Swimming keeps the horses fit without stress and risk of injury. Sea water aids recovery too.

To see the horses swimming. go to Pebbles Beach near Barbados Cruising Club from dawn. The grooms are happy to chat and pose with horses for a picture, Just ask!

Watch for free

After you’ve watched the Barbados horses swimming in the sea, you can see them at work. There’s a race meeting every couple of weeks at the Garrison Savannah.

The atmosphere inside the stadium is fantastic and there’s plenty of hustle and bustle and a chance to back a winner.

But if you’d prefer just a quick look – or you lost your shirt at the previous meeting – you can watch for free from inside the track. Food and drink is available and on big days it can get quite busy.

There’s no shade of course, but if you only want to spend a little time at the races, it’s a great way to do it for free.

Do your research

The real enthusiast can join the grooms, trainers and owners keeping a close eye on jockeys and mount in training – if they get up early enough.

Members of the public and tourists often turn out to see the horses put through their paces at the Garrison Savannah.

These early morning jaunts are ideal for those who love a flutter and are keen to do a bit of research before the race day.

The bends at the Garrison Savannah track are tight, so smaller horses and their riders fare better.