lenferna was there to capture the moment!
The Cape trainers – or Mountain Goats as Mike de Kock once labelled them – have been spoiling their horses for years with the Snaiths using Muizenberg, and the Milnerton crew down on their strip of paradise where the surf meets the turf – that’s before property developers scarred their world forever. These days the Paarl-based Kotzens are also often seen on Melkbosstrand.
Cool in the pool! (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
But the therapeutic and exercise benefits of the beach for racehorses is nothing new for Summerveld resident Louis Goosen.
“My Dad Danie, a seven-times champion trainer, was using the beach near the farm in Coega outside PE in the late 60’s when I was a laaitie still,” explained Louis in a chat with the Sporting Post earlier this week.
Louis recalled how the late Roy Curling and his Dad, formerly a jockey, worked the horses in the low tide and how the salt pans in the area were utilised for exercise. Interestingly and unrelated, the Cerebos slogan on their containers was ‘see how they run’!
Clearly proud of all of the valuable knowledge passed on from his old man, Louis also says that years before Monty Roberts introduced his own science, his Dad was already using the principles of the horse being broken in where the animal and the trainer could see each other only.
On Friday Louis took only four horses and no saddles down to the beach that fringes the Blue Lagoon and the Suncoast Casino.
“It was a beautiful day and this was intended as a psychologically energising exercise. It was a beach visit, not work. I was wanting to get them used to the environment and enjoy it. I took no saddles. It was fascinating to watch a 5yo like Great Rhythm so tentative initially as he watched the waves and the Indian Ocean creeping up the sand. He eventually started enjoying it.”
Louis Goosen aka Beach Boy
Louis Goosen served his apprenticeship under two astute horsemen in Chris Erasmus and the late Buddy Maroun, before taking out his trainer’s licence in 1993 and made a fresh start when moving from the Vaal to Ashburton in 2017.
He has since been fortunate to move again and get accommodation for his operation at Summerveld.
But 2020 knocked him – and most of the racing world – hard.
“Ashburton was too far away for me. Summerveld is a glorious place for man and horse. The facilities are outstanding. But the pandemic knocked us all hard. And I’m down to just 20 horses today but determined to box on. I have loyal and staunch sponsors in Hollywoodbets and top notch owners. But I need to rebuild and we will do that slowly. Patience is key in racing. See you on the beach!”
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