Have you ever admired the calm professionalism of Thoroughbreds entering the starting gates in front of cheering crowds of thousands? These athletes are super-fit and primed to put in a performance at speeds of up to 30 mph, yet they walk into the starting gates and stand quietly for several minutes. The ability to break… Read more »

Most foals are born at night, and we have an experienced staff working overnight to make sure that all the horses stay healthy and happy. During foaling season, it is their responsibility to alert the Broodmare Farm Manager that a mare is about to foal. We look for several physical and behavioral changes in the… Read more »

Every December you will see a fleet of tractors crisscrossing the fields at Stonestreet Farm, each pulling a large section of what looks very much like chain link fence. Harrows , originating from the Dutch word for ‘rake’, are used at Stonestreet once the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky has experienced the first three hard frosts… Read more »

October is a busy month at the Stonestreet Training Center in Florida. Yearlings have arrived from the major yearling sales and breeding farms all over the United States. After a week to settle in and adjust to the new routine it’s time for them to be “backed”, the term describing the process of teaching babies… Read more »

1. Every thoroughbred foal is DNA tested to confirm his or her parentage. Hair is pulled from the tail and sent to a laboratory in California. 2. Pregnant and non-pregnant mares do not share paddocks. Care is different for pregnant and barren mares and separation makes this easier. 3. On an ultrasound machine used to check… Read more »

The foundation of successful preparation of sales yearlings is established when a mating is chosen and must be followed by proper care and nutrition during pregnancy and parturition, and subsequent good management of the foal. This base of best of practice care should (hopefully!) bring us to June of the yearling year with a crop… Read more »

Shortly after birth, a foal will make its first attempts to stand and, before long, succeeds. While starting off a little wobbly, that same foal will be running next to mom in a paddock in no time. Still very small and developing, the hooves are the foundation of a well-built horse and it is important… Read more »

Driving the scenic roads of the Bluegrass Region, thoroughbred horse farms flank both sides. With field upon field housing the mainstay of Kentucky’s breeding operations, you start to notice a disparity between the number of mares and foals; the weaning process has begun. Weaning is the separation of a foal from its dam, which can… Read more »

At Stonestreet, our horses spend most of their time in fields and paddocks, enjoying the fresh air. This time outside is important for fitness as well as nutrition. The time spent grazing is essential to the health of every horse on the farm and making sure that they are receiving the best grass possible begins… Read more »

Standing on the rail at any racetrack paddock will give you a view of horses preparing for their race. Walking into the paddock, the horse will be wearing only a bridle. In the saddling area, which can either be in a designated walking area or in a stall, the valet arrives with the tack which… Read more »