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By EIE Editorial
Inspirational, energetic and mesmerizing,
For horse lovers and non-horse lovers alike, Robert Montano’s autobiographical one-man play SMALL, is indeed a true story of big dreams.
Montano’s captivating performance engages the audience like no one-man show we’ve ever seen.
SMALL chronicles Robert Montano’s life story starting with his growing up in Long Island, NY in a Puerto Rican family. He is awkward and height challenged, but saw small men look like kings atop horses when his mom brought him to the racetrack as a boy. On his paper route one morning, he learns one of his customers was a horseman at Belmont Park, where he excitedly agrees to arrive at 4AM to help with the horses. It is there he learned that his true calling was to become a jockey.
While it is customary to learn to ride in an arena on a slow, gentle horse, Robert was thrown into the deep end when a trainer had him jump on a racehorse one morning at Belmont.
It didn’t end particularly well.
Undeterred, Robert persevered and eventually became a professional jockey.
The play continues to chronicle the enormous challenges of the sacrifices it takes to be a professional athlete - especially a jockey where there are strict weight limitations and risks of death while racing, as Robert saw in horseracing. There were audible gasps from the audience as he explained in graphic detail his eating and workout routine to make weight. Now a tall 5’8”, he developed an eating disorder in order to make the weight of 105. After a dangerous episode racing a difficult horse, he came to the realization that a career as a jockey put his life at risk.
Spending the summer at Saratoga Racecourse as an exercise rider, he went to the then popular nightclub “The Rafters” and got encouraged when a pretty girl told him she liked the way he moved and they spent the night dancing.
That evening out was the impetus to embark upon a new career and ultimately, he wins a full scholarship for dance at Adelphi University, and pivots from one dream to pursue another
Equine Info Exchange got a chance to sit down for a one-on-one conversation with Robert after watching his play. He was colorful and passionate, and we learned that there is tack from actual jockeys on set: including a saddle from Steve Cauthen who rode Affirmed to the Triple Crown in 1978, adding to the authenticity of the play.
“The takeaway is that you can have second chances in life. I like to say that I’m ‘Rocky on the racetrack.’ You can have a dream and a goal, but if that doesn’t work out, where do you go from there? Dance did it for me,” said Robert.
He openly discussed his time in the summer working as an exercise rider in Saratoga:
“While at Saratoga, I got a bit of heat when my roommates found tights and ballet shoes. I was taking dance classes at Skidmore College and they started busting my b***s.”
“Breaking into dance was hard, but nothing was harder than my life at the racetrack where there are very long hours and no days off. It helped me build confidence that I could do anything.“
His new successful career, gave him the opportunity to work with such performance legends as Chita Rivera in “Kiss of the Spiderwoman” and Catherine Zeta-Jones in the movie “Chicago.”
However, he still has many connections in racing and appeared on “Talking Horses” with handicapper Andy Serling and former jockey Richard Migliore. He tells us about horsemen coming to see SMALL and being brought to tears.
He continued, “I feel sad about Aqueduct Racetrack closing as it’s part of history and that’s where I got my start. I watched Ruffian race there. I even have a tattoo of her on my shoulder with the words “Running to my own rhythm.”
“Although Aqueduct is closing, I will be attending the opening of the new Belmont Park on September 18th. The next day I’m getting married!”
We wish Robert Montano the very best and hope that his spectacular play can be performed in other cities for people to enjoy.
SMALL, a one-man play, Is written and performed by Robert Montano.
See it DAILY at the Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at the Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street, NYC until July 25th. Tickets can be purchased HERE.
There are more interesting stories in our section on Recreation & Lifestyle.
Kentucky Equine Research founder Dr. Joe Pagan discusses new research in performance horse health and nutrition with Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health for their Real Science Lecture series. Visit KER.
Whether you keep your horse on a few acres or have at your convenience rolling hills as far as the eye can see, pastures should be managed to ensure that grass provides optimal nutrition for horses. Each farm is different, but some management strategies are universal no matter the size or location of your farm.
Soil testing. Soil profile, including mineral content and pH, varies greatly from farm to farm and region to region. For this reason, soil testing is recommended in order to determine if and what kind of fertilizer may be necessary. Typically, your local Cooperative Extension Service office can help you with a soil test, and supply a report with fertilizer recommendations. Soil tests are often free or inexpensive and well worth the effort.
Stocking rate. Stocking rate is important if you are relying on pasture to meet the majority of your horse’s nutritional needs, and is defined as the number of acres available per animal. For an average 1,000-lb (450-kg) horse, two acres of well-managed, established pasture is recommended during the growing season. If you have four horses, for example, you’d need a minimum of eight acres. If stocking rate is higher, supplemental forage, such as hay and possibly a concentrate, may be necessary to meet the horse’s daily nutrient needs. Higher stocking rates stress pastures and reduce the amount of available nutrients.
Rotation. A rotational grazing plan keeps grasses healthy. Just like horses, plants need a chance to rest and rejuvenate after stress (heavy grazing, drought, etc.). Horses are able to graze right to the ground, and hooves can cause compression and divots in the ground. The higher the stocking rate, the more important it is to have a rotational grazing plan.
Even with only two paddocks, rotation can work. When pastures are 7-10 inches tall, turn out horses. When the pastures are grazed down to 3-4 inches, allow the pasture to rest and turn out horses in the other area. Additional pasture areas will improve results. Ideally, rotating in four- or five-week cycles is recommended but will depend on the stocking rate and amount of space available.
Sacrifice area. A sacrifice area, also known as a drylot, is a place where horses can be turned out when pastures are too wet, have not grown sufficiently to allow grazing, or when pastures are resting. Sacrifice areas are also useful for horses who cannot be maintained on pasture, such as those with metabolic concerns. Shelters, water sources, and sometimes feeders are often placed in sacrifice areas.
These areas should be large and comfortable enough to accommodate the number of horses on the farm, leaving plenty of room for horses to avoid pecking-order squabbles.
Mowing and sward height. Regular mowing helps reduce weeds. Mowing height is an important consideration. Since grasses store energy in the bottom of the plant closest to the ground, mowing too short is counterproductive. Mowing to a height of 3-4 inches is generally appropriate. Pastures should also be dragged to break up and dry manure.
Be sure to consider a quality ration balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement that will supply horses with nutrients not found in sufficient quantities in pasture. Keep water and salt sources clean and readily available.
The effort put into pasture maintenance will yield nutritious forage for your horses year after year.
There are more informative articles in our section on Tack & Farm.
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Roping is an old skill that most likely originated in ancient times, as soon as humans began to manage herds of livestock. It was brought to the Americas by the Spanish and was soon incorporated into the American cowboy tradition. Today, roping is practiced as a competitive sport in rodeos but also continues to serve a practical purpose on working ranches.
At Ranchlands, we use ropes to catch and restrain animals that need doctoring or branding, since being roped out in the pasture is a far less stressful experience for cattle than having to be brought into a set of corrals somewhere.
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