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Originally Posted by ELA
I wasn't talking about the owner holding the trainer accountable. While that might be one side, it's the other side that can turn out to be something many did not expect. You've got politicians, well known leaders of commerce and industry, high profile business leaders, and so on. If you are going to make this business dangerous to them, they will look to insulate themselves in any way, shape or form they can -- and for some, leaving the business will be the result. Sure, exceptions and norms. But you will see many drastic negative ramifications.
Owners certainly do need to hold trainers accountable. I've had trainers race back horses quicker than the norm -- one week (once) and two weeks (a few times). I questioned the trainer. I asked what I thought were the right questions. But I didn't go down there an inspect the horse myself, nor did I look for an independent second opinion from a vet. How much can and should we as owners do? It's the slippery slope.
Eric
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I don't expect that you go down there and do an inspection. For that matter, I've had the occasion to be at the barn and my trainer has tried to explain to me a problem (slight filling, for example) that he preceives with a horse that I own. I can rub the horse's leg, but I'm not familiar enough with the situation to appreciate the issue he perceives to be there. That's why I hire the trainer in the first case. But if he proposed to run a horse back on one day's race, I'm sure going to have some questions. If he tells me not to worry about it, and the horse breaks down, I think we would have a real problem.