Whether it’s humans or equines, Whitney Klotz loves to teach

by Chris Lomon

Whitney Klotz cries when her horses win.

Not tears of disappointment or frustration, but the kind that comes from an overwhelming rush of pride and joy as a horse she has cared for crosses the finish line first.

“Whenever one of the horses I take care of wins, I usually cry,” said Klotz, who works in the Ontario-based barn of trainer Jason Sherman. “I think some people are probably thinking, ‘Something must be wrong. Why is she crying?’ But that’s just the emotion in me coming out, watching one of my horses come back to me and head to the winner’s circle.”

She also likens those moments to a certain colorful display reserved for special celebrations.

“It feels like fireworks going off when they win,” Klotz said. “That’s the best way I can describe it.”

Originally from Gravelbourg, a small community in south-central Saskatchewan, Klotz now calls London, ON, home. She had an early introduction to horses, albeit a different breed than the pacers and trotters she currently tends to.

“I grew up around riding horses, so I have always had a connection to the animal,” Klotz said. “They fascinated me when I was very young and that carried on throughout the years.”

Working in the horse industry, however, is a relatively new career.

Prior to joining the caretaker ranks, Klotz was a schoolteacher, teaching various grades throughout her tenure.

When the worldwide pandemic struck, she found herself out of a job. The tedium prompted her to come up with a game plan.

“I wanted to volunteer, just finding something I could do to stay active,” she said. “I wasn’t sure what it would be, but I started thinking more about it.”

And that’s when she thought of her lifelong connection to the equine world.

“I started to volunteer with riding horses and then I met Jason,” she said. “I volunteered with him for a few months and he said that he really liked how I handled the horses and my work ethic. He offered me a job and that’s how I found my way into the industry.”

It didn’t take Klotz long to develop a close connection to those under her watchful eye.

“Instantly,” she said with a laugh. “How could I not? I have always had a love for horses. Standardbreds are far more different than the horses I grew up with. They are a lot more high energy, but they are amazing in every sense of the word. It took me a while to get used to working with a new breed.”

And, like the students she once guided along, Klotz found herself in a similar position, albeit in a much different realm.

“Every horse is like a student, where they have their own personality and their own way of doing things,” she said. “You get to learn who they are and how you can help them achieve their goals. That really appealed to me.”

One of her favorite students came in the form of a nondescript bay son of Sportswriter.

Nassau Hanover, bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, grabbed the attention of Klotz the moment he first set foot in the Sherman barn.

“He was small and he wasn’t very fast,” she said. “He had been off for a while and when I started working for Jason, he had come back from being away from the races. I bonded with him right away. He was the one who really made me realize that I don’t ever want to do anything else but this.”

At times, Klotz found herself in the role of student with Nassau Hanover.

“He taught me patience,” she said. “He had so much time away that we had to train him back down, so he taught me so much; things like how to put the equipment on, and how to understand them. I learned a lot. If he was trying to tell me something, I began to understand more about horses and how they communicate.”

She is equally grateful for the friendships she has made along her racing journey.

“Since being in this profession, I have met some amazing people and have had the opportunity to create incredible new friendships,” she said.

Fortunately, challenges associated with her job are minimal.

Certain points of a pair of seasons can present their share of hardships and hurdles.

“Winter can be tough at times,” she said. “But, overall, nothing really is too difficult. The travel can be a lot in the summer. We have to travel far and sometimes that can be tiring.”

Hardly enough, though, to make for any regret.

“Even on those days, you watch your horse go out and give their all and it makes everything worth it,” Klotz said. “Even if they don’t win, you see them race their heart out and you say to yourself, ‘This is why we do it.’”

Klotz has that same feeling in other places.

“At the barn, when you walk in first thing in the morning and you hear them nickering, it makes you smile,” she said. “Not all of them do — some are loud and tell you they are ready to go, and others need you to inspire them — but I love being around them. Every day is different, but every day is good.

“We also have a farm where there are broodmares, yearlings, and weanlings. I really enjoy the breeding aspect of the sport. I spend a lot of time with them in the field, where I can bond with them. If I’m not racing, I’m usually out in the field playing with the babies, teaching them things and having that quiet one-on-one time.”

It is quite the opposite on race day.

Those are the times that can bring out a more vocal, animated side of Klotz.

“I try to stay quiet because sometimes people are around you and maybe they don’t like when someone is making a lot of noise,” she said. “I try to keep it inside as much as I can.”

There are occasions, however, when try as she might, stoicism gives way to euphoria.

“I will scream if they are leading in the stretch or if they are coming on late and it looks like they might get up for the win,” she said.

And if they happen to do that, it’s an equal measure of waterworks and fireworks for Klotz.

“You are so excited and so proud of them,” she said. “And then they come back to you, and you can see that they are proud of themselves. That is an even better feeling. And it’s usually in that moment when I get emotional. But that’s okay.”

For Klotz, there may be no better reason to cry.