Meet the Trainer: Susan Corbett
We headed up to Otterburn in Northumberland to spend the afternoon with trainer Susan Corbett. In twelve years, Susan has taken her yard from two horses to a team that will soon have around 30 in training. We asked her about the journey, the daily routine, what she looks for in a racehorse, and the horses she's most looking forward to this season.
How Did You Become a Trainer?
Susan's love of horses started young, and it started with a challenge.
"When I was 11, my mother informed us that I could never have a horse, because only rich people had horses," she told us. That only made her more determined. She bought her first pony at 13 and kept horses all through her working life, including her years at the local newspaper.
The move to Otterburn came when she married Frank, and together they started a stud farm, breeding horses for themselves and for other people. When the market for those horses dried up, Susan decided to take the next step. She had already had horses in training with northern trainers such as Chris Grant, and she thought: "How hard can it be to train these horses?"
That was only twelve years ago. The yard started with two horses and two owners, one of whom was her husband Frank. "He wasn't the best payer, I've got to say," she laughs.
Today the yard is a very different place. It will soon have around 30 horses in training for the season, with five members of staff. "They're all absolutely brilliant," says
Susan, "and everybody here just puts the horses first and loves them."
What Does a Normal Day Look Like?
Days at the yard start early. The first feed goes in at 5am, a shift Susan admits she's happy not to do very often. The rest of the team arrive at 7.30am.
"Horses love routine," she explains, "and they also like to be out of the stables whenever they can."
Once breakfast has settled, the horses head out on the horse walker. An hour later, the first lot is ridden out. They warm up in the arena, practise cantering, and then head on to the uphill gallop. No two days are the same: some days are harder work, some are lighter, and some are spent schooling over fences and hurdles.
"They never do two days the same," says Susan. With four or five lots each morning, the team of five ride more than 20 horses a day.
At lunchtime the horses are fed again, given a thorough brush and washed down, before another session on the horse walker in the afternoon. Then it's time to relax before the last feed of the day, when Susan heads out at around 7pm to give them
their suppers.
What Do You Look For in a Horse?
Susan says everyone will tell you something different, but a few things matter most to her.
Pedigree is important: whether the mare has won races, and how good the stallion is. So is how the horse is put together. One thing Susan always watches closely is how a horse walks. "If a horse walks well, it'll generally gallop well and do well," she says.
Above all, though, a racehorse has to want to race.
"The most important thing is they've actually got to want to do it," she told us. "There's that saying, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. It's the heart of the horse. It's that will to win, and that's why horses are racehorses." If a horse doesn't have that, she says, it's better for it to have a change of career.
At Susan's yard, the aim is the same for every horse, whatever its background. Some arrive as gifts, and most are bargain buys. "We just try and get the best out of every horse," she says. "Most of the horses on our yard are bargain buys, and the team do really well with them."
Which Horses Have Meant the Most to You?
"That's a really hard question," Susan laughs. "It's like asking which is your favourite child."
This season, the yard started breeding a few horses of its own, and one of those has already given the team plenty to celebrate. Freddie Steady Go was meant to be a jumps horse but, as Susan puts it, he "hated jumping." Switched to the Flat, he won over seven furlongs at Carlisle and then finished a close third in a big race at York. "Freddie Steady Go has got to be up there with the favourites," she says.
Another horse close to her heart is Harley's Max. He lost his mother when he was born, so the team hand-reared him. His first race didn't go to plan, as he finished well behind the rest of the field, but he went on to win chases.
"It's the horses that have been a challenge, I think, that stick in your mind the most."
Who Are Your Ones to Watch This Season?
Last season the yard had a lot of young horses, and Susan says patience is key. "The young horses need a lot of time," she explains. In their first season, they'll have perhaps six races at most while they learn.
One of those youngsters is Mr Ramoon, who finished second first time out. He'll soon move on to the bigger fences, and Susan has high hopes: "I think he's going to be something special."
Another to keep an eye on is Blue Deneuf, a recent bargain buy from Ireland who was very impressive on his first run over fences.
"There are quite a few, actually," says Susan, "that I'd be able to recommend."
A Big Thank You
Thank you to Susan and the whole team at Otterburn for welcoming us to the yard and giving up their time. It's easy to see why the horses come first here.
You can also check out the full interview here:
Feel free to check out Susan's page https://susancorbettracing.co.uk/
