(PHOTO - Katie Browne and Miles are full speed trying to catch a loose horse. It's an important and dangerous job and Miles paved the way for Browne to be one of the best in the business. Photo courtesy Katie Browne)
Katie Browne is one of the most recognizable horsepeople at Ajax Downs and Woodbine racetrack as an outrider, one of the racetrack’s most important roles.
As an outrider, Browne is responsible for managing a field of horses in each race as well as the hundreds of horses who are training on the tracks each morning. If one acts up or gets loose, Browne and her fellow outriders are sent into action.
A reliable and talented pony (most of the time it’s actually a horse but they are called outrider ponies) is crucial to perform such a job and Browne’s first pony, Miles, was the horse who changed her life.
Miles is well known at Ajax Downs and if you make a trip to the track for the big Family Day celebration on August 21, you will have a chance to meet this special horse.
A registered quarter horse, Miles was bought by Browne in 2007 from North Star Livestock in Southhampton, ON.
“I was approached by Ajax to be the first outrider in the history of the track,” said Browne, who owns a small farm in Bowmanville., ON with her partner Brian Bell, one of Ajax Downs’ top jockeys.
When she found Miles, “he had never seen a track before but settled into it the very first day as if he had been doing it forever. We both were trying a job that we had never done before and we taught each other the ropes with the help of Rob [leader outrider Love] at Woodbine/"
Miles was a natural at his job and his quickness is one of his most important assets.
“One of our most memorable catches was a 2-year-old with no bridle that we caught full speed by the blinkers! He has made my job a lot easier with how great he is with hard horses.”
Miles is semi-retired now but does some occasional ponying. Browne, who is in her 12
th year in Quarter Horse racing, has two other ponies but she gets requests from younger fans at the track about the well-being of Miles.
“He has his own little fan base at Ajax,’ said Browne. “I hope to bring him out for Family Day. Everyone knows him and he has the funniest personality.”
Miles may be quick and assertive in his pursuit of loose horses but Browne also says he is gentle enough to be ridden by her 7-year-old son.
“He will live out his days with me; I owe him the world for the wonderful career that we started together. He changed my life by giving me an awesome introduction to outriding, something I hope to do for a long time. It's a very difficult job at times and he made my first years very pleasurable, I learned a lot from him for which I will always be grateful.”
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