OK, so here’s my thought process as far as training/workouts. Let me know what you guys think!
Speed & Min/Max Distance Options - Can select up to 3 for one session
Walk: 1/2 mile - 2 miles
Jog: 1/2 mile - 5 miles
Canter: 1/2 mile - 5 miles
Gallop: 1/2 mile - 3 miles
Breeze: 1-6 furlongs
Effort Level:
20% - to use when recovering from injury, etc
50% - holding the horse back significantly from its normal pace
- can backfire with unratable horses, as they may bolt/dump the jockey/etc
70% - holding the horse back slightly from its normal pace
- can backfire with unratable horses, as they may bolt/dump the jockey/etc
100% - letting the horse run at its normal pace
110% - urging the horse beyond its normal pace (breezing, etc.)
Working at higher effort levels increases the risk of injury
Working longer distances at lower effort levels can increase a horse's fitness
Working shorter distances at higher effort levels can increase a horse's speed
Training Frequency:
Horses can be trained 0-4 times per 7 day period.
Training depletes energy but can increase fitness (depending on training options used)
Special:
Gate training
Gate tests
You will be able to put various types of equipment on your horse for training (the same equipment available for racing). This may or may not help your horse during the workout (i.e. blinkers will only help if there is something around that the horse is not being distracted by while wearing blinkers, but wraps will help even if the horse is standing still on the track with no one around-assuming, of course, that the horse needs blinkers and/or wraps).
Track condition will not be customizable by you. (I have not yet decided whether I will attempt to have the track condition reflect the current weather, or whether it will just be randomly determined.)
Any results from workouts done at a gallop or breeze will be available for all members to view. Horses that train on the same day/track will be ranked in order of time (per furlong).
Even breezing, horses may or may not achieve the same speed that would occur in a race.
Horses must train only on the tracks they currently race on (i.e. dirt/turf or SC). Flat racers may not train at jumping until they have raced in a steeplechase race.
2-year olds (and/or any unraced horse) will need to pass a gate test before they will be allowed to race. Gate training will greatly improve your horse’s chance to pass a gate test. Gate tests may not be done more often than 2x/month.
2-year olds will not be allowed to train for distances longer than 1.5 miles (total for the workout). 2-year old gallops will be limited to 8 furlongs.
Horses will like/dislike their workout. This, in turn, will affect their mood/confidence. When they race, the average of all of the workout results since the last race will be used to determine the horse?s mood going into the race (i.e. better workouts will mean a happier horse, who may be more successful than normal, and vice-verse).
“Auto-Pilot”:
If you are unwilling/unable to login frequently to train your horses, you will be able to put them on “auto-pilot”. Your horses will train 2 times per week at a level you choose in advance. This training will be much more limited/less customized than doing training yourself, as the program will not know/care that the horse hated 8f last time out and should try 6f this time. (If you go in and change that by hand, however, the program will train the horse at 6f until further notice.) I have not yet decided what options the “auto-pilot” program will have, but you will most likely be able to select a total distance for any workouts done, and an energy level. You may or may not be able to select standard equipment to use?I may set it up so that it puts random equipment on the horse.
Jockeys:
You will be able to select from the available jockeys to exercise your horse. I have not yet figured out what else will happen with jockeys, but I am considering having each jockey/horse combo have 2 factors: happiness & experience. Happiness indicates how well the horse/jockey get along together, and experience indicates how well they know each other. A horse paired with a jockey it likes and knows well will likely perform better, both in training and in races (and vice-verse).
Feedback:
You will get some sort of feedback after a workout. The jockey will likely report to you, and I may also incorporate an “assistant trainer” type of feature. The jockey’s report would include stuff like “the horse was really happy” or “he gave up at the last furlong” or “I lost control and he bolted”, etc. The “assistant trainer” (if applicable) would be more like “I suggest we add some distance” or “This horse needs more speed workouts”, etc. Again, like everything else in the game, there will be built-in error for these statements. (And, depending on the jockey, s/he may lie to cover their mistake(s)!).
Recommended training:
It is recommended to vary your horse’s training (either by hand or by frequently changing the auto-pilot settings). Not only will this keep your horse happy/interested, but it is more likely to improve their overall condition and ability. (Consider a weight-training program - doing the same exercise over and over gets very boring, and your body gets used to it and no longer responds very well.)
It is recommended that for every 7 day period, your horse gets 3-4 days off/non-speed workouts (i.e. 1mi jog), 1-2 speed workouts/breezes, and 1-2 non-speed distance workouts (i.e. 3mi canter). Speed workouts will “stack”, and as they are the highest risk category of workout as far as accidents/injuries, your risk will go up exponentially (i.e. breezing on day 1 probably means, say, a 10% chance of injury, but if you breeze on day 2 as well, the risk of injury would be 30%).
That’s all I can think of at the moment, let me know what questions you have. This is obviously only in the planning stage at the moment, though I’m hoping to have this setup by fall/winter.
