WE traditionally prepare our yearlings over an eight-week period for whichever sale they are destined for. This allows the yearlings to work up a nice muscle definition without pushing them too far.

Yearlings are still growing, and putting their body and joints under pressure with an overload of work/exercise and high levels of feed can have detrimental effects in the long-term.

All animals are different, we use our eight-week preparation as the blueprint, but we tailor and tweak this to the needs of each animal with a view of preparing each individual to the highest standard.

The early part of prep can be intense – everything is new for the yearlings, from walkers, tack, wearing rugs, exercise etc. It is important to allow them to settle into their new surroundings having previously lived out.

Relatively qucikly we then introduce them to the walker, as well as tack including bridles, boots, rollers and bungees all with the view of creating good muscle tone. This all builds into lunging which forms a huge part of their preparation.

Once they have gained confidence in this we just build on the routine, gradually increasing the exercise and intensity as the weeks progress.

After exercise we like to allow them time to relax in small paddocks, with the colts turned out individually and the fillies in small groups. Keeping the yearlings mentally happy is an important part of the prep.

Grooming in the evening becomes part of the routine. The horses are kept warm with sheets and rugs. As the prep continues you see the benefits and the horses begin to thrive.

As well as grooming we hand-walk the yearlings in the afternoon, practice showing and standing. Sales preparation is as much about educating the yearlings for the demands of the sales as it is getting them physically ready.

Foal preparation

Foal preparation differs from the yearling preparation in regards to exercise. The foals are hand-walked every morning with a bit attached to their headcollar. Then they go on the walker before being turned out in small paddocks for a few hours each day.

However, some of the same rules apply as the yearlings; each foal is treated differently depending on their needs for feed and exercise. In the afternoon, the foals are all brought back into their stable where they are groomed.

Sales are tough for foals, it’s a lot of walking for the busy ones. Preparation is all about getting them physically ready for the demands of the sale without pushing them too far. Hardening of their feet is important, its easy for them to get tired and sore at the sales so working with the farrier is essential.

We have great experience and talent within the team at the Irish National Stud. Trusting their experience and believing in the blueprint that continues to work is vital.

The team work so closely with all of the horses day in day out they know them inside out by the time we get to the sales. Small tweaks here and there be it different feeding, exercise or even just a small change in tack can reap great rewards.

The idea of sales preparation is for the horses to be at their very best the week of the sale and for that minute that they are inspected they show themselves to the highest calibre and repeat that time after time throughout the week. One bad show can ruin all the hard work by removing a horse from a list.

No hard and fast rule

Ultimately there is no set rule on how to prepare horses for sales. Each farm has a different way of doing it, a way that works for them and reasons behind it all. We have found a way that suits us and we have reaped the rewards from it but we are always looking at ways to improve and enhance what we do.

Pushing horses too hard is always a danger, be it foals or yearlings. Although there for the purpose of selling, the end goal is for them to be successful racehorses.

Pushing young stock to hard by too much exercise or the wrong feeding regime can have huge impact on the physical animal, their joints etc.

When at the sales we try to keep everything nice and relaxed. The foals and yearlings are in a new environment with a completely different atmosphere to home so keeping them quiet to prevent injury is important.

The working day generally starts from anytime as early as 5:30am. The yearlings get boots and bridles put on and are taken out in-hand to be exercised and lunged while their stables get cleaned with fresh bedding, hay, feed and water.

It is important to keep their feed the same as at home to avoid them going off their feed. After that they are hot-towelled to remove any dirt from their coats and groomed head-to-toe! The yearlings are then ready to be shown to potential buyers from around 8am.

To read the remainder of the five-page The Irish Field Sales Preparataion

Feature 2019 please visit -

https://www.theirishfield.ie/horse-sense-sales-preparation-feature-2019-478666/